Oral health assessment of urban and rural dwellers in Bafia-Cameroon

Background: The public health problems associated with oral health are a serious burden on countries around the world. Those problems are acute in developing countries which are hit by non-communicable chronic diseases, including oral diseases. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the oral health of individuals from both urban and rural areas in Bafia, Cameroon. Materials and Methods: A commnunity and descriptive cross-sectional survey with probability sampling was used in this study. 2,840 individuals, aged 5 years and older, were selected, using a two-staged simple random sampling technique. The study was based on a structured questionnaire completed by the participants, and on a clinical examination performed by the dentists. Statistical methods included bivariate analyses. Results: Among the 2,759 participants who successfully completed the survey, 53.4% were males and 46.6% were females. Majority of the participants i.e., 52.4 % belonged to 17 years and more vs 47.6 % who belonged to 05-17 years age group. Of the total individuals examined, 50.4% had a poor oral health level, of which 42.9% urban dwellers and 57% rural dwellers. Conclusion: There is a significant need for increased public awareness and regular surveillance of oral hygiene practices, as well as the complications associated with poor oral hygiene. In addition, development of guidelines, public health awareness programmess and dental community educational programmes are urgently needed.