Determinants of masticatory performance assessed by mixing ability tests.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Studies determining the main predictors of masticatory performance by using mixing ability tests are sparse. PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to identify potential determinants of masticatory performance assessed by analyzing a patient's masticatory ability using bicolored chewing gum and visual, quantitative, and interactive methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nondental participants attending healthcare centers were consecutively recruited in Granada, Spain. The inclusion criteria were older than18 years and resident in the coverage area of the reference healthcare centers for at least the previous 6 months. The participants were excluded if they had received dental treatment in the previous 6 months or they were unable to communicate. The masticatory performance was determined by using 2-colored chewing gum (Kiss 3 white and blue; Smint) that was masticated for a total of 20 strokes. The masticated gum was crushed between 2 transparent glass slides, creating a 1-mm-thick specimen that was subsequently scanned. The mixed-color area was calculated as a percentage by using Photoshop as described by Schimmel et al and designated as the standard method. In addition, all images made were analyzed by using the Web application the Chewing Performance Calculator. In addition, the masticated bolus was inspected visually, and mastication performance was classified as being poor, moderate, or good. Sociodemographic data, as well as data on behaviors, medical and nutritional status, health-related quality of life, saliva, and general oral health, were collected for all participants to identify the main determinants of masticatory performance. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven participants were enrolled. The masticatory performance values obtained using both methods (standard method and Chewing Performance Calculator) were significantly greater for well masticated gum (P<.001), which had been visually classified as being poorly masticated (69.1% for standard method and 43.5% for Chewing Performance Calculator), moderately masticated (89.7% for standard method and 67.3% for Chewing Performance Calculator), and well masticated (97.3% for standard method and 80.3% for Chewing Performance Calculator). The bivariate analyses revealed that masticatory performance was significantly higher in younger people (<65 years) (P=.008), who also had a higher basal salivary flow rate (P<.001), were nondenture users (P=.002), and had more standing teeth and occlusal units (P<.001). However, the multiple regression analyses showed that the number of occlusal units was the only significant predictor of masticatory performance. In addition, the mean masticatory performance (95% confidence interval: 47.7% to 56.8%) was found to be greatly improved (by 1.2% to 2.2%), with each occlusal unit, in accordance with the Chewing Performance Calculator and between 0.8% and 1.8% according to the standard method; the basal masticatory performance was calculated as 72.1% to 81.2% (95% confidence interval). CONCLUSIONS: The number of occlusal units is one of the main predictors of masticatory performance when a 2-color bolus is used to test mixing ability.

Correction to: Relationship between periodontal parameters and plasma cytokine profiles in pregnant woman with preterm birth or low birth weight.

The authors are correcting this article because they accidentally included some wrong data in the analysis.

Oral health-related quality of life and masticatory function after conventional prosthetic treatment: A cohort follow-up study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The impact of conventional prosthetic treatment on both the objective and subjective assessments of mastication as well as on well-being is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to compare the impact on oral health-related quality of life and masticatory function in participants treated with conventional dental prostheses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 72 patients requiring prosthetic rehabilitation were enrolled by referral from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Granada, Spain. At baseline, demographic, behavioral, and clinical (prosthetic status, occlusal units) data were collected. In addition, the scores for quality of life, oral satisfaction, masticatory ability (Leake index), and masticatory performance (after 5, 10, and 15 cycles of bicolored chewing gum) were obtained. These records were obtained again at 6 to 8 weeks after insertion of the prostheses. RESULTS: The findings revealed that patients treated with fixed prostheses had better quality of life and better masticatory function than patients treated with removable prostheses. This result was even more pronounced for those treated with complete dentures. For all items, most of the treated patients improved the quality of life (average, 8.6 of the 4 items), although only between 5% and 15% of patients, especially those with a removable prosthesis, commented on functional impact after receiving treatment. Generally, masticatory performance was improved between 7% and 18% and was highly correlated not only with the number of natural teeth (r=0.61) and occlusal units (r=0.51) but also with subjective variables such as mastication satisfaction (r=0.31), impact on quality of life (r=0.30), or masticatory ability (r=0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with fixed prostheses achieved better results regarding quality of life, oral satisfaction, and masticatory function than treatment with removable prostheses. A moderate but significant correlation exists between the objective and subjective assessments of the masticatory functions.

Influence of cyclic loading on the adhesive effectiveness of resin-zirconia interface after femtosecond laser irradiation and conventional surface treatments.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cyclic loading on the shear bond strength (SBS) of a self-adhesive resin cement to zirconia surfaces after femtosecond laser irradiation at different steps and several conventional surface treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred fifty square-shaped zirconia samples were divided into five groups according their surface treatment: NT Group-no surface treatment; APA25 Group-airborne abrasion with 25 µm alumina particles; TSC Group-tribochemical silica coating; FS20 Group-femtosecond laser irradiation (800 nm, 4 mJ, 40 fs/pulse, 1 kHz, step 20); and FS40 Group-femtosecond laser irradiation (same parameters except step 40). Self-adhesive resin cement cylinders were bonded at the centre of the zirconia surface. For each experimental group, half of the specimens were subject to cyclic loading under 90 N (50.000 cycles, 3 cycles/sec) and the rest of the specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C. All subgroups were tested for SBS with a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min, until fracture. The results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: When cyclic loading was applied, all surface treatments had lower SBS values, except APA25. The four surface treatments had the same SBS values when cyclic loading was employed. CONCLUSIONS: Use of femtosecond laser irradiation could be an alternative to conventional surface treatments to achieve suitable adhesion zirconia and resin cements. Femtosecond laser irradiation at step 40 is preferable because it is more efficient and faster.

Relationship between periodontal parameters and plasma cytokine profiles in pregnant woman with preterm birth or low birth weight.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to determine whether clinical periodontal parameters are associated with plasma anti- and/or pro-inflammatory cytokines in pregnant woman with preterm birth (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational case-control study was performed in 131 puerperal women: mothers of PB/LBW neonates (cases, n = 67) and mothers of full-term normal-weight neonates (controls, n = 64). Sociodemographic and periodontal data was gathered from all participants, and interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were determined in plasma. RESULTS: In multiple linear regression models, clinical attachment loss was associated with TNF-α (0.28 ± 0.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.006, 0.553]) and IL-1ß (0.43 ± 0.21; 95%CI [0.018, 0.842]), independent of group membership. IL-1ß (-1.67 ± 0.27, 95%CI [-2.199, -1.141]), IL-6 (-0.86 ± 0.27; 95%CI [-1.389, -0.331]), and IL-8 (-3.84 ± 0.50, 95%CI [-4.820, -2.860]) were lower, and IL-10 (0.86 ± 0.26; 95%CI [0.350, 1.370]) was higher in cases versus controls after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical attachment loss was associated with plasma TNF-α and IL-1ß levels. No plasma cytokine profiles suggestive of systemic inflammatory response were observed in the pregnant women with PB/LBW neonates. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinical attachment loss, as the main periodontal measure, is associated with TNF-α and IL-1ß plasma levels in pregnant women. No relationship was found between PB/LBW and the markers of systemic inflammatory response assessed in this study.

Oral health-related quality of life in 6- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in Spain.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of large epidemiological studies researching the major factors of the oral well-being in schoolchildren. AIMS: To quantify the impact of the different clinical conditions related to caries and periodontal and dento-facial anomalies on the quality of life captured by the Child-OIDP. DESIGN: A standardized epidemiological study was conducted on 2041 Spanish schoolchildren, aged 6-12 years, to assess caries and periodontal and dento-facial disease. Data on oral health-related quality of life were collected using the Child-OIDP. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the modulating factors in the perceived oral well-being. RESULTS: The prevalence of impact in this sample was 45.7%, mostly for eating (24.3%) but also for smiling (16.2%); however, 72.5% of the subjects had at least one type of normative needs, mainly for periodontal treatment (52.3%), followed by caries (32.3%) and orthodontic treatments (20.6%). The main predictors of the impact on quality of life were perceived dental treatment needs, caries, and periodontal diseases. Also, some demographic (age and gender) and behavioural factors (consumption of sweets) modulated the impact on several domains. Moreover, subjects who rated their general health as good or very good reported a significantly better oral well-being than their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Pain and aesthetic-related domains (i.e., problems when eating or smiling) are the major components of the oral health-related quality of life perceived by Spanish schoolchildren. Perceived treatment needs as well as dental and periodontal status were the strongest predictors of oral well-being.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 in the Setting of Dentistry: A Review Article.

The worldwide pandemic has exposed healthcare professionals to a high risk of infection, exacerbating the situation of uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The objective of this review was to evaluate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental professionals and their patients. A literature review was conducted using Medline-Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, excluding systematic reviews, narratives, meta-analyses, case reports, book chapters, short communications, and congress papers. A modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of the selected studies. The search retrieved 3879 articles, and 123 of these were selected for the review (7 longitudinal and 116 cross-sectional studies). Elevated anxiety levels were observed in dental professionals, especially in younger and female professionals. Except for orthodontic treatments, patients reported a high level of fear that reduced their demand for dentist treatment to emergency cases alone. The results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had psychological and emotional consequences for dental professionals and their patients. Further research is necessary to evaluate the persistence of this problem over time.

Prevention of Occupational Hazards Due to Asbestos Exposure in Dentistry. A Proposal from a Panel of Experts.

Asbestos in all its forms is a Group 1 material agent with proven carcinogenic effects in the human being since 1977. Exposure to asbestos can be considered unsafe. The use of asbestos in the field of dentistry had a common use in the manufacture of dental prostheses in the 1960s and 1970s. Taking into account the long induction period of this agent and the plausibility for being a risk factor in dentistry, the objective of this study is to propose a plan for the prevention of occupational risks due to asbestos exposure in dentistry by means of the contribution of a panel of experts. An Expert Panel (EP) approach was used in which a group of nine experts identified and documented the use of asbestos in the dental profession. EP was created and followed the protocol in accordance with the EuropeAid Assessment Guidelines. As a result of this study, EP documented the common use and sources of asbestos in dentistry in prosthetic materials, dental dressings, and in the coating of casting cylinders. EP also created a consensus document on the priority measures for the Plan for the Prevention of Risks from Asbestos in Dentistry, based on previous reports from the European Commission Senior Labour Inspectors' Committee. The document concluded that obtainment of information, receiving specific training on the subject and performing epidemiological studies, and the proper risk assessments were the priority measures to adopt.

Assessing the level of agreement between the self- and interview-administered Child-OIDP.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of agreement between the self- and interviewer-administered Child version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) index. METHODS: This was a randomised study in 177 children aged 10-13 years from Granada (Spain). All children completed both administration modes of the Child-OIDP; half the sample received the interviewer-administered version first (n = 90), and the other half the self-administered version first (n = 87). This was done to address potential order effects due to the sequential administration of both instruments. The level of agreement between both modes of administration was assessed with the Bland and Altman method for the Child-OIDP score and Kappa for the prevalence of oral impacts. RESULTS: The two groups did not differ in their socio-demographic characteristics or self-perceived oral health measures. No order effects were found. There was no significant difference between the two modes of administration in terms of the overall score and prevalence of oral impacts (P > or = 0.784 in both cases). The mean difference in Child-OIDP scores was 0.03 (95% CI = -0.29 to 0.35) and the 95% limits of agreement were -6.32 and 4.93. Kappa value for the prevalence of impacts was 0.92. CONCLUSIONS: The self- and interviewer-administered Child-OIDP had a high level of agreement, irrespectively of whether the overall score or the prevalence of oral impacts was used to describe children's quality of life.

Role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in endothelial activation: insights from eNOS knockout endothelial cells.

The objective of this study was to determine whether absence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) affects the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules in endothelial cells. Murine lung endothelial cells (MLECs) were prepared by immunomagnetic bead selection from wild-type and eNOS knockout mice. Wild-type cells expressed eNOS, but eNOS knockout cells did not. Expression of neuronal NOS and inducible NOS was not detectable in cells of either genotype. Upon stimulation, confluent wild-type MLECs produced significant amounts of NO compared with N(omega)-monomethyl-l-arginine-treated wild-type cells. eNOS knockout and wild-type cells showed no difference in the expression of E-selectin, P-selectin, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 as measured by flow cytometry on the surface of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31)-positive cells. Both eNOS knockout and wild-type cells displayed the characteristics of resting endothelium. Adhesion studies in a parallel plate laminar flow chamber showed no difference in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions between the two genotypes. Cytokine treatment induced endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression and increased leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in both genotypes. We conclude that in resting murine endothelial cells, absence of endothelial production of NO by itself does not initiate endothelial cell activation or promote leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions. We propose that eNOS derived NO does not chronically suppress endothelial cell activation in an autocrine fashion but serves to counterbalance signals that mediate activation.