An experimental elective report examining and comparing current levels of dental anxiety and disease in child populations in Peru and the UK.

INTRODUCTION: Dental anxiety is an important factor in influencing patients' decisions to access treatment. It is crucial dental care professionals understand its causative factors in order to prevent and manage it, particularly as dentally anxious patients often have poor oral health. This report is of an elective study that tried to ascertain whether children with signs of dental neglect suffered greater dental anxiety, as existing research suggests that anxiety can stem from previous experiences. METHOD: 100 children in both the United Kingdom and Peru were examined for signs of dental neglect using the PUFA (Pulpal exposures, Ulcers, Fistulas & Abscesses) system, and their anxiety levels surveyed with the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale. A Spearman's rank analysis was performed. RESULTS: Both groups showed similar disease levels, but Peruvian children were significantly less anxious. The r values (United Kingdom r=-0.020 Peru r=-0.0099) were less than rc=0.165 at a significance level of P=0.05, showing that increased dental neglect does not make children more anxious. DISCUSSION: It appears that having a neglected dentition as a child does not make you more anxious, but the resultant invasive treatment procedures likely to have been experienced as a child may have a role. Ultimately, cultural background and attitude to dental care are suggested as being more important in determining the dental anxiety levels of children.

Influence of lateral excursion on vestibular cervical dental abfractions

Se realizó una investigación para evaluar la influencia de los movimientos excursivos laterales mandibulares; función de grupo y guía canina sobre abfracción dentaria cervico vestibular(ADCV). Se seleccionaron 36 individuos de ambos sexos entre 20 a 45 años de edad, con dentición natural completaque presentan como mínimo un diente con ADCV, en la Clínica Universitaria de la UNMSM. Se evaluó el número de dientes con ADCV por cada lado (derecho e izquierdo), tipo de diente,y movimiento excursivo lateral (guia canina o función en grupo) que lo influye. Los resultados denotaron no significancia estadísticas (p>0,05), el tipo de diente con mayor frecuencia a presentar ADCV fue el primer premolar inferior, 30,8 por ciento del lado derecho y 36,4 por ciento del lado izquierdo. Se encontró correlación positiva moderada entre edad y ADCV(r=0,40). Se concluye que la excursion lateral función en grupo puede contribuir a la presencia de ADCV.

Oral health of children with intractable epilepsy attending the UK National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy.

AIM: To investigate the oral health of children with intractable epilepsy attending the UK National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: 39 children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy at a residential school, the UK National Centre For Young People With Epilepsy (NCYPE) were age, gender and ethnicity matched with 39 healthy children from local schools in Surrey (England). Dental examinations were completed for indices for both the primary and permanent dentitions comprising decayed, missing and filled teeth and surfaces, plaque index, gingivitis index, developmental enamel defects, and incisor tooth trauma. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the dmfs, dmft, DMFS or DMFT in the children with epilepsy compared with the controls. There was a significantly greater mean plaque score associated with permanent teeth in the children with epilepsy 68.0 SD+/- 31.5, compared with the control children, 142.9 SD+/- 23.2, p<0.0001. The mean +/- SD gingivitis score was significantly greater in the children with epilepsy 47.9+/-33.8, compared with the control children, 15.85+/-21.8, p<0.001. A significantly greater number of children with epilepsy had experienced anterior tooth trauma, 54% in all, compared with the controls, 12.5% p<0.0001. Although children with epilepsy had greater mean plaque and gingivitis scores, the prevalence of dental caries was low. Children and teenagers with intractable epilepsy were more likely to have sustained dental trauma than controls. CONCLUSIONS: A dental service aimed at early attention to anterior tooth trauma is needed. In addition, there is an ongoing need for improving the oral hygiene of these individuals to prevent the development of periodontal disease in later life.

Emergencias odontológicas en la montaña / Dental emergencies in the mountain

Seis de la tarde del primer día, refugio, cansado por el acarrero delt ramo incial, me apresto a descargar la mochila apurado pr cargar agua de deshielo que corre cerca al refugio antes que se congele al caer el sol. De repente, un dolor de muelas soportable (hiperemia). Se va incrementando (pulpitis) y haciéndose imposible de soportar; no traje nada para el dolor pero el guía de montaña alivia mi angustia de psar una noche terrible o, lo que es peor, terminar mi aventura. Una bolita de algún embebida en un líquido (eugenol), la coloco en la caries, previo secado con algodón también, una pasata que lka colocamos con algún instrumento pequeño que haga las veces de espátula la mantendrá en su lugar. Situaciones como esta pueden sucederles a cualquier persona. Algunas, de fácil resolución, otras, incapacitantes, dependiendo también de la distancia (horas o días) a algún centro urbano. Si les han extraído un elemento dentario recientemente no olviden que tienen que dejar pasar al menos 48 hs antes de realizar un esfuerzo físico importante. Lo aconsejable, y aunque parezca un detalle menor sería pasar por el odontólogo que, a pesar de no ser un santo de devoción de muchos, suele darles una cierta tranquilidad al poner vuestra boca en condiciones aceptables para excursiones en la que estarán a kilómetros de distancia de su consultorio. (AU)