Recurrence and Tooth Mobility Associated with Gingival Enlargements in Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Gingival enlargements has attracted much review in literature, however sequelae such as recurrence and tooth mobility and associated factors demands more research attention.

Objective-This study assessed the prevalence and distribution of recurrence and tooth mobility associated with gingival enlargements and their predisposing factors in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods-This is a retrospective study of 138 patients seen over 5 years at the Dental Centre of the Lagos state University Teaching Hospital Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Records were accessed from the Oral Pathology and medical records department of the same institution. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis; descriptive statistics was carried out for both continuous and categorical variables. Chi square and fisher's exact were carried out as appropriate and logistic regression was used to test the covariates. Significance was determined at p≤0.05.

Results- Prevalence of recurrence and tooth mobility was 26.8% and 39.1% respectively. Tooth mobility was highest among the 31-40-year-oldswhile recurrence was commonest in the 21–40-year-olds. Maxillary anterior sextant and the buccal/labial location were commonest sites for recurrence and tooth mobility. Pyogenic granuloma has the highest prevalence of tooth mobility (50%) and recurrence (67.6%). There is significant relationship between the dependent variables and tooth malpositioning and oral hygiene(p<0.05).Logistic regression reveals significant relationship between tooth mobility and recurrence, poor oral hygiene, tooth malpositioning, age and medications (p<0.05). Recurrence has statistical significance with educational level, poor oral hygiene, tooth mobility and malpositioning (p<0.05).

Conclusion- Poor oral hygiene and tooth malpositioning werefactors significantly associated with both recurrence and tooth mobility recorded with gingival enlargements in this study. Thisemphasizes the need for improvement in oral hygiene and early institution of orthodontic interception to correct malposed teeth in preventing these sequelae in patients that develops gingival enlargement.