Dentine hypersensitivity and dentine exposure in Arab patient populations

Dentine hypersensitivity is a frequent oral complaint that is usually associated with several factors including diet and oral hygiene practices.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, severity and correlates of dentine hypersensitivity and dentine exposure-related risk indicators in a sample from six Arab countries.

A multinational cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 2924 participants, attending dental practices, aged 18-35 years from six Arab countries. Trained examiners assessed dentine hypersensitivity using the Schiff scale and scored the tooth with the highest value in each sextant. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that assessed the frequency of drinking and eating acidic foods and their oral health habits.

Overall, the Schiff score 1 was found in 938 (32.6%), score 2 in 613 (21%) and score 3 in 274 (9%) of the participants. There was variation between countries with Saudi Arabia (13.9%) and Oman (15%) having the highest prevalence of hypersensitivity and Kuwait (2.2) and Jordan the lowest (4.8%). Participants who experienced toothache and difficulty eating once a day were significantly more likely to have Schiff score 2 or 3 (OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.54-2.87; OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.04-1.73, respectively). Furthermore, drinking soft drinks once a day was also significantly associated with dentine exposure (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.65).

In this cross-sectional study, dentine sensitivity and exposure were common in Arab patient populations.