Access to dental services in an elder population of African descent in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated access to dental services and associated factors in a community of Quilombola older people. BACKGROUND: Quilombola populations are groups of individuals descended from black Africans subjected to slavery during part of Brazilian history. As marginalised and neglected individuals, they have high rates of negative indicators and require further attention to the social determinants that affect their health reality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in the Quilombola community of Castainho, in the Northeast region of Brazil. In this community, 34 older people aged between 65 and 74 resided. We collected self-report data on sociodemographic and economic characteristics, along with oral examinations by the researchers. The primary dependent variable was regular access to dental services. Statistical analysis used Fisher's exact test (P = .05). RESULTS: Among the 32 participants in the final sample, 18.8% (n = 6) reported accessing dental services in the previous 6 months. Self-declared individuals of mixed race, with positive self-assessment of oral health, and those who did not self-perceive the need for treatment had lower rates of regular access to dental services (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Use of dental services by older Quilombola people is low, and there are differences by ethnicity and individual perception of oral health.

Global oral health policies and recommendations for children with special health care needs and their applicability and effectiveness during the COVID -19 pandemic: a systematic review.

AIM: This systematic review aims to assess effectiveness of oral health policies, recommendations and guidelines in safeguarding oral health of children with special healthcare needs during COVID-19. BACKGROUND: This systematic review evaluated the adaptation of global oral health policies for children with special healthcare needs (SHCN) during the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide evidence-based insights to inform policymakers and healthcare providers amid the ongoing global health crisis. The study focused on assessing the effectiveness of these adaptations in ensuring equitable access to quality dental care for this vulnerable group. METHODS: A PRISMA guided online search through LILIACS, PubMed, Scopus, COCHRANE and grey literature was conducted. The search strategy incorporated a combination of subject headings (MeSH terms) and free-text terms related to "oral health," "dental health," "policy," "effectiveness," "dental practice guidelines," "oral health policies," and "special care needs children." Eligibility criteria included oral health policies, recommendations and guidelines targeting individuals/children with special care needs. Both qualitative and quantitative studies published in English from 2008 to 2023 were included. RESULTS: Sixteen guidelines, recommendations and policies, from six authorities were identified. These documentations addressed six different areas mentioned broadly as comprehensive care, ethical considerations, preventive and therapeutic measures, equity, patient-centric treatment, and reducing disparities signaling a paradigm shift. International collaborations and standardization of guidelines indicated a unified approach. The review also emphasized on a commitment to continuous improvement through quality measurement, systematic referral management, and needs assessment. With the exception of two documents, the remaining guidelines did not address COVID-19 or provide specific adaptations for it. The lack of emphasis on individual condition was notable, as the guidelines generally took a more generalized approach toward individuals with special healthcare needs. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this review assessed the impact of COVID-19 on oral healthcare for individuals with special needs. It underscores global and local efforts for equitable access, patient-centric care, and preventive measures. The lessons learned advocate for a resilient, inclusive healthcare framework capable of meeting diverse needs. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD 42023452475.

Oral Health Stakeholders: A Time for Alignment and Action.

Policy Points Since the Surgeon General's report in 2000, multiple stakeholder groups have engaged in advocacy to expand access to oral health coverage, integrate medicine and dentistry, and to improve the dental workforce. Using a stakeholder map across these three policy priorities, we describe how stakeholder groups are shaping the oral health policy landscape in this century. While the stakeholders are numerous, policy has changed little despite invested efforts and resources. To achieve change, multiple movements must coalesce around common goals and messages and a champion must emerge to lead the way. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and political changes due to the 2020 elections can open a window of opportunity to unite stakeholders to achieve comprehensive policy change.

Cross cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Bengali version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5).

BACKGROUND: The oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children in Bangladesh has not yet been measured, as there is no validated OHRQoL measure for that population. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the child self-report and parental proxy report versions of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5) into Bengali and test their psychometric properties: face validity, construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity) and reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), among 5-9-year-old children and their parents in Bangladesh and assess associations between dental caries/sepsis and OHRQoL in this population. METHODS: The forward-backward translated Bengali SOHO-5 was piloted among 272 children and their parents to test its face validity. The questionnaire was administered to 788 children and their parents to evaluate its psychometric properties. Internal consistency of Bengali SOHO-5 was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was assessed using Kappa. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed through nonparametric tests. The calculation of effect sizes and standard error of measurement facilitated the assessment of minimally important difference (MID) for SOHO-5. The associations of reporting an oral impact with caries and sepsis were assessed via logistic regression models. RESULTS: Both child self-report and parental proxy report questionnaires showed good face validity. Cronbach's alpha scores were 0.79 and 0.87 for child and parental questionnaire, respectively. A weighted Kappa score of 0.85 demonstrated test-retest reliability of child questionnaire. SOHO-5 scores were significantly associated with subjective oral health outcomes and discriminated clearly between different caries severity and sepsis groups. These differences were considerably higher than the MID. After adjusting for child's age, sex, setting, maternal education and family income, the odds of reporting an oral impact were 2.25 (95% CI 1.98-2.56) and 4.44 (95% CI 3.14-6.28) times higher for each additional tooth with caries and sepsis, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provided strong evidence supporting the validity and reliability of both versions of Bengali SOHO-5 as OHRQoL measures. Dental caries and sepsis were associated with poor OHRQoL in this population. The Bengali SOHO-5 is expected to be a useful outcome measure for research and clinical purposes in Bengali speaking child populations.

Comparison of psychometric properties of GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT as measures of oral health in complete edentulous patients aged 60 years and more.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the psychometric properties of three OHRQoL indicators (GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT) in a group of complete edentulous subjects and to explore the ability of these instruments to distinguish between individuals with different prosthetic and oral health status. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Edentulous individuals aged 60 years and more were recruited between January 2019 and February 2020 in a medical and dental care centers. The Lebanese versions of GOHAI, OHIP-14, and OHIP-EDENT were used. External and internal consistencies were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach alpha, respectively. The concurrent validity was evaluated by testing the indicators against a proxy measure of a similar concept. To test their discriminative abilities, the ADD (GOHAI and OHIP) and SC (GOHAI and OHIP) scores were dichotomized according to the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively, and multivariate analyses were performed using sociodemographic, clinical, and subjective health parameters as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Two hundred and two edentulous subjects (age: 72.94 ± 7.378 years) were included. The proportion of subjects with no impact was lower for OHIP-EDENT (7.9%) compared to GOHAI (28.2%) and OHIP-14 (38.6%). Reproducibility was satisfactory for all OHRQoL tools since they were able to reproduce the results consistently in time (ICC > 0.80). The Cronbach alpha values were greater than 0.8 indicating acceptable internal consistency. The concurrent validity of the three tools was acceptable since subjects with lower OHRQoL score were less satisfied with their dentures and reported a higher need for self-rated therapy. Concerning the discriminant validity, OHIP-EDENT was more discriminant than OHIP-14 and GOHAI, since it was more able to identify patients with poor prosthetic issues or using instable denture. CONCLUSION: The OHIP-EDENT was more effective in identifying edentulous individuals with oral and prosthetic problems. Our results can help decide which dental instrument to use to assess the perception of oral health in edentulous individuals. More prospective studies are required to compare their evaluative properties.

Phytoperspective of Moringa oleifera for oral health care: An innovative ethnomedicinal approach.

The present era accentuate the use of alternative medicines as drugs extracted from several plant parts. These herbal medicines otherwise called ethnomedicines are now the source of many imperative drugs in this contemporary world. Furthermore with ever rising oral problems by luxurious lifestyle in this modern society, there is a soaring need for use of potent medicinal plants like horse radish (Moringa oleifera Lam.) against various oral ailments. Therefore, use of herbal medicines in reducing the adverse effects of various conventional allopathic medicines and harmful side effects of conventional antibiotics has emerged as an evolved technique in pharmaceutical science. The present review emphasizes the antipathogenic potentiality of M. oleifera along with their known therapeutic properties through biologically active compounds (phytoconstituents) and ethnomedicinal uses. Various ethno-pharmacological studies of the plant parts with their nutritional value and multifarious medicinal uses including oral health care are being quoted in present review. This review will foster future research on phytoconstituent analysis, bioefficacy assessment for oral micro flora and ethno-pharmaceutical importance of M. oleifera in the field of medical science with special reference to dentistry. Consequently, this innovative ethnomedicinal approach for oral health care may supplement the modern medicine through its potent phytoconstituents.

Cannabinoids Drugs and Oral Health-From Recreational Side-Effects to Medicinal Purposes: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: marijuana, the common name for cannabis sativa preparations, is one of the most consumed drug all over the world, both at therapeutical and recreational levels. With the legalization of medical uses of cannabis in many countries, and even its recreational use in most of these, the prevalence of marijuana use has markedly risen over the last decade. At the same time, there is also a higher prevalence in the health concerns related to cannabis use and abuse. Thus, it is mandatory for oral healthcare operators to know and deal with the consequences and effects of cannabis use on oral cavity health. This review will briefly summarize the components of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system, as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms of biological cannabis action in human cells and biologic activities on tissues. We will also look into oropharyngeal tissue expression of cannabinoid receptors, together with a putative association of cannabis to several oral diseases. Therefore, this review will elaborate the basic biology and physiology of cannabinoids in human oral tissues with the aim of providing a better comprehension of the effects of its use and abuse on oral health, in order to include cannabinoid usage into dental patient health records as well as good medicinal practice. METHODS: the paper selection was performed by PubMed/Medline and EMBASE electronic databases, and reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. The scientific products were included for qualitative analysis. RESULTS: the paper search screened a total of 276 papers. After the initial screening and the eligibility assessment, a total of 32 articles were considered for the qualitative analysis. CONCLUSIONS: today, cannabis consumption has been correlated to a higher risk of gingival and periodontal disease, oral infection and cancer of the oral cavity, while the physico-chemical activity has not been completely clarified. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate a therapeutic efficacy of this class of drugs for the promising treatment of several different diseases of the salivary glands and oral diseases.

Dimensional Structure of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale.

Background: Detecting the latent dimensions of quality of life as affected by oral diseases is essential for promoting oral health in children. This study aimed to test the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) via an appropriate method to detect its dimensions of quality of life as affected by oral diseases. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in Shiraz, Iran, between 2014 and 2015. A multistage stratified design was used to select 830 parents or the guardians of primary school children aged six years. The Farsi version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (F-ECOHIS) was used to evaluate the children's oral health-related quality of life. The parents were interviewed to collect data on ECOHIS. Mplus, version 7, was employed for descriptive and analytical analyses in the present study. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to extract and verify the latent dimensions of ECOHIS. Results: Out of the 830 invited parents or guardians, 801 participated in this study. The mean ECOHIS score was 21.95±7.45. The mean child impact score and the mean family impact score were 14.25±5.72 and 7.70±3.62, respectively. EFA yielded a 3-factor model: symptom and function, social interaction, and family impact. CFA confirmed the 3-dimensional model (root mean square error of approximation=0.045). The fit indices of the 1- and 2-dimensional models (the child and family domains) were not within the acceptable range. Conclusion: F-ECOHIS is a 3-dimensional model rather than the hypothetical 6-dimensional model. ECOHIS appears to be a useful scale for measuring the multidimensional impact of oral diseases in children.

Symptom-orientated oral hygiene for children after heart transplantation: Effectiveness of a standardized prophylactic program.

Children with CHD, especially heart-transplanted patients, are predisposed to have caries lesions, gingivitis and other oral findings like gingival hyperplasia. The aim of the study was the implementation of a specific oral hygiene program in these patients and its effect on the improvement of oral health, especially gingival overgrowth. For this, we used a newly developed systematic GHI to evaluate and describe this gingival alteration. Thirty-three children, aged 6 to 15 years with cardiac transplants (9 girls, 24 boys), were examined and introduced into a specific oral hygiene program. Each child showed evidence of gingival hyperplasia. They were randomly divided into three groups with the following oral care measurements: Group ZZ tooth brushing, Group ZZS tooth brushing and mouth rinsing, Group ZZSS tooth brushing, mouth rinsing and the use of an additional single and sulcus toothbrush. A significant decline of all oral health parameters could be proven in all groups. Gingival hyperplasia (GHI) improved as well as plaque accumulation (QHI). The children who used in addition to toothbrushing rinsing solutions and/or additional miniature toothbrushes showed better parameters of the gingival hygiene indexes from the baseline examination until the end of the study. The results show that any infant with cardiac transplant has to be introduced into an individualized oral hygiene program underlining the need of comprehensive dental care in cooperation with pediatric cardiology.

Oral health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among breast cancer survivors and identify possible factors associated with the outcome. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 151 women in follow-up at a hospital after treatment for breast cancer. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, general health, and breast cancer. Clinical examinations were performed to determine caries experience using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was administered for the assessment of OHRQoL. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associated factors after adjustments for confounding variables. RESULTS: The mean OHIP-14 score was 12.8 (SD 10.92). The prevalence of negative impact was 58.9%. A negative impact was associated with depression, the diagnosis of breast cancer, chemotherapy, number of restored teeth, and xerostomia (p < 0.05). In the adjusted analysis, only the oral variables remained significantly associated with the outcome. CONCLUSION: A greater number of restored teeth and xerostomia exert a negative impact on the OHRQoL of women who have survived breast cancer, which suggests the need for special attention to the oral health of this population.

The association of socio-economic status, dental anxiety, and behavioral and clinical variables with adolescents' oral health-related quality of life.

PURPOSE: It is not clear which factors hold more weight in predicting oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Therefore, this study explored which component of factors (e.g., socio-economic status, clinical status or oral health behaviors, dental anxiety, oral health knowledge) has a better predictive value in different aspects (e.g., oral symptoms, functional limitations, social and emotional conditions) of adolescents' OHRQoL. METHODS: Participants were randomly selected from Grade Two (S2) students within 12 secondary schools in Hong Kong. The independent variables include the following : socio-economic (monthly family income, parents' educational background), oral health behaviors (the frequency of brushing and having snacks like chocolate or biscuits), and oral health-related factors (oral health knowledge, dental anxiety, dental caries and bleeding index). Adolescents' OHRQoL was evaluated using the 16-item Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ11-14-ISF:16). Frequencies and means were used for data description. Different variables were analyzed as predictors of OHRQoL by multi-level linear regression analysis. RESULTS: 1207 adolescents (46.6% females) participated in this study. The mean total CPQ11-14-ISF:16 was 14.2 (9.8). Mean scores of oral symptoms, functional limitations, and emotional and social well-being were 4.4 (2.8), 4.2 (2.8), 3.2 (3.1), and 2.4 (2.7), respectively. In the final model, adolescents with poorer oral health knowledge, higher dental anxiety levels, brushed their teeth less than once a day and consumed chocolates or biscuits more regularly as reported by a statistically worse OHRQoL (p < 0.05). In addition, gingival bleeding was a predictor of the oral symptom domain (ß = 0.7, p = 0.027); the emotional well-being of adolescents whose father went to college had a better OHRQoL (ß = - 0.9, p = 0.014) and adolescents from the higher-income family had a statistically better social well-being (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that adolescents with poorer oral health knowledge, higher dental anxiety levels, brushing their teeth less than once a day, or having a daily consumption of chocolate or biscuits had statistically worse OHRQoL. These findings can provide guidance for future oral health promotion in improving OHRQoL among adolescents.

Depression, temporomandibular disorders, and genetic polymorphisms in IL6 impact on oral health-related quality of life in patients requiring orthognathic surgery.

PURPOSE: To assess oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients requiring orthognathic surgery, and evaluate if depression, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and genetic polymorphisms in interleukin-6 (IL6) influence their OHRQoL. METHODS: A total of 132 individuals included in three different groups. Two groups were composed by patients with dentofacial deformity (DFD) Class II (n = 44) or Class III (n = 44) malocclusions, requiring orthognathic surgery. The control group (n = 44) included individuals without DFD. Patients from all groups were evaluated in preoperative appointments to assessOHRQoL, TMD, and genetic polymorphisms in IL6. OHRQoL was assessed using the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). TMD and depression were assessed using Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders protocol. The genetic polymorphisms rs1800795 and rs1800796 in IL6 were assessed through genomic DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: OHIP-14 scores were increased in patients with depression, myofascial pain, and inflammatory temporomandibular joint alterations in the right side, regardless of sex and DFD group. Individual homozygous CC in rs1800795 had increased values in domains "social disability" and "handicap" of the OHIP-14 compared with those who were homozygous GG. Individual heterozygous CG in the rs1800796 demonstrated increased values in domain "psychological discomfort" compared with those homozygous for CC and GG. CONCLUSION: In individuals requiring orthognathic surgery, depression, TMD, and genetic polymorphisms in IL6 contribute to negative impact on OHRQoL. These physical and emotional conditions, together with biological pathways, should receive more attention in treatment plans, in order to improve the patients' quality of life.

Development and validation of the Oral health behavior questionnaire for adolescents based on the health belief model (OHBQAHBM).

BACKGROUND: Oral health belief is a prerequisite of changing oral health behaviors especially during adolescence. However, there is a paucity of well-established questionnaire for use among adolescents. This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to evaluate adolescents' beliefs about oral health behaviors using health belief model. METHODS: A preliminary 43-item questionnaire was developed by an expert panel. Then the questionnaire was finalized by decreasing the number of items to 35 by analyzing the results from face validity and factor analysis from 421 Hong Kong secondary school students. The content validity were evaluated by a panel of 2 behavioral scientists, 2 dentists, 2 schoolteachers and 10 adolescents. The construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed by performing exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total correlation and intraclass coefficient were used to test its reliability. In addition, to confirm its applicability, multiple regression analysis and path analysis were used to evaluate the possibility of HBM as predictors for oral health behaviors and oral hygiene status. RESULTS: The initial analysis extracted six factors that jointly accounted for 62.47% of the variance observed. Based on CFA, the final version of the questionnaire consisted of 35 items and the data of the final version fitted the model well. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the subscale (> 0.7), item-total correlations (0.47-0.91) and the intraclass coefficient (0.82-0.91) were all above acceptable thresholds. The results of multiple regression analysis and path analysis confirmed its ability to predict oral health behaviors and status. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings indicate satisfactory validity, reliability and applicability of the proposed Oral Health Behavior Questionnaire for Adolescents based on the Health Belief Model (OHBQAHBM) for measuring oral health beliefs of adolescents. This questionnaire can be used as an instrument to measure oral health beliefs and predict oral health behavior and oral hygiene status of adolescents.

Development of a German version of the Oral Health Assessment Tool.

BACKGROUND: Limited assessment tools for estimating the oral health of nursing home residents are available in the German language. AIMS: To develop a German version of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) and to evaluate test-retest and inter-examiner reliability in use for the assessment of nursing home residents' oral health by caregivers before and after dental training. METHODS: The original English version of the OHAT was translated into German by a forward-backward translation process. Reliability assessments were conducted in a nursing home (n = 18) by independent application of the OHAT by two trained dentists and four professional caregivers. After receiving dental training, the caregivers repeated the OHAT with the same participants. Reliability analyses of single items were performed using Cohen's kappa statistics. Intra-class correlations were compiled to assess reliability of the total scores. T tests were used to compare percentage agreement, and under- and overestimation of findings between a reference dentist and the caregivers before and after the training unit. RESULTS: Specificity and sensitivity of the German OHAT were 87% and 86%. Test-retest reliability of the total OHAT score as estimated by the dentists was excellent (ICC 0.910; 95% CI 0.776-0.965). Before training, mean κ values between the reference dentist and caregivers ranged between 0.155 and 0.912, whereas the inter-examiner reliability of most items was only fair. After training, overall agreement between the dentist and the caregivers improved significantly from 62.1 to 83.1% (p < 0.001), as well as satisfying inter-examiner agreement for the single items. CONCLUSIONS: The German version of the OHAT is a reliable and valid tool for the assessment of oral health conditions of nursing home residents. When used by caregivers, instruction on the tool and practical training are mandatory to ensure reliable estimations. However, further studies with a larger sample size are encouraged to verify the outcomes of this study.

Design and Progress of Oral Health Examinations in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project.

In order to assess the long-term impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the oral health of disaster victims and to evaluate gene-environmental interactions in the development of major oral diseases and oral-systemic associations, the oral part of two large-scale genome cohort studies by the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), including the Community-based cohort (CommCohort) study and the Birth and Three-Generation cohort (BirThree) study, have been conducted. The study population comprised 32,185 subjects, including 16,886 participants in the CommCohort study and 15,299 participants in the BirThree cohort study, recruited from 2013 to 2017. The oral studies consist of a questionnaire regarding oral hygiene behavior, clinical examinations by dentists, and oral plaque and saliva sampling for microbiome analyses, which were carried out at seven community support centers in Miyagi prefecture. The median age of all participants was 55.0 years, and 66.1% of participants were women. Almost all participants reported that they brushed their teeth more than once a day. The median number of present teeth was 27.0, and the decayed, missing and filled tooth number was 16.0, with a significant difference according to age and sex. The median periodontal pocket and clinical attachment level was 2.48 mm and 4.00 mm, respectively. Periodontal parameters increased significantly according to age, except for the accumulation of dental calculus. The oral part of these extensive cross-sectional studies provides a unique and important platform for future studies on oral health and diseases that elicit through interactions with systemic diseases, lifestyles, life events and genetic backgrounds, and contributes to researches clarifying the long-term effects of disasters on oral health.

Oral Health and COVID-19: Increasing the Need for Prevention and Access.

Populations disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are also at higher risk for oral diseases and experience oral health and oral health care disparities at higher rates. COVID-19 has led to closure and reduced hours of dental practices except for emergency and urgent services, limiting routine care and prevention. Dental care includes aerosol-generating procedures that can increase viral transmission. The pandemic offers an opportunity for the dental profession to shift more toward nonaerosolizing, prevention-centric approaches to care and away from surgical interventions. Regulatory barrier changes to oral health care access during the pandemic could have a favorable impact if sustained into the future.

Improving oral health in nursing home residents: A process evaluation of a shared oral care intervention.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the process of implementing an oral care intervention in nursing homes in a Danish municipality. BACKGROUND: Older people with aged natural dentition require preventive and curative oral health care. An intervention based on principles of situated learning was implemented to establish closer cooperation between dental and nursing staff in nursing homes, leading to improved oral hygiene in nursing home residents. DESIGN: An embedded multiple-case study combined with principles of realist evaluation unfolded in three phases: Formulation of initial programme theory, Testing and Refining the programme theory. The COREQ checklist is followed in reporting. METHODS: Observations, six group interviews and 22 face-to-face interviews with dentists, dental practitioners, nursing home managers, care professionals and residents were conducted in three nursing homes (n = 41). RESULTS: Three main outcomes of a programme theory were identified, relating to (a) residents, in the form of new oral care routines; (b) interdisciplinary working, in the form of professional pride in performing sufficient oral care; (c) organisational level changes, in the form of increased interdisciplinary knowledge sharing. The overarching supportive mechanisms were the creation of relationships between residents, dental practitioners and care professionals as well as nursing home management taking responsibility for structure, planning and knowledge sharing. CONCLUSION: The situated learning perspective supported residents and care professionals' competencies in performing sufficient oral care. The shared oral care intervention supports an individual and multidisciplinary assessment of nursing home residents' ability to self-care concerning oral care. Contextual factors, supportive and restraining mechanisms influence the intervention's success. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding the complexity within interdisciplinary cooperation in primary nursing and unravelling the necessary properties to enhance nursing home residents' oral health care are areas of improvement for care service in nursing homes.

Oral care practices of long-term care home residents and caregivers: Secondary analysis of observational video recordings.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the proportion of toothbrushing task steps, long-term care residents had an opportunity to complete; the duration and quality of toothbrushing by both residents and caregivers; and the feedback caregivers provided. BACKGROUND: Poor oral health is widespread among older adults in long-term care homes; however, little is known about their actual oral health practices. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of video recordings. METHODS: A total of 58 video-recorded sessions were analysed from two long-term care homes in Canada. Eligible residents had at least one natural tooth, required oral care assistance, had Alzheimer's disease and understood English. Eligible caregivers spoke English and had worked for at least 1 year with people with dementia. Toothbrushing success was identified by the resident's participation in, and completion of, nine toothbrushing steps. Total time spent brushing teeth was calculated by summing the duration of time spent brushing teeth. Quality was described by time spent brushing the facial versus the lingual or occlusal surfaces. Caregiver verbal feedback was pulled from transcripts and analysed using content analysis. STROBE guidelines were used in reporting this study. RESULTS: The two step residents most frequently completed or attempted were brushing their teeth (77% complete, 7% attempt) and rinsing their mouth (86% complete, 2% attempt). The average time spent brushing teeth was 60.33 s (SD = 35.15). In 66% of observed videos, toothbrushing occurred only on the facial tooth surfaces, with no time spent brushing the lingual or occlusal surfaces. CONCLUSION: Caregivers are supporting residents to independently complete toothbrushing; however, the duration and quality of toothbrushing are not sufficient to ensure optimal oral health. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clear, detailed guidelines are required to ensure adequate oral care for long-term care residents. Staff need to be aware that all surfaces should be brushed to ensure proper oral health.

[Social inequalities in oral health and early childhood caries: How can they be effectively prevented? A scoping review of disease predictors]. / Inégalités sociales de santé orale et caries précoces de l'enfant : comment prévenir efficacement ? Une revue de portée des prédicteurs de la maladie.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood caries represent a major public health problem. In addition to their individual impact, the massive social inequalities in oral health that are at the roots and result from the disease have largely underestimated consequences for the child, his family and the community. In response to the question of "how and where to act?", this scoping review identifies the individual characteristics associated with the disease on which it would be possible to act, using appropriate prevention strategies. METHODS: This scoping review is aimed at describing and analyzing available data in the literature on the different factors associated with early childhood caries. RESULTS: The predictors of early childhood caries are represented by mediating (knowledge, attitudes and parents' oral health practices) and moderating (psychosocial parameters, parental health literacy and alcohol consumption) factors. Twenty-eight articles fulfilled the selection criteria, twenty of which studied mediators related to early childhood caries, and fourteen of which dealt with moderators. The lower the parents' level of knowledge and literacy in oral health, the higher a child's dmft index. Additional studies are needed to assess the role of psychosocial parameters. CONCLUSION: Parents' knowledge and oral health literacy are the key predictors to be preferentially targeted in view of reducing social inequalities in health through actions undertaken on a local scale. The prevention of early childhood caries necessitates a combination of generic and targeted interventions.

Important oral care needs of older French people: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Older persons comprise a growing proportion of the European population and may have a distinct epidemiological oral profile requiring specific preventive and curative care poorly documented. The objectives of this study were to assess the oral health status of people ≥90 years of age in France, to compare their perceived and observed oral care needs and to investigate the oral problems associated with a low oral health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL). METHODS: An oral cross-sectional study was performed during the 25th follow-up of a cohort of older persons being followed up prospectively for screening of dementia over a 15-year period in Gironde and Dordogne, France. Clinical oral indices were determined by oral examinations conducted at the participants' place of living. Cohen's Kappa coefficient was used to assess the agreement between perceived and observed oral care needs. Oral problems associated with a low OHRQoL, measured with the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI<50) were investigated with logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Data from 90 persons were analysed (76% female; median age=93 years; 20% living in an institution). Plaque and calculus were present in 93% and 58% respectively, of the 74 dentate participants. The mean number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth was 26.5 (±5.3); 66% of the participants had at least one untreated decayed tooth. Among the 85 participants with tooth loss not replaced by a fixed denture, two thirds had a removable dental prosthesis; 84% of these prostheses were considered to be maladapted. Among the 39 participants who felt unable to consult a dentist (43%), lack of transportation was the most frequently cited reason. Although 88% of the participants needed oral care, only 26% perceived that they had such a need (Kappa=0.06). Oral problems associated with a GOHAI<50 were the absence of posterior occluding teeth (OR=7.15; 95%CI=1.53-33.35; P=0.012), feeling of dry mouth (OR=11.94; 95%CI=3.21-44.39; P=0.0002) and oral pain (OR=9.06; 95%CI=1.91-69.00; P=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Persons ≥90 years of age have considerable preventive and curative dental care needs that impact their quality-of-life but they are rarely aware and lack transportation. NCT04065828.