Prevalence and Pattern of Systemic Diseases Among Adult Dental Patients in Ibadan Nigeria: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Oral health is an essential component of systemic health and significantly impacts quality of life and overall well-being. Oral health status reflects systemic health, as many diseases and medications affect the oral cavity; conversely, oral pathologies can also influence systemic health. This clinical audit aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of systemic diseases among adult patients attending a tertiary dental clinic. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using records of adult dental patients who presented at the Oral Diagnosis Clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, between January and June 2024. Demographic and systemic disease data were extracted from hospital records. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Out of 1,885 patients seen during the study period, 274 had one or more systemic conditions, yielding a prevalence of 14.5%. There were more females (193, 70.4%) than males (81, 29.6%); the mean age (±SD) was 51.7 ± 18.1 years. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity, followed by peptic ulcer disease and diabetes mellitus. Single comorbidities were more frequent (216, 78.8%) than multiple comorbidities (58, 21.2%), though a higher proportion of males had multiple conditions. The majority (87.9%) of patients with multiple systemic diseases were above 40 years of age (p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study found a 14.5% prevalence of systemic diseases among adult dental patients, with hypertension being the most common. Multiple comorbidities were significantly more prevalent in patients above 40 years. These findings are limited by the retrospective design and reliance on record quality.