Oral Health Care Practices Research Articles

Oral health-care practices and dental assistance management strategies for people with autism spectrum disorder: An integrative literature review.

Autism spectrum disorder requires a careful approach from professionals and a favorable clinical environment for dental care and assistance. This article aims To perform a literature review about oral health among people with autism spectrum disorder and dental management strategies for this group. An integrative literature review was carried out in three databases, associating the descriptors: (autism or autism spectrum disorder) with (oral health or oral diseases) and (dental care or dental services). After identification and screening steps, 32 articles were included in the study. The most prevalent subjects were oral health conditions, parents’ understanding and practical attitudes about oral health, treatment and management strategies, and the use of technology. The principal barriers to dental care were the scarcity of specialized professionals, unpreparedness in the referral system, poor accessibility of the clinics, and lack of specific care protocols. The world literature on the subject is scarce, and there is still a need for investment and scientific production due to the incidence of autism in the world population and the maintenance of difficulties and barriers in offering quality health care to this group.

Oral Healthcare Practices and Awareness among the Parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children: A Multi-Center Study.

This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of the parents of autistic children toward oral health and the practice of oral hygiene habits. A questionnaire was constructed, validated, and distributed to the parents of autistic children at different autistic centers. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: demographic information on the parents of autistic children, the knowledge and attitudes of parents toward oral health, and the practice of oral hygiene habits in the current population. A total of 206 responses were collected. Irrespective of the parents' educational and employment statuses, most second children were diagnosed with autism, and most of the parents have four or more children. In terms of knowledge and attitudes toward oral health, a total of 90.30% of the patients were aware of the oral healthcare of their child, and 55.80% of parents take them to the dentist for checkups. Moreover, the response to the practice of oral hygiene habits from the parents was positive, and most of the parents assist in the oral hygiene practices of their autistic children. This study showed that most of the parents appeared to have satisfactory knowledge about oral health practices for autistic children. However, additional studies should also be conducted.

The effectiveness of motivational interviewing on the oral health of leukemic children and oral health care knowledge, attitude and practice of their mothers: a hospital-based intervention

BackgroundSome studies suggest a higher effectiveness of motivational interviewing compared to common oral health instruction in healthy individuals. As regards to higher prevalence of dental diseases like early childhood caries, oral mucositis, and gingivitis are reported for leukemic children, the present study aims to compare the effectiveness of educating mothers through MI with the common instruction (CI) for the oral health of children with leukemia under six years old.MethodThis quasi-experimental study was designed in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, School of Dentistry and conducted on 61 mothers with leukemic children under age six hospitalized in Mahak Hospital and Rehabilitation Complex which is a Pediatric Cancer Research and Hospital Center, in 2021. Mother and child pairs were allocated to MI or CI (using pamphlets) groups. Data was collected using a questionnaire of mothers’ knowledge, attitude, motivation, and practice concerning oral health care in leukemic children. The children underwent clinical examination to assess plaque index before and three months after the intervention. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) by ANCOVA test.ResultsThe preschoolers mean ages were 4.23 ± 1.41 and 4.32 ± 1.33 (ranged from 2 to 6 years old) in the MI and CI group, respectively. There were 16 girls (53.3%) and 14 boys (46.7%) in the MI group, and 15 girls (48.4%) and 16 boys (51.6%) in the CI group. Significant differences were observed in the amount of plaque index between the MI group and the CI group (0.20 ± 0.04, p-value < 0.001). A significant increase was observed in the mean of changes in scores of knowledge, attitude, motivation, mother’s practice concerning child’s oral health, mother’s practice concerning personal oral health in the MI group (p-value < 0.001).ConclusionsConsidering that instruction using MI showed to be effective in improving oral health adherence in mothers and reducing plaque in children with Leukemia, it may be recommended as a promising method to promote the oral health of such susceptible children in places that they are constantly present for treatment.Trial registrationThe study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) on 11.03.2021 (code: IRCT20131102015238N5).

Enhancing oral health diagnosis and treatment with artificial intelligence in dentistry

This study aims to explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing oral health diagnosis and treatment in the field of dentistry. With a sample size of 100 individuals from the population of Lahore, this research investigates the efficacy of AI technologies in revolutionizing oral healthcare practices. The traditional approach to oral health diagnosis and treatment heavily relies on subjective human judgment, leading to variations in diagnoses and treatment plans. By leveraging AI algorithms, this study demonstrates how machine learning and deep learning techniques can assist dentists in making accurate and efficient diagnoses, resulting in improved treatment outcomes. The research involves the development of an AI model trained on a dataset comprising dental records and associated clinical information. Through the analysis of this dataset, the AI model learns to recognize patterns, identify abnormalities, and predict potential oral health issues. By integrating this model into dental practices, dentists can make informed decisions based on data-driven insights, ultimately leading to enhanced patient care. Furthermore, this study evaluates the potential challenges and ethical considerations associated with implementing AI in dentistry.

Assessment of the Oral Health Care Practices and Basic Knowledge of Dental and Periodontal Diseases Among Dental Undergraduate Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Oral health plays a vital role in overall health and quality of life. Hence, it is professional dutyof undergraduate dental students to possess good knowledge of a pristine oral health,all the pros of maintenance of it, cons pertaining to poor maintenance of it and thus be able to invoke awareness and impact the masses of a developing country like Pakistan, in a positive way. Aim: The aim of the study wasto assess thebehavior, attitude and knowledge of 2ndand 3rd year dental undergraduate students regarding practices and maintenance of good oral health. Methods:A Questionnaire was designed to assess the routine practices of the students, their habits and methods used for maintenance of good oral hygiene along with testing their basic knowledge regarding its influence over the oral and systemic health of the patient. Results: It was noted that the undergraduate students needed improvement in their practices of maintainingoral hygiene. Although in their clinical years, Third Year undergrads showed adequate knowledge but inferior oral hygiene maintenance practices as compared to their Second Year counterparts. Results obtained from the questionnaires distributed among the undergrads showed that 49.5% of 3DS, and 58.5% of 2DS used Modified Bass technique for brushing whereas usage of dental cleaning aids like wooden toothpicks, interdental brushes, dental floss and oral rinses was found to be 15.5%, 14.2%, 42.3% and 50.7% among 3DS whereas 20.5%, 25.4%, 50.8%, and 60.5% in 2 DS respectively. Variations in the basic knowledge of theundergrads regarding causative agents leading to tooth decay, diseases involving the periodontium and other diseases involving various systems of the human body, are shown in Table 3. Conclusion: The cross-sectional study we carried out among our dental students provided us with a new insight into knowledge, practices, condition and maintenance of oral health among dental students, the results of which, may help to reshape dental undergrad education and thus establish a model for dentists to improve oral health care awareness, practices and services. Keywords: Knowledge of good oral hygiene, Oral hygiene maintenance methods, Dental undergrad students, Pakistan.

Oral healthcare provision at long-term care facilities in eThekwini: Perspectives of coordinators.

The prevalence and impact of oral disease among long-term institutionalised residents highlight the need for a scale-up of preventive and promotional oral health services that include oral health education and training for caregiving staff. However, opportunities to improve oral healthcare services are met with challenges. This study was undertaken to establish coordinator perspectives on oral health provision. Seven long-term care facilities in the eThekwini district, South Africa. An in-depth exploratory study was conducted with 14 purposively selected coordinators (managers and nurses). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and focused on coordinators' experience and perspectives on oral healthcare. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The following themes emerged from the study: A lack of comprehensive oral health care practices, inadequate support from the dental sector, insufficient oral health prioritisation, limited funding for oral health, and challenges associated with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). All respondents reported that no oral health initiatives existed. Plans for oral health training workshops presented with coordination and funding challenges. Oral health screening initiatives have ceased since COVID-19. The study findings indicated that prioritisation of oral health services was inadequate. There is a need for continual oral health in-service training for caregivers and support from coordinators in guiding the implementation of oral health training programmes.Contribution: It is envisaged that the findings of this study will bring about greater coordinator involvement and collaboration with the public and private dental sectors to improve oral healthcare at long-term care facilities.

Challenges in oral health research for older adults.

The high burden of chronic disease in older adults presents significant organisational and funding challenges to healthcare policymakers. However, it is a matter of debate whether research is informing oral healthcare policy at scale. The objective of the study was to identify barriers to translation of research into oral healthcare policy and practice for older adults and suggest strategies to address these barriers. The effectiveness of current models of oral health care, particularly for vulnerable older adults with special needs, is not well established. Researchers need to engage more proactively with stakeholders such as policymakers and end-users from the study design phase. This is particularly relevant for research in residential care settings. Building a rapport and developing trust with these groups will enable researchers to align their research with the priorities of policymakers. The evidence-based care paradigm, which is underpinned by randomised clinical trials (RCTs), may not be practical in population oral health research involving older adults. Alternative methods should be considered to develop an evidence-informed paradigm for oral health care in older adults. Since the pandemic, there are opportunities to use electronic health record data and digital technology. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of tele-health in oral health of older adults. Use of a wider range of co-designed studies rooted in the practicalities of "real world" health service delivery is recommended. This may address issues of concern to policymakers and stakeholders regarding oral health and increase the likelihood of translation of geriatric oral health research into oral healthcare policy and practice.

Subgingival microbiome at different levels of cognition

ABSTRACT Oral health and declining cognition may have a bi-directional association. We characterized the subgingival microbiota composition of subjects from normal cognition to severe cognitive decline in two cohorts. Memory and Periodontitis (MINOPAR) include 202 home-living participants (50–80 years) in Sweden. Finnish Oral Health Studies in Older Adults (FINORAL) include 174 participants (≥65 years) living in long-term care in Finland. We performed oral examination and assessed the cognitive level with Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). We sequenced the 16S-rRNA gene (V3-V4 regions) to analyse the subgingival bacterial compositions. The microbial diversities only tended to differ between the MMSE categories, and the strongest determinants were increased probing pocket depth (PPD) and presence of caries. However, abundances of 101 taxa were associated with the MMSE score. After adjusting for age, sex, medications, PPD, and caries, only eight taxa retained the significance in the meta-analyses of the two cohorts. Especially Lachnospiraceae [XIV] at the family, genus, and species level increased with decreasing MMSE. Cognitive decline is associated with obvious changes in the composition of the oral microbiota. Impaired cognition is accompanied with poor oral health status and the appearance of major taxa of the gut microbiota in the oral cavity. Good oral health-care practices require special deliberations among older adults.

The Role of Socioeconomic Class on Oral Healthcare Practices and Oral Health Status of Secondary School Students in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Secondary school students are at a crucial stage in their life where decisions on oral health transit from the role of parents/guardians to their sole responsibility. Understanding factors that influence their oral healthcare practices is of paramount importance. Socioeconomic class (SEC) has been suggested to have a varied effect on oral health.Objective: To determine the effect of SEC on the oral healthcare practices and oral health status of secondary school students&#x0D; Methods: The research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Information collected via a self-administered questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, SEC, oral hygiene practices, dietary habits, oral healthcare utilization and oral health perception.&#x0D; Results: A total of 370 students with mean age 15.0+1.44 participated in the study. SEC distribution was low class 32%, middle class 55%; high class 13%. There were significant associations between high SEC and twice-daily tooth brushing (p&lt;0.05), frequent change of toothbrush (p&lt;0.05), use of dental floss (p&lt;0.05), consumption of carbonated drinks (p&lt;0.05), low oral hygiene index score (p&lt;0.05), high caries experience (p&lt;0.005) and high oral healthcare utilization (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Higher SEC is associated with better oral hygiene and oral hygiene practices, poorer dietary habits and higher caries experience.

Oral Health Professionals’ and Patients’ Opinions of Type-2 Diabetes Screenings in an Oral Healthcare Setting

Objectives: As part of an evaluation of an oral healthcare practice-based model that identifies patients with prediabetes or type-2 diabetes (T2D), this study reports on the experiences and opinions of oral health professionals and patients on the screening program. Methodology: Urban and rural oral healthcare practices were invited to participate. Participating practices invited eligible patients to participate in the screening program. Patients were categorised as low, intermediate, or high-risk for prediabetes/T2D. Patients in the intermediate or high-risk category were referred to their general practitioner (GP) for further investigation. Post-screening surveys were used to assess acceptability, barriers and facilitators of the screening program among participating oral health professionals (OHP) and patients. Results: The post-screening survey was completed by 135 patient, and 38 OHPs (i.e., dentists, dental hygienists, oral health therapists). the majority of OHPs (94.6%) who delivered the protocol were satisfied with the approach. Most patients reported satisfaction with the approach (73.2%) and would recommend it to others. Several barriers for implementation were identified by OHPs and patients. Conclusion: OHPs feedback indicated that the screening model was generally acceptable. The feedback from patients following their participation in this study was overwhelmingly positive, indicating that the screening protocols were accepted by patients.

Oral care in intensive care units: Lithuanian nurses’ attitudes and practices

Aim This study examines the attitudes and practices of ICU nurses towards the provision of oral care to their patients. Objective We conducted this cross-sectional survey about oral health care practices in ICUs in Lithuania. Methods We used a self-administered 20-item questionnaire to survey the current oral care practices, training, and attitudes of 108 nurses. The questionnaire was based on previous studies to gather information related to the attitudes, oral care practices, and training of ICU nurses. We used the chi-square test to analyze relationships between the categorical variables. Results Most (88, 82%) of the nurses stated that oral care is important. Although most (83, 77%) had adequate training, a clear majority (98, 91%) of the nurses reported a willingness to learn more. Most (78, 72%) of the nurses found the oral cavity difficult to clean, and (71, 66%) found doing so unpleasant. When performing oral care, the nurses used mostly foam swabs (62, 61%) and moisturizers (54, 53%). More than half (57, 57%) of the nurses expressed a need for more hospital support. Conclusions Nurses working in ICUs reported that oral care is a high priority for their patients, but a difficult and unpleasant task. Nurses provided oral care mainly with toothbrushes, foam swabs, and moisturizers.

Evaluating the oral health knowledge, attitude and practice among undergraduate students and staff at selected federal University in Imo state, Nigeria

Oral health is an essential component of an individual’s general health and overall well-being. Although past studies have evaluated oral health knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP), little is known about the level of KAP between students and staff of higher education institutions. This study aimed to evaluate oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among undergraduate students and staff at a selected University of Technology in Nigeria. A multicentre cross-sectional survey was conducted between May – June 2021 with a sample of 747 consisting of 378 students and 369 staff, recruited from 8 faculties across the University. One-way ANOVA test was applied for the statistical evaluation of numerical measures. The association between knowledge, attitudes and practice scores were assessed using Pearson correlation analyses (α=.0.05). No significant differences were found in the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices between the students and staff (P&gt;0.05). Overall, the finding suggests that 84.3% of the respondents had a positive attitude toward oral health, 92.5% had high knowledge and 87.4% practised oral health was adequate. The respondents KAP differed by socio-demographic characteristics. The relationship between knowledge and practice was fair (r = 0.358, p &lt; 0.01) while positive weak correlations were observed between attitude and practice (r = 0.198, p &lt; 0.01), and between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.173, p &lt; 0.01). The salient feature of this study suggests that while there was a high level of knowledge among the respondents, the attitude and actual practice of oral healthcare does not commensurate with the level of knowledge. Nonetheless, it was found that knowledge had positive associations with the practice of oral health care. The findings suggest there is a need to improve the knowledge about oral health practice among both staff and students through a tailored design of community based awareness to increase oral health practice.

Cost-Effectiveness of Screening to Identify Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes in the Oral Healthcare Setting

Background: This study assesses the long-term cost-effectiveness of this screening protocol from a healthcare system perspective. Methods: Australians presenting to private oral healthcare practices recruited to the iDENTify study were included as the study population. A Markov model preceded by a decision tree was developed to assess the intervention’s long-term cost-effectiveness when rolled out to all eligible Australians, and measured against ‘no-intervention’ current practice. The model consisted of four health states: normoglycaemia; pre-diabetes; type 2 diabetes and death. Intervention reach of various levels (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) were assessed. The model adopted a 30-year lifetime horizon and a 2020 reference year. Costs and benefits were discounted at 5% per annum. Results: If the intervention reached a minimum of 10% of the target population, over the lifetime time horizon, each screened participant would incur a cost of $38,462 and a gain of 10.564 QALYs, compared to $38,469 and 10.561 QALYs for each participant under current practice. Screening was associated with lower costs and higher benefits (a saving of $8 per person and 0.003 QALYs gained), compared to current standard practice without such screening. Between 8 and 34 type 2 diabetes cases would be avoided per 10,000 patients screened if the intervention were taken up by 10% to 40% of private oral healthcare practices. Sensitivity analyses showed consistent results. Conclusions: Implementing type 2 diabetes screening in the private oral healthcare setting using a simple risk assessment tool was demonstrated to be cost-saving. The wider adoption of such screening is recommended.

Knowledge of Oral Cancer and Its Effect on Oral Healthcare Practices and Precancerous Habits in a Rural Community in Nigeria

Knowledge of Oral Cancer and Its Effect on Oral Healthcare Practices and Precancerous Habits in a Rural Community in Nigeria

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of People Living with Diabetes in South Asia: A Scoping Review.

Diabetes increases the risk of oral health complications. This review aimed to synthesise the current evidence on the oral health knowledge, attitudes and practices of people living with diabetes in South Asian countries and provide recommendations on possible strategies for addressing the gaps in oral health care in this population, including the role of non-dental professionals. Using a scoping review framework, six electronic databases (Ovid Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest Central, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase) were searched to identify the relevant literature published between January 2000 and December 2021. The data were extracted into three main categories based on the review's aims, and further refined into sub-categories. A total of 23 studies were included. The review identified that while people with diabetes living in South Asian countries had some level of awareness about oral health and limited care practices to maintain good oral health, there were gaps in knowledge, and there were areas where their oral health practices and attitudes could be improved. The findings suggest a need for developing targeted oral health policies as well as implementing integrated oral health care interventions involving non-dental professionals to improve the oral health outcomes of people with diabetes.

Oral Care Practice for Preventing COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2, a novel coronavirus. The disease has spread internationally and affects all continents after its first appearance in East Asia in December 2019, affecting more than 200 countries. As a result of social alienation and stay-at-home responsibilities, oral health care practice has become critical. Oral hygiene is important for COVID-19 prevention because it has been linked to the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. The authors of this article are particularly concerned about natural oral care practice and its link to the prevention of COVID-19.

Parents' oral health promotion efforts for their children with Down syndrome and the children's oral health.

The study evaluated parents' oral health care experiences and practices for their children with Down syndrome and its effect on the child's teeth and gingiva's condition METHOD: 75 parents of children with Down syndrome between 0 and 16 years of age responded to 18-item bilingual questionnaire concerning their child's oral health status RESULT: Most parents rated their child's teeth and gingiva health as good. There is no correlation found between experience score and practice score (r=-0.057), and no correlation between practice score on the child's both teeth (r=-0.001) and gingiva's condition (r=0.031). The parental oral health care experience and practices for their children with Down syndrome are deemed sufficient. However, a tailor-made comprehensive oral health care for them is very advisable, thus eradicating the barriers and challenges.

Oral health status in individuals with Down syndrome

ABSTRACT Down syndrome (DS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of known genetic cause, with a wide array of oral and systemic manifestations. The aim of the present study is to determine the level of oral hygiene status and practice of a group of individuals with DS in Benghazi/Libya. In this cross–sectional study 124 individuals were recruited from The Rehabilitation Centre of Special Needs in the city of Benghazi, Libya. Questionnaires were distributed among the attendees, covering oral health aspects and diet habits. Oral examination was conducted to evaluate oral health status among individuals with DS. The data were analysed descriptively and inferentially (including Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test) using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 20 (SPSS). Most of DS individuals brush their teeth once daily (62%), spending less than one minute in brushing (44%). For diet habits, more than half (55%) eat sweet snacks between meals. For the dental status, 47% of the subject had zero DMFT, followed by score 2 in 21%. The highest percentage in Oral hygiene Index (OHI) was scored 1 by 46% of participants. The zero CPITN score was seen in 54.5%. Our results have shown a weaker tendency of DS towards oral hygiene. This should strengthen our goal of guiding and encouraging parents of individuals with DS to be more cautious in providing help and supervision of their individuals’ practice of oral health care.

Knowledge, awareness and practice of oral health care among diabetes mellitus patients in Chennai population

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease with an increasing prevalence, affecting general and oral health, with plethora of oral manifestations. There is a threefold increase in the predominance and severity of periodontitis in patients with diabetes, especially in those with poor metabolic control. Hence, this study aimed to explore the knowledge and awareness of oral health care among diabetic mellitus patients in Chennai population. The objective was to assess their attitudes and practices towards sustaining good oral health through proper oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups.Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted to determine the knowledge and awareness of oral health care among DM patients in Chennai at Health care centers from January to June 2022. The sample size included questionnaires from 500 patients. The questionnaire was prepared, first in English, and then, it was translated into local language i.e., Tamil to collect the data.Results: The chi-square test was used to see the significance of participant’s awareness of oral complications associated with diabetes. There was a strong statistical significance relationship with respect to oral health knowledge among different age groups (p&lt;0.05).Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus may be regarded as one of the most dreaded and silent epidemic health problem in the immediate future, especially in the developing countries. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to know about the increased risk of oral diseases in diabetes mellitus.

Oral health care practice patterns for geriatric patients: An American Dental Association Clinical Evaluators Panel Survey

BackgroundThe geriatric adult population is expanding rapidly in the United States, with more of these patients expected to visit the dentist in the coming years. Understanding the dental community’s preparedness and comfort treating this demographic is timely. MethodsSurvey questions were developed to assess how dentists treat geriatric patients, what challenges they face, and what tools they need to provide the best care. This set of questions was administered electronically and emailed to the American Dental Association Clinical Evaluators (ACE) Panel on March 29, 2022. After 2 weeks, the survey closed, and data were summarized descriptively. ResultsOf the 269 respondents, 59% indicated that treating geriatric patients is more challenging than treating nongeriatric patients. The most frequently cited challenges include comorbidities and their management (86%), cognitive impairment (68%), and home care needs for some of these patients (69%). The top 3 symptoms seen in these patients are dry mouth (89%), carious lesions (86%), and tooth wear (75%). Seventy-six percent of respondents reported being comfortable treating this demographic, and most (58%) indicated that training as a student contributed to this competency. ConclusionsMost respondents are comfortable treating geriatric patients, but they still face many challenges, with managing comorbidities with dental treatment a top concern. Practical ImplicationsA sound understanding of the impact of aging and associated medical treatments on oral tissues and patient management is essential. Equally important is finding innovative ways to improve access to care for this vulnerable population.