Prevalence of Tooth Loss among Road Transport Workers in Owerri Metropolis

Background: Tooth loss is recognized as a public health problem and used as an important measure of the oral health. Oral health is commonly taken for granted, and its significance to overall health of the body's general health is underappreciated.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of tooth loss among road transport workers in Owerri Metropolis, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a descriptive research study. Data were collected from 292 road transport workers in Owerri metropolis town who were available during the distribution of the questionnaire, the questionnaire was validated by three professors who are experts in the field of dentistry; with the help from the secretary of transporter and they were selected using the purposive sampling technique, using the semi-structure questionnaire, which were designed to elicit accurate and honest responses from the transport workers, including demographic data, causes of tooth loss, position of tooth loss, treatment of tooth loss and condition associate with tooth loss. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages, and mean scores.

Results: The study found that most of the respondents were males (89.73%), their ages ranged from 40 – 50 years (37.33%). The majority of them were married (40. 41%), with the highest education of primary school certificate (37.33%), belong to the Igbo tribe (53.08%). At the same time, the highest daily income ranges from 2600 -5000 and 7100 – 10000 naira (34.25%), respectively. These results inferred those self-reported causes of the tooth were traumatic (road accident, fighting, and falls) (32.53%), location of tooth loss was upper anterior (33.22%). Meanwhile, respondents’ treatment adequate for tooth loss was visiting a chemist shop (40.07%) and tooth loss associated with complex chewing(mastication) (39.38%).

Conclusion: It is imperative for the government, dental health professional and management of motor park to work hand in hand to established dental clinic around motor park, educate and sensitized the transports workers about the efficient of visiting dental clinic twice a year as part of their routine program.