IADR Abstract Archives
The Prevalence, Dental Complications and Effects of Infant Oral Mutilation
Objectives: The aim of this scoping review on infant oral mutilation (IOM) was to study the prevalence, dental complications, and immediate and long-term effects of this practice, in addition to providing a systematic overview on existing knowledge and analysis of identified knowledge gaps on IOM.
Methods: Five electronic bibliographic databases (OVID/Medline, Embase.com, Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS and Global Index Medicus) were searched for relevant studies. Data was entered in a bespoke data-charting form. The risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers.
Results: A total of 478 studies were identified from the search, out of which 42 studies were included in this review. Of the 42 studies, 19 were prevalence studies published between 1969 and 2019, who were additionally assessed for the risk of bias. We found the prevalence of IOM in Uganda was 2% - 30%, Ethiopia 12% - 86%, Sudan 10%, Kenya 61% - 87% and Tanzania 0% - 24%. Based on the prevalence studies we observed that the most common factor motivating IOM was diarrhoea. The immediate effects of IOM were found to be infection, bleeding, anaemia, pneumonia, septicaemia, osteomyelitis, meningitis, tetanus and blood-borne diseases, with some infants dying from these effects. Missing canines, enamel hypoplasia, malformations, abnormal eruption of permanent teeth, occlusal discrepancies, midline shift, chronic periapical infections, rotations, canine transposition or odontomas were the long-term effects found in relation to IOM.
Conclusions: Infant oral mutilation (IOM) is a global, harmful traditional practice with serious immediate and long-term consequences. It is important to create professional and public awareness of the procedure in low and high-income countries. Furthermore, there is a need for more research on the prevalence of IOM in Africa and other areas of the world to determine the long-term consequences of the practice.
Methods: Five electronic bibliographic databases (OVID/Medline, Embase.com, Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS and Global Index Medicus) were searched for relevant studies. Data was entered in a bespoke data-charting form. The risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers.
Results: A total of 478 studies were identified from the search, out of which 42 studies were included in this review. Of the 42 studies, 19 were prevalence studies published between 1969 and 2019, who were additionally assessed for the risk of bias. We found the prevalence of IOM in Uganda was 2% - 30%, Ethiopia 12% - 86%, Sudan 10%, Kenya 61% - 87% and Tanzania 0% - 24%. Based on the prevalence studies we observed that the most common factor motivating IOM was diarrhoea. The immediate effects of IOM were found to be infection, bleeding, anaemia, pneumonia, septicaemia, osteomyelitis, meningitis, tetanus and blood-borne diseases, with some infants dying from these effects. Missing canines, enamel hypoplasia, malformations, abnormal eruption of permanent teeth, occlusal discrepancies, midline shift, chronic periapical infections, rotations, canine transposition or odontomas were the long-term effects found in relation to IOM.
Conclusions: Infant oral mutilation (IOM) is a global, harmful traditional practice with serious immediate and long-term consequences. It is important to create professional and public awareness of the procedure in low and high-income countries. Furthermore, there is a need for more research on the prevalence of IOM in Africa and other areas of the world to determine the long-term consequences of the practice.