An Algorithm for Managing Emergent Dental Conditions for Children.

The amount of emergency department dental utilization and related trend analysis data in peer-reviewed literature has increased; yet, little has been written on the actual management of dental emergencies. Often pre-existing medical conditions complicate what might otherwise be a straightforward dental emergency, challenging office-based dentists to manage dental emergencies in a safe manner. With the profession taking a stance on child safety, algorithms and checklists are becoming more important and common in healthcare during complicated scenarios. Additionally, more children are living longer with chronic medical conditions. This manuscript offers an algorithm that can guide clinicians through challenges presented during a dental emergency in children.

Identification of Preferred Healthy Weight Counseling Approaches for Children in the Dental Setting.

OBJECTIVE: There is a gap in the literature regarding optimal methods for the dental team to help address the childhood obesity epidemic; accordingly, this investigation sought to identify preferred communication approaches the dental team can rely upon to initiate dialogue with caregivers regarding the weight of their children. STUDY DESIGN: A structured interview guide containing seven potential Healthy Weight Counseling (HWC) approaches and eight follow up questions was developed, pilot-tested, revised and utilized as a structured interview guide. Interviews were conducted at the Children's Clinic at the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) with 50 participants who are English-speaking caregivers of children ages 4-12. RESULTS: Ninety-four percent of the participants were receptive to HWC in the dental setting. Caregivers indicated varying levels of acceptance for the seven HWC-approaches based on specific word choices in each approach. Sixty percent preferred HWC to be delivered with the child not present while 34% preferred the child's presence and 6% had no preference. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers were open to weight-related conversations in the dental setting but to be well received, the dental team must choose their approach carefully and establish the proper doctor/patient relationship prior to HWC delivery. An individualized HWC-approach tailored to the specific needs of each family is indicated.

A cross sectional study examining social desirability bias in caregiver reporting of children's oral health behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Our previous research (Pediatrics 2010:126) found a strong association between caregiver oral health literacy (OHL) and children's oral health status; however, we found a weak association with oral health behaviors (OHBs). We hypothesize that this may be due to social desirability bias (SDB). Our objectives were to compare caregivers' responses to traditional OHB items and newer SDB-modulating items, and to examine the association of caregiver literacy with OHBs. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 102 caregiver-child dyads, collecting data for OHBs using both traditional and new SDB-modulating items. We measured OHL using REALD-30, a validated word recognition test. We relied upon percent agreement and Cohen's kappa (k) to quantify the concordance in caregivers' responses and multivariate log-binomial regression to estimate the impact of OHL on OHBs. RESULTS: Caregivers' mean REALD-30 score was 20.7 (SD = 6.0), range 1-30. We found an association between OHL and 4 of 8 OHBs examined. A subset of behavior questions compared traditional versus SDB-modulating items: history of bottle-feeding: agreement = 95%, k = 0.83 (95% CL:0.68,0.99); daily tooth brushing: agreement = 78%, k = 0.25 (95% CL:0.04,0.46); fluoridated toothpaste use: agreement = 88%, k = 0.67 (95% CL:0.49,0.85). After controlling for caregivers' race, marital status and study site, higher literacy scores remained associated with a decreased prevalence of parental report of "decided not brush the child's teeth because it would be frustrating". CONCLUSIONS: Agreement between responses was high for 2 of 3 behavior items. Item 3 (tooth brushing frequency) revealed discordance, likely due to SDB. Use of the SDB-modulating items appears to yield a better estimate of OHB.

The relationship of oral health literacy and self-efficacy with oral health status and dental neglect.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the associations of oral health literacy (OHL) with oral health status (OHS) and dental neglect (DN), and we explored whether self-efficacy mediated or modified these associations. METHODS: We used interview data collected from 1280 female clients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children from 2007 to 2009 as part of the Carolina Oral Health Literacy Project. We measured OHL with a validated word recognition test (REALD-30), and we measured OHS with the self-reported National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey item. Analyses used descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods. RESULTS: Less than one third of participants rated their OHS as very good or excellent. Higher OHL was associated with better OHS (for a 10-unit REALD increase: multivariate prevalence ratio = 1.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.08, 1.54). OHL was not correlated with DN, but self-efficacy showed a strong negative correlation with DN. Self-efficacy remained significantly associated with DN in a fully adjusted model that included OHL. CONCLUSIONS: Increased OHL was associated with better OHS but not with DN. Self-efficacy was a strong correlate of DN and may mediate the effects of literacy on OHS.

Pediatricians' assessments of caries risk and need for a dental evaluation in preschool aged children.

BACKGROUND: Risk-based prioritization of dental referrals during well-child visits might improve dental access for infants and toddlers. This study identifies pediatrician-assessed risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC) and their association with the need for a dentist's evaluation. METHODS: A priority oral health risk assessment and referral tool (PORRT) for children < 36 months was developed collaboratively by physicians and dentists and used by 10 pediatricians during well-child visits. PORRT documented behavioral, clinical, and child health risks for ECC. Pediatricians also assessed overall ECC risk on an 11-point scale and determined the need for a dental evaluation. Logistic regression models calculated the odds for evaluation need for each risk factor and according to a 3-level risk classification. RESULTS: In total 1,288 PORRT forms were completed; 6.8% of children were identified as needing a dentist evaluation. Behavioral risk factors were prevalent but not strong predictors of the need for an evaluation. The child's overall caries risk was the strongest predictor of the need for an evaluation. Cavitated (OR = 17.5; 95% CI = 8.08, 37.97) and non-cavitated (OR = 6.9; 95% CI = 4.47, 10.82) lesions were the strongest predictors when the caries risk scale was excluded from the analysis. Few patients (6.3%) were classified as high risk, but their probability of needing an evaluation was only 0.36. CONCLUSIONS: Low referral rates for children with disease and prior to disease onset but at elevated risk, indicate interventions are needed to help improve the dental referral rates of physicians.

Emerging therapies for the management of traumatized immature permanent incisors.

Early loss of immature permanent teeth due to pulpal necrosis secondary to trauma can have dire consequences for a child's growth and development. The treatment alternatives include surgical endodontics, traditional calcium hydroxide apexification, and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) apexification. These options pose potential complications, including: arrest of root development; weakened dentinal walls; and increased potential for fracture. Revascularization of the dentin-pulp complex is a new approach that involves disinfecting the root canal system followed by tissue repair and regeneration while allowing for continued root development and thickening of the lateral dentinal walls through deposition of new hard tissue. The purpose of this report was to present the revascularization of an immature permanent maxillary central incisor that had evidence of external root resorption. Six months later, internal bleaching was performed to remove cervical discoloration from the triple antibiotic paste. At 18 months, the tooth remained vital and had evidence of continued root development.

Children's oral health-related behaviours and early childhood caries: A latent class analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In this cross-sectional study in a large community-based sample of preschool-age children, we sought to identify distinct clusters of modifiable early childhood oral health-related behaviours (OHBs) and quantify their association with clinical and parent-reported measures of early childhood oral health. METHODS: We relied upon a questionnaire (n = 8033; 11% in Spanish) and clinical oral health data (n = 6404; early childhood caries [ECC] prevalence = 54%] collected in the context of an epidemiologic study of early childhood oral health among 3- to 5-year-old children in North Carolina. Latent class analysis was used to identify clusters of modifiable OHBs based on parents' responses to 6 questionnaire items pertaining to their children's oral hygiene, diet and dental home. The optimal number of clusters was determined based on measures of model fit and interpretability. We examined associations of OHB clusters with clinical and parent-reported child oral health status (ie, ECC prevalence, severity and proportion with untreated disease) using bivariate association tests and multivariable regression modelling with marginal effects estimation accounting for clustered data. We used Mplus v.8.6 (Muthén & Muthén, Los Angeles, CA, USA) and Stata v.16.1 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) for data analyses. RESULTS: We identified 2 OHB clusters, a favourable (74%) and an unfavourable (26%) one. Children in the favourable OHB cluster had better oral hygiene practices (ie, tooth brushing frequency and fluoridated toothpaste use), lower consumption frequency of sugar-containing snacks and beverages, less frequent reports of night-time bottle-feeding history and a higher likelihood of a dental home. Children in the unfavourable cluster had significantly higher ECC prevalence (57% vs 53%), caries burden (mean dmfs = 9.3 vs 7.6), untreated disease (43% vs 33%) and worse parent-reported oral health status than the favourable cluster. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the importance and utility of clustering common, modifiable ECC risk factors in population studies - health promotion efforts may centre on groups of people rather than individual behavioural risk factors.

Impact of poor oral health on children's school attendance and performance.

OBJECTIVES: We examined school days missed for routine dental care versus dental pain or infection to determine the relationship between children's oral health status and school attendance and performance. METHODS: We used 2008 data from the North Carolina Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program. The study sample, weighted to reflect the state's population, included 2183 schoolchildren. Variables assessed included school absences and performance, oral health status, parental education, health insurance coverage, race, and gender. RESULTS: Children with poor oral health status were nearly 3 times more likely (odds ratio = 3.89; 95% confidence interval = 1.96, 7.75) than were their counterparts to miss school as a result of dental pain. Absences caused by pain were associated with poorer school performance (P < .05), but absences for routine care were not. Mediation analyses revealed that oral health status was associated with performance independent of absence for pain. CONCLUSIONS: Children with poorer oral health status were more likely to experience dental pain, miss school, and perform poorly in school. These findings suggest that improving children's oral health status may be a vehicle to enhancing their educational experience.

The relationship of oral health literacy with oral health-related quality of life in a multi-racial sample of low-income female caregivers.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between oral health literacy (OHL) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and explore the racial differences therein among a low-income community-based group of female WIC participants. METHODS: Participants (N = 1,405) enrolled in the Carolina Oral Health Literacy (COHL) study completed the short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile Index (OHIP-14, a measure of OHRQoL) and REALD-30 (a word recognition literacy test). Socio-demographic and self-reported dental attendance data were collected via structured interviews. Severity (cumulative OHIP-14 score) and extent of impact (number of items reported fairly/very often) scores were calculated as measures of OHRQoL. OHL was assessed by the cumulative REALD-30 score. The association of OHL with OHRQoL was examined using descriptive and visual methods, and was quantified using Spearman's rho and zero-inflated negative binomial modeling. RESULTS: The study group included a substantial number of African Americans (AA = 41%) and American Indians (AI = 20%). The sample majority had a high school education or less and a mean age of 26.6 years. One-third of the participants reported at least one oral health impact. The OHIP-14 mean severity and extent scores were 10.6 [95% confidence limits (CL) = 10.0, 11.2] and 1.35 (95% CL = 1.21, 1.50), respectively. OHL scores were distributed normally with mean (standard deviation, SD) REALD-30 of 15.8 (5.3). OHL was weakly associated with OHRQoL: prevalence rho = -0.14 (95% CL = -0.20, -0.08); extent rho = -0.14 (95% CL = -0.19, -0.09); severity rho = -0.10 (95% CL = -0.16, -0.05). "Low" OHL (defined as < 13 REALD-30 score) was associated with worse OHRQoL, with increases in the prevalence of OHIP-14 impacts ranging from 11% for severity to 34% for extent. The inverse association of OHL with OHIP-14 impacts persisted in multivariate analysis: Problem Rate Ratio (PRR) = 0.91 (95% CL = 0.86, 0.98) for one SD change in OHL. Stratification by race revealed effect-measure modification: Whites--PRR = 1.01 (95% CL = 0.91, 1.11); AA--PRR = 0.86 (95% CL = 0.77, 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Although the inverse association between OHL and OHRQoL across the entire sample was weak, subjects in the "low" OHL group reported significantly more OHRQoL impacts versus those with higher literacy. Our findings indicate that the association between OHL and OHRQoL may be modified by race.

Oral health literacy levels among a low-income WIC population.

OBJECTIVES: To determine oral health literacy (OHL) levels and explore potential racial differences in a low-income population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of caregiver/child dyads that completed a structured 30-minute in-person interview conducted by two trained interviewers in seven counties in North Carolina. Sociodemographic, OHL, and dental health-related data were collected. OHL was measured with a dental word recognition test [Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (REALD-30)]. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods were used to examine the distribution of OHL and explore racial differences. RESULTS: Of 1658 eligible subjects, 1405 (85 percent) participated and completed the interviews. The analytic sample (N=1280) had mean age 26.5 (standard deviation = 6.9) years with 60 percent having a high school degree or less. OHL varied between racial groups as follows: Whites--mean score = 17.4 (SE = 0.2); African-American (AA)--mean score = 15.3 [standard error (SE) = 0.2]; American Indian (AI)--mean score = 13.7 (SE = 0.3). Multiple linear regression revealed that after controlling for education, county of residence, age, and Hispanic ethnicity, Whites had 2.0 points (95 percent CI = 1.4, 2.6) higher adjusted REALD-30 score versus AA and AI. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in OHL levels between racial groups persisted after adjusting for education and sociodemographic characteristics.

Correlation between laser fluorescence readings and volume of tooth preparation in incipient occlusal caries in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the correlation between laser fluorescence readings and the extent of incipient occlusal caries as measured by the volume of tooth preparation in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and three permanent molars and premolars containing incipient occlusal pit-and-fissure caries and sound occlusal surfaces (1/4 of the sample, control) were selected. DIAGNOdent (KaVo Dental Corporation, Lake Zurich, IL, USA) readings were obtained according to manufacturer instructions. Caries was removed with 1/4 round burs in high speed. The volume of tooth preparation was measured using a surrogate measure based on the amount of composite needed to fill the preparations. Sensitivity and specificity using different cutoff values were calculated for lesions/preparations extending into dentin. The results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation for preparation volume and DIAGNOdent reading measurements was low (r = 0.285). Sensitivity and specificity of DIAGNOdent for detection of dentinal lesions were 0.83 and 0.60, and 0.66 and 0.73 for the cutoff values of 20 and 30, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, laser fluorescence measured with DIAGNOdent does not correlate well with extent of carious tooth structure in incipient occlusal caries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Clinicians should not rely only on DIAGNOdent readings to determine the extension of incipient occlusal caries.

Addressing childhood overweight and obesity in the dental office: rationale and practical guidelines.

The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically in the past 3 decades. The purposes of this paper were to: review health and dental implications; present guidelines for tracking body mass index (BMI) percentiles in children; and discuss reasonable "next steps" to take in communicating with parents and other health professionals. The health implications of childhood obesity warrant early monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment. Trends in visitation patterns of children offer dentists an unusual opportunity and an important role in addressing childhood obesity through regular monitoring of height, weight, and BMI percentiles. Dentists' collaborations with pediatricians, registered dietitians, and parents have the potential to address the detrimental physical and psychosocial effects of childhood obesity. We encourage dentists to determine height, weight, and BMI percentiles for their patients at least annually. They should refer patients with unhealthy weight trajectories to pediatricians or family physicians and consider ancillary referrals to registered dietitians.

Two case reports of complicated permanent crown fractures treated with partial pulpotomies.

The partial pulpotomy can offer a superb outcome for the treatment of traumatic complicated crown fractures. The procedure is often used for dental trauma in children when the major aim of treatment is to preserve tooth vitality while providing a favorable environment for continued root development. The purpose of this paper was to review scientific evidence supporting partial pulpotomy and its high success rate and illustrate the clinical technique by presenting 2 challenging cases of complicated crown fractures with long-term follow-up.

Permanent tooth replantation following avulsion: using a decision tree to achieve the best outcome.

An avulsion injury is a challenge to manage and there are many treatment options to consider to obtain the best prognosis depending on the avulsion scenario. In 2001, Lee et al published decision analysis paradigms for the management of avulsed permanent teeth to provide busy clinicians with user-friendly, referenced-based flowcharts to facilitate the best possible outcomes for managing these teeth in children and adolescents. The flowchart was updated in 2007 by McIntyre et al. The purpose of this paper is to update the 2001 and 2007 flowcharts and decision analyses with current concepts, recent literature-based findings, new treatment philosophies, and expert consensus from the 2008 AAPD Dental Trauma Symposium.

Children's school performance: impact of general and oral health.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine: a) the sociodemographic and health factors associated with poor school performance among North Carolina children; and b) the impact of poor oral health status on school performance while controlling for other health and sociodemographic factors. METHODS: We used data from the 2005 Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program, a follow-back telephone survey to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System involving parents/guardians of children 0 to 17. This project includes sections on oral health and school performance. Our principal outcome variable was school performance and our major explanatory variable was children's oral health status, based upon parental report. RESULTS: Our sample consisted of 2,871 school children, weighted to reflect the North Carolina census. Bivariate analysis revealed that sex, race, parental education, low socioeconomic status, poor general health, poor oral health, and the interaction of poor oral health and general health were significantly related to school performance (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrates the effects of poor oral health and general health on school performance. Children with both poor oral health and general health were 2.3 times more likely to report poor school performance. Children with either poor oral health or general health were only 1.4 times more likely to report poor school performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that children who have both poor oral health and general health are more likely to have poor school performance. Our findings suggest that the improvement of children's oral health may be a vehicle to improve their educational experience.

Effectiveness of dental trauma education for elementary school staff.

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of elementary school staff members regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) before and after an educational intervention aimed to increase TDI knowledge. Using a newly developed reliable survey instrument, we tested our elementary school staff participants about TDI before (time(0)), immediately after (time(1)), and three months after (time(2)) the intervention. Schools were randomized into three groups: no intervention/control (C), pamphlets (P), and pamphlets + lecture (P + L). Outcomes of interest were TDI knowledge over time relative to the interventions vs controls. Statistical analysis involved a repeated measures linear model. At time(0), TDI knowledge was low among all three groups. At time(1), knowledge increased among all groups and is given by P > P+L > C. For time(2) vs time(1), the P + L group retained the knowledge while in both the C and P groups the knowledge level decreased. Between time(1) and time(2), significant differences were found between both intervention groups when compared with the control (P vs C and P + L vs C: both P < 0.05). In summary, both P and P + L groups significantly improved TDI knowledge among elementary school staff, and this difference held up over time. These interventions have the potential to improve TDI management by elementary school staff when faced with such injuries.

Elementary school staff knowledge about dental injuries.

Elementary school staff can play a crucial role in managing traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) because they are often in proximity to children and are frequently called upon to assist with children's accidents. International studies reveal that elementary school personnel have little knowledge about emergency dental care and management. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, practice and experience regarding TDIs among a sample of elementary school personnel in the USA. Assessment was performed using a demographic questionnaire and a newly developed TDI survey instrument. Results revealed a wide distribution of responses. Overall, dental trauma knowledge among this group was poor. The majority of respondents were not well-versed regarding TDIs, their management, the benefits of timely care or treatment costs. However, staff reported a keen interest in receiving more TDI information and training. TDI education and management are needed among all elementary school staff members to improve the prognosis of these accidents when they occur.

Root fractures in children and adolescents: diagnostic considerations.

The objectives of this study were to (i) characterize epidemiologic trends in anterior permanent tooth trauma in a sample of children and adolescents (ii) examine the relationship of crown fractures (CF) and concomitant root fractures (RF) to determine if CFs are protective against RFs and (iii) examine the radiographic evidence of RFs to determine the value of obtaining three vertical periapical radiographic projections. This was an 8-year cross-sectional study of patients aged 6-18 with anterior permanent tooth trauma. We examined cases involving maxillary central/lateral incisors for which three clearly diagnostic periapical radiographs were obtained during the initial emergency visit. Two trained and calibrated dentists served as expert examiners for the radiographic assessments. Kappa statistics were used to determine reliability. Tests for association of concomitant crown and root fractures were performed using Likelihood Ratio Chi-Square tests. The final sample included 185 teeth in 114 children. Our demographic and epidemiologic findings were comparable to those of previous studies. Experts reached this consensus: 22 RFs were detected, 9.6% (eight out of 83) teeth exhibited root fractures when no CFs was documented, and 13.7% (14 out of 102) teeth had both CFs and RFs as separate entities. Good examiner reliability was reached confirming the presence of RFs (Kappa = 0.81). The association of concomitant RFs and CFs was odds ratio = 1.97 (P = 0.052). CFs were not protective against RFs; indeed, teeth with CFs were twice as likely to have an RF as those without CFs. As the number of radiographic projections increased, RFs were identified more often; however, our data suggest that there is no reason to suspect a complete RF in preteen children unless the root exhibits clinical signs such as luxation or severe mobility. This study provides solid evidence to support obtaining multiple radiographic projections at different vertical angulations to rule out RFs in children and adolescents when RFs are suspected.

Nutritional counseling practices: how do North Carolina pediatric dentists weigh in?

UNLABELLED: It has been demonstrated that nutrition/healthy lifestyle counseling can help alleviate the childhood obesity crisis. Because pediatric dentists see children with regular frequency, they are uniquely positioned to help provide such counseling. PURPOSE: To document current nutrition/healthy lifestyle counseling practices of pediatric dentists in NC and examine factors associated with those practices. METHODS: A 65-item survey instrument was developed by an expert committee, pilot-tested and revised. The instrument contained questions in 6 domains: Academic Preparation, Knowledge, Confidence, Opinions, Practice Patterns and Barriers. It was sent to all clinically active pediatric dentists in NC. RESULTS: The response rate was 69% (70/102). Less than 25% provided nutrition counseling services. Academic preparation in residency training was statistically significant (P<.05) in determining those who practiced nutritional counseling. Logistic regression revealed that respondents with higher overall knowledge (OR=18.2), those comfortable discussing weight-related issues (OR=47.7), those in practice >10 years (OR=20.6), and females (OR=173) were more likely to provide nutrition/healthy lifestyle counseling. CONCLUSIONS: All respondents believed that childhood obesity is a major health concern and expressed a willingness to assist other health professionals in addressing this problem. These findings offer a rich source of data that can be used for educational initiatives and strategic planning.

The use of fluoride varnish in children: a critical review with treatment recommendations.

This paper expands upon the recent report of the expert panel commissioned by the American Dental Association's Council on Scientific Affairs by offering evidence-based clinical recommendations for professionally applied topical fluoride. The authors strongly support the panel's recommendation that clinicians should rely upon caries risk criteria for determining those children who will receive a topical fluoride treatment. In this paper, the authors will take a position that when clinicians have made a decision to use topical fluoride therapy, fluoride varnish should be the only consideration for children ages 0-6 and children of all ages who have special health care needs that limit their attention span and/or cooperation. The authors offer an accompanying rationale based on dosage reduction and efficacy, that fluoride varnish should be the topical fluoride of choice for children ages 6-12. The authors expand upon the recent panel recommendations by examining published clinical trials to determine the best clinical techniques for varnish use. The authors offer clinicians the following recommendations prior to varnish use: a pre-application rubber cup or tooth brush prophylaxis, the application of varnish to dry teeth and post-operative instructions to include both no tooth brushing and a soft diet for 12 hours.