Prevalence and distribution of dentine hypersensitivity in a sample of population in Sulaimani city-Kurdistan region-Iraq

Background: Dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) is a common clinical condition of multifactorial etiology affecting one or more teeth. It can affect patients of any age group. It is a painful response usually associated with exposed dentinal tubules of a vital tooth. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dentinal hypersensitivity (DH);to examine the intra-oral distribution of dentine hypersensitivity( DH) and to determine the association of dentine hypersensitivity with age, sex and address in a sample population in Sulaimani city-Kurdistan region-Iraq. Methods: The prevalence, distribution, and possible causal factors of dentin hypersensitivity will be studied in a population attending the periodontal department, School of Dentistry, University of Sulaimani, Medical Factuality, Kurdistan region-Iraq. The stratified sample consist of 1571 (763 male and 808 female), the age (10-70 years). The patients examined for the presence of dentin hypersensitivity by means of a questionnaire and intraoral tests (air and probe stimuli). The details included teeth and sites involved with DH and the age and sex of people affected, symptoms, stimuli, pre-disposing factors. Chi-square tests were used to determine significant factors associated with DH (<0.05). Results: There were non-significant differences in presence of: DH in males and females in relation to the residency; DH in males and females in relation to the cause; DH in males and females in relation to the stimuli; DH in males and females in relation to the site, DH in males in relation to the affected teeth upper vs. lower in the right side, DH in females in relation to the affected teeth upper vs. lower in the right side. While there were high significant differences in presence of: DH in males and females in relation to the occupation; DH in right vs. left in the lower arch and In the collective frequency of the presence of DH in both males and females in relation to the affected teeth in each quadrant. Conclusions: There were non-significant differences in presence of DH in relation to the residency, cause, stimuli, site. DH is more in females than males. It is more in young than old patients. The major effective cause of DH is gingival recession and the most affected site with DH is the cervical region.