Prevalence and Indications for Tooth Extractions Among Adult Patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital: A Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Background Tooth extraction remains one of the most common dental procedures globally, often serving as a last resort when preventive and restorative treatments fail. Despite advancements in dentistry, extractions are still highly prevalent in low‐ and middle‐income countries, including Ghana. Aim This study assessed the prevalence and indications for tooth extraction among adult patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Methods An analytical hospital‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted at the oral diagnostic clinic of KATH. Using a structured, interviewer administered questionnaire, data were collected from 361 adult patients who had been clerked, selected by convenience sampling. Tooth extraction was ascertained by self‐report. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the prevalence of tooth extraction and the reported indications for extraction, while chi‐square tests assessed associations between lifetime tooth extraction and socio‐demographic variables. Results The lifetime prevalence of tooth extraction, defined as the proportion of participants who reported ever having had at least one permanent tooth extracted, was 35.2% (127 of 361); a total of 295 teeth had been extracted among these participants. In addition, 33.0% (119 of 361) of participants reported that tooth extraction was the reason for their most recent dental visit. Among the 122 participants who provided details of their most recent extraction, tooth decay was the leading indication (36.1%), followed by retained roots (23.8%) and fractured teeth (16.4%). Periodontal disease accounted for 6.6% of cases, while orthodontic and trauma‐related reasons were the least frequent (0.8% each). Notably, 58.2% of extractions were patient self‐requests rather than professional recommendations, and 45.9% of patients delayed seeking care for more than 1 month, with lack of perceived severity being the main reason for delay (61.2%). Lifetime extraction was most prevalent among respondents aged 60 years and above (56.1%), married individuals (46.8%), those with primary education (53.8%) and retirees (58.0%). Statistically significant associations were found between lifetime extraction and age ( p < 0.001), marital status ( p = 0.001), educational level ( p = 0.031) and occupation ( p = 0.006), but not gender or residence. Conclusion The study highlights a substantial burden of tooth loss among the respondents, primarily driven by caries and preventable complications such as retained roots and fractures. The findings underscore the need for strengthened preventive care, improved oral health education and enhanced accessibility of restorative services to reduce avoidable extractions and improve oral health outcomes in Ghana.