RESUMEN
Promotion of oral health has an essential role in the maintenance of teeth in adults. However, health education must start from an early age, in order to monitor the child's growth and prevent pathologies. Schools are in charge of the overall education of children and of guidance to parents but could also be engaged in the promotion of oral health, supported and counseled by pediatricians and dentists. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate whether school age children could be taught, successfully, basic oral sciences and dental hygiene, by a professional, during school hours. In this pilot study, an anonymized test was administered to 45 children of age between 8 and 10, both before and after an interactive lecture on oral health, to assess the effectiveness of the lesson and acquisition by the children of knowledge on oral health. After the presentation, the majority of the children were able to answer correctly to the questionnaire that was given to them (test, retest) which was related to dental anatomy and pathology (number of teeth, cavities, halitosis), and dental hygiene tools and practices (brushes, floss, mouth wash, tongue scrapers). The children seemed to be receptive to learning while in school, and a specific educational session of dental hygiene and oral health seems to be the right approach to ensure children can identify dental hygiene tools and use them appropriately.
RESUMEN
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a condition which has multifactorial etiology. The most acknowledged method to classify TMDs is the diagnostic criteria (DC) introduced firstly by Dworkin. This protocol considers different aspects that are not only biological, but even psychosocial. Diagnosis is often based on anamnesis, physical examination and instrumental diagnosis. TMDs are classified as intra-articular and/or extra-articular disorders. Common signs and symptoms include jaw pain and dysfunction, earache, headache, facial pain, limitation to opening the mouth, ear pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) noises. This study regards two kind of clinicians that started in the last years to be more involved in the treatment of TMDs: osteopaths (OOs) and physiotherapists (PTs). The purpose is to analyze their attitude and clinical approach on patients affected by TMDs. Four hundred therapists answered an anonymous questionnaire regarding TMJ and TMDs. OOs showed greater knowledges on TMDs and TMJ and, the therapists with both qualifications seemed to be most confident in treating patients with TMDs. In conclusion this study highlights OOs and all the clinicians with this qualification, have a higher confidence in treating patients with TMD than the others. Dentists and orthodontists, according to this study, should co-work with OOs and PTs, because they are the specialists more requested by them than other kinds of specialists.