Oral Health Disease Research Articles

Retention of Various Pit and Fissure Sealants in Deciduous Teeth. A Systematic Review

Background: Dental caries is one of the most prevailing oral health diseases in children. Most of these dental caries occur in the deep pits and fissures. Pit and fissure sealants have been traditionally used for preventing dental caries. These are the materials which fill the fissures and making it self-cleansable. Objectives: To assess the retention rate of various pit and fissure sealants used in deciduous teeth Intervention: Pit and fissure sealants Results: A preliminary search yielded a total of 153 studies through Google scholar and search strategy used in PubMed. 7 articles giving 11 estimates were included for qualitative synthesis. All materials were light cured. Retention rate of fluoride releasing sealants and ACP sealants were superior to other sealants. Conclusion: Pit and fissure sealants have a good retention in primary dentition. Sealants are very well accepted and prove to be effective in preventing occlusal caries found in the large number amongst children. Use of sealants in primary dentition will surely prevent the damage to erupting permanent dentition due to developing caries in the former.

The Oral and Gut Bacterial Microbiomes: Similarities, Differences, and Connections.

Background: The oral cavity is associated with local and systemic diseases, although oral samples are not as commonly studied as fecal samples in microbiome research. There is a gap in understanding between the similarities and differences in oral and gut microbiomes and how they may influence each other. Methods: A scoping literature review was conducted comparing oral and gut microbiome communities in healthy humans. Results: Ten manuscripts met inclusion criteria and were examined. The oral microbiome sites demonstrated great variance in differential bacterial abundance and the oral microbiome had higher alpha diversity as compared to the gut microbiome. Studies using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis resulted in overall community differences between the oral and gut microbiomes when beta diversity was analyzed. Shotgun metagenomics sequencing increased taxonomic resolution to strain level (intraspecies) and demonstrated a greater percentage of shared taxonomy and oral bacterial translocation to the gut microbiome community. Discussion: The oral and gut microbiome bacterial communities may be more similar than earlier research has suggested, when species strain is analyzed through shotgun metagenomics sequencing. The association between oral health and systemic diseases has been widely reported but many mechanisms underlying this relationship are unknown. Although future research is needed, the oral microbiome may be a novel interventional target through its downstream effects on the gut microbiome. As nurse scientists are experts in symptom characterization and phenotyping of patients, they are also well posed to lead research on the connection of the oral microbiome to the gut microbiome in health and disease.

The Effects of Chronic Diseases Experience according to Oral Condition, Self-Efficacy Scale for Self-Care and Subjective Oral Health Level Elderly in Some Regions

Objectives: The purpose or this study was to general characteristics and body oral condition, effects of chronic diseases experience according to oral condition, self-efficacy scale for self-care and subjective oral health level elderly in Daegu-Kyeongbuk region. Methods: The data were collected from 250 Daegu-Kyeongbuk elderly in region. Data analysis was performed using cross analysis, t-test, logistic regression by SPSS WIN 18.0 program. Results: The statistically significant differences chronic disease experience high level of using dentures elderly (ρ<.05). There were many elderly people who had a chronic illness but thought that their own health was more than normal, and there was a statistically significant difference (ρ<.01). The statistically significant difference chronic disease showed high self-oral management efficacy and group did not experience(ρ<.001). Conclusions: A lot of research is needed to establish various programs related to considering the close relationship between oral health and chronic disease

The oral health and periodontal diseases awareness and knowledge in the Iraqi population: Online-based survey.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate oral health (OH) and periodontal diseases (PD) awareness in the Iraqi population.Material and methodsThis study was a questionnaire‐based online survey of two weeks duration. The questionnaire was built using a Google platform and was distributed randomly via social media (Facebook and Telegram). The questionnaire consisted of a demographic data section and two other main sections for the evaluation of OH and PD awareness. Each response was marked with “1” for a positive answer and “0” for the other answers. For each respondent, answers were summed to give an overall score. The frequency of positive responses was used to determine the association of awareness with demographic data and the level of awareness into low, moderate, and high levels.ResultsA total of 1,465 were included in the final analysis after application of exclusion criteria. The respondents showed significantly higher levels of awareness about PD (mean ± SD = 3.66 ± 1.42) than OH awareness (mean ± SD = 2.19 ± 1.29). Analysis of data showed that OH awareness was mainly associated with high degree holders (OR 1.851) and age > 45 years (OR 1.730). However, PD awareness did not show any evident association with demographic variables investigated. In general, the respondents exhibited low levels of OH knowledge and low to moderate level of PD knowledge.ConclusionsDespite limitations, this study revealed inappropriate levels of OH and PD awareness and knowledge in the Iraqi population and provided the baseline data necessary for the development of Governmental educational programs and health awareness campaigns which are highly suggested particularly focusing on the primary and high schools, in an attempt to improve the levels of awareness.

The Effects of Nutrition on the Gastrointestinal Microbiome of Cats and Dogs: Impact on Health and Disease.

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome of cats and dogs is increasingly recognized as a metabolically active organ inextricably linked to pet health. Food serves as a substrate for the GI microbiome of cats and dogs and plays a significant role in defining the composition and metabolism of the GI microbiome. The microbiome, in turn, facilitates the host’s nutrient digestion and the production of postbiotics, which are bacterially derived compounds that can influence pet health. Consequently, pet owners have a role in shaping the microbiome of cats and dogs through the food they choose to provide. Yet, a clear understanding of the impact these food choices have on the microbiome, and thus on the overall health of the pet, is lacking. Pet foods are formulated to contain the typical nutritional building blocks of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but increasingly include microbiome-targeted ingredients, such as prebiotics and probiotics. Each of these categories, as well as their relative proportions in food, can affect the composition and/or function of the microbiome. Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary components may impact not only GI disease, but also allergies, oral health, weight management, diabetes, and kidney disease through changes in the GI microbiome. Until recently, the focus of microbiome research was to characterize alterations in microbiome composition in disease states, while less research effort has been devoted to understanding how changes in nutrition can influence pet health by modifying the microbiome function. This review summarizes the impact of pet food nutritional components on the composition and function of the microbiome and examines evidence for the role of nutrition in impacting host health through the microbiome in a variety of disease states. Understanding how nutrition can modulate GI microbiome composition and function may reveal new avenues for enhancing the health and resilience of cats and dogs.

Digital Media as a Proponent for Healthy Aging in the Older Chinese American Population: Longitudinal Analysis.

BackgroundEnsuring health literacy among underserved populations is essential amid an aging population. Accessible and appropriate (both culturally and linguistically) information is important when considering digital media education for older Chinese Americans.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate how social media fare over time in disseminating health information and how we may most effectively educate this population.MethodsFor this study, 5 geriatric-themed educational videos about Parkinson disease, fall prevention, gastrointestinal health, oral health, and pulmonary disease were uploaded to YouTube. Data were collected over a 40-month period. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used to compare results from the first and second 20-month periods.ResultsIn 40 months, the 5 videos in aggregate accrued 1171.1 hours of watch time, 7299 views, and an average view duration of 9.6 minutes. Comparing the first and second 20-month periods, there was a significant increase in mobile device usage, from 79.4% (3541/4458) to 83.3% (2367/2841). There was no significant difference in the usage of various external traffic sources and methods of sharing, with WhatsApp accounting for the majority of sharing in both 20-month periods.ConclusionsOur study provides insight into where to focus future strategies to optimize digital media content, and how to best recruit, direct, and disseminate health education to an older adult Chinese American population. Combining the success of YouTube, social media, and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp can help to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers to promote healthy aging.

Could there be a link between oral hygiene and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections?

On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organisation identified COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, to be a global emergency. The risk factors already identified for developing complications from a COVID-19 infection are age, gender and comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease. These risk factors, however, do not account for the other 52% of deaths arising from COVID-19 in often seemingly healthy individuals. This paper investigates the potential link between SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial load, questioning whether bacteria may play a role in bacterial superinfections and complications such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. The connection between COVID-19 complications and oral health and periodontal disease is also examined, as the comorbidities at highest risk of COVID-19 complications also cause imbalances in the oral microbiome and increase the risk of periodontal disease. We explore the connection between high bacterial load in the mouth and post-viral complications, and how improving oral health may reduce the risk of complications from COVID-19.

Assessing Oral Health Status, Practices, and Access to Care among War-Affected Refugees Living in San Antonio, Texas.

Objectives Refugees encounter several health disparities including oral health problems. This study evaluated the self-reported oral health status, practices, and access to care of adult refugees living in San Antonio, Texas, United States. Materials and Methods Adult refugees ( n = 207) who accessed services from two centers in San Antonio, completed this survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of the refugees’ demographics with oral health status, practices, and access to care. Results Oral pain in the previous 12 months was common among refugees having been reported by almost 58.9% of the survey participants; 43% reported pain as the reason for their last dental visit. Approximately half of the participants reported both the condition to their teeth and gums as being good: 42.5 and 54.6%, respectively. Most participants (84%) reported brushing their teeth one or two times a day, and around 78% reported they never smoked. Fifty-two percent reported needing dental care in the past 12 months, but not being able to receive it; while 45.9% reported not having dental insurance, 41.5% reported not having money to pay a dentist. Fifteen percent reported never visiting a dentist. Arabic speakers, moving to the United States more recently, and lower level of education were associated with a poor oral health status and practices ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Refugees in this study encountered limited access to dental care. Their inability to seek dental care could affect their oral and general health, weaken efforts of preventing oral health diseases, and restrict their full inclusion into the community.

COMMENTARY: Phytocannabinoids as therapeutic agents to combat chronic gingival disease.

The therapeutic potential of cannabis has been harnessed for thousands of years yet the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still not approved cannabis as a safe or effective drug. The FDA has, however, approved the manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs, which contain a “synthetic version of a substance that is present in the marijuana” and other compounds that mimic its action. A search of the US National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health for keywords “CBD” and “Periodontitis” together yields only 2 publications. Although the current State and Federal regulations on the use of cannabis for research and medicinal purposes seem to contradict one another, there is much room for optimism as the number of States allowing its use increases. This manuscript highlights the recent advances made in cannabinoid research as it pertains to oral health and gingival inflammatory disease. With a brief overview of the endocannabinoid system and its network of receptors and ligands, such as CBD, this manuscript provides the reader with the foundational knowledge necessary to answer common patient questions in a clinical setting.

Rapamycin rejuvenates oral health in aging mice.

Periodontal disease is an age-associated disorder clinically defined by periodontal bone loss, inflammation of the specialized tissues that surround and support the tooth, and microbiome dysbiosis. Currently, there is no therapy for reversing periodontal disease, and treatment is generally restricted to preventive measures or tooth extraction. The FDA-approved drug rapamycin slows aging and extends lifespan in multiple organisms, including mice. Here, we demonstrate that short-term treatment with rapamycin rejuvenates the aged oral cavity of elderly mice, including regeneration of periodontal bone, attenuation of gingival and periodontal bone inflammation, and revertive shift of the oral microbiome toward a more youthful composition. This provides a geroscience strategy to potentially rejuvenate oral health and reverse periodontal disease in the elderly.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Behaviour of Midwives Concerning Periodontal Health of Pregnant Patients.

Maternal gum disease is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birthweight. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice behaviour of Australian midwives regarding the periodontal health of pregnant women to inform interprofessional antenatal care. This was an observational, cross-sectional study. We circulated an online questionnaire to Australian midwives from August 2018 to February 2019. Key outcome variables were knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviours related to oral health. Key predictor variables were years of practice, practice location, and dental history. We summarized responses with frequency tables and assigned tallied scores for analysis using non-parametric statistical tests. 100 responses were analysed, including from rural (n = 23) and urban (n = 77) midwives. Eighty percent of midwives agreed that maternal dental care can positively affect pregnancy outcomes. Fluoridated toothpaste use (19.1%) was incorrectly answered to prevent gum disease more often than psychological stress control (7.9%), a correct answer. Rural midwives demonstrated a significantly higher knowledge score (p = 0.001) and significantly more positive practice behaviours towards oral health (p = 0.014) than urban midwives. Australian midwives have positive attitudes towards antenatal oral health but misunderstand gum disease aetiology and prevention. This study highlights areas to improve interprofessional education for optimal oral health and pregnancy outcomes.

The Oral-Lung Axis: The Impact of Oral Health on Lung Health.

Poor oral health has long been recognized as a clinical risk factor for developing lung infections. Recent data using culture-independent techniques assessing the microbiome in healthy subjects have demonstrated that chronic microaspiration establishes a very similar microbial community between the mouth and lung, suggesting these 2 anatomic regions are closely intertwined. Dental disease is driven and aided by a dysbiosis in the oral microbiome, and evidence is mounting that implicates the microbiome in a variety of lung diseases including asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and pneumonia. This review describes common dental conditions and potential mechanisms by which poor oral health may contribute to lung disease. We also review the current literature drawing associations between poor oral health and lung disease.

Oral Health Management of Children during the Epidemic Period of Coronavirus Disease 2019

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is becoming a major public health event affecting China and even the whole world. During the epidemic period of corona virus disease, appropriate oral health management and disease prevention of children is very important for children's oral and general health. In order to prevent the occurrence of cross-infection and epidemic spreading of COVID-19 during dental practice, the recommendations to parents include: not only training children to maintain hand hygiene at home, exercise appropriately, strengthen physical resistance, but also helping children develop good oral and diet habit such as effective brushing and flossing to avoid oral diseases and emergency. If non-emergency oral situation occur, parents could assist their child to take home based care such as rinsing to relieve the symptoms. When oral emergencies such as acute pulpitis, periapical periodontitis, dental trauma, oral and maxillofacial infections happen, parents and children should visit dental clinic in time with correct personal protection. During the epidemic period, children's oral emergencies should be treated in accordance with current guidelines and control of COVID-19.

Dental caries and periodontal disease among people who use drugs: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe aim of our study was to perform a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis in order to investigate relationship between drug use and oral health.MethodsWe searched for studies in English published before July 1, 2019 on PsycINFO, PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science. We assessed the relationship between drug use (methamphetamines, heroin; opiates; crack, cocaine and cannabis as dependent variables) and reported tooth loss, periodontal disease, or decayed, missing, and filled teeth index as an independent variable. The data were analyzed using Stata 12.0 software.ResultsWe initially identified 1836 potential articles (with 1100 duplicates) and screened the remaining 736 titles and abstracts, comprising 54 studies. In the next step, we evaluated the full-texts; 44 studies were excluded, accordingly. In total, we included 10 publications in the meta-analysis. Drug type was associated with periodontal disease (OR 1.44; 95% CI 0.8–2.6) and pooled estimates showed that type of drug used increased the odds of the number of decayed, missed and filled teeth (DMFT) (OR 4.11; 95% CI 2.07–8.15) respectively.ConclusionsThe analytical challenges of segregating the impact of individual drug types on oral health diseases mean that investigations on the direct relationship between oral health status and drug use are limited. Developing programs to improve potential confounding with various substances and addressing the dental health needs of people who use drugs is vital if we are to improve their overall quality of life.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dental Caries in Primary Schoolchildren: An Iranian Setting.

Introduction Dental caries is the most common oral health disease of school-aged children around the world. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of dental caries in primary schoolchildren in Yasuj township, Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 460 children aged 7–12 years were investigated. Dental examination was performed at school according to the World Health Organization criteria. Sociodemographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and caries statuses of children's teeth were recorded through a dental chart. Data were analyzed using summary statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression model with odds ratio. Results The prevalence of dental caries in primary, permanent, and whole dentition among children was 75.3%, 41.1%, and 89.8%, respectively. Among all considered factors, the caries presence in primary teeth was inversely (p < 0.001) and in permanent teeth was positively (p < 0.001) associated with the children's age. Moreover, the odds of decaying permanent teeth were significantly higher in girls, in rural children, and in children whose fathers were not an employee compared to their counterparts (p=0.04, p < 0.001, and p=0.02, respectively). Conclusions The prevalence of dental caries among the studied primary schoolchildren in mixed dentition was high and associated with their sociodemographic factors. Providing and implementing preventive, therapeutic, and informative programs for controlling dental caries at individual, family, and school levels are necessary for local health policymakers.

Oral Health Implications of Bariatric Surgery in Morbidly Obese Patients: An Integrative Review.

To identify the implications of bariatric surgery on the oral health of patients with morbid obesity. Two reviewers independently performed a search of the electronic databases: MedLine, PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and Scopus, for clinical trials in humans and cohort studies. The search strategy used was Bariatric Surgery and Oral Health or Mouth Disease and Humans and Periodontitis. A total of 26 articles were obtained, and after title screening and full reading, 8 articles were included in this review. Increased food intake at shorter intervals and increased frequency of regurgitation in these patients were associated with the increased development of dental caries, dental erosion, and increased salivary flow rate. Intense oral control is recommended for the prevention and early treatment of these conditions and to avoid nonsystemic effects in these patients.

Incidence of Dental Caries in Relation with Cariogenic Food and Socioeconomic Status among Pediatric Patients

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the most common oral health diseases among children all over the world and its consequences cause a lot of pain and suffering. In the present study the effect of cariogenic food and socio-economic status in the initiation of dental caries among pediatric patients was assessed.&#x0D; Methodology: Data were collected with a pretested structured interview schedule from 370 participants and their parents attending dental unit, Rajshahi medical college from July 2017 to December 2018. Oral examination was done by dental mirror and probe under sufficient light to find out the dental caries among the children. Data were analyzed using SPSS method.&#x0D; Results: 91.35% participants had dental caries. Multiple caries was found highest (56. 58%) in low socio-economic status. 68.38% participants regularly consumed the cariogenic food, of them multiple caries were found in 46.64%.&#x0D; Discussion: The prevalence of dental caries among participants was found 91.35%. In the present study family income has influence on the dental caries. In the present study 68.38% participants regularly consumed sugar containing food items and among them multiple carious teeth were found in 46.64% participants.&#x0D; Conclusion: Incidence of dental caries is very high among the children of low socio-economic status and who take cariogenic food frequently specially sugar containing food.&#x0D; TAJ 2019; 32(2): 43-47

Consumer Oral Health Information Resources Workshop for Dental Faculty: A Program Overview and List of Reliable Online Oral Health Information Resources for Consumers

Reliable online and print consumer level information about dental and oral health disease and interventions (other than prevention) is in short supply and difficult to find. Two medical librarians from the Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences collaborated to conduct a one-hour lunch and learn workshop for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry (SOD) faculty on how to find reliable dental consumer health information to provide their patients. This article describes the workshop and websites that provide valid consumer oral health information.

Oral health diseases among the older people: a general health perspective

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

Psychological impact of quarantine on mental and oral health: Lessons learned from previous quarantine and can be applied for current COVID-19 pandemic

Stress, depression, and anxiety are commonly associated with the long-term of Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine. These effects have implications on mental and oral health. We did a review of the psychological impact of quarantine in general using electronic data base. We tried to focus on psychological effects of quarantine on immune response, parafunctional habits and periodontal diseases. We included in this research, most studies which reported psychological effects of quarantine including: post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, anger, stress, depression, and anxiety. During several weeks of COVID-19 quarantine or social distancing, individuals will have to establish their own ways of preserving their mental health at home. Studies surveying those who had been quarantined reports of emotional disturbance, depression, stress, low mood, irritability, insomnia, post-traumatic stress symptoms, anger and emotional exhaustion. Stress, depression, and anxiety have impacts on immune responses, oral health and periodontal disease. It becomes more important in the quarantine period of the epidemic outbreak to understand the psychological impact of the quarantine on mental and oral health. This article presents valuable knowledge about psychological hygiene during the quarantine, whose behavior is extremely important from the point of view of systemic health, including oral health.