Resumen

SHONGWE, S  y  GININDZA, TG. Prevalence and risk factors of oral lesions among adults attending a dental clinic in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. S. Afr. dent. j. [online]. 2025, vol.80, n.2, pp.69-77. ISSN 0375-1562.  https://doi.org/10.17159/sadj.v80i02.20399.

INTRODUCTION: The Global Burden of Disease 2017 reported that 2.3 billion people suffered from tooth decay and untreated dental caries, the most common condition globally in permanent teeth. The prevalence and associated risk factors of oral lesions among adults remain limited in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of oral lesions among adults (18 years and older) attending the dental clinic for dental health care in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. DESIGN: Analytical cross-sectional study design. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was used to obtain participants' characteristics, and an intra-oral examination was performed. Multiple regression was performed to assess the risk factors associated with oral lesions. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of oral lesions among adults was 94.4% (95% CI: 93.8-97.8). Dental caries was more prevalent than any other oral lesion (92.9%, 95% CI: 90.3-94.8). In the multivariate analysis, age and poor oral hygiene status were associated with oral lesions. CONCLUSION: Oral lesions are highly prevalent among adults in Pietermaritzburg; living in urban areas, poor oral hygiene and increasing age are associated with developing oral lesions. Preventative, cost-effective strategies should be implemented and promoted at all levels from early childhood to adulthood.

Palabras clave : Oral lesions; dental caries; oral health; oral disease; prevalence; risk factors; adults; dental clinic.

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