DMFT Index Research Articles

Deciduous and permanent dental caries status among primary schoolchildren of Libya: A cross-sectional study

Aim: to assess prevalence and severity of dental caries (DMFT for permanent dentition and dmft for primary dentition) among Libyan children. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study including a random sample of 372 children was conducted in Benghazi. Experience of dental caries was assessed by decayed, missing, and filled teeth DMFT and dmft indices using WHO criteria of diagnosing dental caries. The data were entered and managed by using SPSS software version 25. Descriptive analysis of the data including frequencies, percentages and means of school-children's decayed, missing and filled components was performed. Results: Overall dental caries prevalence was 86.6%. The mean DMFT and dmft indices were 0.86 and 2.78 for all 372 subjects amongst which major contributor was decayed component. Considering only subjects with caries experience (322), mean DMFT and dmft indices were 1.00 and 3.21, respectively. Higher prevalence of dmft scores was observed than DMFT scores in all subjects and in subjects with caries experience. For all subjects DMFT, the Decay index was 89.5%, Missing index was 3.5% and Care index was 6.7%. For all subjects dmft, the Decay index was 89.9%, Missing index was 7.9% and Care index was 2.1%. Conclusions: Caries prevalence was high considering the World Health Organization future oral health goals. Although the prevalence in the study sample is high, Care index is unacceptably low. The findings stress on the need to treat the children at the initial stages of caries development with preventive approaches. Providing and implementing preventive and educational programs for controlling dental caries are necessary.

Analysis and Evaluation of Dental Caries in a Mexican Population: A Descriptive Transversal Study.

A cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study was carried out in 552 individuals who underwent a complete cariogenic clinical examination in different populations of the state of Yucatan. All individuals were evaluated after providing informed consent and with the consent of their legal guardians for those under legal age. We used the caries measurement methods described by the World Health Organization (WHO). Prevalence of caries, DMFT, and dft indexes were measured. Other aspects were also studied, such as oral habits and the use of public or private dental services. The prevalence of caries in permanent dentition was 84%. Moreover, it was found to be statistically related to the following variables: place of residence, socioeconomic level, gender, and level of education (p < 0.05). For primary teeth, the prevalence was 64% and there was no statistical relation with any of the variables studied (p > 0.05). Regarding the other aspects studied, more than 50% of the sample used private dental services. There is a high need for dental treatment in the population studied. It is necessary to develop prevention and treatment strategies considering the particularities of each population, driving collaborative projects to promote better oral health conditions in disadvantaged populations.

Dental caries experience among qat chewers in dental college clinics, Jazan, Saudi Arabia

AimsThere is a considerable debate on the impact of qat chewing on dental and oral health. Thereby, this study aimed at assessing the dental caries among qat chewers (QC) and non-qat chewers (NQC) who attend outpatient dental clinics, College of Dentistry, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.Materials and methodsA sample of 100 QC and 100 NQC were recruited amongst those attended dental clinics, college of dentistry, Jazan University during the 2018–2019 academic year. Their dental health was assessed by three pre-calibrated male interns using DMFT index. The Care Index, Restorative Index and Treatment Index were calculated. Comparisons between both subgroups were done using independent t test. Multiple linear regression analyses were further conducted to stand on the independent determinants of the oral health among this population.ResultsQC were unintentionally older (36.55 ± 8.74 years) than NQC (32.96 ± 8.49 years; P = 0.004). Fifty-six percent of QC reported brushing their teeth compared to only 35% (P = 0.001). NQC with university and postgraduate educational levels were more than QC. The mean Decayed [5.91 (5.16)] and DMFT [9.15 (5.87)] were higher among QC compared to NQC [3.73 (3.62) and 6.7 (4.58); P = 0.001 and 0.001, respectively]. The other indices were not different between both subgroups. The multiple linear regression revealed that qat chewing and age, individually or together, as independent determinants for the dental decay, missing, DMFT and TI.ConclusionQat chewing habit has a detrimental impact on dental health. It is associated with higher dental caries and missing teeth, and a lower treatment index.

Comparative Evaluation of the Oral Hygiene Status and Prevalence of Dental Caries in Hemophiliac and non-Hemophiliac Patients

Aim &amp; Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the oral hygiene status, caries experience, and prevalence of hemophiliac patients and non-Hemophilic controls. Material &amp; Methods: The present study was carried out on 600 participants. The study population was divided into two groups of 300 each i.e., the case Group (Hemophilics) and the Control Group (non-Hemophilic). Hemophilic patients were taken from Hemophilia Day Care Centre, Lol Nayak Hospital, Delhi, and PGIMS Hospital Rohtak. Controls were recruited from among the relatives who came along with the hemophilic patients. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic details, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding oral health maintenance. Patients were clinically examined for DMFT index and Oral Hygiene Index- Simplified to assess caries experience and oral hygiene status. The data were analyzed statistically. Results: Mean age for the Case Group and Control Group was 18.47±6.22 and 19.19±6.09 respectively. Amongst the study population, 89.7% were having hemophilia A while 10.3% had hemophilia B. 72.3% suffered from severe hemophilia while 0.7% had the mild form. The caries prevalence was higher among hemophiliacs (74%) than among non-hemophiliacs 67%. DMFT score was significantly higher among hemophiliacs [permanent dentition (2.47±2.69), Primary dentition (0.33±1.26). The mean debris, calculus and overall OHI score were significantly higher among hemophiliacs (1.69±0.60, 0.93±0.66 &amp; 2.63±1.07). Conclusion: Hemophiliacs have more Caries experience and poor oral hygiene status as compared to non-hemophiliacs Hemophiliacs patients are high-risk group, so they should be given more education and motivation about the importance of oral health care and preventive dental care such as fluoride varnish and fissure sealants should be delivered by professional at early stages.

Tooth Loss and Caries Experience of Elderly Chileans in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Five Regions of Chile.

Risk factors associated with tooth loss have been studied; however, the current status of the epidemiological profiles and the impact of the pandemic on the oral health of the elderly is still unknown. This study aims to determine the experience of caries and tooth loss among elderly Chilean citizens in five regions and to identify the risk factors associated with tooth loss. The sample includes 135 participants over 60 years old assessed during COVID-19 lockdown. Sociodemographic variables such as education and RSH (Social Registry of Households) were obtained through a teledentistry platform called TEGO. The history of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression and dental caries reported by DMFT index scores were incorporated. The statistical analysis included Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) to assess risk factors associated with the lack of functional dentition. Multivariate hypothesis testing was used to compare the mean equality of DMFT and its components between regions (p-value < 0.05). Individuals with RSH ≤ 40% were at higher risk of having no functional dentition with OR 4.56 (95% CI: 1.71, 12.17). The only mean difference between regions was the filled tooth component. Tooth loss was associated with multidimensional lower income, where the elderly belonging to the 40% most vulnerable population had a higher prevalence of non-functional dentition. This study highlights the importance of implementing a National Oral Health Policy that focuses on oral health promotion and minimally invasive dentistry for the most vulnerable population.

Early Childhood Caries and Sleep Disorders

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (oSDB) comprises a set of breathing disturbances when the individual is asleep due to partial or complete upper airway obstruction. Modifying or risk factors are the anatomy, the size and shape of the airway, muscle tone, central nervous system responses to hypoxia, etc. In children, this is associated with poor school performance and reduced memory and learning abilities. In addition, increased levels of blood and lung pressure and cardiac alterations have been reported in children with sleep disturbances. On the other hand, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is defined as the presence of one or more decayed primary teeth (cavities) of children under the age of 5. This study aimed to establish the possible relationship between sleep disorders and ECC by means of validated surveys and determined whether the results obtained coincide with the available literature. Our results found that up to 24.5% of children with a high risk of caries present regular nasal congestion, while this finding is only present among 6% of children with a low risk of caries (p = 0.041). The dmft index remains significantly linked to this occasional congestion, but the association depends on the patient's level of risk (p = 0.008); increasing with a high increasing risk of caries. As a conclusion, the risk of early childhood caries could correlate to a specific sleep change such as occasional snoring.

“Dental Health” preventive program as a stage of rehabilitating children with cognitive developmental disabilities

Relevance. One of the paramount directions of preventive dentistry is the development of the author's methods of organization and implementation of dental diseases prevention programs in children with cognitive developmental disabilities, allowing for prevention customization, taking into account the features of child development with disabilities, as well as the combination of many objective factors. The study aimed to increase the efficiency of mentally-retarded children's rehabilitation by improving the dental disease prevention program.Materials and methods. The study involved 140 children diagnosed with moderate mental retardation and comparatively analyzed two methods over three years. Group 1 included 71 subjects aged 8-11 years trained according to "Dental Health", the author's dental and hygiene education program, developed and adjusted to the psychophysical needs of the child development. Group 2 consisted of 69 subjects, trained according to the dental and hygiene education program provided only by the teachers during classes on household chores. We evaluated the effectiveness of the "Dental Health" prevention program introduced into the specialized educational process by the following indices DMFT, simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S); PMA index modified by Parma assessed the condition of the gums. Statistical data were processed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 18.0 application sof tware package.Results. The effectiveness analysis of the author's program for children with moderate mental retardation revealed that the level of oral hygiene in the children increased from "poor" to "good" (2.1 ± 0.3 points to good 0.2 ± 0.1 points); gingival inflammation decreased from 24.6 ± 0.5% to 14.4 ± 0.2%. Classes on dental education and hygiene training helped children with cognitive developmental disabilities to orient better in self, time and place; helped to improve memory, increase vocabulary, form new knowledge and skills, and gradually form effective communication based on the child's intellectual deficiency severity.Conclusions. The developed educational program "Dental Health" for dental diseases primary prevention in children with cognitive developmental disabilities allowed the formation of stable oral care skills, proved by a good score of oral hygiene indices.

Influence of gender and oral health knowledge on DMFT index: a cross sectional study among school children in Kaski District, Nepal

BackgroundOral health problems are highly prevalent among school children in Nepal. Poor oral health condition may be influenced by various factors. However, little is known about the sociodemographic and awareness related factors on oral health problems among school children in Nepal. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association of gender and knowledge on DMFT index among school children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among school children of Grade Seven in 12 schools of Kaski district in Nepal. Schools were randomly selected from the urban and semi-urban areas in the district. Data were collected covering oral health knowledge, socio-demographic characteristics, oral health condition and practices. The factors of poor oral health condition and practices were examined using t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.ResultsOf the total participants (n = 669), 54.9% were females and their mean DMFT score was 1.82 (SD = 1.07). Total decayed score was higher among those who did not have knowledge that fluoride prevents decay compared to those who had knowledge about it (Being aware of fluoride prevents decay: Mean = 1.21 (SD = 1.54) versus not being aware of that: mean = 2.13 (SD = 2.13); p = 0.029). Females were more likely to have higher DMFT scores compared to males (β-coefficient = 0.43, 95% CI 0.13, 0.73, p = 0.005). In addition, higher knowledge score was negatively associated with higher DMFT score (β-coefficient = − 0.09, 95% CI − 0.20, -0.01, p = 0.047).ConclusionBeing female students and those having lower level of knowledge on oral health attributed to higher DMFT index. Periodic dental check-up coupled with oral health education on regular brushing, use of fluoridated paste, tongue cleaning and care of gum diseases are recommended in schools.

Social capital and dental caries among 3-5-year-old Indian children. A cross-sectional study.

The aim of the study is to investigate the association between social capital and dental caries among 3-5-year-old preschool children in a rural region of southern India. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 children ranging from 3 to 5 years-old and their parents from 13 preschools of the Udupi region of south India between December 2018, and February 2019. A 16-item Social Capital Scale (SCS) was used to collect data from the children's parents regarding their social capital. The diet history was collected from the parents and the children were examined for dental caries using the dmft index in their schools. Dental caries among preschool children had a negative association with parental social capital, and significantly contributed to variances in dental caries along with socioeconomic and dietary factors.

AMASI epidemiological study on children living in L'Aquila.

The aim of the study is to observe the statistical relationship between children's habits, oral heath, pregnancy history and breastfeeding. A cross-sectional study was carried out on the pupils of the first and second grades of the primary schools of the "Silvestro" and "Amiternum" school districts of L'Aquila (Italy). The study population consisted of 496 (244 females and 252 males) students. The data were collected through anamnesis carried out by qualified health personnel before dental examination. According to the WHO criteria clinical teething examination standard, the presence of caries was determined by the dmft index (decayed-filled-missing deciduous teeth). Shapiro-Wilk test, Chi-square test and t test used. P values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. There is not enough evidence to advise against breastfeeding lasting more than one year due to the risk of tooth decay. Supportive practices need to be implemented to counteract risk factors. A larger sample is needed to study the role of human milk.

Frequency of Dental Caries in Undergraduate Dental Students

Aim: To determine the frequency of dental caries in undergraduate dental students. Study design: Cross-sectional study Place and duration of study: Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad from 1st March 2022 to 31stAugust 2022. Methodology:One hundred and forty students of dental with ages 17-25 years were enrolled. Detailed demographics were recorded after informed written consent. More than 25 years age students and reluctant students were excluded.Procedure recommended by WHO was followed to document the oral health status for dental caries. Results: There were 63(45%) males and 77(55%) females. Maximum of the students 37(26.4%) and 36(25.7%) belong to the age group 19-21 and 21-23 respectively. Seventy nine (56.3%) were the residents of urban area while 23(16.42%), 39(27.85%), 32(22.85%) and 46(32.85%) students were taken from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year respectively. Out of all the pupils, 103(73.57%) had dental caries with a DMFT score (&gt;0), whereas 37(26.43%) were healthy. Conclusion: Compared to men, women are more likely to progress dental caries. The average total DMFT score differential did not affect either party much. DMFT score and age cluster associations were very statistically significant. The average DMFT score for females across the different academic levels did not differ significantly. While other DMFT score elements were non-significant, the decaying factor of the average DMFT score dramatically reduced. Keywords: Dental Caries, DMFT Index, World Health Organization (WHO)

DENTAL CARIES STATUS OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE WORK AREA OF CIBEUNYING HEALTH CENTER BANDUNG DISTRICT

Riset Kesehatan Dasar (Riskesdas) stated in 2018 that Indonesia's most significant dental problem was tooth decay/cavities/pain (45.3%). Pregnant women are susceptible to dental and oral diseases such as caries and gingivitis if they do not maintain dental and oral hygiene conditions. The study aimed to determine the DMF-T index of pregnant women in Cibeunying Health Center, Bandung Regency, West Java. The study's population was a cross-sectional study of all pregnant women who came to the KIA poly and Posyandu in the working area of ​​the Cibeunying Health Center. A random sampling technique was used to select the subjects. The DMFT index measured the caries index. The results of this study showed that the DMF-T index of pregnant women in the working area of ​​the Cibeunying Health Center was 7.68. Based on the study's results, it was concluded that the caries index in pregnant women is high.

Association between dental caries and obesity among Libyan schoolchildren during the armed conflict in Benghazi

BackgroundDental caries and Obesity in children are issues of public health concern. Even though researching the relationship between these two noncommunicable diseases has been conducted for many years, the results remain equivocal. This paper aimed to examine the association between dental caries and obesity among 12-year-old schoolchildren living in war-affected environment in Benghazi.MethodsA secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of caries among 12-year-old school children in Benghazi in 2017 during the armed conflict that affected the city. The data extracted for the analysis included sociodemographic of the participants (gender, maternal education and school type), caries experience (DMFT index), and anthropometric measures (height in cm, weight in kg, BMI and Z score for BMI). Comparisons of anthropometric measures were conducted according to caries experience. Linear regression models were developed to determine the association between Body Mass Index and Z score as outcome variables, caries as an explanatory variable, and covariates (gender, maternal education and school type). Beta coefficient (β) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. All statistical tests were conducted at p ≤ 0.05.ResultsThere were 782 children with a mean (SD) BMI of 20.7 SD5.09 and an average z (SD) score of 0.56 SD1.51. Also, 159 (20%) children had obesity. No significant association was observed between caries and anthropometric measures. However, higher BMI was observed in children from a private school (p ≤ 0.001***), females (p ≤ 0.001***) and self-reported regular sugary drinks consumers (p ≤ 0.001***).ConclusionThe present study shows no significant association between dental caries and anthropometric measures. However, the study findings support the notion of tackling sugar intake as a common risk factor for caries and obesity, which should be encouraged in the Libyan culture.

Relation between caries experience and the consumption of sweetened drinks and processed food in children: A population-based study.

Diet can play a role in caries disease and the consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased over the years. The purpose was to propose predictive models on the relation between caries experience, diet, sex, and oral health aspects. This cross-sectional study included 5213 schoolchildren aged 2-11 years and a questionnaire based on WHO Oral Health Survey was applied to assess the intake of sugary foods, oral hygiene practices, access to health services and parents' perception; dmft/DMFT index, biofilm accumulation and orthodontic treatment need were assessed by 6 calibrated dentists. The logistic model showed that female sex and presence of biofilm increased the chance of having early childhood caries; besides, this chance increased by 17% for each additional day of sweetened drink intake. In children aged 6-11 years, a negative binomial regression model showed that the absence of biofilm and frequency of toothbrushing were related to lower caries index, while male sex and the consumption of salty snacks and cake/cookies were related to higher dmft+DMFT index. Disagreement or weak agreement between caregivers' perception of the presence of dental caries and children's need for dental treatment was found. Early childhood caries was dependent on the consumption of sweetened drinks and the presence of biofilm, while in older children the caries experience was predicted by the consumption of snacks, cakes and biscuits, biofilm accumulation and toothbrushing frequency, emphasizing the need of health education to encourage healthy eating habits and oral care with an approach to parents/caregivers to prevent dental caries development.

Development and validation of a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire that assesses the dietary intake related with dental health in children: A pilot study

This study aimed to develop a validated and reliable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that assess dietary intake related with dental health in children. Children, two-to-nine-years old, who consulted to a paediatric dental clinic for any reason, were recruited to complete the FFQ and 24-h recall, inquired oral hygiene habits, performed oral examinations, recorded dmft(s)/DMFT(S) index, and taken anthropometric measurements. The statistical methods used for validation were Wilcoxon signed rank test, Spearman ranked correlations, weighted kappa statistic and Bland-Altman graphs were drawn. Besides, intraclass and spearman correlation coefficients calculated for the reliability. A total of 120 children participated in to the first stage of the study while 70 participants completed the 4-month period. The Spearman correlation coefficient and weighted kappa values confirmed that the FFQ had moderate validation against the food records for lactose, calcium and phosphorus. Dietary fat, fibre, lactose, calcium, potassium, fluoride, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc intakes were negatively and statistically significantly correlated with DMFT and DMFS according to both FFQ and 24-h (p<0.05, for each). Furthermore, a positive correlation between DMFT/S and dietary carbohydrate, starch, polysaccharide and sucrose intakes was obtained. These results provide the preliminary evidence for the moderated reliability and validity of the FFQ; the higher DMFT and DMFS scores might be linked to lower dietary intakes of fat, fibre, lactose, calcium, potassium, fluorine, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc; and probably higher dietary intakes of carbohydrate, starch, polysaccharide and sucrose in children.

Dental conditions in patients with medically unexplained oral symptoms

Background/purpose: Dentists sometimes struggle with treating patients with unexplained symptoms, known as oral psychosomatic disorders, that do not improve with conventional treatment. Oral psychosomatic disorders do not fit the definition of psychosomatic diseases in internal medicine. To ensure appropriate dental treatment, it is important for general dentists to distinguish between oral psychosomatic disorders and psychosomatic diseases. However, relevant evaluation methods have not yet been developed. The DMFT index is widely used as an indicator of the caries status. The purpose of this study was to compare the DMFT index scores of patients with oral psychosomatic. Materials and methodsThe DMFT scores of 2202 patients with oral psychosomatic disorders, 145 psychiatric inpatients, and 3940 general dental patients were statistically compared. The DMFT of patients with oral psychosomatic disorders was further compared based on the presence or absence of psychiatric history and disease. ResultsThe median DMFT scores of oral psychosomatic disorder patients, psychiatric inpatients, and general dental patients were 16, 22, and 10, respectively, showing a significant difference. No significant differences were found in the DMFT scores based on the presence or absence of psychiatric history in oral psychosomatic disorder patients. ConclusionThe intraoral environment of patients with oral psychosomatic disorders was worse than that of general dental patients but better than that of psychiatric inpatients. General dentists could suspect psychiatric and oral psychosomatic disorders based on the state of patients’ oral environment.

The state of oral health in patients with haemophilia in the Netherlands.

Previous studies show contradictory outcomes regarding dental, gingival and periodontal status in persons with haemophilia (PWH) compared to healthy controls. PWH may experience disease-specific barriers to access dental care due to their bleeding tendency, which may lead to delays in oral care and severe dental problems. To determine the current subjective and objective oral health status in adult PWH. Randomly selected PWH of the Erasmus MC Haemophilia Treatment Center (HTC), Rotterdam, the Netherlands, were invited to participate. Data was collected using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14NL) and personal interviews. A dentist used the DMFT index, the Dutch Periodontal Screening index (DPSI), plaque and bleeding index to score the dental status. Forty-eight adult PWH were included in this study, 20 mild, 15 moderate-severe and 13 severe haemophilia with a mean age of 44.7. PWH scored low on the OHIP-14 questionnaire (median total score 1.0; IQR .0-3.0), indicating a high self-rating oral health status. The number of bleeding events, bleeding- and plaque index score was not statistically significant between patients with mild, moderate or severe haemophilia. The mean number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT-score) was significantly lower in the group of patients with severe haemophilia (median 2.0) compared to mild haemophilia (median 16.0) (p=.04). Twenty-five patients (52.1%) reported to have encountered bleeding problems during or after dental interventions during their lifetime. Dutch adult PWH A/B have good dental status and oral health status.

Evaluation and Management of Oral Complications in Oral Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Background: Mucositis, xerostomia, dysgeusia, trismus, radiation caries, osteomyelitis, and osteoradionecrosis are a few examples of radiotherapy (RT) complications, eventually distressing the patient’s life. Objectives: To study the oral complications emerging due to RT and evaluate dental management of such complications before, during, and post-RT in oral cancer patients. Methods: Patients were evaluated on various parameters, which include the Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S), Periodontal Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), D – Decayed, M – Missing due to caries, F – Filled, T – permanent teeth (DMFT) Index, mucositis, xerostomia, dysgeusia, and interincisal distance before, during (10th session and last session), and 1 month after the last session of RT were evaluated and compared. Statistical Analysis: The following tests were applied: Chi-square test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and standard deviation method. Results: P value &lt;0.001 in OHI-S, PI, GI, DMFT index, mucositis, xerostomia, and dysgeusia, which is statistically significant. There was no difference found statistically in the interincisal distance. Conclusions: Oral healthcare team serves a vital role in preventing and managing short- and long-term complications of RT. There should be a mandatory prerequisite to visit an oral physician before, during, and after RT for supportive and palliative oral care.

Optimization of monitoring of pregnant women with various risk of dental caries relapse

The aim of the study is determination of the effectiveness of technologies for predicting the progressive course of dental caries in pregnant women. We examined 511 pregnant women aged 18-40 years with dental caries (304 were included in a main group, 207 were enrolled in controls), who were assessed the DMFT index sequentially in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. The prognosis of recurrence of dental caries was determined by the method of two-stage clinical and laboratory prognosis. The prevalence of dental caries in the main group was 89.1% (271 out of 304 patients), in the control group - 87.9% (182 out of 207 patients). In the third trimester of pregnancy 36.2% of women in the main group had a recurrence of caries (vs 43.0% in the control group). Early examination of patients in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, followed by monitoring of the state of the organs and tissues of the mouth, made it possible to achieve timely treatment of dental caries and prevent its recurrence. In the third trimester of pregnancy, the DMFT-index in the dispensary group, in contrast to the control group, was statistically significantly (p<0.05) lower by 12.3%, which indicated the effective use of the proposed monitoring. The use of a system for providing dental treatment and preventive care in the form of screening, dynamic forecasting and assessment of the risk of recurrence of caries in pregnant women with dental caries and a high risk of its progression makes it possible to stop the development of this process and ensure the preservation of dental health.

Salivary protein candidates for biomarkers of oral disorders in people with a crack cocaine use disorder

The use of cocaine and its main derivative, crack, can cause some systemic effects that may lead to the development of some oral disorders. To assess the oral health of people with a crack cocaine use disorder and identify salivary protein candidates for biomarkers of oral disorders. A total of 40 volunteers hospitalized for rehabilitation for crack cocaine addiction were enrolled; nine were randomly selected for proteomic analysis. Intraoral examination, report of DMFT, gingival and plaque index, xerostomia, and non-stimulated saliva collection were performed. A list of proteins identified was generated from the UniProt database and manually revised. The mean age (n=40) was 32 (±8.88; 18-51) years; the mean DMFT index was 16±7.70; the mean plaque and gingival index were 2.07±0.65 and 2.12±0.64, respectively; and 20 (50%) volunteers reported xerostomia. We identified 305 salivary proteins (n=9), of which 23 were classified as candidate for biomarkers associated with 14 oral disorders. The highest number of candidates for biomarkers was associated with carcinoma of head and neck (n=7) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (n=7), followed by periodontitis (n=6). People with a crack cocaine use disorder had an increased risk of dental caries and gingival inflammation; less than half had oral mucosal alterations, and half experienced xerostomia. As possible biomarkers for 14 oral disorders, 23 salivary proteins were identified. Oral cancer and periodontal disease were the most often associated disorders with biomarkers.