COMMUNITY DENTAL HEALTH

Background: Edentulism is a significant public health issue that impairs nutrition and quality of life. While global prevalence is high among the elderly, specific occupational groups like commercial riders in low-resource settings face unique risks due to road traffic accidents (RTA) and poor access to dental care. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, aetiology, and preventive strategies for edentulism among motorcycle and tricycle riders in Ugbowo, Benin City. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 motorcycle and tricycle riders in Ugbowo, Edo State. Data were collected using structured, interviewer- administered questionnaires and analysed using SPSS version 29.0. Results: The prevalence of edentulism (history of tooth loss) among the respondents was 12.3% (n=32). Road traffic accidents were a significant factor, with 33.8% of riders having experienced a crash and 19.3% of those sustaining oral injuries. Common injuries included teeth being knocked out (58.8%), chipped (11.8%), or loosened (11.8%). Non-accidental causes of tooth loss included physical assaults (36.4%) and dental caries (27.3%). Statistical analysis showed a significant association between edentulism and experiencing an RTA (p = 0.047), as well as sustaining direct mouth injuries (p < 0.001). Despite these risks, 80.8% of riders never used a helmet, largely because they perceived them as “not needed” (77.6%).Additionally, 80.4% had never visited a dentist. Conclusion: Edentulism represents a notable burden among riders in Ugbowo, driven by a combination of occupational trauma and poor oral health behaviours. The high rate of dental injuries and low use of protective gear underscore the need for targeted safety interventions. Recommendations: The study recommends mandatory use of full-face helmets, the incorporation of seat belts in tricycles, and community-based oral health programs to encourage routine dental visits and preventive care.

BACKGROUND: Hemoglobinopathies are the commonest inherited genetic disorders worldwide. Sickle cell disorders were discovered by Dr J.B Herrick in 1904. There are some hopes for a definitive cure for sickle cell disorders in the form of stem cell transplantation. However premarital screening for intending couples seem to be an important primary preventive method. Pre-marital medical screening is a panel of tests that couples preparing to get married undertake so as to detect any genetic or infectious disease that may be transmitted to each other of their offspring. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to add to the existing body of knowledge on sickle cell disorder and to access the knowledge, attitude and practice of premarital screening for sickle cell disorder among students of University of Benin. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 393 students using multi- stage sampling technique from six selected faculties (Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Education, Management Sciences, Law, Pharmacy.) from the 13 faculties in the University. The time duration of this study spanned from August 2019 to June 2021. Data was collected using an self-administered questionnaire. Data was obtained and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Analysis employed descriptive and inferential statistics. Level of significance was set at 5%.