ORAL HEALTH

IN JORDAN
Dr Haneen Malhas

1
INTRODUCTION
Let's start by emphasizing the significance of oral health.
It's not just about having a beautiful smile; oral health
is integral to our overall well-being. Today, I'll
provide insights into the current state of oral health in
Jordan.

2
General Health System In
Jordan
Jordan, a developing country with a population above 10 million, has
experienced a significant population increase, with children and adolescents
constituting a large portion, putting pressure in dental services due to
increased demands.

Dental caries prevalence in Jordanian adolescents is high due to socioeconomic

development, western diet, refined carbohydrates, and sugar consumption,
with gingival disease being more common than periodontal disease.

Studies show a weak relationship between oral health and socioeconomic status,
with poor children experiencing worse oral hygiene, gingival status, and
dental caries compared to wealthy children.

3
Oral Health In Children and
adolescents
4
 Oral Hygiene
practice, plaque and gingival conditions

• The oral hygiene habits represented by the frequency of tooth

brushing by children according to their sex and type of school
is shown in the table.

• About 21% of males and 51% of females were found to brush

their teeth regularly, while more than half of males and only
11% of females did not brush their teeth at all. Frequency of
tooth brushing was found to be significantly higher in females
than males.

• Furthermore, about 35% of public and more than half (57%) of

private school children claimed to brush their teeth on a regular
basis, while about 31% and 18% of children in the respective
types of school did not brush their teeth. In all these studies the
oral hygiene of children was poor.
5
Malocclusion
The occlusal relationships and the presence of spacing or crowding
in the primary dentition of Jordanians were recently assessed .

The most common malocclusion traits detected in this sample were

crowding (50.4%) and midline shift (31.7%). Scissor bite
(0.3%) was the least frequent malocclusion trait.

6
 TRAUMA
Dental trauma is primarily caused by falling
during play (58.5%), with crown
fracture (76.7%) being the most
common type, while soft tissue injuries
occur in 17% of children.

7
Oral Health of Adults

8
Tooth Loss
It was concluded that modifications in the non-disease independent
factors (education, income, smoking, attitude, and beliefs) could
reduce tooth loss and improve oral health status among Jordanians.

A recent study showed that dental caries was responsible for the
greatest tooth loss in patients below 40 years of age, while
periodontal problems were the most common cause above 40
years.

9
Periodontal Disease

10
 Oral Lesions

Fordyce’s granules and tori were the most common conditions diagnosed in 49% and
16% of the subjects respectively.

About 24% of the lesions were diagnosed on the tongue (mainly coated tongue).

Only 1.2% of the study population were confirmed as having potentially malignant
lesions such as oral lichen planus, smoker’s keratosis or candidal leukoplakia.

11
CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that oral hygiene, gingival conditions and dental caries have improved since
1993.

Recent reports from Jordan reveal a tendency for lower caries experience with increasing
social level but that dental caries still remains high compared to that found in the developed
countries.

Industrialized countries show trends in dental disease prevalence and severity, including a
decline in dental caries, gingivitis, and improved oral hygiene. In Jordan, gingival condition and
oral hygiene scores improved. Factors contributing to improved oral health include improved
living conditions, television advertisements, increased fluoride sales, and oral health
information provided through schools.

12
Limited awareness of periodontal diseases was observed among the Jordanian population,
despite the acknowledgment of good oral health practices. Additional research is needed,
employing more representative sampling methods.

Dentists are encouraged to enhance patient education regarding periodontal diseases,

emphasizing the impact of this knowledge and practices on overall health outcomes. It is
advisable to educate and involve the community in understanding the importance of oral
health and preventing periodontal diseases.

This can be achieved through the implementation of oral health education programs and
collaboration with local healthcare providers for community-wide awareness campaigns.
Utilizing various communication channels such as posters, brochures, pamphlets, social
media, and local publications can effectively convey this information.

13
References
● Taani DS. Oral health in Jordan. Int Dent J. 2004 Dec;54(6 Suppl 1):395-400. doi: 10.1111/j.1875-
595x.2004.tb00017.x. PMID: 15631103.

● Naser MY, Momani M, Naser AY, Alarabeyat MA, Altarawneh AMB, Aladwan AS. Oral health profile and
periodontal diseases awareness and knowledge among the jordanian population: a cross-sectional study.
BMC Oral Health. 2023 Jul 19;23(1):503. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-03203-8. PMID: 37468879; PMCID:
PMC10357628.

14
THANKS!
Do you have any questions?

15