Manal Al‐Halabi

Background. Dental general anesthesia (DGA) is a widely utilized technique in pediatric dentistry and is indicated for a variety of cases such as very young children and children with special healthcare needs (SHCN). In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is a paucity of studies relating to this subject. Objective. To analyze the characteristics of DGA treatment in special healthcare needs and healthy children in the only postgraduate dental hospital in Dubai, UAE. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the electronic records of all Dubai Dental Hospital (DDH) pediatric patients who underwent DGA in the period between January 1st, 2016, and 29th of February 2020. Results. The study population consisted of 98 children. A total of 26 children had a medical condition and were categorized as SHCN. The most common justification for DGA was dental caries and a lack of cooperation due to young age. SHCN patients received significantly more preventive measures and significantly fewer pulp therapies than healthy patients. Conclusion. We found that the services provided under DGA for healthy pediatric patients differ from those provided to SHCN patients. Frequently missing recall appointments following DGA increased the likelihood of the need for further restorative dental treatment. These results highlight the importance of robust prevention and follow-up programs for children treated under GA.

Background Infant formulae are a primary source of nutrition during the first years of life, to which sugars are frequently added. This may contribute to adverse dental health problems if consumed excessively when coupled with prolonged and nocturnal feeding habits. Aim To assess the amount and type of dietary sugars in commercially available infant formulae in the UAE. Design Sucrose, glucose, and fructose were measured in 71 different brands of commercially available infant formulae for retail sale in the UAE. Analysis was performed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. Sugar values were compared with the reported levels on the nutritional labels. A comparison between findings, product labels, and international standards for infant formulae was performed. Results Of the 71 samples, 23 had detectable sugar levels, varying between sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Ten samples were found to have sugars contributing to more than 5% of total energy intake ranging between 5.68% and 27.06%. All infant formula packages had carbohydrate levels mentioned on the labels, but very few mentioned the added sugar content. Conclusions Many infant formula products tested contained sugars that exceeded the standard recommended intake. Tighter regulations that monitor the amount of sugar in infant formulae and guidelines for comprehensive labeling systems are required.