Dr. Abebe Muche Moges

Abstract Background Oral diseases are a public health concern with a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals. Children with special needs face significant challenges in carrying out oral hygiene due to their disability, and they are more prone to poor oral health and illnesses. This study assessed dental health problems and treatment-seeking behaviors of special needs school students in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, in eight special needs schools located in the Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. A total of 443 randomly selected special needs students were included. Data were collected using a structured interview-administered questionnaire. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with oral health problems and treatment-seeking behavior. A p-value of less than 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Results The prevalence of self-reported dental health problems and treatment-seeking behaviors among special needs school students was 46.1% (95% CI: 41.4%, 50.7%) and 60.3% (95% CI: 53.4%, 66.8%), respectively. Place of residence, grade level, religious affiliation, years lived with disability, and knowledge of dental health-related risk behaviors were associated with dental health problems. Whereas, place of residence, being hearing impaired, and having prior information about dental health problems were associated with dental treatment-seeking behavior. Conclusions A significant number of special needs students reported dental problems and about 40% of them did not seek dental treatment. Oral hygiene practice and access to dental care services are important in the prevention of dental problems. Hence, oral hygiene promotion programs focusing on oral hygiene practice and dental treatment services are needed in special needs schools. It is also strongly suggested to incorporate oral health related information in health-related academic lessons to enhance optimum oral health among special needs students.

Background: Oral health care is the most common unmet need among individuals with a disability. Individuals with a disability may have compromised oral health needs due to neglect from parents, socioeconomic problems, and communication barriers. In Ethiopia, there is a lack of data on oral health status of the hearing-impaired population. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the oral health status of hearing-impaired students in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021 on hearing-impaired students in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data were collected using a pretested interview administered questionnaire and clinical examination. Oral cavity was evaluated using the simplified oral hygiene index, decayed, missed and filled teeth, and community periodontal index. Data analysis was done using SPSS 26.0, and logistic regression analysis was done to identify the risk factors of dental caries and periodontal disease. Results: A total of 149 hearing impaired students with an age range of 7-30 years were involved in the study. The prevalence of periodontal disease and dental caries was 22.8% (95% CI: 16.8, 30.4) and 38.9% (95% CI; 32.2, 46.9), respectively. Being grade 1-4 student (AOR = 3.94, 95%: 1.16, 13.38), lack of formal education (AOR = 4.98, 95% CI: 1.00, 24.65), dental caries (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.08) and bleeding on probing (AOR = 9.98, 95% CI: 3.69, 26.64) were statistically significant with periodontal disease. Grade level, parents' support during brushing, oral health status, and medication intake were independent factors for dental caries. Conclusion: In the present study, a significant number of hearing-impaired students had periodontal disease and dental caries. School oral health programs and caregivers assisted oral hygiene practices are essential to combat oral health problems in hearing-impaired students. Moreover, a nationwide prospective study with a large sample size will be required to reflect the oral health status of hearing-impaired individuals in the country. Keywords: DMFT; dental caries; hearing impairment; oral health status; periodontal disease.

Background Oral conditions remain a substantial population health challenge worldwide. Poor oral health affects the quality of life as a result of pain or discomfort, tooth loss, impaired oral functioning, disfigurement, missing school time, loss of work hours, and sometimes even death. This study assessed the magnitude of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and oral hygiene status and associated factors among special needs school students in the Amhara region. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021 in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia. A total of 443 randomly selected special needs students were included. A structured pretested interview-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Bivariable and multivariable ordinal logistic regression models were fitted to identify the factors associated with oral hygiene status. The statistical significance of differences in mean OHIP-14 scores was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis equality-of-populations rank and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Almost half 46.6% (95% CI: 42.1%, 51.4%) of the study participant had poor oral hygiene status. The median OHIP-14 score was 16 with an interquartile range from 14 to 20. The highest score was for functional limitation (mean: 1.45 (SD ± 0.70)) and the lowest score was for psychological disability (mean: 1.08 (SD ± 0.45)). Mother education, frequency of taking sugared foods, and the types of disabilities were significant predictors of the poor oral hygiene status of special needs students in the Amhara region. The students living in Dessie had higher OHIP-14 scores compared to those living in other places (Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Debre Markos). The students who never brush their teeth had lower OHIP-14 scores than those who brush sometime and once a day. Whereas, students affiliated with the orthodox religion had lower OHIP-14 scores compared to those affiliated with all other religions (Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant). Conclusion A substantial amount of students with a disability had poor oral hygiene. The OHIP-14 scores indicated poor oral health-related quality of life. The study found that maternal education, frequency of taking sugared foods, and the types of disabilities were statistically significant factors associated with oral hygiene status.

Abstract Background Periodontal disease is the most common oral health problem among individuals living with disabilities. Any physical impairment and/or mental handicap can compromise the capability to perform oral health care. Individuals with poor oral hygiene practice were prone to dental caries, periodontal disease, and upper respiratory tract infections. Despite the high prevalence of disabled people in Ethiopia, data are scarce about their periodontal status. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinant factors of periodontal disease among students living with disability in the Amhara region. Methods A school-based cross-sectional study was done on eight special needs schools in Amhara regional state from November 30, 2020, to April 10, 2021. A simple random sampling technique using a computer random generator was employed to recruit the study participants. The participants were interviewed for sociodemographic characteristics, oral hygiene practice, type of disability, and medical condition through a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. The periodontal status of the participants was evaluated using the community periodontal index (CPI). Data entry was done using the Epi-data and analyzed using SPSS 26. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of periodontal disease at a 5% level of significance. Results A total of 443 study participants were involved with a mean age of 15.84 ± 3.882. Among these, 27.5% (95%CI 23.4–32.0) had a periodontal pocket depth of ≥ 4 mm, and 56.7% had bleeding on probing. The prevalence of periodontal disease was higher in participants with poor oral health status (52.2%), dental caries (34.8%), class-2 malocclusion (46.1%), and low monthly income (30.4%), visually impaired (30%), and mentally disorder (29.9%). Age of above 18 years (AOR = 3.41, 95%CI 1.40, 8.28), low family monthly income (AOR = 2.21; 95%CI 1.22, 4.03), malocclusion (AOR = 1.59, 95%CI 1.01, 2.54), poor oral health status (AOR = 9.41; 95%CI 4.92, 17.98), and dental caries (AOR = 1.85, 95%CI 1.21, 2.82) were independent predictors of periodontal disease. Conclusions A substantial amount of disabled school students in the study area had periodontal disease. The study found that there was a statistically significant association between age, family monthly income, malocclusion, oral health status, and dental caries with periodontal disease. The implementation of school oral health programs has a great benefit for the oral health status of disabled school students.

Background Malocclusion is one of the most common oral health conditions globally, following dental caries and periodontal disease. It affects both function and appearance and can lead to psychological distress, social challenges, and an increased risk of dental diseases. However, little is known about its burden among students with disabilities in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of malocclusion among students in special needs schools in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to April 2021 among students attending special needs schools in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data were collected from 396 students attending special needs schools in the region using a pre-designed, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The occlusal status of the study participants was evaluated using Angle’s classification of malocclusion and was leveled as class-I, class-II, or class-III. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was done to identify potential predictors of malocclusion among the study participants. Data cleaning and coding were done using EpiData and the analysis was done using SPSS version 26. Results A total of 396 students were involved in the study with a mean age of 16.55 years (± 3.466 SD). The prevalence of malocclusion among students in special needs schools was 42.9% (95%CI; 37.9, 47.9). The magnitude of malocclusion was high among physically disabled (56.0%) and intellectually disabled students (51.7%). The regression analysis indicated that being intellectually disabled (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.4, 6.3), visually impaired (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.4), and medical comorbidity (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2–5.3) were independent predictors of malocclusion among students attending special need schools in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Conclusion and recommendations This study revealed a high prevalence of malocclusion among students in special needs schools. Key predictors included intellectual disability, visual impairment, and the presence of medical comorbidities. These findings underscore the urgent need for accessible orthodontic care for students with disabilities. The Ministry of Health should implement targeted oral health interventions and educational programs, particularly for those with intellectual and visual impairments. Future research should explore the causal pathways linking disability and malocclusion through longitudinal studies to overcome the limitations of cross-sectional data.