DMFT Index of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Attending UNRWA Health Centers in Gaza Governorates

Background: Oral Health (OH) is an essential component of general health, oral diseases have a negative social impact and adverse consequences on the quality of life, while their treatment places a considerable economic burden on individuals, communities and countries. Oral diseases are related to a number of risk factors and determinants that are common to Diabetes Mellitus (DM) which have oral implications. This study aimed to know DMFT index among type 2 diabetic patients attending UNRWA health centers in Gaza Governorates. Method: An analytical cross-sectional study of 406 patients with type 2 DM selected through systematic random sampling from 5 UNRWA health centers. The World Health Organization’s basic methods tools were used to collect data and assess OH. Results: The mean Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) score was 18.6. No treatment was needed for 8.4%, while prompt treatment including scaling was needed for 70.1% of participants. DMFT index was a statistically signifi cant associated (p = 0.001) with Age, educational level, employment status, frequency of teeth brushing, diabetic duration (p = 0.038), and Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) (p = 0.002). DMFT index was higher among males participants and participants under the deep poverty line. Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, the results indicated that patients with type 2 DM have high DMFT index, and unaware of oral implications of diabetes, a new UNRWA strategy for oral health must be devised for non-communicable disease patients. INTRODUCTION As a basic human right, an essential component of general health and important determinant factor for quality of life, oral health provides clues of overall health and refl ects well-being of people. Poor oral health is accompanied by poor general health, so oral health and general health are related to each other and should be integrated rather than separated from each other. However the impairment of the ability to breath, eat, swallow, speak, and smile will interfere with the ability to interact with others, attend school, and work. Furthermore, oral diseases have a negative social impact and adverse consequences on the quality of life of aff ected people, while their treatment places a considerable economic burden on individuals, communities and countries [1]. Study objective Th e aim of this study is to know DMFT index of type 2 diabetic patients attending UNRWA health centers in Gaza Governorates. Methodology An analytical, cross-sectional design to assess the oral health of 381 type 2 diabetic patients from fi ve UNRWA health centers were examined and interviewed. Th e World Health Organization’s (WHO) basic methods 5th Edition were used [2]. A representative sample had taken from fi ve health centers according to systematic random sampling from type 2 diabetic patients attending UNRWA primary health care centers (39448 type 2 DM) with active DM fi le during 2017. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Socio-demographic characteristics Th e total number of study participants was 406 type 2 DM patients. Among them; 59.9% were female and 40.1% were male. Th e mean age for participants was 54.6 years with a Standard Deviation (SD) 8.02, 24.6% of participants were of age group less than 50 years old, while 23.4% were of age group from 51-55 years old, 25.4% were of the age group 56-60 years, and 26.6% were of the age group more than 60 years which was the highest percentage among all group. Th is distribution was consistent with UNRWA fi eld disease control report which showed that 26% of patients were more than 60 years [3], another report showing that 43.3% of all type 2 DM patients are more than 55 years old [4]. Th e discrepancies in percentages are attributed ISSN: 2640-0944 to the diff erence in the age group where UNRWA fi eld disease control reports for all patients while the age group of this study is limited from 35-65 years only. (Figure 1) showing that females represent 59.9% of study participants, UNRWA fi eld disease control report showed that females percentage among DM type 2 is 51%, 61% among diabetes and hypertension and 60% among all NCD patients [3]. Gender diff erences arise from socio-cultural processes, such as diff erent behaviors of women and men, exposition to specifi c infl uences of the environment, diff erent forms of nutrition, life styles or stress, or attitudes towards treatments and prevention. Moreover, women show more dramatic changes in hormones and body due to reproductive factors during lifetime [5].