Radiographical Diagnostic Evaluation of Mandibular Cortical Index Classification and Mandibular Cortical Width in Female Patients Prescribed Antiosteoporosis Medication: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Osteoporosis is often detected late and becomes severe because of a lack of subjective symptoms. Digital panoramic radiography (DPR) has been reported to be useful for osteoporosis screening based on the morphological classification of the mandibular inferior cortex. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the mandibular cortical index (MCI) in the diagnosis of osteoporosis in a group of patients who were and were not using antiosteoporosis medication (AOM). Three hundred and fifty female patients aged 40 years or older who had DPR imaging performed during a 6-year period from December 2015 to February 2022 met the selection criteria. Two examiners recorded mandibular cortical width and MCI from the images. These results were statistically examined together with the patients' demographic data. Forty-nine patients were using AOM (13 nonbisphosphonate/denosumab and 36 bisphosphonate/denosumab). MCI type 3 was the most common in the AOM group. In the MCI classification, DPR imaging among the AOM group was more sensitive (0.95) than that of the control group. This method of estimating osteoporosis based on MCI classification using DPR images has high sensitivity, especially in patients using AOM, suggesting that this method is useful as a screening test.

Clinical effect of equol supplementation in the treatment of desquamative gingivitis with 1-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: Desquamative gingivitis (DG) is characterized by desquamative erosion, edematous erythema, and vesicle formation on the gingiva. Because of its prevalence in women during the pre- and postmenopausal period, its potential association with female hormones has been suggested. Equol is a soy isoflavone metabolite with a chemical structure similar to estrogen. Scientific evidence suggests that equol helps in alleviating menopausal symptoms. This study evaluated the clinical effect of a 12-month equol supplementation as a substitute for estrogen to alleviate DG symptoms. METHODS: The study enrolled 16 women with DG who regularly visited Nihon University School of Dentistry Dental Hospital. Urinary equol levels, periodontal tissue examination, O'Leary's plaque control record, stimulated saliva flow rate, and gingival pain-related questionnaires were evaluated before and after the 12-month daily intake of 10 mg equol supplement. RESULTS: Equol supplementation led to a statistically significant improvement in bleeding on probing, visual findings, and reductions in the frequency and severity of gingival pain. CONCLUSION: Urinary equol testing and equol supplementation may be novel treatment options for female patients with DG.

Development of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-Japanese version: Pilot study.

There is currently no reliable and valid multidimensional instrument for measuring psychological symptoms among Japanese university students. The purpose of this pilot study was to translate the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) into Japanese and evaluate its validity and reliability. Following robust translation procedures, the CCAPS-Japanese was created. In the validation study, 2,758 undergraduate students from 11 universities (mean age = 19.08 ± 1.85 years) completed the CCAPS-Japanese. The results of confirmatory factor analysis supported the theoretical eight-factor structure model of the CCAPS-Japanese with the exclusion of seven items. The decision to retain/remove items was made by evaluating factor loadings and model fit indices while considering cultural equivalence and structural validity. Using the finalized 55-item CCAPS-Japanese, further analyses demonstrated that the eight subscales had acceptable to good internal consistencies (α = .61-.89). Thus, the tool's validity and reliability were established. The CCAPS-Japanese may be appropriate for assessing the psychological concerns of Japanese university students.

Periodic exacerbation of gingival inflammation during the menstrual cycle.

Sex hormones are believed to be a risk factor for periodontitis because of their ability to proliferate specific periodontal microorganisms and affect host immunologic response. In this case report, gingival redness and swelling occurred during the menstrual cycle, although the patient maintained good oral hygiene during periodontal treatment. Medical history revealed that exacerbation of gingival inflammation corresponded to the menstrual cycle and occurred during the ovulation period, when estrogen levels are high. Mean bleeding index of the ovulation period (18.9%) showed higher levels than that during the menstrual phase (5.3%). This case indicates that frequent and effective maintenance should be provided while considering the influence of the menstrual cycle, as sex hormones may be involved in exacerbating gingival inflammation.