AI Insight
Chinese peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo showed changing patterns of oral health issues across three deployment batches, with dental caries (cavities) increasing significantly from 11.71% to 30.10% of cases, while periodontal disease decreased from 15.12% to 6.80%. Oral health consultations comprised over one-fifth of all outpatient visits, representing the largest category of specialized medical care. Diseases of hard tooth tissues became the dominant category by the final batch, accounting for nearly half of all oral health visits.
Why it matters
These findings can inform targeted preventive care and resource allocation for military peacekeeping medical units operating in remote or challenging environments. Understanding disease trends allows medical teams to better prepare supplies, training, and treatment protocols for future deployments in similar settings.
Understand the Science
by Yifan Zhang, Juanqin Niu, Gang Chen, Dong Qin, Xiangjie Li, Lei Xu, Zipeng Li, Wei Xue
Background
Oral diseases represent an important reason for consultation among personnel attending the Chinese level-II hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). By analyzing the trends in the spectrum of oral diseases, we aim to improve precision support in oral healthcare for peacekeepers.
Materials and methods
Clinical data from outpatient visits during Batches 23, 25, and 26 at the hospital were collected. A total of 565 oral outpatient visits (205 in Batch 23, 154 in Batch 25, and 206 in Batch 26) were analyzed. Oral diseases were classified using ICD-11 into five categories, and their proportions and trends were compared using chi‑square tests and Cochran−Armitage trend tests with Bonferroni correction.
Results
Oral outpatient visits accounted for the largest proportion of specialized outpatient consultations across all three batches, accounting for 22.19% (Batch 23), 21.21% (Batch 25), and 25.40% (Batch 26) of all outpatient visits. The proportion of diseases of hard tissues of teeth increased from 29.27% (Batch 23) to 49.03% (Batch 26) (P for trend < 0.001), and was significantly higher in Batch 26 than in Batches 23 and 25 (P < 0.001), with caries being the most common. Caries proportion rose from 11.71% (Batch 23) to 30.10% (Batch 26) (P for trend < 0.001). Among diseases of pulp or periapical tissues, pulpitis was the most prevalent; its proportion peaked in Batch 25 (33.12%) and then significantly decreased in Batch 26 (20.87%, P = 0.009). Periodontal disease declined from 15.12% (Batch 23) to 6.80% (Batch 26) (P for trend = 0.008), with Batch 26 significantly lower than Batch 23.
Conclusion
This study provides preliminary insights for oral medical support in peacekeeping missions with similar settings, ensuring effective oral health protection for peacekeepers.