Viral contamination of acrylic resin removable denture bases in patients with COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Salivary gland ducts are one of the primary targets of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Moreover, saliva contains minor and major salivary gland secretions and a combination of nasopharyngeal and lung secretions. The acrylic resin bases of complete or partial removable dentures have pores and provide a favorable environment for the growth of microorganisms. PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the presence of viral contamination of acrylic resin removable denture bases in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The acrylic resin denture bases (partial and complete) of 29 patients with COVID-19 who underwent treatment in the Infectious Diseases Department of Razi Hospital in Ghaemshahr, Mazandaran, Iran, were evaluated. Samples were collected from the intaglio surface of the prostheses by direct swabbing and coding and were evaluated in a laboratory for the presence or absence of coronavirus. The relationship between hospital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denture PCR and the relationship between denture type and denture PCR were evaluated with the Fisher exact test (α=.05). RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients, age range 55 to 85 years, 18 women, 3 with partial dentures and 26 with complete dentures, were evaluated. The hospital PCR test was positive in 28 patients, while the denture PCR test was positive in 4 patients. No significant relationship was observed between the results of hospital PCR and denture PCR in patients with COVID-19 (P=.138). All 4 patients who tested positive for denture PCR had complete dentures. No significant relationship was found between denture type and denture PCR test results in patients with COVID-19 (P>999). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the microporous structure of the acrylic resin base, no statistically significant viral contamination was observed.

Comparison of dental caries (DMFT and DMFS indices) between asthmatic patients and control group in Iran: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between caries index, which is diagnosed by Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT), and asthma has been assessed in several studies, which yielded contradictory results. Meta-analysis is the statistical procedure for combining data from multiple studies and reducing the differences among parameters due to the increased number of studies involved in the analysis process. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between dental caries using decayed, missing, filled teeth indices (DMFT, dmft, and DMFS indices) and asthma using meta-analysis. METHODS: Databases were searched using such keywords as "Asthma," "Caries," "DMFT," "DMFS," "Iran," and OR operators, AND, and NOT. After the elimination of duplicate documentation, the articles which met the inclusion criteria were selected. Quality assessment was performed based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Checklist (NOS). After that, standardized mean difference (SMD) of DMFT, dmft, and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Surfaces (DMFS) indices were estimated. RESULTS: The number of 10 evidence was extracted out of nine studies in which mean oral health indices were compared between asthmatic patients and the control group. Out of 10 evidences that examined the association of DMFT, dmft, and DMFS with asthma, these indices were higher in asthmatic patients than the control group in seven cases. In three cases, these differences were statistically significant. The SMD of DMFT, dmft, and DMFS indices between asthmatic patients and the control group at the confidence level of 95% were reported as 0.29 (- 0.05, 0.62), 0.48 (- 0.20, 1.17), and - 0.05(- 0.30, 0.21), respectively. CONCLUSION: According to the results, the prevalence of dental caries is higher among patients with asthma than in the control group. Therefore, having asthma could be considered a risk factor for the development of dental caries.