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Burden of oral diseases and impact of protracted displacement: a cross-sectional study on Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

British Dental Journal (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction Very little is known about the burden of childhood oral diseases in protracted humanitarian settings.

Aim This study aimed to assess the prevalence of oral diseases in Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon and to investigate their relationship with the duration of displacement.

Methods Data from Miles for Smiles programme for Syrian refugee schoolchildren in Bekaa/Lebanon were used (n = 823). A dental examination was performed to assess the presence of dental caries and abscess. A clinical form was used to collect data on the presence, intensity and duration of dental pain.

Results The majority (90%) had dental caries, 57% had dental pain (of which 55% had moderate/severe pain and 38% had pain for more than a month) and 9% had dental abscess. After adjusting for age and gender, children in protracted displacement were significantly more likely to have a higher number of decayed teeth compared to their counterparts who had been displaced for less than five years (RR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.09-1.29; P <0.001).

Conclusions The burden of oral diseases in Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon was high, particularly among those living in a protracted situation. There is a need for evidence-based effective public health interventions to improve this population's oral health.

Key points

  • The burden of oral diseases in protracted humanitarian settings is high. Nearly 90% of Syrian refugee children living in informal settlements in Bekaa, Lebanon had untreated dental caries and 57% had dental pain.

  • Children in a protracted displacement situation were significantly more likely to have a higher number of decayed teeth compared to their counterparts who had been displaced for less than five years.

  • There is a need for evidence-based effective public health interventions to improve this population's oral health.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to all Syrian children and parents/guardians who participated in Global Miles for Smiles. Also, the authors thank all staff and students from the University at Buffalo and Saint Joseph University of Beirut who participated in Global Miles for Smiles and Dr Bahaa Alhafar. Many thanks to Henry Schein Cares Foundation for providing the materials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Dental Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Street, London, E1 2AD, UK

    Easter Joury

  2. Masters Student, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA; Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia

    Rayan Meer

  3. Professor, Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    Jean Claude Abou Chedid

  4. Clinical Professor, Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA

    Othman Shibly

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  1. Easter Joury
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Contributions

EJ conceived the manuscript, planned and conducted data analysis and interpretation, drafted the whole manuscript and critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. RM contributed to data acquisition and clinical forms review. JCAC contributed to examiners' training and data acquisition. OS is the director of Global Miles for Smiles programme. He designed and led the oral health needs assessment and data acquisition, and critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final version submitted for publication.

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Correspondence to Othman Shibly.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Joury, E., Meer, R., Chedid, J. et al. Burden of oral diseases and impact of protracted displacement: a cross-sectional study on Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. Br Dent J (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2960-9

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