Prevalence Of Oral Diseases Research Articles

Dietary sugars modulate bacterial-fungal interactions in saliva and inter-kingdom biofilm formation on apatitic surface.

Bacteria and fungi can interact to form inter-kingdom biofilms in the oral cavity. Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans are frequently detected in saliva and in dental biofilms associated with early childhood caries (tooth-decay), a prevalent oral disease induced by dietary sugars. However, how different sugars influence this bacterial-fungal interaction remains unclear. Here, we investigate whether specific sugars affect the inter-kingdom interaction in saliva and subsequent biofilm formation on tooth-mimetic surfaces. The microbes were incubated in saliva containing common dietary sugars (glucose and fructose, sucrose, starch, and combinations) and analyzed via fluorescence imaging and quantitative computational analyses. The bacterial and fungal cells in saliva were then transferred to hydroxyapatite discs (tooth mimic) to allow microbial binding and biofilm development. We found diverse bacterial-fungal aggregates which varied in size, structure, and spatial organization depending on the type of sugars. Sucrose and starch+sucrose induced the formation of large mixed-species aggregates characterized by bacterial clusters co-bound with fungal cells, whereas mostly single-cells were found in the absence of sugar or in the presence of glucose and fructose. Notably, both colonization and further growth on the apatitic surface were dependent on sugar-mediated aggregation, leading to biofilms with distinctive spatial organizations and 3D architectures. Starch+sucrose and sucrose-mediated aggregates developed into large and highly acidogenic biofilms with complex network of bacterial and fungal cells (yeast and hyphae) surrounded by an intricate matrix of extracellular glucans. In contrast, biofilms originated from glucose and fructose-mediated consortia (or without sugar) were sparsely distributed on the surface without structural integration, growing predominantly as individual species with reduced acidogenicity. These findings reveal the impact of dietary sugars on inter-kingdom interactions in saliva and how they mediate biofilm formation with distinctive structural organization and varying acidogenicity implicated with human tooth-decay.

Utilization of Dental Care, Tooth Loss, and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults Visiting Dental Care Centers in Indian Settings.

Oral disease prevalence is rising globally in a major way, with a heavier impact and concern on developing countries like India. Also, limited data in literature has previously assessed oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in older adults in Indian settings. The present study aimed to evaluate OHRQoL in older adults seeking dental care in Indian settings. In 140 subjects, an oral examination to detect any oral condition was done followed by filling out a questionnaire for OHRQoL assessment using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index 12 (GOHAI-12). The treatment needs of each study subject were governed by prosthetic and dental status individually. Statistical evaluation of the data collected was done to formulate the results. Concerning age, a significant impact was seen, where increasing age was associated with poor quality of life (p=0.025). For gender, older females had poor OHRQoL with p-values of <0.001, 0.01, 0.04, and <0.001 respectively for behaviour, psychological, pain and discomfort, and functional limitation. Also, edentulous patients had poorer OHRQoL compared to subjects with >20 teeth Conclusion: The present study concludes that oral diseases can significantly affect the OHRQoL, with higher female and edentulous state preponderance. Early diagnosis and management can aid in improving QoL in older adults.

Dental care utilization among persons with Parkinson's disease in Denmark.

Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a higher prevalence of oral diseases and orofacial dysfunction, but knowledge about the use of dental care and whether their dental care needs are met is sparse. This study aimed to investigate the dental attendance and usage of dental care services of the total PD population in Denmark and compare it with a control group. National registers were used to identify the total PD population in Denmark (n=6874) and to obtain data on their dental care from 2015 to 2019. These data were compared with a five-fold age-, gender- and geographically matched control group without PD (n=34 285). Register data on age, gender, civil status, educational level, income, nursing homes status and mortality were also collected and adjusted for in the analyses. The dental attendance was analysed using χ2 -test with Bonferroni correction, and the type of dental care services was analysed using negative binomial regression analysis. A significantly higher proportion of persons with PD were irregular attenders of the dental care system (21.0%), compared with the control group (16.9%). Persons with PD had a significantly higher overall usage of dental cares services. Most prominent was the high usage of treatment services, where persons with PD had a 1.50 times higher incidence rate of tooth extractions and a 1.71 times higher incidence rate of tooth fillings in the five years compared with the control group. Persons with PD are more often irregular users of dental care and receive more treatment services than the control group. This indicates a need for high-quality prophylactic initiatives to prevent high filling and tooth extraction rates. Furthermore, this knowledge can be used by clinicians and decision makers to ensure optimal dental care for persons with PD.

Oral Health Assessment in Pakistan

Oral health is a standard that contributes to the general well-being of individuals and comprises all oral and linked problems that permit them to speak, eat and socialize without embarrassment, discomfort, and active disease. Dental diseases are key public health concerns worldwide due to their substantial social impact and high prevalence. Oral health has a substantial effect on the overall well-being of individuals through morbidity, pain, mortality, and diminished capacity to perform work, study, and economic and social activities.&#x0D; Oral diseases such as dental caries affect individual lives significantly and pose hindrances in performing daily activities. Tooth loss is mainly caused by periodontal diseases and dental caries and causes major functional impairment and limitation. A high prevalence of oral diseases is seen globally as World Health Organization (WHO) reports 60–90% of school-going children globally have experienced caries and the highest prevalence was seen in Latin American and Asian countries [1]. Pakistan is also facing dental caries as a serious oral public health concern and approximately 60% of the population have dental caries [2].&#x0D; A variety of variable risk factors cause oral diseases including the use of tobacco and alcohol, sugar consumption, poor hygiene, and their fundamental commercial and social elements. The major principle underlying is the development of acid from dietary carbohydrates that bacteria ferment in plaque and saliva. Healthy plaque and saliva usually contain relatively small amounts of possible cariogenic bacteria. However, in some environmental and biological disorders like low pH environments and an increase in consumption of fermentable carbohydrates, the proliferation of acid-tolerant bacteria is seen.&#x0D; Oral health in populations like Pakistan is poor and their attitude and practice towards oral health hygiene is often neglected. Diet full of carbohydrates and sugars makes the problem worse. High costs of checkups and oral health treatments make it difficult for people in developing countries like Pakistan to go to the dentist. Most of the studies on dental caries contain bias and are of poor quality. Therefore, in Pakistan assessing the level of oral diseases and dental caries should be a precedence, and investments in the oral health care department should be dedicated to the development of oral health programs and policies. This will enhance the quality of life regarding oral health in this demographic area of the world

Oral Health Care in Europe: Financing, Access and Provision

Abstract With growing awareness of the large burden of oral diseases and how limited coverage affects both access and affordability, oral health policy has been receiving increased attention in recent years. This culminated in the adoption of the WHO resolution on Oral Health in 2021, which urges Member States to better integrate oral health into their universal health coverage and noncommunicable disease agendas. This study investigates major patterns and developments in oral health status, financing, coverage, access, and service provision of oral health care in 31 European countries. While most countries cover oral health care for vulnerable population groups, the level of statutory coverage varies widely across Europe resulting in different coverage and financing schemes for the adult population. On average, one third of dental care spending is borne by public sources and the remaining part is paid out-of-pocket or by voluntary health insurance. This has important ramifications for financial protection and access to care, leaving many dental problems untreated. Overall, unmet needs for dental care are higher than for other types of care and particularly affect low-income groups. Dental care is undergoing various structural changes. The number of dentists is increasing, and the composition of the health workforce is starting to change in many countries. Dental care is increasingly provided in group practices and by practices that are part of private equity firms. Although there are early signs of a shift towards more prevention of oral diseases, dental care overall remains focused on treatment. A lack of data affects all areas of oral health care and impede to inform policy-making on the underlying causes and the prevalence of oral disease, as well as the effectiveness of community preventive activities and oral health services.

Global public health must end the neglect of oral health

Abstract Oral diseases are among the most common health problems and constitute major public health challenges across countries and health systems worldwide. The main diseases dental caries, severe periodontal disease, oral cancer and toothlessness affect populations everywhere and show significant social gradients - poor, disadvantaged, rural, or otherwise vulnerable groups suffer from a much higher burden, while at the same time having more difficulties to access prevention and care. Similarly, low- and middle-income countries have the highest prevalence of oral diseases while their healthcare systems are ill-equipped to address the challenges. Due to the predominant clinical care model of dentistry that favours an interventionist approach requiring costly technology provided by a dentist, many health systems and large population segments are not able to afford even basic oral health care. Moreover, oral health has been largely absent from the global health arena for the last 20 years leading to faltering political priority and attention. This has changed recently with the convergence of several initiatives of global relevance, supported by advocacy of the wider oral health community. Following the first ever paper series on oral health in The Lancet, a Lancet Commission on Oral Health was established in 2019, which sparked a group of WHO member states to embark on a remarkable policy development process dedicated to oral health. We now have a Global Strategy for Oral Health and will soon have a Global Action Plan complemented by a comprehensive Monitoring Framework. In addition, work on defining Best Buys in Oral Health and other supportive workstreams are under way. The presentation will provide an introduction and overview to these global policy guidance frameworks that are shaping a new reform agenda for oral health as part of NCDs, Universal Health Coverage and the SDGs towards 2030. Particular implications for public oral health in Europe will be discussed.

Prevalence of dental caries among primary school children in Poonamallee, Chennai

Background : The two most prevalent oral diseases are dental caries and periodontal disease. Humans of all ages suffer from dental caries, but schoolchildren represent the highest priority risk group. The aim of the current study was to utilize the dft/DMFT (DMFT : Decayed missing filled teeth, dft : decayed filled teeth) index to assess the prevalence of dental caries among primary school-aged children in Poonamallee, Chennai. Methodology : Before the study, examiners underwent a series of clinical training to calibrate them. After gathering demographic data which included name, gender, age and socioeconomic class, a clinical examination for dental caries was conducted and the results were documented on a pro forma. Results : The study's findings suggest that caries prevalence was more in females than males and also primary dentition had higher prevalence of caries. Conclusion : The research shows that dental caries is still a major public health problem even in urbanized areas such as Poonamallee, Chennai.

The genetic determinants of oral diseases in Africa: The gaps should be filled.

Oral diseases are a major health concern and are among the most prevalent diseases globally. This problem is becoming more prominent in the rapidly growing populations of Africa. It is well documented that Africa exhibits the most diverse genetic make-up in the world. However, little work has been conducted to understand the genetic basis of oral diseases in Africans. Oral health is often neglected and receives low prioritisation from funders and governments. The genetic determinants of highly prevalent oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease, and regionally prevalent conditions such as oral cancer and NOMA, are largely under-researched areas despite numerous articles alluding to a high burden of these diseases in African populations. Therefore, this review aims to shed light on the significant gaps in research on the genetic and genomic aspects of oral diseases in African populations and highlights the urgent need for evidence-based dentistry, in tandem with the development of the dentist/scientist workforce.

ORAL HEALTH CARE THROUGH AYURVEDA

Oral cavity is considered as one of important organ among precious supraclavicular organs. Its importance is very much due to its two important functions, one is eating and other one is speaking. Proper eating keeps healthy, energetic and providing strength to ght off sickness. Speaking allow us to communicate with others making us socially active. The ability to progress in life would be nearly impossible without both of these functions. To keep these proper, the oral cavity should be healthy. Oral health is a key indicator of overall general health, well-being and quality of life. Poor oral health can also lead to a slew of systemic problems later in life. It is reported, that diabetes mellitus is linked with the development and progression of periodontitis. As lack of oral care awareness and unhealthy food habits due to busy life, the prevalence of oral diseases is going on increase irrespective of age. Common among them are dental caries, periodontal diseases and even oral cancer. Most of the oral diseases are preventable. The progression of these diseases can also be arrested with change in diet and appropriate oral hygiene. Regarding oral health maintenance, Ayurveda recommends proper aahar vihar, some daily use procedures like dantdhavan, jihvanirlekhan, pratisaran, gandoosha and use of some single drugs decoction as mouth rinse. One can keep healthy oral cavity by following all these procedures.

Expert consensus on clinical management for early childhood caries.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most prevalent chronic oral disease and one of the worldwide public health problems of great urgency for children. ECC can affect children's teeth, dentition, craniomaxillofacial, and general health and development. Therefore, through dental caries etiologies and caries risk assessment, patient-centered, personalized planning and a combination of prevention and treatment should be implemented in the clinical management for ECC. Periodic and continuous cycle management can only be accomplished with the cooperation of medical staff, children, and their guardians. This expert consensus will expound the clinical management of ECC in the following aspects: caries risk assessment, early clinical prevention, treatment strategies, and postoperative management.

The Need of Endodontic Therapy among Patients Attending Tertiary Care Center in Central Nepal

Background Dental caries is considered as the most prevalent oral disease in Nepalese population that frequently needs endodontic therapy or root canal treatment (RCT). Pulp infection is one of the most common sequels of dental caries which when left untreated leads to pulpal necrosis and peri-radicular diseases. Patients usually reports to the dental hospital after there is pain, sensitivity, swelling or fracture of the tooth structure which usually impedes their normal routine of daily life. RCT is one of the efficacious therapeutic procedures that can save the teeth retaining its aesthetics and function.&#x0D; Objective To determine the need of RCT among patients attending Tertiary Care Hospital.&#x0D; Method A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics over the period of one year from April 2019 to April 2020. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences. In total, 7566 records of the patients that needed endodontic therapy and other treatments were collected and the need of endodontic therapy versus other treatments were assessed. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS version 20. The association between various patient-related variables were calculated by chi square test and mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage were calculated using descriptive statistics. P value was set at &lt; 0.05 for statistical significance.&#x0D; Result Among the total study population, (n=7566), the mean age was 34.97±14.34 years among which 4387 (58%) were females and 3179 (42%) were males. The type of treatment required by the study participants were significantly associated with age and sex (p &lt; 0.001) and p &lt; 0.001, respectively).&#x0D; Conclusion The findings of this study concluded that there was an increased need for endodontic therapy among patients visiting the department compared to other treatments. There was a significant association between gender and age showing females and elderly patients in greater need for endodontic therapy.

Oral Microbiome and Dental Caries Development.

Dental caries remains the most prevalent oral disease worldwide. The development of dental caries is highly associated with the microbiota in the oral cavity. Microbiological research of dental caries has been conducted for over a century, with conventional culture-based methods and targeted molecular methods being used in order to identify the microorganisms related to dental caries. These methods’ major limitation is that they can identify only part of the culturable microorganisms in the oral cavity. Introducing sequencing-based technology and bioinformatics analysis has boosted oral microbiome research and greatly expanded the understanding of complex oral microbiology. With the continuing revolution of molecular technologies and the accumulated sequence data of the oral microbiome, researchers have realized that microbial composition alone may be insufficient to uncover the relationship between caries and the microbiome. Most updated evidence has coupled metagenomics with transcriptomics and metabolomics techniques in order to comprehensively understand the microbial contribution to dental caries. Therefore, the objective of this article is to give an overview of the research of the oral microbiome and the development of dental caries. This article reviews the classical concepts of the microbiological aspect of dental caries and updates the knowledge of caries microbiology with the results of current studies on the oral microbiome. This paper also provides an update on the caries etiological theory, the microorganisms related to caries development, and the shifts in the microbiome in dental caries development.

Optimization of examination methods in the diagnosis of precancerous and malignant oral mucosal lesions

Relevance. The prevalence of oral mucosal diseases among the Russian population varies from 3% to 20% [7]. Precancerous and malignant diseases are a particular problem. More than nine thousand new cases of malignant oral mucosal lesions are registered annually in the Russian Federation, and yearly mortality rates reach 34%. Unfortunately, despite being externally located, the rate of late-diagnosed malignant oral mucosal neoplasms reaches 60%-70% in various regions of the Russian Federation [2]. Thus, one of the most urgent problems in dentistry and oncology is the early diagnosis of precancerous and malignant oral mucosal lesions. As a rule, precancerous lesions are not diagnosed at an early stage since there are no visible clinical signs, and therefore patients do not seek medical attention [8]. An accurate diagnosis requires both basic and additional examination methods. In turn, the conventional methods include traditional inspection, which largely depends on the clinician's experience. Besides the clinical examination, additional techniques are used, namely, fluorescence examination and biopsy [9-11]. Subsequently, optimizing the diagnosis of oral mucosal lesions is the most promising direction in practical healthcare, both in the dental and oncology practice, for early detection and reduction of advanced stages of malignant oral mucosal lesions. Thus, the study confirmed that the development and application of modern approaches are necessary for the early diagnosis of oral mucosal lesions. Purpose. The study aimed to improve the outcome of oral mucosal precancerous and malignant lesion diagnosis by upgrading examination methods. Material and methods. The study included 147 patients with oral mucosal lesions, referred to the oncologists of Samara regional clinical oncology centre by the city polyclinics. The patients were divided into two groups according to the examination methods. The control group patients, 63 people, had a conventional examination by a dentist (patient interview, inspection, palpation) and an incisional biopsy by an oncologist. The main group consisted of 84 patients, who, besides conventional dental examination, were evaluated by a new – developed and put into practice – technique with point and index score and subsequent incisional biopsy performed by an oncologist. The studied patients were comparable by gender, age and localization. The study assessed the effectiveness of the new method for the diagnosis of precancerous lesions (PL) and malignant lesions (ML) by matching the Need for Histology Verification Index (NHVI) value equal to 5 points or more and histopathology results.Results. In the main group, 71 out of 84 patients scored 5 or more according to the new method, and 13 patients scored less than 5. Patients with a low score had a non-surgical treatment, 11 patients reached remission, and two patients were referred to an oncologist for a biopsy, which confirmed oral mucosa PL and ML. The patient complaints in both groups demonstrated that pain and bleeding were more frequent in the control group compared to the main one. The evaluation of clinical examination data revealed more erosions in the control group and nonremovable plaque and hyperplasia in the main group. The incisional biopsy detected more PL and ML in the main group (p = 0.001), and early malignant lesions were in 23% versus 5% in the control group. The new method specificity in oral mucosal PL and ML diagnosis was 55%, sensitivity – 97%, accuracy – 87%, whereas the conventional examination specificity was 28%, sensitivity – 84%, and accuracy – 60%.Conclusion. The administered improved method for examination of patients with oral mucosal lesions and the compulsory use of autofluorescence examination and risk factor score assessment allowed us to identify PL and ML in 88% and to diagnose more PL and ML at early stages, which explains the need to use this method in the clinical practice for the early diagnosis of lesions.

Oral health in visually impaired patients: a literature review.

Even though oral diseases are highly prevalent in people with visual impairment (VI) and this population faces access barriers to dental services and is exposed to risk factors that increase their vulnerability, the existing literature on oral health in this population is scarce. To conduct a literature review in order to describe studies on oral health in persons with VI and provide health care professionals who treat and educate these patients with relevant information. This is a literature review with a descriptive approach. A total of 26 original articles were included. The selected studies were published in the last six years (2014-March 2020) in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. The search was conducted in the Virtual Health Library, SciELO, PubMed, Scopus, and Clinical Key databases. Keywords combined with Boolean operators "AND" and "OR" were used. Few studies address the use of dental services by people with VI. There is evidence of poor levels of knowledge on oral health and related practices, which increases vulnerability to risk factors for developing diseases compared to the general population. Caries and periodontal disease are reported as the most prevalent oral diseases. Health promotion and education intervention should involve parents, caregivers, and guardians to increase the success rate. People with VI may develop oral diseases easily; therefore, they require dental care and health promotion interventions adapted to their needs.

Microbioma oral: variabilidad entre regiones y poblaciones

Abstract According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3.58 billion people were affected by oral disorders, where caries, followed by periodontal disease are the most frequent and the main causes of damage to pulp tissue and loss of dental organs. In Mexico, the Epidemiological Surveillance System for Oral Pathologies (SIVEPAB) reported that 53% of the population is affected by some degree of periodontal disease, while on average caries affects 93.3% of the population between 20 and 85 years old and older, as well as about 50.0% of children and adolescents, so both conditions are considered an important public health problem in this country. Additionally, the human oral microbiome is known to be associated with oral health and disease. An imbalance in the oral microbiome (dysbiosis) can result in the proliferation of Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, linked to caries and periodontal disease. The latter two conditions, the most prevalent oral diseases worldwide, are the main causes of damage to pulp tissue and loss of dental organs. In the presence of these pathologies, constant exposure to the corresponding inflammatory chronic infection could lead to the translocation of oral bacteria to other parts of the body, where they may contribute to the development and/or exacerbation of systemic inflammation and trigger disease. Since age, diet, genetics, and geographical location are known to influence the variability of the human microbiome, it is important to analyze differences in the oral microbiome between distinct populations. Up to now, little attention has been given to this task. The current review carried out for articles published between 2010 and 2020 and describes the human oral microbiome in populations of Asia, Africa, America and Europa, to explore whether geographical differences have an impact on the variability of the human oral microbiome. Keywords: Human oral microbiome; oral microbiota; geography; health and sickness.

Assessment of the Economic Burden of Dental Diseases

A part of overall health includes oral health. Oral diseases are among the most common diseases in the world and have significant adverse consequences on both health and economy. Dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and oral malignancies are the oral disorders that have the highest impact on world health. Families and healthcare systems have a significant financial burden from the expense of treating oral diseases. The increased prevalence of oral diseases in many low- and middle-income nations is particularly concerning as oral diseases are a global public health issue. In order to help healthcare decision-makers, this article will outline the assessment of the economic impacts of dental diseases. In order to reduce oral diseases, behavioral changes connected to oral health are necessary and can be brought about by health economics and public policy working together. By focusing on specific instances of evidence gaps in oral health and care, health economics can be a useful tool to guide the design of policies linked to oral health.

"Oral health as an important milieu for social and mental health": Perspectives of adolescents emerging from a qualitative study.

BackgroundRecent evidence showed that the prevalence of oral diseases is still high among adolescents in many developing countries, including Nigeria. It therefore has becomes pertinent to focus on appropriate oral health interventions to promote oral health among them. This necessitates investigating the perspectives of adolescents, who are the major stakeholders, on the importance of oral health as baseline data needed in planning appropriate primary interventions.AimThe aim of the study was to explore the perspectives of adolescents on the importance of oral health.MethodsAn explorative qualitative study was conducted among adolescents attending senior secondary school I (grade 10) in the metropolis of Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 12 focus group discussions were conducted among 120 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years. The discussions were transcribed verbatim, and triangulation and organization, as well as thematic analysis, of data were carried out.ResultsSome adolescents had positive perceptions of oral health and valued it as highly important, although some had contrary views and believed oral health was unimportant. Oral health is described as being integral to general health, is associated with eating and communication, is a means of survival and confidence building, and is a prelude to attract the opposite gender. Adolescents perceived the need for oral health education and dental treatment.ConclusionAdolescents have mixed perspectives on the importance of oral health; while some valued it as highly important, others believed it was of no significance. Those who valued oral health as important described it as a milieu for general health, human survival, and social and mental health and thus requested for oral health promotion in schools.

Prevalence of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Status, and Associated Risk Factors Among Schoolgoing Children of Rajshahi District in Bangladesh

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the most prevalent and chronic oral diseases, particularly in childhood, associated with multifactorial causation.&#x0D; Objective: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status, and associated risk factors among school-going children of Rajshahi District in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional design type of descriptive study was carried out among primary school-going children of 5-13 years of age in the Rajshahi district. The sample size was 2000, and that was selected purposively. Data were collected through a partially structured questionnaire. Descriptive variables were explained with mean and standard deviation. The Chi-square test was applied to see the relationship with qualitative variables. Statistical significance was found by applying relevant statistical tests at an appropriate probability level (p&lt;0.05 or &lt;0.01).&#x0D; Results: A total of 2000 children between 5-13 years of age participated in this survey. The study findings showed a high prevalence of dental caries among 8–10-years old school children. Most (56.9%) of the respondents' fathers were workers, and most (86.3%) of the respondents' mothers were homemakers. It was found that 64.2% of the respondents' fathers and 74.05% of the respondents' mothers had below SSC level of education. About 60% of the respondents brushed their teeth twice a day, and a good number (81.0%) brushed their teeth before breakfast. The majority (68.80%) of the respondents had a family history of dental problems, and 45.6% had average oral hygiene. A large number (49.6%) of the respondents' favorite food was junk food. The relationship of age of the respondents with oral hygiene status was found to be statistically significant (p &lt;0.001) but not with sex, parents' education, and occupation (p &gt;0.05 each). The relationship of oral hygiene status of the respondents was found to be statistically significant with the frequency of tooth brushing (p &lt;0.05), time of tooth brushing (p &lt;0.01), family history of dental problems (p &lt;0.05), most favorite food (p &lt;.001), dental plaque index (p &lt;0.001) and dental caries index (p &lt;0.001).&#x0D; Conclusions: The prevalence of dental caries was higher among school-going children in the Rajshahi district of Bangladesh.&#x0D; TAJ 2022; 35: No-1: 125-136

PREVALENCE OF ORAL DISEASES AT ULIN HOSPITAL BANJARMASIN IN 2017-2019

Background: Oral disease is a condition that causes lesions in the oral cavity, which can be influenced by age, gender, and level of education. Oral health is still becoming a problem in society that needs attention. According to basic health research 2018, the prevalence of oral disease in Indonesia remains considerably high reaching 57.6%. Oral diseases have practically been observed in Banjarmasin, yet no research has presented the prevalence of oral diseases in Ulin General Hospital, Banjarmasin. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral disease in Ulin Hospital, Banjarmasin in 2017-2019Method: This research is a descriptive study using secondary data from medical record. Sampling method was carried out by total population sampling of oral disease patients who were treated at Oral and Dental Clinic, Ulin Hospital in 2017-2019Result: It showed that out of 102 oral disease patients, there were 78 patients suffering from recurrent aphthous stomatitis (76.5%), 8 patients from oral candidiasis (7.8%), 7 patients from oral squamous cell carcinoma (6.9%), 4 patients from oral submucous fibrosis (3.9%), 3 patients from burning mouth syndrome (2.9%), and 2 patients from allergic stomatitis (2%). Oral diseases were mostly found in over-45-years age group (54.9%), with the highest gender proportion is female reaching of 64.7%. Approximately 31.4% patients had completed high school education. Medical management was given to 60,8% patients with oral diseases.Conclusion: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis was the most common oral disease in Ulin Hospital, in 2017-2019, followed by oral candidiasis and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The Global Need for Easy and Valid Assessment Tools for Orofacial Pain

The World Health Organization recently adopted a historic resolution (WHA74.5) on the urgent need for global oral health improvement. This resolution is particularly relevant in the perspective of the high prevalence of untreated oral diseases. However, one important aspect has been mentioned only in passing, namely that poor oral health often leads to orofacial pain, which is the most common reason for emergency dental visits worldwide. Therefore, an evidence-based decision-making process on oral health should include data related to orofacial pain complaints. To that end, the availability of reliable and valid assessment tools of orofacial pain and related treatment outcomes is essential. INfORM (International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology) of the International Association for Dental Research has been one of the driving forces behind the development and implementation of comprehensive sets of tools for such assessments. However, as a prerequisite for the desired global implementation, reliable and valid tools that are also brief, easy to translate, and culturally adaptable need to be further developed and tested. Some of the groundwork to facilitate this process has already been carried out. In addition, a working group within INfORM has developed a short clinical assessment tool for orofacial pain diagnostics that is near completion and will soon be ready for dissemination. Ultimately, reliable and valid orofacial pain assessment is a necessary step toward the development and implementation of appropriate “best buy” interventions that address this major driver of need for oral health care worldwide.