Presenting Complaints at a Tertiary Dental Facility: a Measure of the Scope of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases in The Gambia.
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Abstract
Background
Oral and maxillofacial diseases are prevalent worldwide. This study aimed to determine the pattern of patients’ presenting complaints at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, The Gambia.
Methods
This retrospective study was conducted at the hospital’s dental clinic. Data were retrieved from archival records covering the period from November 2022 to October 2023 and recorded on standardized data-collection forms. Patients’ presenting complaints were broadly categorized as orofacial pathologies, trauma, dental-related abscesses, and developmental anomalies. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) software.
Results
A total of 1,007 patients were seen during the study period, with a slight male predominance. The peak age of presentation was in the third decade of life, while children aged 16 years or younger accounted for approximately one-third of all cases. Orofacial pathologies were the most common category of complaint, accounting for 607/60.3% cases, followed by dental and maxillofacial trauma with 177/17.6% cases, life-threatening infections with 145/14.4% cases, and developmental anomalies with 78/7.7% cases. The most common specific complaints were toothache, reported by 279/27.7% patients; growths and swellings, (247/24.5%); orofacial abscesses, (131/13.0%); soft-tissue injuries, (67/6.6%); maxillofacial fractures, (59/5.9%); and ankyloglossia, (49/4.9%).
Conclusion
Toothache was the most common presenting complaint, followed by swellings, trauma, and infections. Increased oral-health awareness and improved access to preventive and restorative dental care should be prioritized in The Gambia. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of oral-health interventions in the country.
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