Prevalence of Dentinal Hypersensitivity in South Canara Population- An Epidemiological Survey

About author
Mithra N Hegde*, Janeesha. C, Priyadarshini Hegde
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics
A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangalore

Abstract
To establish  the  prevalence  of  dentinal  hypersensitivity (DH)  in  a  random  sample  of patients  from  Rural  and  Urban populations of  south  canara  over  a  period  of  one   month   to determine  their   prevalence   based  on    Age, Gender,  Initiating factors,  Diet  and  geographical location. A  cross  sectional  study  was  done  over  a period  of  one   month   in  the  department  of conservative dentistry  and  Endodontics   of  a   university  teaching  hospital  and  their peripheral   rural  satellite  centres  in  south canara  which included   both   urban  and ruralpopulations  .Questionnaires  were  filled  and  the  subjects  were  examined  clinically for dentine Hypersensitivity  using  air jet  and cold  water  syringes. Statistical analysis  was  done using  chi square  test  and Binomial  test.  The overall  prevalence  of  dentine  Hypersensitivity  was  found  to  be  18.2%. The commonest  age  group  affected was  31-40 years (p<0.001), found  in  Males  than  Females (p<0.001), Initiated   by   cold   than   sweet (p<0.001), More  in  Urban than  rural (p= .193).
Key words: Dentinal   Hypersensitivity, Prevalence study, South canara, cross sectional study.