Knowledge on the Minamata Convention on Mercury and dental amalgam phase down, availability and selection of mercury-free restorative materials among dentists in Kenya: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study assesses Kenyan dentists' knowledge of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and their use of mercury-free dental materials.

Contribution

It provides insights into dentists' awareness of mercury regulations and adoption of alternative restorative materials in Kenya.

Findings

Most dentists knew the reasons for the dental amalgam phase down but few were aware of Kenya's position on the Minamata Convention.

Composite resins were the preferred material for large cavities, while conventional glass ionomer cement was the most available alternative.

Dentists commonly prepared cavities for early caries management but only half used composite resins for restoration.

Abstract

the Minamata Convention on Mercury has dawned a paradigm shift from the use of dental amalgam to a dental caries preventative, minimally invasive dentistry model that employs mercury-free alternatives. The aim was to assess Kenyan dentists’ knowledge on the Minamata Convention on mercury (MCM) and dental amalgam phase down (DAPD), availability, and selection of amalgam alternative restoratives.

the study targeted n=260 dentists in November 2022. Data was collected online using an anonymous semi-structured questionnaire which was developed by the researcher, reviewed by a dental faculty experts panel, and received input from a pilot study. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.

among the 256 participants, the majority knew the reason behind DAPD (61.3%), and what is crucial for countries in its implementation (68%). Few 39.1% were knowledgeable on Kenya’s position concerning MCM as of 2022. The majority (71.3%) used composite resins in permanent posterior teeth. In restoring very large carious lesions in permanent teeth, 68.4% selected composite resins often and always. Conventional glass ionomer cements were the most (68%) available alternative restorative. Most (87.7%) prepared cavities to manage early caries lesions at the enamel dentinal junction, while 50.3% would be restored with composite resins.

Kenyan dentists were knowledgeable on the MCM and DAPD. The majority selected composite resins to restore very large cavities while the most accessible alternative was conventional glass ionomer cement. DAPD is advanced in Kenya; caries prevention and wider availability of the stronger restoratives should be enhanced.

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