The association of immigration and acculturation attributes with oral health among immigrants in New York City.

OBJECTIVES: We examined associations between immigration and acculturation attributes and oral disease among immigrants. METHODS: We conducted a large cross-sectional study of 1318 immigrants in New York City. We performed comprehensive interviews and oral examinations of the participants and used linear regression models to assess differences in oral disease levels among immigrant subgroups. We also constructed proportional odds models to evaluate the association of oral disease level with length of stay in the United States, age at immigration, and language preference. RESULTS: After we controlled for most known risk factors, country of birth and age at immigration were associated with variations in oral disease prevalence and need for oral health care. Length of stay was inversely associated with need for treatment of dental caries but not with any other indicator of oral disease. Language preference was not associated with any indicator of oral disease. CONCLUSIONS: Immigrants' country of birth, length of stay in the United States, and age at immigration played important roles in their oral disease prevalence, independently of most known risk factors for oral diseases. Our findings emphasize the need for more studies to elucidate the complex relationships of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and culturally influenced factors that impact immigrants' oral health.

Oral cancer knowledge, risk factors and characteristics of subjects in a large oral cancer screening program.

BACKGROUND: Screening people who are at high risk of developing oral cancers is a promising tool for decreasing morbidity and mortality attributable to this cancer. METHODS: A consortium led by the New York University College of Dentistry conducted a three-day oral cancer screening during June 1999. As part of the screening intake, the authors conducted a survey to assess the sociodemographic characteristics, level of knowledge of risk factors and predictors of oral cancer awareness among the subjects. The authors performed bivariate and multivariate analyses using two indicators of oral cancer awareness as dependent variables. RESULTS: The 803 subjects were racially and ethnically diverse, 66 percent were 40 years of age or older, 43 percent had a history of smoking, and 9 percent were likely to have had a history of alcohol abuse. Race/ethnicity, education level and knowledge of risk factors for oral cancer were predictors of awareness of an oral cancer examination, whereas only knowledge and possible history of alcohol abuse were predictors of having a history of examinations. CONCLUSIONS: This screening program attracted a diverse sample of people at high risk of developing oral cancer due to smoking and likely history of alcohol abuse. Consistent with other national and international studies, the authors found a lack of knowledge of the risk factors associated with oral cancer and a low rate of histories of oral cancer examinations among the subjects. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Oral cancer screening programs represent potential opportunities not only for early detection of oral cancer but to raise awareness and educate the public about the disease.

Effects of calcium phosphate ceramic bone graft materials on permanent teeth eruption in beagles.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of calcium phosphate ceramic (CPC) materials as a potential alternative to autogenous secondary alveolar bone grafting in cleft lip and palate patients who are in mixed dentition. SAMPLE: Four 12-week-old beagles and one 15-week-old beagle were used as subjects. INTERVENTIONS: In each experimental beagle, the third and fourth deciduous premolars were extracted. The sockets were filled with four different CPC materials and sutured. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The beagles were fed a soft diet for the following 8 weeks and then sacrificed for clinical, radiological, histological, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and infrared (IR) absorption analysis. RESULTS: All four experimental graft materials allowed normal development and eruption of permanent premolars. In histological sections, small particles of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) and carbonate apatite (CO(3)-AP) were resorbed, and large particulate forms served as bone frames in cortical bones. Polymer coated with carbonate apatite (Poly/CO(3)-AP) did not cause inflammation but was pushed away to the soft tissue by erupting teeth. Alginate coated with carbonate apatite (alginate/CO(3)-AP) caused a severe inflammatory reaction to the point of destroying a part of the dental follicle and cortical bone. In TEM, resorption activity by phagocytic cells was observed only in CO(3)-AP. Direct bonding of CO(3)-AP to the bone was observed as the electron-dense interface between bone and CO(3)-AP. CONCLUSION: BCP and CO(3)-AP proved to be suitable as alveolar bone graft materials in areas where tooth eruption occurs. Of the four materials tested, CO(3)-AP produced the best results.