Thema Lawrence K, Singh Shenuka
Discipline of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Teaching and Learning, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med. 2017 Jul 12;9(1):e1-e5. doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v9i1.1206.
Despite the impact of oral diseases on the quality of life, there is limited updated evidence on oral health status in Limpopo province.
To determine the epidemiological profile of patients utilising public oral health services in Limpopo province.
This was a descriptive retrospective clinical chart review conducted in five purposively selected district hospitals in Limpopo province. The collected data included the patient's sociodemographic information, reasons for dental consultation, information on the dental or oral diseases and the treatment received. Five hundred clinical files were systematically selected (100 from each district hospital) for the period 01 January 1995 to 31 December 2013. Data were collected using the World Health Organization's indicator age groups, namely 6-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 18-year-olds and 35-44-year-old groups. A data capturing sheet was used to record the collected information. Data were analysed using the statistical software package for social sciences SPSS version 23.0.
The majority of patients were in the age group of 6 to 20 years (n = 375, 75%). The majority were male patients (n = 309; 62%). Dental caries was the most common complaint (n = 298, 60%). The second most common main complaint in this age group was retained primary or deciduous teeth (n = 60, 12%) affecting children mainly in the age group of 6 to 12 years. The most common clinical procedure across all five districts was dental extractions (n = 324, 64%). Other clinical interventions included scaling and polishing (n = 33, 12%) and dental restorative care (n = 20, 3%).
There is an urgent need to reorient oral health service delivery in Limpopo province to focus more on preventive oral health programmes.
尽管口腔疾病会对生活质量产生影响，但林波波省口腔健康状况的最新证据有限。
确定林波波省使用公共口腔卫生服务的患者的流行病学概况。
这是一项描述性回顾性临床图表审查，在林波波省五家经过有目的选择的地区医院进行。收集的数据包括患者的社会人口统计学信息、牙科咨询原因、牙齿或口腔疾病信息以及接受的治疗。在1995年1月1日至2013年12月31日期间，系统选取了500份临床档案（每家地区医院100份）。数据收集采用世界卫生组织的指示年龄组，即6岁、12岁、18岁和35 - 44岁年龄组。使用数据采集表记录收集到的信息。数据采用社会科学统计软件包SPSS 23.0进行分析。
大多数患者年龄在6至20岁之间（n = 375，75%）。大多数为男性患者（n = 309；62%）。龋齿是最常见的主诉（n = 298，60%）。该年龄组第二常见的主要主诉是乳牙滞留（n = 60，12%），主要影响6至12岁的儿童。所有五个地区最常见的临床操作是拔牙（n = 324，64%）。其他临床干预包括洗牙和抛光（n = 33，12%）以及牙齿修复治疗（n = 20，3%）。
林波波省迫切需要重新调整口腔卫生服务的提供方向，更加注重预防性口腔健康项目。
