Awareness of Oral Health and Dental Care Practices among Children with Endocrine Disorders and their Caregivers at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Endocrine disorders in children can present with various oral manifestations that may impact overall health and quality of life. Despite this, awareness of these oral implications among patients and caregivers is often limited. Understanding this gap is essential for improving multidisciplinary care and oral health outcomes. This study aims to assess the awareness of oral health and dental care practices of children and caregivers with endocrine disorders. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Paediatric Endocrinology Clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria. Ethical approval, informed consent, and assent were obtained. Fifty children aged 7-18 years with confirmed endocrine disorders and their caregivers were recruited. Data collection involved structured questionnaires and intraoral examinations. Statistical analysis was done with a level of significance set at p< 0.05. Results: The mean age of patients was 11.52 ± 4.9 years, with females representing 54% of the participants. Type I Diabetes Mellitus was the most frequent endocrine condition (54%). Awareness of the oral implications of endocrine disorders was very low (12%). The majority of patients (70%) had never visited a dentist. Similarly, most caregivers (66.0%) had never visited a dentist. The presence of oral manifestations showed no statistically significant association with age group, sex, or caregiver educational level. Conclusion: Oral abnormalities are frequent among paediatric patients with endocrine conditions, yet both patients and caregivers demonstrate low awareness of these complications. Greater collaboration between endocrinologists and dental professionals, alongside promoting oral health education, is crucial to improving oral health outcomes in this population.