Influence of a preschool preventive dental programme on caries prevalence, oral care and secretory immunity to Streptococcus mutans in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate oral hygiene habits, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and surfaces (DMFS), dental care, dietetic habits and anti-Streptococcus mutans salivary secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in young adults who attended a preventive programme during preschool age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group (Baby Clinic) comprised 72 patients, aged 18-25 years, who had participated in the Baby Clinic preventive programme. The control group was age- and gender-matched. The patients were examined and unstimulated whole saliva was sampled for detection of anti-S. mutansSIgA antibodies. RESULTS: Control patients presented increased DMFS scores (P < .05). Hygiene habits, cariogenic diet and antibody levels were not different between groups (P > .05). Baby Clinic patients presented better periodontal status (P < .005), less calculus (P < .005) and bleeding on probing (P < .005), and reported visiting dental services more regularly (P < .05). Adjusted multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that DMFT was associated with study group (P < .05), gender (P < .05), parents' education (P < .05), carbohydrate intake (P < .001) and levels of anti-S. mutansSIgA (P < .007). DMFS was associated with time elapsed since the last visit to the dentist (P < .005) and weekly carbohydrate intake (P < .005). CONCLUSION: Preventive programmes for preschool children positively impact on DMFS and periodontal status in young adults, but have no long-term effects on dietary or hygiene habits.

Oral health status among hospitalized patients.

AIM: To investigate into oral health status and its association with health status in hospitalized patients. METHODS: A total of 82 patients were examined and 49 (59.7%) patients were men. The patients answered a survey and oral examinations to detect the number of teeth, oral hygiene index, prostheses hygiene, oral lesions, caries, dental plaque index (DPI), gingival inflammation index (GI), gingival bleeding index, periodontitis and periodontal index. RESULTS: Oral hygiene was associated with age, but it was not related to physical disability. Difficulty eating was mainly associated with age and tooth loss. All full and partially dentate patients presented dental plaque, 38 (69%) poor oral hygiene, 58 (98.1%) gingival inflammation, 41 (74.5%) periodontal disease and 33 (60%) caries. Oral lesions were detected in 30 (36.5%) and candidiasis (n = 16, 19.6%) was the most frequent mucous lesion. Caries were associated with smoking and poor oral hygiene. Hospital length of stay and age were associated with increased DPI and GI. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of hospitalized patients did not present satisfactory oral hygiene. Caries and periodontal diseases are associated with health behaviours. Increased time length at hospital could increase gingival inflammation and dental plaque accumulation.