Rampant caries experience in a Nigerian teaching hospital population.
OBJECTIVE
A prospective study to find out the prevalence, pattern of distribution of rampant caries in patients treated at the outpatient clinic of the Dental Hospital, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex ( OAUTHC) Ile - Ife, Nigeria.


METHODS
A total of 403 child patients aged 1 to 5 years who attended the hospital from January 1998 to December 2002 were examined by the authors. Questionaires were given to the parents or guardians to complete.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 213 males (52.8% ) and 190 females (47.2% ). Twenty two children (15males, 7 females) presented with rampant caries which was not statistically significant P >0.5. The prevalence of rampant caries was 5.5% . The peak age incidence was 4 years. More boys suffered rampant caries than girls with boy to girl ratio of 2:1. The pattern of distribution showed that the labial surfaces of the maxillary incisors were affected in all the patients. Five patients had proximal caries out of which mandibular primary incisors of 3 children were involved and one child presented with palatal caries of the maxillary primary incisors.


CONCLUSIONS
The Dental Hospital, OAUTHC has experienced increased in number of rampant caries patients. Therefore emphasis on prevention of caries in suburban Nigerian children in Ile-Ife should be stepped up before it constitutes a significant oral health problem.
Adekoya-Sofowora
C A
CA
Department of Preventive and Children Dentistry, Dental Hospital, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Nasir
W O
WO
Ola
D
D
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors