Original Article

Epidemiologic analysis of dental cellulitis in Kinshasa city (the Democratic Republic of the Congo)

¹ Unit of Oral Surgery, Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo
² Service of Prosthodontics and Orthodontics, Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo
³ Unit of Oral Surgery, Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Odonto-Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo
⁴ Oral Health Department, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
⁵ Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo

^* Corresponding author: fidelenyimi@yahoo.fr

Received: 28 August 2018
Accepted: 7 November 2018

Abstract

Introduction: The study aimed to determine the prevalence, describe the sociodemographic profile of individuals with dental cellulitis, and identify its associated factors in a population of Kinshasa. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in October 2017 in five hospital departments in Kinshasa. The sample population consisted of patients with dental cellulitis. Sociodemographic data and factors associated with dental cellulitis were evaluated. Results: Dental cellulitis was found in 12.5% of the subjects, with a slight female predominance (58.2%). A significant difference between patients with cellulitis and those without cellulitis was observed for the following variables: education level, unemployment, and low socioeconomic status (p < 0.05). Dental carious lesions (93.7%) were the most common causative factor, and self-medication (100%) and poor oral hygiene (83.5%) were risk or contributing factors. Univariate analysis showed that for people of ages 16–59 and ≥60 years, education level, unemployment, sugar consumption, and low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with dental cellulitis. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that people of ages ≥60 years [odds ratio (OR) 3.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.169–4.14, p = 0.014], non-university status (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.68–4.64, p < 0.001), unemployment (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.73–4.20, p = 0.005), sugar consumption (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.71–4.94, p = 0.036), and low socioeconomic status (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.85–3.01, p = 0.014) were independently associated with dental cellulitis in the study population. Conclusion: Dental cellulitis is a public health problem in the city of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.