Oral Hygiene Practices,Access-to-care and Dental Health Status in Northern-Senegal

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status of Northern Senegalese population in correlation to demographics, access-to-dental-care and oral hygiene practices.
Methods: A total of 356 individuals(271 males, 85 females) between the ages of 5-88 from 5-regions in Senegal(Thille Boubacar, Haere Lao,Mboumba,Golere,Pete) were included in the study. Oral evaluations were performed by two standardized dentists. DMFT-scores and need-for-urgent-care due to pain or acute infection were correlated with self-reported survey results. The impact of demographics(age, gender, years-in-school), oral hygiene measures(chewing stick, toothbrush, toothpaste) and frequency(twice day-..-never), smoking-behavior and access-to dental-care(travel time, transportation route and frequency of dental visits in the last 5 years) on the DMFT scores were evaluated. Additionally, data on gender, age and years-in-school versus oral hygiene measures, need-for-urgent-care and to access-to-dental-care were evaluated. Results were correlated using Fisher’s Exact Tests.
Results: DMFT score average was 10.01 and was significantly higher in females, adults, chew-stick users,non-brushers and in persons with no recent dental visits(p<0.05). Persons who had 3 and more dental visits(last 5-years) and who use a toothbrush had significantly lower DMFT(p<0.001). Factors such as transportation route and travel time to the dentist, location, smoking, oral hygiene frequency and years-in-school did not have a significant effect on DMFT. Adults had better access to dental care and more frequent oral hygiene measures compared to children(p<0.01) but there was no difference between genders. Need-for-urgent-care was more significant with higher DMFT scores(p<0.001) but was not affected by travel time and visits to the dentist.
Conclusions: Dental health status was generally poor in Northern Senegalese population. Within the limitations of self-reported survey design, oral hygiene method rather than frequency and number of visits rather than travel time and route to the dentist have bigger impact. Especially children are more compromised within the populations.