Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38238211›Full record

SynthesisInternational dental journal2024

The Prevalence, Dental Complications, and Effects of Infant Oral Mutilation.

Daphne Spang, Arthur M Kemoli, Hans J J de Soet, Kirsten A Ziesemer, Catherine M C Volgenant

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International dental journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 35% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Decolonising forensic odontology in Sub-Saharan Africa.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2025
    Review
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

5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Daphne SpangDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Arthur M KemoliSchool of Dental Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Hans J J de SoetDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Kirsten A ZiesemerUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Catherine M C VolgenantDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Cariology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: c.volgenant@acta.nl.
University of Amsterdam · NLVrije Universiteit Amsterdam · NLUniversity of Nairobi · KE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe aim of this scoping review on infant oral mutilation (IOM) was to study the prevalence, dental complications, and immediate and long-term effects of this practice, in addition to providing a systematic overview on existing knowledge and analysis of identified knowledge gaps on IOM.

methodsFive electronic bibliographic databases (OVID/Medline, Embase.com, Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, and Global Index Medicus) were searched for relevant studies. Data were entered in a bespoke data-charting form. The risk of bias was assessed by 2 independent reviewers.

resultsA total of 478 studies were identified from the search, out of which 42 studies were included in this review. Of the 42 studies, 19 were prevalence studies published between 1969 and 2019 which were additionally assessed for the risk of bias. We found the prevalence of IOM in Uganda was 2% to 30%; Ethiopia, 12% to 86%; Sudan, 10%; Kenya, 61% to 87%; and Tanzania 0% to 24%. Based on the prevalence studies, we observed that the most common factor motivating IOM was diarrhoea. The immediate effects of IOM were found to be infection, bleeding, anaemia, pneumonia, septicaemia, osteomyelitis, meningitis, tetanus, and blood-borne diseases, with some infants dying from these effects. Missing canines, enamel hypoplasia, malformations, abnormal eruption of permanent teeth, occlusal discrepancies, midline shift, chronic periapical infections, rotations, canine transposition, or odontomas were the long-term effects found in relation to IOM.

conclusionsIOM is a practice with serious immediate and long-term consequences that is mainly performed in East Africa (or by people originated from this region) in children aged 4 to 8 months. Most frequently affected are the deciduous canines and mostly the mandibular teeth. It is important to create professional and public awareness of the procedure in low- and high-income countries. Furthermore, there is a need for more research on the prevalence of IOM in Africa and other areas of the world to determine the long-term consequences of the practice.

Indexed as

Tooth DiseasesHumansInfantPrevalenceInfant oral mutilationTooth bud gougingTooth germTraditional practices

Identifiers

PMID38238211
PMCPMC11123534
OpenAlexW4391036212

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.