Oral health status of inhabitants of Messamena, East Region of Cameroon: A Community Dental Outreach Study

Objectives: Access to dental care in rural parts of Cameroon is a public health problem. Short-term oral health interventions in rural communities provide vital relief and access to specialized dental services. This study was carried out after a dental outreach to describe the oral health status, dental hygiene and dental habits among the inhabitants of Messamena, East Cameroon. Method: This study used secondary data and adopted a cross-sectional study design. Participants took part in a free health and dental outreach at the Messamena district hospital in August 2024. Data was entered into Kobo Collect and analyzed for socio-demographics, dental hygiene, dental habits, general oral health, and satisfaction of participants. Results: Data from 53 participants who attended the dental outreach was analyzed. Most participants had never visited a dentist (69.8%), and only 34% brushed their teeth at least twice a day. Products used for toothbrushing included fluoridated toothpaste (48.5%), soap (19.1%), salt (8.8%), and charcoal (7.4%). Analysis of the debris and tartar index showed poor oral hygiene (94.3%). Most participants had plaque and calculus indices of two. Almost all participants (98.1%) were satisfied with the intervention that was carried out. Generally, participants in this outreach had poor oral hygiene and several oral health diseases which were exacerbated by the lack of accessible oral healthcare and oral health professionals. Conclusion: This study reveals the need for dental outreaches and the need to provide rural communities like Messamena with long-term preventive and curative dental services.