Abstract
ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of missing and damaged teeth among women in the rural southern plains of Nepal using an interviewer-administered tooth assessment module.Setting21wards in seven Village Development Committees across the Tarai of Nepal in 2015.ParticipantsResident, married women of children less than 5 years of age or those married in the 2 years prior to the survey, 14 to 49 years of age participating in a mid-year nutrition and health survey in the Tarai region of Nepal.Outcome measuresPrevalence of missing and damaged teeth, history of dental problems, oral hygiene practices, access to dental treatment and risk factors for missing and damaged teeth.ResultsOf 3007 assessed women, aged 14 to 49 years of age, 22.8% (95% CI: 21.4–24.4) reported ≥ 1 missing or damaged teeth; 81.5% (95% CI 80.1–82.9) reported regularly practicing oral hygiene, typically with standard local dentifrices. Pain or discomfort in the oral cavity in the previous 6 months affected 17.6% of women. Among these, 43.8% had sought treatment from a dental facility, pharmacy or village doctor. Home remedies were commonly applied to relieve pain.ConclusionBroken and missing teeth are common, affecting nearly one-quarter of adult women of reproductive age in rural Southern Nepal, as assessed by an interviewer-administered questionnaire.
Highlights
Of 3007 assessed women, aged 14 to 49 years of age, 22.8% reported 1 missing or damaged teeth; 81.5% reported regularly practicing oral hygiene, typically with standard local dentifrices
Oral health complications are poorly documented in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
This study provides an initial estimate of the prevalence of missing or damaged teeth among women of reproductive age across the southern, low lying plains of Nepal, employing a interviewer-administered tooth assessment module
Summary
Oral health complications are poorly documented in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A challenge to revealing the burden of dental disease and monitoring the prevention of decay through improved care stems from a lack of practical and reliable oral health diagnostics by front line community health workers and lay, trained surveyors. Dental disease prevalence measures and indices such as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended “decayed, missing, filled teeth” index (DMFT), the Oral Hygiene Index— Simplified (OHI-S), and the Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Needs (CPITN) continue to remain under the sole purview of dental health scientists, clinicians and technical specialists, [6] structured questionnaires have occasionally been used to gather information on dental decay and pain by trained dentists in school and village settings. The assessment was nested into an agriculture, nutrition and health survey in the rural southern plains (Tarai) of Nepal
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