An exploratory study of parental knowledge of early childhood oral health care in Southland, New Zealand.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to clearly assess the oral health care knowledge of Southland parents. The secondary objective was to identify whether inequalities exist between parents with different ethnicity, education or income. DESIGN: An exploratory study based on a simple online/ paper questionnaire. SETTING: Participants were recruited through Southland early childcare centres. Researchers contacted 115 centres, 66 agreed to participate and 58 returned questionnaires. METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed to each centre to be completed by the parents. The questionnaire was able to be completed online or as a paper copy. Centres were supplied with dental brochures, which were distributed after the questionnaires were returned. Questionnaires were collated and the responses analysed. RESULTS: Six hundred and seventy questionnaires were returned, 213 online and 457 paper copies. The typical participant was a mother (93.9%), age 34 years (median), a non-smoker (86.3%), non-Maori (87.1%), with a university degree (33.9%) and an annual household income between $60,001 and $100,000 (36.5%). Twenty of the 47 questions were selected to reflect parental knowledge. Overall, 65.1% of the respondents answered all 20 questions correctly. Differences in knowledge were identified between mothers and other participants (65.4% vs. 59.4%), smokers and non-smokers (61.3% vs. 65.7%), Maori and non-Maori (61.6% vs. 65.6%) and education level (Primary 58.0% vs. Degree 68.7%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed differences in knowledge in early childhood oral health care. Participants who identified as non-mothers (fathers, step-fathers, legal care givers or other), smokers, Maori or low education displayed significantly less knowledge. Further education and oral health care promotion may be needed to improve this disparity.

Assessment of Er:YAG laser for cavity preparation in primary and permanent teeth: a scanning electron microscopy and thermographic study.

PURPOSE: Most studies of cavity preparation using Er:YAG lasers have employed permanent teeth. This study's purpose was to compare the cutting efficiency of an Er:YAG laser versus diamond burs in primary and permanent teeth in order to measure thermal effects on the pulp and evaluate lased surfaces using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). METHODS: A total of 80 primary and permanent teeth were used. Crater depths and mass loss were measured after delivering laser pulses at varying energies onto sound or carious enamel or dentin using the Key-3 laser. Control samples were cut using diamond burs in an air turbine handpiece. Thermal changes were measured using miniature thermocouples placed into the pulp chamber. Lased surfaces were evaluated using SEM. RESULTS: Laser ablation crater-like defects were deeper in dentin than enamel at the same pulse energy. Greater ablation rates for dentin and enamel and significantly more efficient removal of carious tooth structure by laser was present in primary teeth. Temperature rises in the pulp did not exceed the 5.5 degrees Celsius threshold in any teeth during laser ablation. CONCLUSIONS: The Er:YAG laser is an efficient device for cavity preparations in primary teeth, with no unacceptable increases in temperature detected in this model.

Oral literacy demand of preventive dental visits in a pediatric medical office: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the oral literacy demands placed on parents of young children during preventive dental visits in a pediatric medical office. METHODS: Transcripts of audio recordings for 15 pediatric medical visits were analyzed to assess the oral literacy demand of the visit, as measured by use of terminology, language complexity, and structural characteristics of the dialogue. Parent-completed surveys were used to determine recall of dental concepts discussed during the visit. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to identify relationships among these measures and parental recall of the visit. RESULTS: Visits were interactive and used limited jargon and uncomplicated language. Oral literacy demand measures were associated with each other. Parental recall of the visit was associated with measures of high oral literacy demand. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing measures of oral literacy demand is a novel method for examining provider communication used during preventive dental visits in a pediatric medical office. Providers displayed low oral literacy demand when communicating with parents. Parental recall of dental concepts, however, was associated unexpectedly with higher oral literacy demand. Further research should examine a larger sample size and the effect of measures of oral literacy demand among low- and high-literacy patients.

Validade preditiva de métodos para a avaliação da atividade das lesões de cárie em dentes decíduos / Predictive validity of methods for caries lesions activity assessment

A avaliação da atividade das lesões de cárie tem sido utilizada na determinação do prognóstico da doença e no processo de decisão de tratamento. Para a classificação imediata de uma lesão quanto ao seu status de atividade, alguns critérios visuais têm sido propostos, como o índice de Nyvad e o International Caries Detection and Assessment System em conjunto com o Lesion Activity Assessment (ICDAS+LAA). Divergências têm sido mostradas na determinação da atividade por esses dois índices através da validação de critério, cujo uso não é consensual na literatura. O presente estudo teve como objetivos realizar a validação preditiva dos índices de Nyvad e ICDAS+LAA, bem como de algumas características clínicas usadas na avaliação de lesões de cárie, isoladas e combinadas. A associação de variáveis independentes referentes ao dente e à criança com a progressão de lesões de cárie também foi verificada. Para isso, as superfícies oclusais dos molares decíduos de 208 crianças foram examinadas utilizando os índices citados e coletaram-se variáveis explicativas relacionadas ao dente e à criança. Um examinador de referência realizou o exame dos mesmos sítios para avaliação de características clínicas relacionadas à atividade das lesões de cárie: potencial de estagnação de placa, pigmentação, opacidade, cavitação, textura e profundidade. Após um ano do primeiro exame, 151 crianças foram reavaliadas pelos mesmos examinadores, seguindo os mesmos critérios visuais. Para análise da validade preditiva utilizou-se como desfecho a progressão da lesão, definida como a ocorrência de cavitação em dentina, restauração da superfície ou exodontia por cárie. Foram feitas análises de regressão para cada um dos índices para verificar a associação entre o desfecho e a condição de atividade determinada por ele (hígido, lesão inativa e lesão ativa) e características do dente e da criança

Análises de regressão foram feitas para verificar a associação entre a progressão das lesões e os parâmetros clínicos avaliados, isolados ou combinados. Utilizou-se análise de regressão de Poisson testando modelos univariados e múltiplos, quando fosse o caso. O risco relativo para cada condição testada foi calculado, considerando um intervalo de confiança de 95% (95% IC). Lesões ativas e inativas não apresentaram diferença quanto à progressão de lesões de cárie após um ano. No entanto, nesse período, a severidade das lesões foi associada à progressão das mesmas

Carious lesions activity assessment has been used in determining the caries prognosis and in the treatment decision process. For activity status classification, some visual criteria have been proposed as the Nyvad's system and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System in conjunction with the Lesion Activity Assessment (ICDAS+LAA). Differences have been shown in determining the activity by these two indices, but using the criterion validation with methyl red dye, whose use is no consensus in the literature. This study aimed to perform the predictive validation of Nyvad's system and ICDAS+LAA, as well as some clinical characteristics used in the caries activity assessment when applied separately and combined. We also seek the association of independent variables related to the tooth and the child with the caries progression. For this, the occlusal surfaces of primary molars of 208 children were examined using the indices above. Explanatory variables related to the tooth and the child were also collected. A reference examiner conducted the examination of the same sites for evaluation of clinical features related to carious lesions activity: potential for plaque stagnation, staining, opacity, cavitation, texture and depth. One year after the first examination, 151 children were evaluated by the same examiners, following the same visual criteria, however, only for severity assessment. A total of 845 occlusal surfaces were reassessed. For predictive validation, lesion progression was used as outcome, as the occurrence of dentine cavitation, surface restoration or extraction of the tooth. Individual regression analyzes were performed to each index to investigate the association between the outcome and activity status determined by the index (sound, active and inactive lesions) and some characteristics of teeth and children

Regression analyzes were also performed to investigate the association between the lesions progression and the clinical parameters, individually or combined. We used Poisson regression analysis to test univariate and multivariate models, when appropriate. The relative risk for each condition tested was calculated considering a confidence interval of 95% (95% CI). The active and inactive lesions classified by Nyvad' system and ICDAS+LAA showed no difference in caries lesions progression after one year. However, during this period, the lesions severity was associated with their progression. Cavitated or dentine lesions had a higher risk of progression compared to sound or non-cavitated surfaces, and other parameters as texture and opacity did not influence the prediction of progression of cavitated lesions. For non-cavitated lesions, roughness and opacity seems to be a characteristic that may help to distinguish lesions that tend to have higher risk of progressing

Assessment of pulp vitality: a review.

BACKGROUND: One of the greatest diagnostic challenges in clinical practice is the accurate assessment of pulp status. This may be further complicated in paediatric dentistry where the practitioner is faced with a developing dentition, traumatized teeth, or young children who have a limited ability to recall a pain history for the tooth in question. A variety of pulp testing approaches exist, and there may be confusion as to their validity or appropriateness in different clinical situations. AIM: The aim of this paper is to provide the clinician with a comprehensive review of current pulp testing methods. A key objective is to highlight the difference between sensitivity testing and vitality testing. A biological basis for pulp testing is also provided to allow greater insight into the interpretation of pulp testing results. The rationale for, and methods of, assessing pulpal blood flow are described.

Erupción dentaria temporaria durante el primer año de vida / Primary tooth eruption during the first year of life

La cronología ded la erupción dentaria (CED) está establecida a nivel mundial, y ha sido considerada sujeta a variaciones debido a factores ambientales. El objetivo del presente trabajo es averiguar si la cronología de la erupción dentaria en la ciudad de Córdoba sigue los patrones establecidos. Para ello se realizó un estudio prospectivo de tipo longitudinal sobre una muestra de niños representativa de la ciudad de Córdoba, para determinar la cronología de la erupción dentaria durante el primer año de vida. En el momento de nacimiento de los niños se evaluó el estrato social al que pertenecían las familias de los niños para determinar si este factor podía modificar la erupción. Para la obtención de los datos se realizaron visitas domiciliarias a las familias a los 6 meses de los niños (n=291) y al año (n=197), en las que se realizó un interrogatorio dirigido a a los padres o al adulto a cargo del niño y la insepcción bucal, para determinar el momento de aparición de los elementos dentarios. Los resultados mostraron que la erupción dentaria en la población de Córdoba no presenta diferencia con respecto al sexo y al estrato social de los niños. Los datos en este trabajo de investigación fueron analizados por el paquete estadístico SPSS/PC 10.0.

The timing of eruption of the primary dentition in Nigerian children.

The objectives of this study were to clarify the eruption time and sequence for primary teeth in Nigerian children. It also investigated the effect of sex and socioeconomic status on the timing and sequence of eruption. A random sample of 1,657 children from ages of 3-40 months were examined--921 (55.6%) males and 736 (44.4%) females. The age of eruption of the teeth was estimated using probit regression. The results show that there was no effect of sex, socioeconomic status or breastfeeding status on the timing of eruption and pattern of teeth eruption in Nigerian children. Left and right teeth had similar eruption times. Eruption times of the lateral incisor, canine, and molars were similar for upper and lower teeth. Interpopulation studies however showed that though the sequence of eruption of primary teeth in Nigerian population is similar to that of their peers in other compared populations, there are observable sex differences in the timing of tooth eruption.

Perfil de la oclusión del niño en edad preescolar. Factores de beneficio y riesgo / Occlusal profile of the preschool child. Benefit and risk factors

Se realizó un estudio transversal para identificar condiciones de beneficio y riesgo para el establecimiento de una oclusión normal, en una muestra representativa de preescolares ubicados en Unidades Educactivas Públicas y Privadas del Municipio Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, Venezuela. Se seleccionaron mediante muestreo bietápico estratificado, 443 niños en edades comprendidas entre los tres y seis años, a los cuales se les realizó examen clínico para el riesgo de aspectos antropométricos, relaciones de oclusión, características del proceso de erupción dentaria, periodo de desarrollo oclusal y los factores que puediesen afectar el recambio dentario. Asimismo, se realizó encuesta socioeconómica al padre o representante para establecer algunas características relacionadas con la calidad de vida del niño y su grupo familiar. Los resultados obtenidos permiten identificar un poder adquisitivo "bajo" en más del 50 por ciento de los padres, condición vinculada a la alta prevalencia de caries detectada en este grupo y el acceso mayoritario de este grupo a los servicios públicos de salud, donde reciben preferentemente atención odontológica de tipo mutiladora (exodoncias). Según los indicadores antropométricos considerados en el estudio (talla, peso, circunferencia cefálica) los individuos categorizados como "poder adquisitivo alto", presentaron una talla 2 cm. mayor y un peso promedio de 1 kg. más con respecto a las otras categorías. En cuanto a las condiciones clínicas estudiadas, los resultodos evidencian en forma global, características en su mayoría beneficiosas para el establecimiento de una oclusión normal. Más del 60 por ciento no presentaron evidencia de caries dental, presencia en ambas arcadas de espacios de crecimiento y primates, relación de segundos molares primarios en posición bilateral plano recto y escalón mesial. Se detectaron algunas condiciones de riesgo: bruxismo, succión digital, deglución atípica, respiración bucal y malposiciones individuales. El análisis comparativo, permite establecer diferencias en el perfil de oclusión de los niños dependiendo de sus características bioindividuales y sociales.