Traumatic dental injuries and related factors among sixth grade schoolchildren in four Palestinian towns.
BACKGROUND
Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are recognized as an important dental public health issue among children. The West Bank, a part of the Palestinian Authority, is in immediate neighborhood to Israel. There are inadequate epidemiologic data among the Palestinian people, on dental health issues.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the occurrence of TDI to permanent teeth among sixth grade Palestinian schoolchildren living in four large towns of the West Bank and to investigate associations with anatomic and demographic factors.


METHODS
Eight hundred and four children were sampled and examined in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Jericho. Data collection included clinical examinations in schools and questionnaires for demographic and socio-economic background.


RESULTS
The prevalence of traumatic dental injuries was 17.7%. Enamel fractures and injuries involving dentine accounted for 41% and 42.5% of all injuries, respectively. The most affected teeth (89%) were upper central incisors. Only 5% of the injured teeth were treated. Results of multiple logistic regression confirmed that TDI were significantly (P < 0.001) more prevalent among boys, children presenting incisal overjet larger than 5 mm, and incompetent lip coverage.


CONCLUSIONS
The relative high prevalence and very low levels of treated TDI identified in this study suggested that both prevention and treatment of TDI in the West Bank were inadequate.
Livny
Alon
A
Department of Community Dentistry, Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. alonl@hadassah.org.il
Sgan-Cohen
Harold D
HD
Junadi
Samer
S
Marcenes
Wagner
W
D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057887:Overbite / Q000150:complications; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology