Evaluation of UK paediatric nephrology teams' understanding, experience and perceptions of oral health outcomes and accessibility to dental care: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Oral health conditions are common in children and young people (CYP) with kidney disorders. There is currently limited literature on how confident paediatric nephrology teams feel to identify and manage oral health concerns for their patients. METHOD: An exploratory mixed-method survey was distributed across all 13 UK specialist paediatric nephrology centres with responses received from consultants, registrars, specialist nurses and special interest (SPIN) paediatricians. RESULTS: Responses received from 109 multidisciplinary team members of 13/13 (100%) UK tertiary units. Ninety-two percent (n = 100) of respondents reported they had never received any training in oral health and 87% (n = 95) felt that further training would be beneficial to optimise care for patients and improve communication between medical and dental teams. Most respondents reported that they did not regularly examine, or enquire about, their patients' oral health. Only 16% (n = 17) reported that all their paediatric kidney transplant recipients underwent routine dental assessment prior to transplant listing. Severe adverse oral health outcomes were rarely reported and only 11% (n = 12) of respondents recalled having a patient who had a kidney transplant delayed or refused due to concerns about oral infection. Seventy-eight percent (n = 85) felt that joint working with a dental team would benefit patients at their unit; however, 17% (n = 18) felt that current infrastructure does not currently support effective joint working. CONCLUSIONS: Across the UK, paediatric kidney health professionals report lack of confidence and training in oral health. Upskilling subspecialty teams and creating dental referral pathways are recommended to maximise oral health outcomes for CYP with kidney diseases.

Relationships between oral function, dietary intake and nutritional status in older adults aged 75 years and above: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is related to impaired oral health and function that causes poor dietary intake, declining the general health of older adults. The role of dietary intake in the association between oral function and nutritional status of Chinese older adults (aged 75 and above) was examined in this cross-sectional study. METHODS: Through the randomized cluster sampling method, 267 older adults living in rural areas of Qingdao, Shandong (aged 81.4 ± 4.3, 75-94 years) were chosen as the primary research participants. A Mini Nutritional Assessment - Short Form was used to determine nutritional status, and Food Frequency Questionnaire and 24-hour Food Intake Recall were used to assess dietary intake. The oral function was evaluated by analyzing the teeth, oral problems, bite force, tongue pressure, lip sealing pressure, chewing function questionnaire, whole saliva flow rate, 10-Item Eating Assessment Tool, and water swallow test. RESULTS: Based on the MNA-SF score, it was divided into a well-nourished group and a malnutrition group, with the malnutrition group comprising 40.6% of participants. The participants in the malnutrition group showed a higher rate of xerostomia, lower bite force, tongue pressure, and lip sealing pressure, and higher Chewing Function Questionnaire and 10-Item Eating Assessment Tool scores. Furthermore, their plant fat, iron, cereals and potatoes, vegetables, fruits, and seafood intake were relatively low. The regression model indicated that exercise frequency, stroke, chewing and swallowing function, intake of vegetables and fruits were risk factors for nutritional status of older adults. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition was relatively common among the Chinese older adults aged 75 and above, and it was significantly correlated with exercise frequency, stroke, chewing and swallowing function, and intake of vegetables and fruits. Therefore, nutrition management should be carried out under the understanding and guidance of the oral function and dietary intake of the older adults.

Assessment of patterns and related factors in using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis on promoting oral health awareness.

BACKGROUND: Social media has evolved beyond its conventional purpose of communication and information sharing to become a potent tool for disseminating health and oral health awareness. This study seeks to assess the patterns and related factors of using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis to promotion of oral health awareness. METHODS: In March 2023, individuals aged ≥ 18 years residing in Sri Lanka, who are users of social media participated in this electronic questionnaire-based survey. Statistical analyses of the collected data were done using the SPSS version 21 software, with a p-value of < 0.05 set to determine the level of statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 421 persons participated in this survey. Majority (68.4%) belonged to the age category of 18 to 30 years, and 55.5% were females. WhatsApp (96.8%) was the most frequently used social media platform across all age groups and both genders. Statistically significant differences were identified between genders in the usage of Telegram, Twitter, and Viber within the 18-30 years age category, with a higher percentage of males using these platforms (p ≤ 0.05). Similar significant differences were observed in the 31-40 years age group for WhatsApp and Telegram (p ≤ 0.05). Among 95.4% of online health information seekers, YouTube (74.9%) was the most popular platform. One-quarter of the respondents preferred social media platforms, and 22.3% preferred websites for obtaining oral health information. Furthermore, 74.9% had positive opinions on obtaining oral health information via social media, while only 17% reported pleasant experiences with social media platforms for oral health promotion. In assessing the reliability of oral health information on social media, 48% relied on the quality of the information. The most preferred source of oral health information was short videos from professionals (43.1%). Additionally, 69.5% reported changes in their oral health behaviours after accessing information through social media. CONCLUSION: Social media is a viable platform for promoting public oral health awareness in Sri Lankan; hence, workable strategies need to be employed, to further ensure its effective and wider use in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse country like Sri Lanka.

Associated factors of periodontitis and predicted study among young man in China: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis represents the foremost oral condition in young men, strongly correlated with socioeconomic elements and oral health behaviors. This research aimed to assess the prevalence of periodontitis and associated associations with socio-demographics and oral health practices for subsequent Hazard Ratio (HR) estimation. METHODS: A total of 46,476 young men were recruited to the study between August 2022 and October 2023. A questionnaire on socio-demographic factors and oral health-related behaviors related to periodontitis was completed. The standard procedure was used for oral examination. Logistic regression and hazard ratios were used to estimate the influencing factors, whereas the nomogram was used to predict the risk of periodontitis in young men. RESULTS: A total of 46,476 young men were surveyed and completed the questionnaire. The overall prevalence of periodontitis among young men was 1.74%. Out of these, 1.7% had mild periodontitis and 0.6% had moderate periodontitis. Age and dental calculus were important factors in the periodontal health of young men. This nomogram, which includes 7 easily obtainable clinical characteristics routinely collected during periodontitis risk assessment, provides clinicians with a user-friendly tool to assess the risk of periodontal disease in young men. CONCLUSIONS: Regular dental prophylaxis is crucial for young men to maintain their gingival health and prevent the onset of periodontitis. Dental calculus plays a prominent role in this matter, as it serves as a significant contributing factor.

Oral self-care among dependent older New Zealanders.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to describe the occurrence and associations of oral self-care by dependent older New Zealanders. BACKGROUND: Dependent older adults who require some level of assisted daily care have been shown to have poorer oral health than their independent counterparts, yet national estimates are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted of data from New Zealand's 2012 Older People's Oral Health Survey, a national survey that interviewed and examined a representative sample of 2,218 dependent older adults living in aged residential care or receiving home-based care. Survey data were weighted for statistical analyses, and modelling was carried out using a modified Poisson approach. RESULTS: Overall, 59.5% (95% CI: 55.1, 63.7) of participants brushed their teeth twice a day, with this rate higher among women, Asians and those without cognitive or physical impairment. Cleaning interdentally at least once a week was less common than brushing, at 25.9% (95% CI: 21.5, 30.9), and that proportion was significantly lower among those with higher dependency or who were cognitively or physically impaired. Almost 9 in 10 (87.8%; 95% CI 83.1, 91.4) used fluoride toothpaste, and adults of high socio-economic status had lower rates of fluoride toothpaste use. Only 15.0% (95% CI 12.4, 18.0) used mouthwash, with this being most prevalent in Pasifika. More than half of those who wore dentures also wore them at night. CONCLUSION: Oral self-care was sub-optimal among dependent older New Zealanders. Improving the situation should be a high priority.

Access to dental services in an elder population of African descent in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated access to dental services and associated factors in a community of Quilombola older people. BACKGROUND: Quilombola populations are groups of individuals descended from black Africans subjected to slavery during part of Brazilian history. As marginalised and neglected individuals, they have high rates of negative indicators and require further attention to the social determinants that affect their health reality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in the Quilombola community of Castainho, in the Northeast region of Brazil. In this community, 34 older people aged between 65 and 74 resided. We collected self-report data on sociodemographic and economic characteristics, along with oral examinations by the researchers. The primary dependent variable was regular access to dental services. Statistical analysis used Fisher's exact test (P = .05). RESULTS: Among the 32 participants in the final sample, 18.8% (n = 6) reported accessing dental services in the previous 6 months. Self-declared individuals of mixed race, with positive self-assessment of oral health, and those who did not self-perceive the need for treatment had lower rates of regular access to dental services (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Use of dental services by older Quilombola people is low, and there are differences by ethnicity and individual perception of oral health.

Relationship between the number of lost teeth and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in middle-aged adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Many recent studies suggest the existence of a relationship between oral health and the occurrence of depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the number of lost teeth and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in middle-aged adults. METHODS: An analysis was performed on the data obtained from the PONS project (POlish-Norwegian Study), conducted in the Swietokrzyskie Province in Poland in 2010-2011. The research material included the cross-sectional data of 11,901 individuals aged 40-64 years (7967 women). Depressive symptoms, used as outcome variables, were assessed with a questionnaire. The participants provided the responses to questions concerning the occurrence of eight symptoms over the last 12 months. The answers were scored as 1 point or 0 points. The participants were divided into three tercile groups based on their total scores: no or mild (0-2 points), moderate (3-5 points), and severe depressive symptoms (6-8 points). The self-reported number of lost teeth was analysed according to the following categories: 0-4, 5-8, 9-27, and a complete lack of natural teeth. Multivariable logistic regression analysis for depressive symptoms was used in relation to the number of lost teeth. The following covariates were included in the adjusted model: age, sex, place of residence, education, marital status, BMI, diabetes status, stressful life events in the last year, use of antidepressants, smoking, and sugar and sweet consumption. RESULTS: The likelihood of both moderate (OR = 1.189; 95%CI: 1.028-1.376; p < .020) and severe (OR = 1.846; 95%CI: 1.488-2.290; p < .001) depressive symptoms showed the strongest relationship with a total lack of natural teeth. A loss of more than 8 natural teeth was also significantly associated (OR = 1.315; 95%CI: 1.075-1.609; p < .008) with the occurrence of severe depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The loss of natural teeth was positively related to the occurrence of depressive symptoms in middle-aged adults. Thus, there is an urgent need to intensify stomatological prophylaxis, education and treatment for middle-aged individuals.

Is private insurance enough to address barriers to accessing dental care? Findings from a Canadian population-based study.

BACKGROUND: In Canada, as in many other countries, private dental insurance addresses financial barriers to a great extent thereby facilitating access to dental care. That said, insurance does not guarantee affordability, as there are issues with the quality and level of coverage of insurance plans. As such, individuals facing barriers to dental care experience poorer oral health. Therefore, it is important to examine more keenly the socio-demographic attributes of people with private insurance to particularly identify those, who despite having insurance, face challenges in accessing dental care and experience poorer oral health. METHODS: This study is a secondary data analysis of the most recent available cycle (2017-18) of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a national cross-sectional survey. Univariate analysis was conducted to determine the characteristics of Ontarians with private insurance (n = 17,678 representing 6919,814 Ontarians)-bivariate analysis to explore their financial barriers to dental care, and how they perceive their oral health. Additionally, logistic regressions were conducted to identify relationships between covariates and outcome variables. RESULTS: Analysis shows that the majority of those with private insurance do not experience cost barriers to dental care and perceive their oral health as good to excellent. However, specific populations, including those aged 20-39 years, and those earning less than $40,000, despite having private dental insurance, face significantly more cost barriers to access to care compared to their counterparts. Additionally, those with the lowest income (earning less than $20,000 annually) perceived their oral health as "fair to poor" more than those earning more. Adjusted estimates revealed that respondents aged 20-39 were six times more likely to report cost barriers to dental care and ten times more likely to visit the dentist only for emergencies than those aged 12-19. Additionally, those aged 40-59 were two times more likely to report poorer oral health status compared to those aged 12-19. CONCLUSION: Given the upcoming implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan, the results of this study can support in identifying vulnerable populations who currently are ineligible for the Plan but can be benefitted from the coverage.

DENTAL CARIES AWARENESS AND RISK ASSESSMENT IN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OF GEORGIAN UNIVERSITIES.

Dental caries development in students depends on many factors. Our research aims at studying the dependence of the incidence of caries among foreigners residing in Georgia on caries awareness and behaviors Oral health status of the study population was assessed using the caries intensity DMFT index offered by the World Health Organization (WHO). Patients were divided into two groups, according to the DMFT Index, with the first group comprising patients with low and very low DMFT index, and the second group - with moderate and high (<2,6) (>2,7) DMFT index. As one can see, the low-intensity caries group shows a reliably higher rate of correct answers. Caries predators in foreign students living in Georgia are Stress associated with examinations - OR=2.97(95% CI:1.49-5.90); Taking analgesics - OR=3.60(95% CI:1.02-12.67); Gastrointestinal diseases - OR=4.73(95% CI:1.94-11.50); Bruxism - OR=21.91(95% I:7.71-62.24); Tooth sensitivity -OR=3.77(95% CI: 1.83-7.75). Conclusion: • Knowledge of caries risk factors is low among international students with high intensity caries • Stress related to exams increases the risk of dental caries among students, the following also increases the probability of dental caries: gastrointestinal diseases; Bruxism, taking analgesics and tooth sensitivity.

[Diagnostic Prevalence of Dental Findings in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults with Mental Disorders Compared to Healthy People - an Analysis and Estimation Based on Claims Data from 2019]. / Zahnmedizinische Diagnoseprävalenzen bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen mit psychischen Störungen im Vergleich zu Gesunden-Analyse und Abschätzung kassenärztlicher Abrechnungsdaten (2019).

AIM: To analyse oral health-related diagnostic prevalences in children, adolescents (KiJu), young adults with mental/behavioural disorders (PEVS) and those of the general population in Germany based on claims data. METHOD: Anonymously provided ZI (Zentralinstitut)-data sets of GKV-insured persons (0-44 years) were i. e. stratified according to gender, age groups, ICD-K00-K14 diagnosis. RESULT: No reliable oral or dental health-related information was generated from the requested data set. Regardless of the F diagnosis, according to the data set, 1.8% of all 11,854,384 KiJu-GKV-insured persons and 0.2% of 18-44-year-olds (23,348,399 GKV-insured persons) had a diagnosis related to the dental hard tissue (ICD-10 K02/K03.2). Based on available literature on the prevalence of caries in KiJu with PEVS, a mean unweighted prevalence of 51% can be assumed. According to the available literature on the prevalence of caries in KiJu with PEVS a mean unweighted prevalence of 51% can be calculated. Following this and the diagnosis prevalence of PEVS in 0- to 17-year-olds from 2017, an estimated 957.952 children with PEVS should also have a caries. CONCLUSION: The nationwide data on the prevalence of oral health-related diagnoses made by physicians in the general population and in people of the same age with PEVS are very low. Apparently, dental diagnoses are only given very rarely by general practitioners and paediatricians, among others. The existing literature as well as the clinical experience of the authors indicate that this claim data is not suitable to realistically represent the dental and oral health of the examined group of people. Thus, for networking, the improvement of health care research and the care, e. g. of subgroups of the society, is an interprofessional dental/medical, data protection-compliant central database to be driven forward.

Medical Conditions, Oral Health Practices, and Barriers to Treatment among Patients Visiting a Teaching Dental Hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of medical conditions, oral hygiene practices, and dental visits among patients who attended a teaching dental hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Materials & Methods. This retrospective cross-sectional study used patient records from 2009 to 2015 from the dental hospital of the College of Dentistry Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam. Patients' demographics, medical history, oral hygiene practices, reasons for attending the facility, attendance patterns, and smoking habits were studied. RESULTS: The study included 1502 records of patients with 65.1% of males and 34.9% of females. The prevalence of medical conditions was 25.7% in the study. The most common medical conditions included diabetes mellitus (7.2%), hypertension (6.5%), and anemia (4.7%). Only 21.8% reported visiting the dental hospital in the past one year. The prevalence of smoking was 16.7%, and this did not differ significantly between healthy and medically compromised patients (P=0.165). Fillings were the most common (21.6%) reason for visiting a dental hospital, followed by treatment for periodontal problems (12.9%) and oral lesions (12.6%), whereas treatment for braces (orthodontics) was the least common (5%) reason for visiting the hospital. The reasons for visiting the hospital did not differ significantly between healthy and medically compromised patients (P > 0.05). The three most common barriers to dental visits included long waiting time (18.1%), fear of dental treatment (14.4%), and difficulty in getting an appointment (11.3%). CONCLUSION: The study showed that dental patients had a high prevalence of medical conditions. Diabetes mellitus was the most prevalent problem. Most patients visited the dental hospital to receive restorative treatment, and a long waiting time was the most common barrier to dental visits. Public health measures should be taken to improve the general health and oral care of patients.

The Impact of Preoperative Oral Health on Buccal Mucosa Graft Histology.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have elucidated the unique macroscopic and histological properties of buccal mucosa that make it a viable and durable graft for urethral augmentation. However, no prior literature has directly investigated the impact of preoperative oral health on these features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed all consenting patients who underwent buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty at our institution from 2018 to 2020. Validated oral health surveys, the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and the Kayser-Jones Brief Oral Health Status Examination (BOHSE) were completed preoperatively. A staff pathologist analyzed BMG histology and quantified oral mucositis using a modified Oral Mucosa Rating Scale. RESULTS: We analyzed 51 patients with a median age of 40 years (IQR 31-58). Mean BOHSE score was 1.1 and OHIP-14 score was 1.4. Median epithelial thickness was 530 µm and lamina propria thickness was 150 µm. On age-adjusted analysis, increasing BOHSE and OHIP-14 were associated with decreasing epithelial thickness (p values <0.05). Higher BOHSE scores also correlated with thinner lamina proprias (p=0.05) and increased graft stretch (p=0.03). The 2 patients with postoperative urine leaks and available graft histology had lamina propria thicknesses well below the cohort median, at 50 µm and 60 µm. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that oral health conditions impact graft histology and stretch. Although much remains to be learned, our findings shed light on the potential importance of optimizing oral health prior to BMG urethroplasty, and raise the question of if preoperative mucosal biopsy could help inform surgical decision making and discussions regarding surgical success.

Effect of malocclusion severity on oral health related quality of life in Malay adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The present study aims to determine the impact of malocclusion on oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 13-16 years old Malay school children. METHODS: School children aged between 13 and 16 years old were randomly selected from a secondary school in Penang. Malay version of Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaires were given to the subjects. This questionnaire has 14 questions with seven domains which are functional limitation, psychological discomfort, physical pain, physical disability, psychological and social disability, and handicap. Index of orthodontic treatment need dental health component was used to assess the orthodontic treatment need. Overjet (reversed overjet), open bite, overbite, cross bite, impeded eruption, crowding, defects of cleft lip and palate, Class II and Class III buccal occlusion, present of supernumerary and hypodontia were assessed. RESULTS: 255 students participated in this study. Mean score and standard deviation for OHIP-14 were 8.64 (± 7.32) for males and 11.05 (± 9.41) for females respectively. There was statistically significant difference in mean score of OHIP-14 between male and female (p = 0.023). A weak positive correlation was found between malocclusion severity and OHRQoL (r = 0.186; p < 0.01). Malocclusion had a negative impact on OHRQoL of the students in the present study. This impact was prominent in psychological discomfort and psychological disability domains of OHIP-14 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increase in severity of malocclusion was associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL. Females exhibited more negative impact of malocclusion on their OHRQoL. Psychological domain was the most affected one.

Intragenerational social mobility and self-rated oral health in the british cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on social mobility and oral health have focused on movement between generations (intergenerational mobility) rather than movement within an individual's own lifetime (intragenerational mobility). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between intragenerational social mobility from early to middle adulthood and self-rated oral health. METHODS: This study used data from 6524 participants of the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study, an ongoing population-based birth cohort of individuals born in England, Scotland and Wales. Participants' socioeconomic position was indicated by occupational social class at age 26 and 46 years (the first and latest adult waves, respectively). Self-rated oral health was measured at age 46 years. The association between social mobility and adult oral health was assessed using conventional regression models and diagonal reference models, adjusting for gender, ethnicity, country of residence and residence area. RESULTS: Over a fifth of participants (22.2%) reported poor self-rated oral health at age 46 years. In conventional regression analysis, the odds ratios for social mobility varied depending on whether they were adjusted for social class of origin or destination. In addition, all social trajectories had greater odds of reporting poor oral health than non-mobile adults in class I/II. In diagonal reference models, both upward (Odds Ratio 0.79; 95% CI 0.63-0.99) and downward mobility (0.90; 95% CI 0.71-1.13) were inversely associated with poor self-rated oral health. The origin weight was 0.48 (95% CI 0.33-0.63), suggesting that social class of origin was as important as social class of destination. CONCLUSION: This longitudinal analysis showed that intragenerational social mobility from young to middle adulthood was associated with self-rated oral health, independent of previous and current social class.

Pediatric patients' reasons for visiting dentists in all WHO regions.

BACKGROUND: Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact are the four oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions (4D) or areas in which oral disorders impact pediatric patients. Using their dentists' assessment, the study aimed to evaluate whether pediatric dental patients' oral health concerns fit into the 4D of the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) construct. METHODS: Dentists who treat children from 32 countries and all WHO regions were selected from a web-based survey of 1580 international dentists. Dentists were asked if their pediatric patients with current or future oral health concerns fit into the 4D of the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) construct. Proportions of all pediatric patients' oral health problems and prevention needs were computed. FINDINGS: Data from 101 dentists treating children only and 523 dentists treating children and adults were included. For 90% of pediatric patients, their current oral health problems fit well in the four OHRQoL dimensions. For 91% of oral health problems they intended to prevent in the future were related to these dimensions as well. Both numbers increased to at least 96% when experts analyzed dentists´ explanations of why some oral health problems would not fit these four categories. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed the four fundamental components of dental patients, i.e., the four OHRQoL dimensions (Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact) are also applicable for pediatric patients, regardless of whether they have current or future oral health concerns, and should be considered when measuring OHRQoL in the pediatric dental patient population.

Oral health-related quality of life in oral cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of oral health on quality of life in oral cancer patients (OCPs). Methods: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched for publications on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in OCP and the information was extracted according to the PRISMA guidelines. A random effect model was used to obtain the pooled standard mean differences of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questionnaire responses in meta-analysis. Results: total of 12 research papers were analyzed and revealed poor OHRQoL in OCPs (standard mean difference: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.55-3.50; p < 0.00001) compared with healthy individuals due to the effects of oncotherapy. Moreover, OHRQoL deteriorated with combinations of different treatment modalities. Conclusion: Oral health and oncotherapy can affect the quality of life in OCPs.

Dental pathologies in tumor patients with bone metastases or multiple myeloma scheduled for antiresorptive therapy.

Background: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a potentially severe complication of mainly antiresorptive drugs. We evaluated the frequency of dentoalveolar pathologies in patients scheduled for antiresorptive therapy in a 'real-world' setting, also including patients with poor oral health potentially requiring tooth extractions and/or other dentoalveolar surgery. This approach is in contrast to the setting of recent randomized trials with restrictive exclusion criteria. Patients & methods: We prospectively included patients suffering from solid tumors with osseous metastases or multiple myeloma. Screening for dentoalveolar pathologies was done prior to initiation of antiresorptive therapy at the specialized MRONJ clinic of the University Hospital for Cranio-Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Innsbruck, Austria. Results: 119 subjects could be included. In 76 patients (63.9%), a dental focus was revealed including deep caries (24.4% of patients), chronic apical periodontitis (26.9%), periodontal disease (45.8%), root remnants (16%), jaw cysts (2.5%), partially impacted teeth (5.0%) and peri-implantitis (5.0%). Conclusion: Considering the high number of dentoalveolar pathologies (63.9%), systematic dental focus screening prior to initiation of antiresorptive therapy is of utmost importance to lower the risk for MRONJ.

COVID-19 pandemic reduces the negative perception of oral health-related quality of life in adolescents.

PURPOSE: As people around the world are facing the Covid-19 outbreak, their perception of oral health problems could be changed. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents. METHODS: A cohort study with schoolchildren from southern Brazil was conducted. Data on adolescents' OHRQoL were collected from December 2019 to February 2020 (T1), before the Brazilian Covid-19 outbreak. Posteriorly, the data were collected again in June and July of 2020 (T2), under the Brazilian Covid-19 outbreak. The OHRQoL was assessed using the Brazilian short version of the CPQ11-14. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the degree of social distancing were also assessed. Changes in OHRQoL between T1 and T2 were evaluated by adjusted Multilevel Poisson regression models for repeated measures. RESULTS: From 290 individuals evaluated at T1, 207 were reevaluated at T2 (response rate of 71.3%). The overall CPQ11-14 mean score was significantly lower during the pandemic, reducing from 10.8 at T1 to 7.7 at T2. This significant reduction was also observed for all CPQ domains, indicating a lower negative impact of oral conditions on adolescents' quality of life during the pandemic. Adolescents from families that had a middle or low degree of social distancing during the pandemic and whose parents were harmed in employment had higher CPQ11-14 scores. CONCLUSION: Overall and specific-domains CPQ-14 scores were significantly lower during the Brazilian Covid-19 outbreak, indicating a decrease in the perception of oral health problems by adolescents over that period.

Oral Health-Related Risk Factors Among Students in Southeast Serbia.

BACKGROUND An association between insufficient or irregular oral hygiene with the occurrence of dental caries, gingival/periodontal diseases, and consequently general diseases has been established. The null hypothesis that there is no difference in the oral health status among students in a preclinical medical program and those who went through a clinical medical program was tested. The main objective of the study was to analyze oral health risk factors (oral hygiene practices, attitudes, and behavior) as well as their impact on oral health by using convenience sampling. MATERIAL AND METHODS We investigated risk factors for oral health conditions by examining oral hygiene practices, attitudes, and behaviors among the students in the medical program of the University of Nis, collecting data using questionnaires. The study included 396 students of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and vocational studies. Participants filled out the anonymous questionnaire. RESULTS In both groups, parents were mostly employed, with the representation of employed fathers significantly higher in student group 1 (P<0.05), which is also the only statistically significant difference between the groups. In terms of oral hygiene practices, students were most often trained by parents (68.69%). A very high percentage of students brushed their teeth every day (97.22%), and 54.55% did this twice a day. Of the total number of students, 78.28% thought that it was necessary to use interdental brushes/floss/toothpick. The duration of teeth cleaning was 3 minutes in 39.39%, whereas 55.30% thought that it should be longer than 3 minutes. The most common brushing movements were combined movements and were used by 60.35% of all students. Of all students, 253 (63.89%) never smoked, 182 (49.96%) regularly went to the dentist, and 141 (35.61%) visited the dentist 6 months ago. The majority of students, 265 (66.92%), obtained the greatest amount of information about oral and tooth care from their dentist, which was the case in both age groups. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights oral health risk factors among students at the University of Nis. It is essential to determine their oral health knowledge, as it is of great significance both to patients and to students. Also, these students will be the major providers of health services and will be responsible for public oral health promotion. It could help in reformation of the oral health education program. The results of this research indicate that it is necessary to educate preclinical students to solve oral health issues.

Disparities in Preventive Oral Health Care and Periodontal Health Among Adults With Diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: People with diabetes are more vulnerable to periodontal disease than those without; thus, practicing preventive oral health care is an important part of diabetes self-care. Our objective was to examine disparities in preventive oral health care among US adults with diabetes. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016. Periodontal examinations were conducted in adults aged 30 and older. We compared the weighted prevalence of periodontal disease and the practice of preventive oral health care, including practicing dental interproximal cleaning (flossing or using other interproximal cleaning devices) and use of preventive dental services, among people with and without diabetes. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the relationship between the presence of diabetes, periodontal disease, and preventive oral health care practices. RESULTS: Weighted prevalence of periodontal disease in the US population was higher among adults with diabetes than those without (58.0% vs 37.6%). This difference persisted after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status. People with diabetes were more likely to have periodontal disease (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.39; 95% CI, 1.17-1.65), less likely to practice daily interproximal cleaning (aOR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.95), and less likely to visit a dentist for preventive care in the past year (aOR 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96) than people without diabetes. CONCLUSION: Adults with diabetes reported suboptimal preventive oral health care behaviors in use of preventive dental services and interproximal dental cleaning than people without diabetes, despite their health disparity related to periodontal disease. Educating people to improve their preventive oral health care is essential for good oral health and diabetes self-management.