Adherence of preventive oral care products in the Syrian market to evidence-based international recommendations

No study has investigated the availability and adherence of preventive oral care products on the Syrian market to evidence-based international recommendations. Data were collected in 2012, and updated in 2016, in terms of availability, characteristics and adherence to evidence-based international recommendations. Few preventive products adhered to the recommendations. Despite the large decrease in the number of oral care products on the Syrian market, due to the Syrian crisis, nonadherence of some of the available products is still present. A multisectorial approach at a policy level is needed to address such important limitations. The Syrian Ministry of Health should reform regulations for fluoride products to become subject to drug monitoring systems; the Syrian Arab Committee for Measurements and Standards needs to update its standards; and the Syrian General Dental Association should distribute a preventive booklet to dental practitioners

Diet and the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in a Syrian population: a case-control study

Diet has not been investigated as a potential risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in the Syrian Arab Republic. In a hospital-based, unmatched case-control study 108 people with cancer and 105 controls were interviewed about dietary intake using a validated food frequency questionnaire in Arabic. Sociodemographic and health risk behavioural information were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. Adjusting for age, sex, education level, working status and tobacco smoking, the multiple regression analysis showed that low intake of vegetables [OR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.57-9.10], cereal/cereal products [OR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.12-5.99] and high-caffeine beverages [OR 3.2; 95% CI: 1.34-7.43] increased the risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, whereas a low level of fats and oils intake decreased the risk [OR 0.6; 95% CI: 0.24-1.30]. These findings should be considered in national health promotion programmes in the Syrian Arab Republic