PREVALENCE OF PREMATURE LOSS OF PRIMARY TEETH AT THE AGE OF 6-10 YEARS IN SANA'A CITY, YEMEN

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Primary teeth and the integrity of the primary teeth are very important for the normal growth and progress of the occlusal relationships and the dentofacial structures. Premature loss of the primary teeth may lead to the loss of the arch length needed for the eruption of permanent teeth and thus lead to rotation, crowding, and impaction of permanent teeth. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth among children aged 6-10 years in Sana'a city, Yemen.

Materials and methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 1091 children, aged 6-10 years. An experienced examiner the first author carried out all clinical examinations under natural light. Data were collected including age and missing teeth.

Results: The results showed that 26% of the sample suffered premature loss of primary teeth with no significant difference between the sexes (P> 0.05). There was low  in prevalence of premature loss of primary teeth in 10 years (17.7%), while the rate raised to 29.7%, 31.6%, and 31.7% in 6,7 and 9 years respectively. When considering the number of teeth, the prevalence of one premature loss was 10.8%, followed by two premature losses (9.8%), while the loss rate of 3 or more was5.4%. Considering dental arch 61.8% of loss was Mandible loss, while the loss in Maxilla was 38.1% only. The most common missing tooth is the first lower right primary molar (17%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of premature loss in our study is similar to that of developing countries, the rate was low at 10 years for children, while the rate increased at 6,7 and 9 years; most of the loss was in the lower jaw and the most common missing tooth was the right lower primary molar. This result determines the importance of increasing awareness of this problem and focusing on the need for more preventive efforts to maintain healthy and natural teeth that improve the chewing function and aesthetic appearance of children and the entire population.

                       

Peer Review History:

Received 5 June 2020; Revised 11 July; Accepted 23 August; Available online 15 September 2020

Academic Editor: Dr. DANIYAN Oluwatoyin Michael, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria, toyinpharm@gmail.com

Reviewer(s) detail:

Dr. Mohamed Amin El-Emam, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA), Alexandria, Egypt, mohamed.elemam@pua.edu.eg

Dr. Mohammad Tauseef, College of Pharmacy, Chicago State University, mtauseef@csu.edu