The association between dental caries and serum crp in the us adult population: evidence from NHANES 2015-2018.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, affecting 29.4% of the global population. Despite numerous efforts to diagnose, predict, and prevent dental caries, the incidence continues to rise. Salivary biomarkers provide a non-invasive means for early detection of various oral conditions. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key marker, elevated in both oral and general inflammatory conditions such as diabetes, periodontitis and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Considering the emerging connection between oral and systemic health, it is worth exploring the various factors associated with this widespread disease. This study investigates the association between CRP levels and dental caries in the United States population, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS: The study analyzed data from the 2015-2018 NHANES cycles, focusing on a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 30 years and above. Weighted multivariable negative binomial and logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the relationship between dental caries and CRP levels, adjusting for age, gender, race, education level, diabetes status, and gum disease. RESULTS: The results of the negative binomial regression analysis demonstrated a positive association between higher CRP levels and an increased mean number of dental caries (Adjusted Mean Ratio [AMR] = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3 - 2; P: < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with higher CRP levels have a 50% increase in the odds of developing dental caries (AOR: 1.5, CI: 1.2 - 1.9; P: < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of this cross-sectional study of the U.S. population highlight the positive association between high CRP levels and increased dental caries. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of oral and systemic health care. Further research is necessary to deepen our understanding of the mechanistic relationship between CRP levels and dental caries.

Parents' Knowledge and Awareness About the Importance of Primary Teeth and Space Maintainers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Primary teeth are important for eating, speaking, and esthetics, as well as for guiding the eruption and maintaining the space for the permanent teeth. The best space maintainers (SM) for permanent dentition are the natural primary teeth. The aim of this study was to assess parents' knowledge and awareness of the importance of primary teeth and SM in Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This cross-sectional study invited parents who were living in Saudi Arabia via different social media platforms to complete a validated questionnaire. The data collected included demographic characteristics, questions about parents' knowledge of their children's oral hygiene, and the importance of primary teeth, as well as questions about knowledge of SM. RESULTS: A total of 392 participants completed the questionnaire. Dental problems and pain were the most common reasons for visiting the pediatric dentist (n=260; 66.3%). With respect to the age at which the first primary tooth erupted, more than half of the parents (n=270; 68.9%) knew the correct age. Only 43.3% (n=168) of the parents had received any information about SM and only 39.5% (n=155) of them knew their purpose. CONCLUSION: Most parents agree that treating primary teeth is important for their children's oral health and development. However, most are unaware of an SM's purpose. We recommend that dentists discuss SM's importance with parents actively after extracting their child's teeth. This will help increase parents' awareness and understanding of SM and encourage them to be more informed about this dental treatment option.

Sputum production and salivary microbiome in COVID-19 patients reveals oral-lung axis.

SARS-CoV-2, a severe respiratory disease primarily targeting the lungs, was the leading cause of death worldwide during the pandemic. Understanding the interplay between the oral microbiome and inflammatory cytokines during acute infection is crucial for elucidating host immune responses. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the oral microbiome and cytokines in COVID-19 patients, particularly those with and without sputum production. Saliva and blood samples from 50 COVID-19 patients were subjected to 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing for oral microbiome analysis, and 65 saliva and serum cytokines were assessed using Luminex multiplex analysis. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare cytokine levels between individuals with and without sputum production. Logistic regression machine learning models were employed to evaluate the predictive capability of oral microbiome, salivary, and blood biomarkers for sputum production. Significant differences were observed in the membership (Jaccard dissimilarity: p = 0.016) and abundance (PhILR dissimilarity: p = 0.048; metagenomeSeq) of salivary microbial communities between patients with and without sputum production. Seven bacterial genera, including Prevotella, Streptococcus, Actinomyces, Atopobium, Filifactor, Leptotrichia, and Selenomonas, were more prevalent in patients with sputum production (p<0.05, Fisher's exact test). Nine genera, including Prevotella, Megasphaera, Stomatobaculum, Selenomonas, Leptotrichia, Veillonella, Actinomyces, Atopobium, and Corynebacteria, were significantly more abundant in the sputum-producing group, while Lachnoanaerobaculum was more prevalent in the non-sputum-producing group (p<0.05, ANCOM-BC). Positive correlations were found between salivary IFN-gamma and Eotaxin2/CCL24 with sputum production, while negative correlations were noted with serum MCP3/CCL7, MIG/CXCL9, IL1 beta, and SCF (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney test). The machine learning model using only oral bacteria input outperformed the model that included all data: blood and saliva biomarkers, as well as clinical and demographic variables, in predicting sputum production in COVID-19 subjects. The performance metrics were as follows, comparing the model with only bacteria input versus the model with all input variables: precision (95% vs. 75%), recall (100% vs. 50%), F1-score (98% vs. 60%), and accuracy (82% vs. 66%).

Fast food consumption and its relationship with oral health among US adults: A cross-sectional NHANES-based study.

This study aimed to assess the link between fast-food consumption and oral health outcomes as measured by the mean number of decayed, missing due to dental disease, or filled permanent teeth (DMFT) and teeth with untreated dental caries. This study utilized data obtained from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). The data used was collected from 11,288 participants aged 20 and above from 2015 to 2018. The frequency of fast-food consumption was divided into two groups: "less than two meals over the past seven days" and "two meals or more over the past seven days." The mean number of DMFT and teeth with untreated dental caries were used to assess the participants' oral health. The link between fast-food consumption and these mean values was explored using Poisson regression analysis, in which confounding variables such as income, race, age, and sex were adjusted for. After adjusting for these variables, the results revealed that individuals who reported consuming two or more fast-food meals during the preceding seven days had higher mean numbers of DMFT and teeth with untreated dental caries compared to those who consumed less than two fast-food meals during the same period (adjusted mean ratio = 1.05; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.10 and mean ratio = 1.22; 95 % CI 1.01-1.47, respectively). Conclusion: This study revealed a link between poor oral health outcomes and fast-food consumption. Consequently, public health officials must focus on fast-food settings and availability of high-sugar-content items. Interventions that target fast-food outlets and what they offer may have a positive impact on oral health.

Predictability of Orthodontic Space Closure Using Invisalign Clear Aligners: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Clear aligners have demonstrated success in achieving complex tooth movements. However, orthodontists have faced challenges related to the predictability of clear aligners. This retrospective study aimed to assess the predictability of ClinCheck® accuracy in space closure before and after Invisalign® treatment and to identify factors associated with the need for refinement. Methods Patient records from one private clinic in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, were analyzed, and a sample of 55 adult patients who had spacing and underwent Invisalign treatment were included. Data on demographic and orthodontic variables were collected, and a chi-square test was conducted to examine the association between the requirement for refinement and demographic as well as clinical/orthodontic factors. Furthermore, the initial and final space measurements were compared using paired t-tests across various demographic and clinical/orthodontic variables. Results After completing the treatment, 70.9% (N=39) of the cases did not require any orthodontic refinement. The mean final space measurement was higher for males compared to females (0.7 mm and 0.4 mm, respectively), individuals who received treatment in the upper compared to lower arch (0.5 and 0.4 mm, respectively), those with moderate compared to mild spacing (0.5 and 0.1 mm, respectively), and those with class III compared to class I Angle classification (0.9 and 0.3 mm, respectively). Additionally, patients with severe spacing had a significantly higher probability of requiring refinement compared to patients with mild spacing (adjusted odds ratio = 20.9; p < 0.05). Conclusion The study emphasizes the significance of careful patient selection and treatment planning, suggesting that orthodontists should consider overcorrecting in space closure when using clear aligners, especially in cases with more significant spacing.

Association between risk of obstructive sleep apnea severity and risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms: insights from salivary and serum cytokines.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can adversely affect the immune response through clinical factors such as hypoxia, inflammation, and sleep disturbance. Since SARS-CoV-2 heavily relies on local and systemic host immune responses, this study aims to examine the links between the severity of OSA risk, cytokine levels, and the severity of symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: Saliva and blood samples from 50 COVID-19 patients and 30 non-infected hospital staff members were collected. Using Luminex multiplex analysis, 65 blood and salivary cytokines were examined from the collected samples. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was utilized to examine the association between the self-reported risk of OSA, assessed through the STOP-Bang questionnaire, and the likelihood of experiencing severe symptoms of COVID-19. Mann-Whitney test was then performed to compare the cytokine levels between individuals with moderate to severe risk of OSA to those with a mild risk of OSA. Results: Ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with a moderate to severe risk of OSA were 7.60 times more likely to experience more severe symptoms of COVID-19 compared to those with a mild risk of OSA (OR = 7.60, 95%CI: 3.03, 19.06, p < 0.001). Moreover, among COVID-19-positive patients with a moderate to severe risk of OSA, there was a statistically significant negative correlation with serum IL-6 (p < 0.05), Eotaxin (CCL11) (p = 0.04), and salivary MIP-3α/CCL20 (p = 0.04). In contrast, individuals without COVID-19 who had a moderate to severe risk of OSA exhibited a significant positive correlation with serum IL-6 (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Individuals with moderate to severe risk of OSA were more likely to experience severe COVID-19 symptoms than those with mild risk for OSA. Additional analysis from the present studies revealed distinct patterns of oral and systemic immune responses between individuals with mild and moderate to severe risk of OSA. Findings from the present study underscores the importance of early detection and management of OSA to improve clinical outcomes, particularly when faced with the subsequent superimposed infection such as COVID-19.