Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29321014›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2018

Current status of nylon teeth myth in Tanzania: a cross sectional study.

Emeria Abella Mugonzibwa, Febronia Kokulengya Kahabuka, Samwel Charles Mwalutambi, Emil Namakuka Kikwilu

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Emeria Abella MugonzibwaSchool of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics Paedodontics and Community Dentistry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), P.O. Box 65014, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Febronia Kokulengya KahabukaSchool of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics Paedodontics and Community Dentistry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), P.O. Box 65014, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Samwel Charles MwalutambiDental Department, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), P.O. Box 65000, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Emil Namakuka KikwiluSchool of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics Paedodontics and Community Dentistry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), P.O. Box 65014, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. emilnamakuka@gmail.com.
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences · TZMuhimbili National Hospital · TZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNylon teeth myth is a belief of associating infant illnesses with bulges on infants' alveolus that mark the positions of underlying developing teeth and that it is necessary to treat the condition mainly by traditional healers to prevent infant death. The traditional treatment often leads to serious complications that may lead to infant death. Although the government instituted educational campaigns against the myth in 1980s to 1990s, to date, repeated unpublished reports from different parts of the country indicate continued existence of the myth. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the current status of the nylon teeth myth in Tanzania.

methodsThe study population was obtained using the WHO Oral Health pathfinder methodology. A structured questionnaire inquired about socio-demographics as well as experiences with "nylon teeth" myth and its related practices. Odds ratios relating to knowledge and experience of the nylon teeth myth were estimated.

resultsA total of 1359 respondents aged 17 to 80 years participated in the study. 614 (45%) have heard of nylon teeth myth, of whom 46.1% believed that nylon teeth is a reality, and 42.7% reported existence of the myth at the time of study. Being residents in regions where nylon teeth myth was known before 1990 (OR = 8.39 (6.50-10.83), p < 0.001) and/or hospital worker (OR = 2.97 (1.99-4.42), p < 0.001) were associated with having have heard of nylon teeth myth. Proportionately more residents in regions where nylon teeth myth was not known before 1990 (p < 0.001), the educated (p < 0.001) and hospital workers (p < 0.001) believed modern medicine, whereas, proportionately more residents in regions where nylon teeth was known before 1990 (p < 0.001), less educated (p < 0.001) and non-hospital workers (p < 0.001) believed traditional medicine to be the best treatment for symptoms related to nylon teeth myth respectively.

conclusionThe "nylon teeth" myth still exists in Tanzania; a substantial proportion strongly believe in the myth and consider traditional medicine the best treatment of the myth related conditions.

Indexed as

CultureMedicine, African TraditionalAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansInfantMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesTanzaniaTooth, DeciduousYoung AdultChildhood diseasesNylon teeth mythTanzaniaTooth bud gouging

Identifiers

PMID29321014
PMCPMC5763609
OpenAlexW2783854502

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.