Good Oral Health Care Research Articles

Common dental myths in South Indian population - a qualitative study

ABSTRACT The prevalence of dental misconceptions is significant in modern day. This can be attributed to the contrasting cultural, social and educational exposure of the public. Previous research on dental myths has primarily employed cross-sectional and closed-ended questionnaire methods. However, this study was planned as a qualitative research utilizing open-ended interviews enabling the participants to a greater degree of expression of their opinions and to explore the broader scope of dental myths in practice. Twenty-five participants above the age of 18 years were probed through one-to-one unstructured interviews. The interviews were audiotaped with consent and the transcribed texts were analyzed to identify categories and themes. Manifestations of common dental myths were grouped into five themes namely caries, tooth brushing, extraction, aesthetic care, and primary teeth. This study validated the wide prevalence of dental misconceptions among the public and calls for a combined effort from both patients and dentists to debunk baseless myths and facilitate good oral health care.

Pendidikan dan Pelatihan tentang Pengaruh Gizi Seimbang Terhadap Kesehatan Umum dan Rongga Mulut Tim Penggerak PKK Cideng Jakarta Pusat

Nutrition has an important role during the growth and development of children in general, especially in the oral cavity. Children who are malnourished can cause abnormalities in the hard tissue of the teeth and periodontal. Abnormalities in the oral cavity can disrupt masticatory function, which can affect food intake. Parental knowledge is important in choosing food for the family, because it can affect the nutritional status of children and their families. This Community Service (PkM) were attended by 36 participants from the PKK mobilization team, Cideng, Central Jakarta. The materials provided are the effect of balanced nutrition on general health, the effect of nutrition on the tooth supporting tissue, the impact and prevention of poor dental health and good oral health care in power points, videos and posters. The results of the PkM training were evaluated by a pre-post test using a google form. The evaluation results showed an increase in participants' knowledge scores from an average pre-test score of 45.78 to an average post-test score of 82.19. It is hoped that this PkM activity can increase the knowledge of the PKK mobilization team, so that in the future they can provide education to the public regarding the influence of balanced nutrition on general health and the oral cavity as well as how to maintain oral health.

Integrating oral health in the nursing curriculum: Formulating learning objectives using a Delphi-study.

Background. Oral health and oral health care should be an integral part of the standard health care provision for care dependent individuals. Nevertheless, it is often neglected when confronted with limited time for daily hygiene care by caregivers, and it is experienced as difficult, intimate, and sometimes even shameful for both the caregiver and the care dependent person. Previous research revealed that nurses had poor knowledge, skills and attitudes towards oral health. Recently, training programmes in oral health care are being developed for care-organisations and international research is exploring the curriculum of caregivers. This research showed half of the respondents being aware of the relation between oral and general health and did not see the need to incorporate oral health care in the curriculum.
 Aim. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the extent of oral health care education in the curriculum that is necessary and feasible to make nurses competent to provide good oral health care for dependent persons. This will be translated into learning objectives that can be implemented in the curriculum of nurses.
 Method. First, to map the proportion of oral health care in the Flemish curricula for nurses, all European Credit Transfer System files (ECTS fiches) were evaluated. In addition, a survey was sent to teachers and curriculum coordinators to ask about the extent of oral health education in their program. Second, a Delphi study will be set up to build a consensus about the relevant oral health topics for nurses. The Delphi study consists of 3 rounds and an additional round with focus groups. Three target groups will be asked to participate: (1) oral health professionals, (2) teachers of the curriculum for nurses, and (3) nurses already employed in the field. A fourth round will discuss the ambivalent topics within and between target groups using several focus groups of important stakeholders.
 Results. ECTS files of the academic year 2019-2020 were used in the analysis. About half of the organisations who offered a 4-year nursing bachelor mentioned oral health care related topics in their ECTS fiches. The organisations spent a little over 2 hours on oral health care theory and 1.5 hours of practical oral health care training during the 4-year bachelor training or in the school. Lack of time, difficulty of the subject and low relevance were the most important mentioned barriers. A practical training was mentioned about the performance of oral care during their internship. The Delphi study will be carried out between November 2022 and June 2023. Preliminary results will be discussed during the ICIC conference.
 Discussion. Even though oral health care is an essential part of the daily care for patients, oral health care is seen as not so relevant and it is only minimally covered in their curriculum. With the reported barriers in mind, reaching a consensus between oral health professionals and caregivers is crucial for the introduction of oral health care learning objectives in the curriculum for nursing degrees.

Psychometric evaluation of a short-form version of the Swedish “Attitudes to and Knowledge of Oral Health” questionnaire

BackgroundHealthcare professionals’ attitudes to and knowledge of oral health are fundamental to providing good oral health care to older adults. One instrument that assesses healthcare professionals’ attitudes to and knowledge of oral health in a Swedish context is the “Attitudes to and Knowledge of Oral health” (AKO) questionnaire. Two of the three item-groups of the AKO have previously been validated in a Swedish context. However, it is crucial that all three item-groups are validated, and beneficial to design a shorter, easy-to-use questionnaire for healthcare professionals while maintaining adequate integrity of its reliability and validity. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a short-form version of AKO and to secure its psychometric properties.MethodsPsychometric evaluation with Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory to validate and shorten AKO with 611 healthcare professionals from a population of 1159 working in a municipality in an urban area in western Sweden.ResultsOf the original 16 items in the AKO, 13 were shown to warrant retention in the abbreviated/shortened form. These showed acceptable validity and reliability for assessing healthcare professionals’ attitudes to and knowledge of oral health.ConclusionThis validated short-form version of AKO shows acceptable validity and reliability after being reduced to 13 items, structured in a 3-part scale. The items are consistent with the total scale, indicating that the internal consistency is acceptable. Future studies should be performed to evaluate AKO in other groups of healthcare professionals, across cultures, languages, and so on, to investigate its use and strengthen its validity and reliability.

Factors For Determining Dental Anxiety Level in Elementary School Children with Tooth Extraction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Anxiety in the action of tooth extraction is often caused by the use of sharp objects that are carried out gradually into the oral cavity. Anxiety of dental medical personnel can be the main cause decline dental and oral health. The problem in this study is dental anxiety about tooth extraction in children at SDN Pekarungan Kec. Sukodono, from the results of initial data collection, it was found that 40% had low and moderate anxiety. This study aims to determine the effect of factors for determining dental anxiety in elementary school children with tooth extraction. Methods: The type of research used is analytic cross sectional with purposive sampling technique, the total population is 416 students and the sample obtained is 87 respondents using the cross-sectional formula. Data analysis using chi-square test and ordinal regression analysis. The result of the study there are two factors that influence dental anxiety on tooth extraction using chi-square test, namely gender (p=0.035) and parents education (p=0.001) and there is the most influential factor using logistic regression analysis test, namely parents education ( p=0.001) with an odds ratio value (9.31). In conclusion, most of the respondents experienced moderate anxiety and the influencing factors were gender and parent’s education. The benefit of this research is to provide input for health workers, especially dentists and dental nurses, in providing good dental and oral health care efforts by paying attention to the level of anxiety in pediatric patients who will have their teeth extracted.

Infant oral health care in pediatric intensive care unit: Need for capacity building

Oral health care is very important for the overall health of infants. To minimize the risk of infection, the development of healthy and strong teeth is the major benefit to take care of the oral cavity. Infants admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are most of the time either intubated or on ventilators and are subsequently at a higher risk of the development of nosocomial infections. The researcher’s highlighted that there is consistent negligence of infant’s oral health while their PICU stay. This article explores that there is a strong need for standardized oral hygiene practices and guidelines use to be followed in PICU. Pediatric nursing professionals and health-care providers should be educated and encouraged regarding the life-long importance of good oral health care for infants.

KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE ABOUT ORAL HEALTH MAINTENANCE AMONG WOMEN IN SHELTER HOME: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective:
 To assess the knowledge about oral hygiene and practice of oral health maintenance among women of shelter home. 
 Materials and Methods:
 This was a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered structured questionnaire(5) written in English and validated through a pilot study. Data collection was done from women of shelter home in five visits and total duration of study was 6 months (January-June 2021). All the participants were explained the nature and purpose of the study. Total number of 92 Women responded. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20.
 Results:
 Majority of the participants had knowledge about oral health(99%) knowledge regarding consequences of poor oral hygiene was (90%) and its effect on general health (93%) .knowledge related to inter dental aids was (6.5%). The second section showed oral health behavior and the attitudes of the participants: majority responded to practicing cleaning their teeth (99%), in which only 58% clean once daily and 54% uses tooth paste/brush. About 87% of the respondents had bleeding gums. Similarly 84% had halitosis and experienced symptoms of gingivitis Only 11% of the participants used mouth washes, visiting a dentist when having a problem was 81%. The third section was related to habits / addiction : majority were addicted to tea/coffee 86%, while frequency of intake 2-5 cup daily.
 Conclusion:
 Women of shelter home have satisfactory knowledge about oral health but putting it into practice is not optimistic. There is need to improve their oral health through organized efforts and establishing a good oral health care system within the shelter home.

Training and interprofessional collaboration to improve oral care for older people

Collaboration between oral care providers, district nurses and/or carers and nurse practioners in primary care is necessary to improve the oral health of frail and care-dependent older people. On the one hand, this is important when the oral health of older people is at risk of deteriorating and support in daily oral hygiene care is needed. On the other hand, it makes it easier for district nurses and carers to consult the oral care provider when they identify oral health problems. In general, interprofessional care contributes to a better awareness of the importance of good oral health and oral care in older people. On-the-job training could be an effective method for training oral health care skills by care professionals. .

Patient Satisfaction Towards Dentist-Patient Interaction Among Patients Attending Outpatient Dental Clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Objective: To determine the satisfaction with the dentist-patient interaction and factors associated with patient satisfaction among patients attending the outpatient dental clinic Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 229 patients who attended outpatient dental clinic Hospital USM that located in the East Coast region of Malaysia. A self-administered Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan – 11 (SKIP-11) questionnaire was used to assess the satisfaction towards dentist-patient interaction. Systematic random sampling was applied in this study. The data were analyzed using simple logistic regression analysis to determine the factors associated with patient satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction. Results: The mean age of patients was 32.6 ± 13.9 years, 71.6% of them study up to tertiary level, 31.5% came to for dental check up and 23.6% of them had tooth decay. More than half (64.6%) of the patients were satisfactory with dentist-patient interaction. The satisfaction percentage in the distress relief domain was 60.7%, 56.8% in the rapport domain, and 53.7% in the interaction outcome domain. Satisfaction with dentist-patient interaction was significantly associated with the dentists’ characteristics such as age (OR = 0.583, 95%CI 0.44-0.76, p=0.001), gender (OR = 0.386, 95% CI 0.22-0.69, p=0.001) and years of service (OR = 0.294, 95% CI 0.15-0.57, p=0.001) . Conclusion: The result showed that slightly more than half of the patients who attended the outpatient dental clinic HUSM were satisfied with the dentist-patient interaction, which was found to be influenced by the characteristics of the dentists. Efforts to improve patient-dentist interaction are recommended to ensure delivery of good quality oral health care.

The Effects of an Experimental Green Tea Extract Gel on the Surface Roughness of Bleached Teeth with Carbamide Peroxide Gels

Esthetics of the enamel surface is an important factor for a good oral health care. The mastication process could damage the enamel surface by hydroxyapatite layer alteration via local demineralization and micro scratches. We developed an experimental green tea extract gel for enamel restoring treatment. Microstructure features were investigated by SEM microscopy and the surface details were revealed by AFM. The surface roughness and hydroxyapatite grains size and shape were the parameters followed into the investigation. The results show that the best restoring is obtained by the experimental gel leading to surface parameters similar to the healthy enamel better than the values obtained with opalescence carbamide gel.

Insights into the oral health crisis amongst pre-schoolers in Aotearoa/New Zealand: a discourse analysis of parent/caregiver experiences

BackgroundThe oral health of pre-schoolers is garnering international as a crisis as good oral health is a key precursor to positive health outcomes. Internationally, and within Aotearoa/New Zealand, responses been restricted to those based in a medical model and the commercialisation of oral health. Absent from existing commentary are the lived realities of parents/caregivers beliefs, attitudes and responsiveness, or lack of, to the oral health of pre-schoolers.MethodsThe researcher undertook a discursive analysis of parents/caregivers narratives to understand the barriers to engaging in effective protective behaviours. The 15 focus groups were conducted in urban and rural locations across Aotearoa/New Zealand.ResultsA discursive analysis revealed several pervasive discourses, including ‘second chance’ and ‘enjoyment’ discourses, and systems-related deficits that act as barriers to engaging in good oral healthcare practices.ConclusionsThe analysis demonstrates the benefit of placing the lived experiences of parents/caregivers as central to the development of oral health interventions. There is a need to link oral health data with primary care data and to distribute accurate oral health information to support parents’/caregivers’ decision making. This research reveals several pervasive discourses and systems-related deficits that provide a fertile ground for future public health responsiveness.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Essentials for a Dental Expert

Unique is a method that could help diagnosing a psychiatry condition, such as autism, by properly completing a patient's clinical history, with a comprehensive physical examination. It is important to diagnose individuals with autism spectrum, since providing a good oral health care to these people requires that the dentist has specialized knowledge, an increased awareness and care while performing the treatment, and even patient support strategies which must be adapted to each case. Every patient with autism is different to the rest, which makes their diagnosis and treatment difficult. Likewise, not all dentists are qualified to provide a good oral health care to patients diagnosed with autism spectrum, so many families must fight with that barrier every day. Finally, not every person with autism, or their families, are able to afford the cost of dental care with a qualified dentist, which is an important concern for them.

Teledentistry: A Need of the Hour

Almost two-thirds of the Indian population lives in rural areas and is unable to get good oral health care services due to various barriers like poverty, lack of transportation, lack of education and awareness, etc. An amalgamation of telecommunication and dentistry is known as ‘Teledentistry’, which involves switch-over the clinical information in remote areas for diagnosis, consultation, health education, and treatment planning. Due to the enormous growth of technological capabilities, teledentistry possesses the potential to fundamentally change the current practice and the face of dental care. It also has an immense perspective to overcome the disparities in oral healthcare between rural and urban populations. This review focuses on the wide range of use of teledentistry in all the specialities in dentistry, and also focuses on the future perspective of teledentistry and its need in Indian scenario.

Oral diseases and oral health related behaviors in adolescents living in Maasai population areas of Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOral diseases, such as dental caries, tooth wear, dental erosion and periodontal diseases are major health problems in many societies. The study aim was to explore the association between oral health related behaviors and the presence of oral diseases in adolescents living in Maasai population areas in the northern part of Tanzania.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in 2016 using one stage cluster sample design. A total of 989 adolescents were invited and 906 (91.6%; (Maasais n = 721, non Maasais n = 185) accepted the invitation and completed an interview and clinical oral examination in a school setting (mean age 13.4 years, SD 1.2, range 12–17 years). Chi-square test, bivariate analysis and logistic regression were performed to analyze data.ResultsLogistic regression revealed that: adolescents with low frequency of tooth cleaning (OR = 10.0, CI 4.3–20.0) was associated with poor oral hygiene and that more regular tooth cleaning (OR = 0.1, CI 0.04–0.14) and the use of plastic type of tooth brush (OR = 0.7, CI 0.53–0.99) were associated with less gingival bleeding. High consumption of biscuits (OR = 2.5, CI 1.7–3.8) was associated with presence of dental caries and the use of magadi (OR = 24.2, CI 11.6–50.6) as a food additive was the covariate for more severe dental fluorosis (TF grade 5–9). Regular intake of carbonated soft drinks (OR = 1.6, CI 1.1–2.5) and regular tooth cleaning (OR = 1.7, CI 1.1–2.6) were independently associated with dental erosion. Using teeth as a tool for: biting nails (OR = 1.9, CI 1.4–2.4), opening soda (OR = 1.8, CI 1.4–2.4) and holding needles (OR = 1.6, CI 1.3–2.1) were covariates for tooth wear. Adolescents who reported to clench/grind their teeth (OR = 2.3, CI 1.5–3.7) was the only covariate for TMD. In several of the investigated factors, there were significant differences between the Maasai and non Maasai ethnic groups.ConclusionOral health related behaviors have a significant impact on oral diseases/conditions among adolescents attending primary schools in Maasai population areas with obvious differences in behavior between the Maasai and non Maasai ethnic groups. There is a need for addressing oral health and to encourage behaviors that promote good oral health and dental care service utilization in this society.

Accessibility to oral health care for people on social assistance: a survey of social service providers from Public Welfare Centers in Flanders

The goals of the present study were as follows: (i) to explore the characteristics of the Flemish Public Centers for Social Welfare (PCSW) concerning oral health care; (ii) to explore possible barriers experienced by people on social assistance and oral health-care providers; and (iii) to explore the accessibility of general and oral health care for people on social assistance. The data of this cross-sectional study were obtained by a survey of social service providers working in a PCSW. For this purpose, a new questionnaire was developed. The survey was validated by means of a pilot study. All 306 PCSWs in Flanders were invited to participate in this survey, of which 192 (62.7%) responded. The findings demonstrate that for people on social assistance, financial limitations and low prioritisation of oral health are the main barriers to good oral health care. The study reveals that such individuals experience greater financial barriers and poorer access to a dentist than to a general medical practitioner. The study also reveals that dentists report financial concerns and administrative burdens as the main barriers in treating this subgroup. The responses of PCSWs demonstrate that local dentists are reluctant to treat this subgroup. Additional efforts are needed to improve the accessibility of oral health care for people on social assistance. Recommended improvements at the organisational level could improve increased education to target the population on the importance of oral health care. Administrative burden and financial concerns of the providers also need to be addressed to decrease their reluctance to work with those on social assistance.

Influence of induced infection in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw development after tooth extraction: A study in rats

PurposeThe mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) development have not yet been fully elucidated. MRONJ is described as a multi-factorial process in which bacterial infection seems to play an important role. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of a primary installed infectious disease in the development of MRONJ after dental extraction. Materials and methodsTwenty-six rats underwent pulpal exposure of one upper and one lower first molar to induce periapical lesions. Thereafter, animals received zoledronate during a 4-week period. The day after the last injection, the four first molars from each quadrant were extracted. Eight weeks later, animals were sacrificed for macroscopic, radiological, and histological assessment. ResultsThe incidence of MRONJ was highest in mandibular infected teeth (47.4%), while the histological evaluation showed the highest incidence of osteonecrosis (88.2%) and the largest mean value for extent of the necrotic bone area (1.22 ± 0.71 mm2). Radiological findings confirmed the clinical and histological results. Statistical analysis showed that the combination of both factors, mandibular localization and periapical infection, significantly increased the incidence of MRONJ after extraction, considering clinical (p = 0.0074), radiological (p = 0.026), and histological (p = 0.0022) outcomes. ConclusionThese findings support the potential implication of inflammatory/infectious dental pathology in initiating the osteonecrotic process before dental extraction. The possible partial role of the infectious process in MRONJ development emphasizes the importance of maintaining good oral health and dental care for preventing infectious pathology in the management of these patients.

Oral microbiota reduce wound healing capacity of epithelial monolayers, irrespective of the presence of 5-fluorouracil.

Oral mucositis is still one of the most painful side effects of chemotherapeutic treatment and a mounting body of evidence suggests a key role for the oral microbiome in mucositis development. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this work, we have investigated the interactions between the host, the microbiome, and chemotherapeutic treatments in more detail. The effect of 5-fluorouracil, commonly inducing mucositis, was assessed on a co-culture model that consists of an epithelial cell layer and a biofilm derived from oral microbiota from different types of samples (saliva, buccal swabs and tongue swabs) and donors (healthy individuals and patients suffering from mucositis). After 24 h co-incubation, all oral microbial samples were found to reduce wound healing capacity with 26 ± 15% as compared with untreated condition. Compared with saliva and tongue samples, buccal samples were characterized by lower bacterial cell counts and hence higher wound healing capacity. For samples from healthy individuals, an inverse correlation was observed between bacterial cell counts and wound healing capacity, whereas for patients suffering from mucositis no correlation was observed. Moreover, patient-derived samples had a less diverse microbial community and higher abundances of pathogenic genera. No major impact of 5-fluorouracil on wound healing capacity or the composition of the microbiome was seen at physiologically relevant concentrations in the mouth. In conclusion, bacterial cell count is inversely correlated with wound healing capacity, which emphasizes the importance of oral hygiene during oral wound healing in healthy individuals. However, future research on extra measures besides oral hygiene is needed to assure a good wound healing during mucositis, as for patients the bacterial composition seems also crucial. The direct effect of 5-fluorouracil on both the microbiome and wound healing is minimal, pointing to the importance of the host and its immune system in chemotherapy-induced microbial shifts. Impact statement Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis has a major impact on the quality of life of patients. The additional costs and treatment time associated with this pathology are significant. Although the pathology of the disease is well understood, the role and importance of oral microbiota currently are less clear. In this study, we focused on the effect of oral microbiota on wound healing, the final phase of oral mucositis, during 5-FU exposure. We show that the bacterial load and composition have a major impact on the healing process in contrast to 5-FU which only marginally slows down healing. This emphasizes the importance of good oral health care during oral mucositis to minimize bacterial load around the oral lesions. However, since we show that also the composition of the oral microbiome plays a role in wound recovery, the identification of specific pathogenic species or their metabolites might be worthwhile to allow proper treatment.

School Dental Health Services In Pakistan: A Challenging Situation

A good oral health care is directly related to the general health of the entire body. The dental diseases are most common and widespread diseases around the world. But it is challenging for developing countries

Oral hygiene and mouth care for older people in acute hospitals: part 2.

Acute hospital admission provides an excellent opportunity to address poor oral health in older people, a group rarely seen by dental professionals and for who oral health activity in hospital is inconsistent and generally suboptimal. This two-part article explores oral hygiene and mouth care provision for older adults in acute hospitals. The first article presented the findings of a literature review exploring oral and dental disease in older adults, the importance of good oral health and mouth care, and the current situation. The second article explores clinical recommendations. A change in philosophy is needed to embed oral care as an essential component of holistic practice. More research is needed to determine the best ways to assess and treat oro-dental problems in older people, and promote and restore their oral health in hospitals. Great potential exists to innovate and develop new ways of providing care to this group.

Oral hygiene and mouth care for older people in acute hospitals: part 1.

The oral health of older people in acute hospitals has rarely been studied. Hospital admission provides a prime opportunity for identification and rectification of problems, and oral health promotion. This two-part article explores oral hygiene and mouth care provision for older adults in acute hospitals. The first article presents the findings of a literature review exploring oral and dental disease in older adults, the importance of good oral health and mouth care, and the current situation. Searches of electronic databases and the websites of relevant professional health service bodies in the UK were undertaken to identify articles and guidelines. The literature shows a high prevalence of oro-dental disease in this population, with many known detrimental effects, combined with suboptimal oral hygiene and mouth care provision in acute hospitals. Several guidelines exist, although the emphasis on oral health is weaker than other aspects of hospital care. Older adults admitted to acute hospitals have a high burden of oro-dental disease and oral and mouth care needs, but care provision tends to be suboptimal. The literature is growing, but this area is still relatively neglected. Great potential exists to develop oral and mouth care in this context. The second part of this article explores clinical recommendations.