Oral-malodor measurement and intention to quit smoking in men: A before-after study.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined the effect of feedback based on oral-malodor measurements on the motivation to quit smoking. Therefore, this study examined whether oral-malodor measurements were associated with the intention to quit smoking. METHODS: This retrospective, uncontrolled before-after study invited smokers to a workplace health event in 2019 and 2020 to motivate them to quit smoking. They attended seminars on oral health and smoking cessation aids, and then underwent respiratory function and oral-malodor measurements using exhaled and oral cavity air, respectively. Intention to quit smoking was evaluated by answers to questions regarding the intention to quit in the next 1 or 6 months in questionnaires collected before and after the event. This study analyzed 241 men aged 20-54 years (mean: 33.2 ± 10.5) to examine factors associated with the intention to quit in multivariable logistic regression analyses for age, tobacco type (cigarettes and heated-tobacco products), and category of tobacco consumption. RESULTS: Before the event, 8.7%, 17.0%, and 74.3% of smokers had intended to quit in the next month, the next six months, or had no intention to quit, respectively. After the event, the respective percentages were 17.8%, 26.6%, and 55.6%. A higher methyl mercaptan concentration, a volatile sulfide component of oral malodor, was significantly associated with the intention to quit in the next month (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=4.24; 95% CI: 1.52-11.8, p=0.006). The participants with higher daily tobacco consumption were less likely to acquire the intention to quit in the next six months (AOR=0.37; 95% CI: 0.15-0.92, p=0.032). Other variables, such as lung age deficit, exhaled CO concentration, and hydrogen sulfide concentration (another component of oral malodor), were not significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS: Oral-malodor measurement feedback may help motivate men to quit smoking in the next 1 month rather than in the next six months.

Job Satisfaction and Perceived Importance of Oral Medicine Amongst Dentists.

BACKGROUND: Compounded by the needs of an aging society, interactions between oral condition and systemic diseases may require that dentists pursue additional training in oral medicine beyond that received in dental school. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pursuing oral medicine professional education is recognised by dental practitioners as an important factor regarding job satisfaction. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to 1,379 dental practitioners in Japan, along with a follow-up survey to assess repeatability, in 2017. The questionnaire consisted of 19 items/questions related to the respondents' attributes and job satisfaction (5 items), willingness to learn oral medicine (4 items), willingness to learn more about dentistry (4 items), and willingness to contribute to society (6 items). Representative questions were extracted via binomial logistic regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationships between job satisfaction and the explanatory variables. RESULTS: Amongst 337 respondents, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed an association between strong job satisfaction (n = 126, 37%) and willingness to learn more about oral medicine and dentistry and contribute to society, with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 4.22 (1.84-9.68), 3.16 (1.16-8.62), and 7.32 (3.14-17.06) and κ values of 0.38, 0.58, and 0.51, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results from dental practitioners suggest additional benefits of oral medicine professional education for future job satisfaction.

Novel oral biomarkers predicting oral malodor.

OBJECTIVE: We sought new markers to predict oral malodor. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-five adults complaining of oral malodor were classified into 3 groups clinically: no oral malodor, physiologic oral malodor, and periodontitis-derived oral malodor. In addition to conventional clinical parameters, 7 salivary components, occlusal force, and lip-closing force were compared among the groups. RESULTS: Concerning the salivary components, cariogenic bacteria, occult blood, leukocytes, and ammonia differed significantly among the groups. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that tongue-coating scores and ammonia levels were significantly associated with genuine oral malodor, including physiologic oral malodor and periodontitis-derived oral malodor, and the tongue-coating score, plaque index, and occult blood level were significantly associated with periodontitis-derived oral malodor. Occlusal force and lip-closing force did not differ among the groups. However, there was a statistically significant interaction between occlusal force and lip-closing force in oral malodor in women (P = .019). CONCLUSIONS: Novel salivary markers, ammonia levels, and occult blood levels may predict genuine oral malodor and periodontitis-derived oral malodor, respectively. An interaction effect between occlusal force and lip-closing force on oral malodor was identified in women.

Decreased cognitive function is associated with dysphagia risk in nursing home older residents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between cognitive function and dysphagia risk among Japanese nursing home residents. BACKGROUND: Reduction in cognitive function can influence the intake of food during swallowing, and may be an aggravating factor in dysphagia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 236 residents aged ≥60 years from eight nursing homes. Screening of dysphagia, especially aspiration risk, was conducted using the Modified Water Swallow Test, whose scores from one to three were classified as at risk of dysphagia. Cognitive function was evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Number of teeth and occlusal support were evaluated by clinical examination. The participants were stratified into dentulous and edentulous groups, because the number of teeth could influence swallowing function. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for dysphagia risk based on the scores of MMSE were calculated using logistic regression. Demographic characteristics, activity of daily living, comorbidities, health behaviour and occlusal support were used as covariates. RESULTS: Among the 236 participants (111 dentulous participants and 125 edentulous participants) included in our analysis, 16.9% belonged to risk of dysphagia. Dentulous participants with higher scores of MMSE tended to have significantly lower odds of dysphagia risk after adjusting for covariates (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.80-0.96). Despite the lack of significant differences, edentulous participants with higher score of MMSE tended to have lower odds of dysphagia risk (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.83-1.00). CONCLUSION: Decreased cognitive function may be an independent predictor of dysphagia among dentulous and edentulous adults.