Dental Caries Prevention Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice among Patients at a University Hospital in Guangzhou, China.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of patients regarding dental caries prevention in a university hospital in Guangzhou, China. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based KAP survey was conducted in a cross-sectional manner at the First Affiliated Hospital in Guangzhou, China, from 1 September to 30 September 2022. Questionnaires were distributed to eligible patients, resulting in the participation of 251 individuals. The questionnaire consisted of five sections capturing socio-demographic data and exploring participants' knowledge, attitudes, practice, and accurate preventive dental caries knowledge. Descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model with univariate tests were used for analysis. Results: The study results show that the knowledge score 7.97 (±0.91) and attitudes score 7.67 (±0.89) among the participants were good while the practice score was 6.80 (±0.81) moderate. The majority of participants identified tooth infections (81.3%), bacteria (92%), and sugar (89.2%) as the main causes of gum bleeding and tooth decay. Brushing (96%) and fluoride (80.5%) were also recognized as essential for preventing tooth decay. Of oral diseases, 94% were recognized as potentially affecting overall health. The vast majority ranging from 92.8% to 98%, believed that oral health is crucial to overall health and that regular check-ups and proper brushing habits are beneficial. There is a significant association of gender with age (p = 0.018), occupation (p = 0.050), lifestyle habit (p = 0.012), and knowledge score; whole education is significantly associated with practice score (p = 0.050). Conclusions: The majority of patients exhibited accurate knowledge and attitudes with moderate practice towards dental caries prevention, with socio-demographic factors playing a major role. However, effective implementation of dental health education programs across the healthcare system is still required to further enhance outcomes.

A novel method of 3D printing locating guide for abutment screw removal in cement-retained implant-supported prostheses.

Background/purpose: Cement-retained restorations have the advantages of passive fit, less complexity of clinical and laboratory methods, cost, esthetics, and dimensional stability over screw-retained restorations, especially in multiple abutment implant-supported prostheses. A common and difficult technical problem with cement-retained implant prostheses is abutment screw loosening. Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a technology that has been rapidly developed and has become widely accepted in dentistry. The aim of this study was to establish a novel method of using 3D implant planning guide to locate the abutment screw in cement-retained implant prosthesis. Materials and methods: Six standard gypsum complete denture models were used to locate the abutment screw. An implant analog (4.5 mm in diameter and 12 mm in length) was placed in the drilling hole (5 mm in diameter and 14 mm in depth). After scanning with a 3D scanner, the 3D printing software was used to design the abutment screw location guide, which was printed by a resin-based 3D printer. Results: A total of 30 abutment screws were located and removed using the guide. The locating guide's actual diameter was 2.4 mm. The drilling point was accurate and precise, and no excessive loss of the abutment was noticed. Conclusion: The guide would help the dentist in locating the abutment screw access channel, resulting in a more precise and accurate drilling point. The guide for locating the abutment screw enhances the accuracy of screw channel access and reduces damage to the crown and abutment.

Performance of PROPELLER FSE T2WI in reducing metal artifacts of material porcelain fused to metal crown: a clinical preliminary study.

This study aimed to compare MRI quality between conventional fast spin echo T2 weighted imaging (FSE T2WI) with periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) FSE T2WI for patients with various porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crown and analyze the value of PROPELLER technique in reducing metal artifacts. Conventional FSE T2WI and PROPELLER FSE T2WI sequences for axial imaging of head were applied in participants with different PFM crowns: cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloy, pure titanium (Ti), gold-palladium (Au-Pd) alloy. Two radiologists evaluated overall image quality of section in PFM using a 5-point scale qualitatively and measured the maximum artifact area and artifact signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) quantitatively. Fifty-nine participants were evaluated. The metal crown with the least artifacts and the optimum image quality shown in conventional FSE T2WI and PROPELLER FSE T2WI were in Au-Pd alloy, Ti, and Co-Cr alloy order. PROPELLER FSE T2WI was superior to conventional FSE T2WI in improving image quality and reducing artifact area for Co-Cr alloy (17.0 ± 0.2% smaller artifact area, p < 0.001) and Ti (11.6 ± 0.7% smaller artifact area, p = 0.005), but had similar performance compared to FSE T2WI for Au-Pd alloy. The SNRs of the tongue and masseter muscle were significantly higher on PROPELLER FSE T2WI compared with conventional FSE T2WI (tongue: 29.76 ± 8.45 vs. 21.54 ± 9.31, p = 0.007; masseter muscle: 19.11 ± 8.24 vs. 15.26 ± 6.08, p = 0.016). Therefore, the different PFM crown generate varying degrees of metal artifacts in MRI, and the PROPELLER can effectively reduce metal artifacts especially in the PFM crown of Co-Cr alloy.

Sustainable environmental remediation via biomimetic multifunctional lignocellulosic nano-framework.

Chemical pollution threatens human health and ecosystem sustainability. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are expensive to clean up once emitted. Innovative and synergistic strategies are urgently needed, yet process integration and cost-effectiveness remain challenging. An in-situ PFAS remediation system is developed to employ a plant-derived biomimetic nano-framework to achieve highly efficient adsorption and subsequent fungal biotransformation synergistically. The multiple component framework is presented as Renewable Artificial Plant for In-situ Microbial Environmental Remediation (RAPIMER). RAPIMER exhibits high adsorption capacity for the PFAS compounds and diverse adsorption capability toward co-contaminants. Subsequently, RAPIMER provides the substrates and contaminants for in situ bioremediation via fungus Irpex lacteus and promotes PFAS detoxification. RAPIMER arises from cheap lignocellulosic sources, enabling a broader impact on sustainability and a means for low-cost pollutant remediation.

The Prevalence of Dental Anxiety Associated with Pain among Chinese Adult Patients in Guangzhou.

Background: Anxious people appear to exaggerate the severity of aversive experiences such as anxiety and pain. Anxiety towards dental procedures is a common difficulty that may be experienced by dental patients all over the world. The goal of the study is to find out the prevalence of dental anxiety and its associated factors in Chinese adult patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 183 dental adult patients whose age ranged from 18 to 70 years. Demographic details, first and most recent dental visits with experience, the MDAS, and the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) were obtained. Data were analyzed by frequency analysis, chi-square test, and Spearman correlation test. Results: Most of the respondents were female (68.9%) and 30-45 years age group. The mean total score for dental anxiety on the MDAS was 13.63 (3.1). 80.3% of participants suffered from moderate or high dental anxiety. Age must show a strong association with dental anxiety among the participants (p=0.011). The first dental visit experience, the frequency of the dental visit, most recent dental experience, length of time since the most recent dental visit, and postponement of the dental visit are strongly associated with the MDAS score (p=0.001). Conclusions: The MDAS score exhibits that Chinese adult patients have significant dental anxiety and phobia. Identifying patients with dental anxiety as soon as possible is essential to providing better dental care.

Effectiveness of Direct Pulp Capping Bioactive Materials in Dentin Regeneration: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Regenerative endodontics aims to restore normal pulp function in necrotic and infected teeth, restoring protective functions, such as innate pulp immunity, pulp repair through mineralization, and pulp sensibility. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the dentin regeneration efficacy of direct pulp capping (DPC) biomaterials. METHODS: The literature published between 2005 and 2021 was searched by using PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. Clinical controlled trials, randomized controlled trials, and animal studies investigating DPC outcomes or comparing different capping materials after pulp exposure were included in this systematic review. Three independent authors performed the searches, and information was extracted by using a structured data format. RESULTS: A total of forty studies (21 from humans and 19 from animals) were included in this systemic review. Histological examinations showed complete/partial/incomplete dentin bridge/reparative dentin formation during the pulp healing process at different follow-up periods, using different capping materials. CONCLUSIONS: Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine can induce dentin regeneration when applied over exposed pulp. This systematic review can conclude that MTA and its variants have better efficacy in the DPC procedure for dentin regeneration.

Accuracy of half-way mucosa-supported implant guides for edentulous jaws: a retrospective study with a median follow-up of 2 years.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of half-way digital mucosa-supported implant guides (HDMIGs) for edentulous jaws. METHODS: Ninety-five consecutive patients (859 implants) with edentulous jaws who underwent implant placement using an HDMIG from July 2012 to June 2018 were retrospectively identified. The primary endpoint was implant-related complications (nerve injury and unexpected perforation), and the secondary endpoints were the faciolingual distance, mesiodistal distance, buccolingual angle, and mesiodistal angle. Follow-ups occurred at 1 month, 2 months, and then every 2 months following implant placement. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (28.4%) patients met the exclusion criteria, leaving 68 eligible patients (636 implants) for the final analysis. The median follow-up was 24 months (range, 18-27 months). No patients developed nerve injury, revision, or unexpected perforation. At the final follow-up, the mean faciolingual distance was 0.65 ± 0.16 mm, the mean mesiodistal distance was 1.16 ± 0.61 mm, the mean buccolingual angle was 4.04° ± 2.26°, and the mean mesiodistal angle was 3.75° ± 2.56°. In the comparison of the first month after surgery and the last follow-up, no significant differences were detected in any of the four measured variables. CONCLUSION: Use of an HDMIG may be a convenient and safe method to ensure correct implantation.

Analgesic and Antibiotic Prescription Pattern among Dentists in Guangzhou: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: To assess the rational use of drugs and the pattern of prescribing of analgesics and antibiotics for dental management and the information given by dentists in Guangzhou to their patients about the use of these drugs. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 225 dentists working in Guangzhou. The questionnaires consisted of open-ended questions and were given to dentists about analgesic and antibiotic use in dentistry. The questionnaires were analyzed, and absolute frequencies were expressed in the answers to each question. The cases, the analgesics, and the antibiotics recommended by the dentists for each case were determined by the frequency analysis method of descriptive statistics. Results: Responses to the questionnaire were received from 164 (72.9%) dentists. Paracetamol and diclofenac were the most widely prescribed analgesics. It is also estimated that selective COX-2 inhibitors or opioid analgesics have not been administered by dentists. The antibiotics primarily used for treatment were amoxicillin and metronidazole, and amoxicillin was used for prophylaxis. While more than 80% of dentists indicated that they provided their patients with information on the use of antibiotics, the quality of the information was limited. Patients were primarily instructed by dentists to observe the dosage and dose intervals of the prescription drugs. Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrated that dentists most commonly prescribe paracetamol and diclofenac as analgesics, amoxicillin, and metronidazole for the therapy of periodontal, endodontic, and surgical procedures. The results also showed that dentists informed their patients inadequately about analgesic and antibiotic use.

MiR-497-5p Regulates Osteo/Odontogenic Differentiation of Stem Cells From Apical Papilla via the Smad Signaling Pathway by Targeting Smurf2.

Osteo/odontogenic differentiation is a key process of human stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP) in tooth root development. Emerging evidence indicates microRNAs (miRNAs) play diverse roles in osteogenesis. However, their functions in osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP require further elucidation. To investigate the role of miRNA in SCAP osteo/odontogenic differentiation and underlying mechanisms, miRNA microarray analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed miRNAs between control and osteo/odontogenic-induced group. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were used to detected osteo/odontogenic differentiation-related markers and possible signaling pathway SCAP-associated genes. Alizarin Red Staining (ARS) were applied to evaluated osteogenic capacity. The results showed that miR-497-5p increased during SCAP osteo/odontogenic differentiation. Overexpression of miR-497-5p enhanced the osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP, whereas downregulation of miR-497-5p elicited the opposite effect, thus suggesting that miR-497-5p is a positive regulator of the osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP. Bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay identified that SMAD specific E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (Smurf2) is a direct target of miR-497-5p. Further study demonstrated that Smurf2 negatively regulates SCAP osteo/odontogenic differentiation, and silencing Smurf2 could block the inhibitory effect of the miR-497-5p inhibitor. Meanwhile, pathway detection manifested that miR-497-5p promotes osteo/odontogenic differentiation via Smad signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings demostrate that miR-497-5p promotes osteo/odontogenic differentiation of SCAP via Smad signaling pathway by targeting Smurf2.