title: The traditional practice of canine bud removal in the offspring of Ethiopian immigrants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The custom of canine bud removal has detrimental consequences on children's general health and dental care. The objective of this study was to assess whether the prevalence of missing primary canines and dental defects in offspring of emigrants from Ethiopia is greater than in offspring of native Israeli parents of similar socioeconomic class.
  
  
  METHODS
  477 children of Ethiopian descent and 317 offspring of native Israeli parents, from 21 nursery schools and kindergartens, underwent dental examinations aimed to determine the presence or absence of primary canines and of developmental enamel defects on adjacent teeth to the primary canines. For purposes of analysis, children were classified into two age groups: younger (ages 18-48 months) and older (ages 49-82 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Canines were present in more Israeli than Ethiopian younger children, 87.5% vs. 42.3%, p=0.0001; and in more Israeli than Ethiopian older children, 92.6% vs. 40.4%, p=0.0001. More dental defects were detected in Ethiopian than in Israeli younger children, 32% vs. 3.9%, p=0.0001; and in more Ethiopian than Israeli older children, 31.2% vs. 5.8%, p=0.0001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of missing primary canines and dental defects was greater among offspring of parents who had emigrated from Ethiopia 15-20 years earlier than among offspring of native Israeli parents living in the same low socioeconomic neighborhoods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. dr-st@012.net.il
authors.forename: Esti
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davidovich
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kooby
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shapira
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ram
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003481:Cuspid / Q000601:surgery*; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000209:etiology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000601:surgery*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000601:surgery*