Trends in dentate status and preventive dental visits of the adult population in Denmark over 30 years (1987-2017).

This study analyzed the trend in self-reported dentate status over 30 years (1987-2017) among Danish adults, the self-reported frequencies of preventive dental visits undertaken annually during the period 1987-2013, and the self-reported use of the 2016 recall scheme for preventive dental check-ups. The impact of social determinants (education, employment, civil status, and ethnic background) on these dental outcome variables in 2017 was explored. Questionnaire data were obtained from the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys conducted from 1987-2017, and they were analyzed by tri-variate frequency distributions and multivariate analyses. The prevalence of complete tooth loss was 17.7% in 1987 but 3.4% in 2017. The frequency of adults having 20 or more teeth grew markedly from 1987 (65.9%) to 2017 (85.1%). Educational inequality in dentate status persisted over the period. The frequency of preventive dental visits at least annually increased from 1987 to 2013, although visits were less frequent for young people. In 2017, preventive dental check-ups were reported in intervals: less than 12 months (56.4%), 12-18 months (18.9%), 19-24 months (4.8%), and more than 24 months (5.2%). In 2017, dentate status and preventive dental check-ups varied profoundly by social determinants. In conclusion, social policies should be implemented to tackle the persistent inequities in dentate status and public health policies should target Universal Health Coverage.

The epidemiology of edentulous atrophic mandibular fractures in Europe.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the present study was to assess the demographic variables, causes, and patterns of edentulous atrophic fractures of the mandible managed at several European departments of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The results of this multicenter collaboration over a 10-year period are presented. METHODS: The data of all patients with fractures of the atrophic edentulous mandible from the involved maxillofacial surgical units across Europe between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2017 were recorded: gender; age; voluptuary habits; comorbidities; etiology; fracture sites; synchronous body injuries; atrophy of the mandible according to Luhr classification; eventual type of treatment; timing of the eventual surgery; length of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 197 patients (86 male and 111 female patients) with 285 mandibular fractures were included in the study. Mean age of the study population was 75 years. Statistically significant associations were found between Luhr classes I - II and condylar fractures on one hand (p < .0005), and between Luhr class III and body and parasymphyseal fractures on the other hand (p < .05). Finally, 135 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation, 56 patients did not undergo any intervention, and 6 patients underwent closed reduction. No statistically significant association was observed between treatment, timing of treatment, comorbidities, and concomitant injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The management of edentulous atrophic mandibular fractures remains challenging. Treatment decisions should continue to be based on the clinician's previous experience and on the degree of bone resorption in edentulous mandible in relation to fracture subsites.

SES and correlated factors do not explain the association between periodontal disease, edentulism, and cancer risk.

PURPOSE: Severe periodontal disease and edentulism have been previously reported to be significantly associated with cancer risk and mortality, including in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (2018); however, complex sources of confounding by socioeconomic status (SES), and characteristics correlated with SES, could have been present in earlier analyses. METHODS: To capture life course SES and its correlates, we generated a propensity score and included it, along with other potential confounders such as smoking and obesity, into a Cox regression model to examine the association between periodontal disease and cancer risk. In addition, we stratified the model with the propensity score by low and high SES. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Compared with our previous study, the associations for severe periodontitis and cancer incidence remained comparable after weighting by the propensity score (e.g., for total cancer: before weighting, hazard ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.42 vs. after weighting, hazard ratio = 1.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.05-1.44 when comparing severe periodontitis to no or mild periodontitis). Associations were comparable in low and high SES strata and statistically significant among participants with high SES. CONCLUSIONS: Complex sources of confounding by SES and its correlates are unlikely to fully account for the positive associations observed for periodontal disease and edentulism and cancer risk.

Oral Health, Disability and Physical Function: Results From Studies of Older People in the United Kingdom and United States of America.

OBJECTIVES: Studies examining the associations between oral health and disability have limited oral health measures. We investigated the association of a range of objectively and subjectively assessed oral health markers with disability and physical function in older age. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional analyses were based on the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) comprising men aged 71 to 92 years (n = 2147) from 24 British towns, and the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (HABC) Study comprising men and women aged 71 to 80 years (n = 3075) from the United States. Assessments included oral health (periodontal disease, tooth count, dry mouth, and self-rated oral health), disability, and physical function (grip strength, gait speed, and chair stand test). RESULTS: In the BRHS, dry mouth, tooth loss, and cumulative oral health problems (≥3 problems) were associated with mobility limitations and problems with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living; these remained significant after adjustment for confounding variables (for ≥3 dry mouth symptoms, odds ratio (OR) 2.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.94-3.69; OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.15-2.69; OR 2.90, 95% CI 2.01, 4.18, respectively). Similar results were observed in the HABC Study. Dry mouth was associated with the slowest gait speed in the BRHS, and the weakest grip strength in the HABC Study (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.22, 2.50; OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.47-4.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Markers of poor oral health, particularly dry mouth, poor self-rated oral health, and the presence of more than 1 oral health problem, were associated with disability and poor physical function in older populations. Prospective investigations of these associations and underlying pathways are needed.

Health insurance and education: major contributors to oral health inequalities in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Health inequalities, including inequalities in oral health, are problems of social injustice worldwide. Evidence on this issue from low-income and middle-income countries is still needed. We aimed to examine the relationship between oral health and different dimensions of socioeconomic position (SEP) in Colombia, a very unequal society emerging from a long-lasting internal armed conflict. METHODS: Using data from the last Colombian Oral Health Survey (2014), we analysed inequalities in severe untreated caries (≥3 teeth), edentulousness (total tooth loss) and number of missing teeth. Inequalities by education, income, area-level SEP and health insurance scheme were estimated by the relative index of inequality and slope index of inequality (RII and SII, respectively). RESULTS: A general pattern of social gradients was observed and significant inequalities for all outcomes and SEP indicators were identified with RII and SII. Relative inequalities were larger for decay by health insurance scheme, with worse decay levels among the uninsured (RII: 2.57; 95% CI 2.11 to 3.13), and in edentulousness (RII: 3.23; 95% CI 1.88 to 5.55) and number of missing teeth (RII: 2.08; 95% CI 1.86 to 2.33) by education, with worse levels of these outcomes among the lower educated groups. Absolute inequalities followed the same pattern. Inequalities were larger in urban areas. CONCLUSION: Health insurance and education appear to be the main contributors to oral health inequalities in Colombia, posing challenges for designing public health strategies and social policies. Tackling health inequalities is crucial for a fairer society in a Colombian post-conflict era and our findings highlight the importance of investing in education policies and universal health care coverage.

Association of Periodontal Disease and Edentulism With Hypertension Risk in Postmenopausal Women.

BACKGROUND: Multiple cross-sectional epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between periodontal disease and tooth loss and hypertension, but the temporality of these associations remains unclear. The objective of our study was to evaluate the association of baseline self-reported periodontal disease and edentulism with incident hypertension. METHODS: Study participants were 36,692 postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative-Observational Study who were followed annually from initial periodontal assessment (1998-2003) through 2015 (mean follow-up 8.3 years) for newly diagnosed treated hypertension. Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment for potential confounders was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Edentulism was significantly associated with incident hypertension in crude (HR (95% CI) = 1.38 (1.28-1.49)) and adjusted (HR (95% CI) = 1.21 (1.11-1.30)) models. This association was stronger among those <60 years compared to ≥60 years (P interaction 0.04) and among those with <120 mm Hg systolic blood pressure, compared to those with ≥120 mm Hg (P interaction 0.004). No association was found between periodontal disease and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that edentulous postmenopausal women may represent a group with higher risk of developing future hypertension. As such improved dental hygiene among those at risk for tooth loss as well as preventive measures among the edentulous such as closer blood pressure monitoring, dietary modification, physical activity, and weight loss may be warranted to reduce disease burden of hypertension. Further studies are needed to clarify these results and further elucidate a potential role of periodontal conditions on hypertension risk.

The association between earlobe crease (Frank's sign) and cognitive performance is related to age. Results from the Atahualpa Project.

BACKGROUND: Earlobe crease (ELC) has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, but information on its association with cognitive decline is limited. We aimed to assess the association between ELC and cognitive performance in community-dwelling adults living in rural Ecuador. METHODS: Of 863 individuals aged ≥40 years enrolled in the Atahualpa Project, 629 (73%) were included. ELC were visually identified by two independent raters, and cognitive performance was measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Using generalized linear and interaction models, adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and edentulism, we assessed the association between ELC and cognitive performance, as well as the influence of age in this association. RESULTS: ELC was present in 246 (39%) individuals, and the mean MoCA score in the entire population was 21.9 ± 4.7 points. A generalized linear model showed no relationship between ELC presence and the MoCA score (p = 0.449). In this model, covariates remaining significant were age (p < 0.001), physical activity (p = 0.014) and edentulism (p < 0.001). When participants were stratified according of quartiles of age, the MoCA score did not differ according to the presence or absence of ELC. Weighted exposure-effect models - using ELC and the MoCA score as the exposure and outcome (respectively) - revealed no association between both variables. CONCLUSIONS: The association between ELC and the MoCA score is mainly related to age. These findings might be explained by the high prevalence of ELC and cognitive decline in older adults.

Una Aproximación Epidemiológica sobre Patologías Orales desde la Perspectiva de la Radiología / An Epidemiological Approach to Oral Pathologies from a Radiology Perspective

RESUMEN: La cavidad de oral es susceptible de alteraciones de diversa índole, que presentan patrones epidemiológicos variables. La caries y la enfermedad periodontal se reconocen como las de mayor prevalencia, pero sobre otras anormalidades que afectan a las estructuras óseas y los dientes se tienen menos datos. El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar la prevalencia de hallazgos radiográficos sugestivos de patología en 10,000 imágenes panorámicas digitales de adultos, obtenidas en diferentes centros de radiología en Bogotá. Se recolectaron radiografías de pacientes mayores de 18 años, de bajo grado de distorsión, con estructuras completas, y adecuado contraste y densidad que permitieran la lectura de las variables a estudiar. La mayoría de las radiografías pertenecen a pacientes de género femenino, y su promedio de edad es de 39 años. El edentulismo parcial es el hallazgo de mayor prevalencia afectando a un 61 % del grupo, seguido de la presencia de tratamientos de endodoncia con un 45 % y en tercer lugar las inclusiones dentales 24,1 %. Otros hallazgos corroboran que las lesiones apicales son las lesiones quísticas de mayor prevalencia y un aumento en la rehabilitación con prótesis fija e implantes. Este estudio refleja los efectos de la caries y la enfermedad periodontal que afectan a la población estudiada y su principal consecuencia el edentulismo parcial que afecta a todos los grupos de edad examinados. La endodoncia, sugerente de patología pulpar, también es de alta prevalencia y en gran porcentaje asociada a lesiones apicales, pero en general el estudio sugiere la necesidad de programas de prevención para el adulto, para cumplir con las metas de la Organización Mundial de la Salud con miras a disminuir la perdida de dientes.

ABSTRACT: The oral cavity is susceptible to alterations of diverse nature that present variable epidemiological patterns. Caries and periodontal disease are recognized as having the highest prevalence, but thereare less data on other abnormalities that affect bone structures and teeth. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of radiographic findings suggestive of pathology in 10,000 digital panoramic images of adults, obtained at different radiology centers in Bogotá. Radiographs were collected from patients over 18 years of age, with a low degree of distortion, with complete structures, and adequate contrast and density to allow the reading of the variables to be studied. Most of the radiographs belong to female patients, and their average age is 39 years. Partial edentulism is the most prevalent finding affecting 61 % of the group, followed by the presence of endodontic treatments with 45 % and thirdly the dental inclusions 24.1 %. Other findings corroborate that the apical lesions are the cystic lesions with a higher prevalence and an increase in rehabilitation with fixed prostheses and implants. This study reflects the effects of caries and periodontal disease that affect the population studied and its main consequence is the partial edentulism that affects all age groups examined. Endodontics, suggestive of pulpal pathology, is also of high prevalence and a large percentage associated with apical lesions, but in general the study suggests the need for adult prevention programs to meet the goals of the World Health Organization with a view to reducing tooth loss.

Assessment of Oral Health Related Quality of Life Among the Institutionalised Elderly in Delhi, India.

PURPOSE: To assess the oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older people residing in old-age homes in Delhi, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral health related quality of life was measured by using the Hindi version of Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) which was tested for its reliability and validity. Sociodemographic data were collected and questions regarding the self-perception of general health, oral health and perceived need for dental treatment were put forward. Clinical assessment was also performed. RESULTS: The mean additive-GOHAI score of the study population was found to be 41.57 ± 6.07. Statistically significant associations were found between GOHAI and perceived measures. GOHAI scores decreased with a decrease in the number of teeth present and a decrease in the number of teeth having coronal and root caries. Those subjects who were in need of multi-unit prostheses or full prostheses had significantly poorer OHRQoL compared to those without any prosthetic need or need of single-unit prostheses. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the extent of dental problems in old-age home residents and may help to plan appropriate preventive measures.

EVALUATION OF EDENTULISM, PROSTHETIC STATUS AND PROSTHODONTICS TREATMENT NEEDS AMONG THE ADULT POPULATION OF GEORGIA.

The aim of the present study is to identify the level of edentulism among the adult population of Georgia, to assess the prosthodontics status and normative needs for prosthetic treatment. Cluster- stratified method was used for sampling. Overall, 2370 adults including 1289 women and 1081 men and four age groups I - 20-34, II - 35-44, III - 45-64, IV - 65-74 in nine regions of Georgia and the capital, Tbilisi, were examined. The loss of teeth due to caries or periodontitis was observed to differing extents throughout the population. One (8.3%) or more bridges (7.6%) and removable dentures (3.2-4.7%) were more frequently observed than implants (0.1%). Metal-ceramic (12.4%) and metal crowns (6.3%) were more commonly detected than zirconia ceramic crowns (0.1%). Statistical analysis of the data demonstrates a rather high normative prosthetic need of implants and bridges and less needs for removable dentures among the population due to less severity of periodontitis and not too high values of missing teeth due to caries (despite the high caries prevalence (99%) throughout the Georgian population). Edentulism is a public problem in Georgia and needs serious attention from government or healthcare centers to prevent the complications .

THE RISK FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EDENTULISM AND PROSTHETIC STATUS OF THE ADULT POPULATION IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF GEORGIA.

The aim of the present study was to identify the level of edentulism and prosthetic status of the adult population in different regions of Georgia and to assess the influencing risk- factors. Cluster- stratified method was used for sampling. Overall, 2370 adults including 1289 women and 1081 men and four age groups I- (20-34), II-(35-44), III-(45-64), IV- (65-74) in nine regions of Georgia and the capital, Tbilisi, were examined. Statistically reliable data received showed the different extent of teeth loss in various regions of Georgia. ≤10 teeth loss were characteristic for Mtskheta (60.2%) and Samtskhe-Javakheti (50.7%),whilst ≥20 teeth lost were noticed more in Achara(2.9%), Samtskhe-Javakheti(2.6%), Shida Qartli (2,5%). Therefore, prosthetic status was mostly presented with one or more bridges or artificial crowns, removable dentures were seen less. Differences in prosthetic status is generally related to low medical education background in all regions, though lack of money was considered as essential obstacle for dental visit for Mtskheta, Imereti and Samtskhe-Javakheti population. Education and family income dictate attitudes towards prosthetic dental care and choice of crown types. On the other hand, material disparity represents the main obstacle to prosthetic procedures, especially implants.

[Incidence of combination syndrome based on the orthopantomograms made between 2009 és 2014 at the Department of Prosthodontics, University of Pécs, Hungary]. / A kombinációs szindróma gyakorisága a Pécsi Tudományegyetem Klinikai Központ Fogpótlástani Tanszékén a 2009 és 2014 között készült orthopantomogramok alapján.

The treatment of patients having a completely edentulous maxillary arch and lower anterior teeth present is frequent in the dental practice. In these cases some specific changes can be detected in the oral cavity and on orthopantomograms. These signs were summarized and described first by Kelly (1972). Aim of the study was to examine the presence of the specific signs of the combination syndrome among the patients between 2009 and 2014. With the help of the electronic patient registry system used by the University of Pécs, 319 patients were filtered who were diagnosed with anodontia code (K0000 International Classification of Diseases (ICD)) in the examined period. 220 patients' orthopantomograms were evaluated searching for specific symptoms of the combination syndrome. 34 patients had complete edentulous maxilla and anterior teeth in the mandible. 4 patients (11.7%) showed the main sign of the combination syndrome, i.e. the maxillary anterior bone loss. Hypertrophy of maxillary tuberosity (9 cases, 26.4%), extrusion of the lower anterior teeth (6 cases, 17.6%) and great resorption of the distal mandibular ridge (16 cases, 47%) was diagnosed on the X-rays. The clinical examination of three patients supported the radiological findings. The combination syndrome was detectable, but the incidence rate was lower in this population in comparison with the data available in dental scientific publications.

Is there a relationship between obesity and tooth loss and edentulism? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study conducted a systematic review to assess the bi-directional association between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity. Electronic searches were performed in four different databases. Observational studies that tested associations between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity as either exposures or outcomes were included. Additionally, meta-analyses, funnel plots and sensitivity analyses were conducted to synthesize the evidence. A total of 549 articles were identified in the electronic database search. Out of which, 16 studies were included within the meta-analyses: 75% considered tooth loss/edentulism as exposure and obesity as outcome, whereas 25% alternatively considered obesity as exposure and tooth loss/edentulism as outcome. Pooled estimates showed that obese individuals had 1.49 (95%CI 1.20-1.86) and 1.25 (95%CI 1.10-1.42) times higher odds of having any tooth loss and edentulism, respectively. Alternatively, when tooth loss or edentulism were considered as exposures, individuals with any tooth loss had 1.41 (95%CI 1.11-1.79) times higher odds for obesity, while edentates had even higher odds (OR 1.60; 95%CI 1.29-2.00). The results indicate a bi-directional association between tooth loss and obesity. Considering that all selected studies were of cross-sectional study design limiting inferences on temporality, longitudinal prospective studies are required to test the causal relationship between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity or vice a versa. © 2016 World Obesity.

Functional Dentition in Brazilian Adults: An Investigation of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Using a Multilevel Approach.

OBJECTIVES: Estimate the prevalence of functional dentition among Brazilian adults using four different definitions and identify associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 9564 Brazilian adults aged 35-44 years who participated in the 2010 National Oral Health Survey. Data collection involved oral examinations and the administration of questionnaires. The following definitions were used: 1-WHO Functional Dentition (FDWHO: ≥ 20 teeth present); 2-well-distributed teeth (WDT: ≥ 10 teeth in each arch); 3 -Functional dentition classified by esthetics and occlusion (FDClass5: dentitions that sequentially exhibit at least one tooth in each arch, at least 10 teeth in each arch, all maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, three or four premolar posterior occluding pairs [POPs], and at least one molar POP bilaterally); 4-Functional dentition classified by esthetics, occlusion and periodontal status (FDClass6: corresponds to FDClass5 with the addition of periodontal status of all sextants in the oral cavity with, at most, shallow pockets and/or clinical attachment level of 5 mm (CPI ≤ 3 and/or CAL ≤ 1). The independent variables were individual factors (gender, self-declared skin color, schooling, monthly household income, age group, self-rated treatment need, dental pain, dental appointment in the previous 12 months and dental services) and contextual factors (Municipal Human Development Index [MHDI]), Gini coefficient, fluoridated water supply and oral health coverage). Multilevel mixed-effect Poisson regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of functional dentition based on the FDWHO, WDT, FDClass5 and FDClass6 definitions was 77.9%, 72.9%, 42.6% and 40.3%, respectively. Adults with ≥12 years of schooling and monthly household income from US$ 853 to 2557 had higher prevalence rates of FDWHO (PR: 1.41 and 1.10, respectively), WDT (PR: 1.58 and 1.14, respectively), FDClass5 (PR: 2.03 and 1.27, respectively) and FDClass6 (PR: 2.15 and 1.35, respectively). These values in the final models were adjusted for gender, self-declared skin color (FDClass5), age group, self-rated treatment need (FDWHO, FDClass5 and FDClass6), dental appointment in the previous 12 months (FDWHO and WDT), dental services (FDWHO and WDT) and contextual factors. A very high MHDI and presence of fluoridated water supply were associated with higher prevalence rates of the four outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of the criteria of new definitions of functional dentition led to a lower prevalence rate among Brazilian adults. Striking individual and contextual inequalities were identified with regard to the four definitions analyzed, which need to be addressed through inter-sector efforts.

Oral health of individuals aged 3-80 years in Jönköping, Sweden during 40 years (1973-2013). II. Review of clinical and radiographic findings.

The aim of this epidemiological study performed in 2013 was to analyze various clinical and radiographic data on oral health and compare the results to those of four cross-sectional studies carried out 1973-2003. In 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, and 2013 random samples of 1,000; 1,104; 1,078; 987; and 1,010 individuals, respectively, were studied. The individuals were evenly distributed in the age groups 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80o years. Eighty-year-olds were not included in 1973. All subjects were inhabitants of the city of Jönköping, Sweden. The clinical and radiographic examination assessed edentulousness, removable dentures, implants, number of teeth, caries, restorations, oral hygiene, calculus, periodontal status, and endodontic treatment. The frequency of edentulous individuals aged 40-70 years was 16, 12, 8, 1, and 0.3% in 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, and 2013, respectively. No complete denture weareryounger than 80-years old was found in 2013. During the 40-year period, the mean number of teeth in the age groups 30-80 years increased. In 2013, the 60-year-olds had nearly complete dentitions. Implants were found in all age groups from 30 years of age. The total number of individuals with implants was 36 in 2013. This was higher than earlier surveys, 4 in 1993, and 18 in 2003. The percentage of children and adults without caries and restorations increased during the 40-year period. It was found that the percentage of caries-free 3- and 5-year-olds were 79% and 69%, respectively, of the individuals in 2013. In the age groups 10-20 years, the percentage of caries-free individuals increased between 2003 and 2013. In 2013, 43% of the 15-year-olds were completely free from caries and restorations compared to 20% in 2003. In all age groups 5-60 years, DFS was lower in 2013 compared to the earlier examinations.There was no major change in DFS between 2003 and 2013 in the age groups 70 and 80 years. The most obvious change was the decrease in number of FS over the 40-year period of time. Regarding crowned teeth the most clear changes between 1973 to 2013 were the decrease in percentage of crowned teeth in the age groups 40 and 50-year-olds. The percentage of endodontically treated teeth decreased between 1973 and 2013 in all age groups. In age groups 10-30-year-olds a major reduction from about 30% to 15% in mean plaque score was seen between 1973-2003. Only a minor change in plaque score was seen during the last decade. For the age groups 40 years and older, a decrease in the percentage of surfaces with plaque was observed between 2003-2013. The percentage of tooth sites with gingivitis was for 20 years and older about 40% in 1973. In 2013, the percentage was about 15%. The frequency of sites with gingivitis was generally lower in 2013 compared with the otheryears,1973-1993. The percentage of individuals with probing pocket depths > 4mm increased with age. Between 2003-2013 a clear reduction was seen in all age groups in frequency of individuals with probing pocket depth > 4mm. Over the 40-year period an increase in the number of individuals with no marginal bone loss and a decrease in the number of subjects with moderate alveolar bone loss were seen. The continuous improvement in oral health and the reduced need of restorative treatment will seriously affect the provision of dental helath care and dental delivery system in the near future.

Burden of Oral Diseases in Iran, 1990-2010: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

BACKGROUND: Oral diseases, as a group of chronic diseases, are among the major public health problems that lead to disability throughout the world. The major part of burden of oral diseases is caused by dental caries, periodontal diseases, edentulism, mouth cancer, cleft lip, and cleft palate. The aim of the present paper is to report the global results for the burden of oral disease in Iran from 1990 to 2010, derived from GBD study 2010 by sex and age. METHODS: The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) was a systematic effort with a common framework to estimate disability adjusted life years (DALYs) for diseases in different parts of the world. Years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) were assessed based on cause-of-death estimates and by means of a cause of death ensemble model (CODEm). Years of life lost due to disability (YLDs) were computed by multiplying the prevalence, the disability weight for a sequel, and the duration of symptoms. A systematic review of published and unpublished data was conducted to estimate disease distribution using a Bayesian meta-regression method (DisMod-MR). Disability weights were measured by collecting data from population-based surveys. In this paper, we describe the results of GBD 2010 regarding oral diseases in Iran, critique the results, and provide some recommendations. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2010 in Iran, an increase occurred in DALYs at all ages, attributed to dental caries (from 37,230 to 56,521) as well as periodontal diseases (from 21,482 to 43,308), and a decrease was found for edentulism (from 53,134 to 47,960). DALYs at all ages attributed to mouth cancer increased (from 5,597 to 7,771), while a decline was noted for cleft lip and cleft palate (from 6,157 to 5,034). The age-standardized DALY rates per 100,000 population did not considerably change for dental caries and periodontal diseases, while edentulism showed a reduction. The corresponding DALY rate due to mouth cancer decreased, while it remained almost unchanged for cleft lip and cleft palate over this period. DALY rates per 100,000 population due to dental caries and edentulism were higher among Iranian women than for Iranian men at all ages, while Iranian men suffered from a higher burden of periodontal disease, mouth cancer, cleft lip, and cleft palate. The most significant burden due to dental caries and periodontal diseases was found in Iranians aged 15-49 and 50-69 years, respectively and edentulism and mouth cancer led to the highest burden in Iranians older than 70 years of age. The highest burden caused by cleft lip and cleft palate occurred in children younger than 5 years old. CONCLUSION: The findings address the challenging changes in oral diseases and difficulties in responding to the urgent oral health needs in Iran. The burden of oral diseases should be considered as a priority in Iran. A need also exists to pay more attention to the oral health policies and principles of preventive oral care. Global analyses of disease burdens provide a useful framework to guide a suitable policy in response to disease changes. In fact, strong national and sub-national analyses will be required to provide more effective public health strategies.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between poor oral health and severe mental illness.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric patients have increased comorbid physical illness. There is less information, however, on dental disease, especially tooth decay, despite life-style risk factors or psychotropic-induced dry mouth in this population. Importantly, poor oral health can predispose people to chronic physical disease leading to avoidable admissions to hospital for medical causes. METHODS: Using MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and article bibliographies, we undertook a systematic search for studies from the last 25 years regarding the oral health of people with severe mental illness (SMI). Results were compared with the general population. The two outcomes were total tooth loss (edentulism) and dental decay measured through the following standardized measures: the mean number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth or surfaces. RESULTS: We identified 25 studies that had sufficient data for a random-effects meta-analysis. These covered 5076 psychiatric patients and 39,545 controls, the latter from either the same study or community surveys. People with SMI had 2.8 the odds of having lost all their teeth compared with the general community (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-4.6). They also had significantly higher decayed, missing, and filled teeth (mean difference = 5.0, 95% CI = 2.5-7.4) and surfaces scores (mean difference = 14.6, 95% CI = 4.1-25.1). CONCLUSION: The increased focus on the physical health of people with SMI should encompass oral health. Possible interventions could include oral health assessment conducted using standard checklists that can be completed by non-dental personnel, help with oral hygiene, management of iatrogenic dry mouth, and early dental referral.

[How does gender influence oral health?]. / Welchen Einfluss hat das Geschlecht auf die Mundgesundheit?

Most oral diseases show gender-specific differences in prevalence. This is true for common diseases such as caries and periodontitis, which are considered the main causes of tooth loss, affecting women more often than men. Furthermore, other diseases, e.g. temporomandibular joint dysfunction, malignant oral tumours, and several diseases of the oral mucosa show differing incidences between men and women. This is confirmed by empirical evidence from studies in Germany and other European countries, the USA, and emerging nations in Amercia and Southeast Asia. The present article aims to summarize gender-specific knowledge on oral health and present perspectives for future research. The main focus is on tooth loss and edentulism, a key measure of oral health, and their main causes, i.e. caries and periodontitis.

Is there a trend of decreasing prevalence of TMD-related symptoms with ageing among the elderly?

OBJECTIVE: Older adults have not been studied as much as younger ones regarding prevalence of TMD-related symptoms. The aim was to assess the prevalence of TMD-related symptoms in two population samples, 70 and 80 years old. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Identical questionnaires were in 2012 sent to all subjects born in 1932 and 1942 living in two Swedish counties. The response rate was 70.1%, resulting in samples of 5697 70- and 2922 80-year-old subjects. The questionnaire comprised 53 questions. Answers to questions on problems regarding TMD-related symptoms and awareness of bruxism were analysed. RESULTS: Twelve per cent of the women and 7% of the men in the 70-year-old group reported some, rather great or severe problems regarding TMD pain. In the 80-year-olds the prevalence was 8% and 7%, respectively. Subjects who had problems with TMJ sounds reported difficulty to open the jaw wide 6-times and TMJ pain 10-13-times more frequently than subjects without such problems. Changes of taste and awareness of bruxism were the only variables significantly associated with TMD symptoms in both age groups. Number of teeth was not significantly associated with any of the TMD-related symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the elderly subjects had no severe problems with TMD-related symptoms, but 12% of the 70-year-old women reported some, rather great or severe problems. The marked gender difference at age 70 had disappeared in the 80-year-old group. The prevalence was lower among the 80- compared with the 70-year-old subjects of both sexes. The results support the comorbidity between TMD-related symptoms and general health problems.

Prevalence of torus mandibularis among a group of elderly Japanese and its relationship with occlusal force.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of torus mandibularis (TM) and identify clinical factors associated with its presence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 664 Japanese adults over age 60 were studied by means of a questionnaire and clinical examination. RESULTS: In all, 197 subjects (29.7%) had TM. We found a significant association between the presence of TM and torus palatinus (TP; 45.1% vs. 26.5%, p<0.001). Moreover, occlusal force with TM was significantly higher than without TM (p<0.05). Logistic regression adjusted for age and occlusal force revealed a significant relationship between TM and occlusal force and TP [p=0.005, odds ratio (OR)=2.44; p<0.001, OR=2.66, respectively]. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there is a relationship between TM and factors related to occlusal factor.