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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · European Journal of General Dentistry 2017; 6(01): 36-41
DOI: 10.4103/2278-9626.198606
Original Article

Pattern of tooth discoloration and care-seeking behavior among adolescents in an underserved rural community in Nigeria

Olushola Ibiyemi
Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
,
Titilola Sarah Ibiyemi
1   Dental Centre, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria
,
Juliana Obontu Taiwo
Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the pattern of tooth discoloration and care-seeking behavior among adolescents in a Nigerian community. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was carried out among 384 adolescents in Idere, Southwestern Nigeria. The questionnaire comprised questions on sociodemographic data, presence of tooth discoloration, and care-seeking behavior. Two calibrated examiners examined the labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth for the presence of tooth discoloration. Frequencies and bar charts were generated, and Chi-square test was used to test the association between categorical variables at P < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 14.7 ± 2.3 years, comprising 222 (57.8%) and 162 (42.2%) in junior and senior secondary schools, respectively. Intraoral examination revealed 167 (43.9%) had discolored teeth while 127 (33.1%) perceived that they had discolored teeth. Extrinsic stains were the major cause of tooth discoloration in both anterior and posterior teeth (18%-84%) except in upper anterior teeth where enamel hypoplasia was the major cause (20%-30%). Among participants who perceived that they had tooth discoloration, 81.9% mentioned that they did not know that the discoloration can be treated. Older participants had more discolored teeth than their counterparts (P = 0.01). Age group, sex, and class of participants were associated with frequency of tooth brushing (P < 0.05). Participants who had anterior or intrinsic tooth discoloration sought care more often than those with posterior or extrinsic tooth discoloration (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Extrinsic staining was the major cause of tooth discoloration. Many adolescents did not know that the discoloration can be treated.

Keywords

Care seeking - teenagers - tooth staining


Publication History

Article published online:
01 November 2021

© 2017. European Journal of General Dentistry. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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