Use Of Oral Health Care Research Articles

Changes in Use of Prenatal Dental Care After Brazil’s Incentive Policy

In 2020, the Brazilian federal government launched the “Prevent Brazil” program to incentivize cities to improve their performance across 7 health care indicators, including prenatal dental care. Our study examines the impact of this policy on the use of oral health care among pregnant women in Brazil. We used a series of cross-sectional data from the Brazilian Public Health System from 2018 to 2023. We linked publicly available data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Our outcome was the proportion of pregnant women receiving prenatal care who had at least 1 dental visit during the past year. Covariates included city-level socioeconomic (income and literacy), demographic (gender, race, and urban areas), and workforce variables (number of dentists working in the public health system per city/year). We estimated the impact of the policy on prenatal dental visits nationwide and stratified by geographic region using interrupted time-series analysis. Our analyses included 99.9% of all Brazilian cities (n = 5,562). The use of oral health care among pregnant women increased from 15% in 2018 to 69% in 2023. Adjusted estimates show that, after initiation of the Prevent Brazil, dental care use among pregnant women increased nationally at a rate of 4.6 percentage points per 4-mo period (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.5; 4.7). The policy’s largest impact was in the North and Northeast regions, which have the lowest socioeconomic profiles (adjusted time-series rate 5.7 [95% CI 5.3; 6.1] and 5.2 [5.0; 5.4] percent points, respectively). Our findings support the positive impact of the Prevent Brazil policy on prenatal dental care in Brazil. The policy was associated with a countrywide improvement in prenatal dental care use, with a greater impact in socioeconomically disadvantaged regions.

Factors associated with the use of oral health care services among Canadian children and youth.

This study investigates the association between dental insurance, income, and dental care access for Canadian children and youth aged 1 to 17 years. It contributes to a baseline understanding of oral health care use before the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). This study used data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (n=47,347). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were employed to assess the association of dental insurance, adjusted family net income, and other sociodemographic factors on oral health care visits and cost-related avoidance of oral health care. A large percentage of children under the age of 5 had never visited a dentist (79.8% of 1-year-olds to 16.4% of 4-year-olds). Overall, 89.6% of Canadian children and youth aged 5 to 17 had visited a dental professional within the past 12 months: 93.1% of those who were insured and 78.5% of those who were uninsured. Insured children and youth had a 4.5% cost-related avoidance of dental care, contrasting with 23.3% for uninsured children and youth. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables, children and youth with dental insurance were nearly three times more likely (odds ratio [OR]: 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.60 to 3.33) to have visited a dental professional in the past 12 months than uninsured children and youth. Having dental insurance (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.21) was protective against barriers to seeing a dental professional because of cost. There was a strong income gradient for both dental service outcomes. The study emphasizes the significant association of dental insurance and access to oral health care for children and youth. It highlights a significant gap between insured and uninsured children and youth and points out the influence of sociodemographic and income factors on this disparity.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and oral health care use among formerly incarcerated people in the United States

BackgroundFormerly incarcerated people report less frequent oral health care use, despite having more substantial oral health problems. This study aimed to determine whether the adoption of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has improved oral health care use among formerly incarcerated people in the United States. MethodData were from Wave I (1994-1995), Wave IV (2008), and Wave V (2016-2018) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 9,108), a nationally representative cohort study in the United States. ResultsOn the basis of the results of multiple logistic regression analysis with interaction terms, the authors found a positive and statistically significant interaction between prior incarceration and living in a state with ACA adoption on past-year oral health care use, net of potential confounding variables (incarceration × ACA: odds ratio, 1.587; 95% CI, 1.043 to 2.414). Substantively, the findings suggest that people with a history of incarceration are less likely to use oral health care, and this disparity is more likely to occur in states without ACA adoption. ConclusionsACA adoption corresponds with improvements in the receipt of oral health care among formerly incarcerated people. Practical ImplicationsThis study builds on prior evidence highlighting that the ACA is beneficial in connecting formerly incarcerated people to health care services and suggests that these benefits may extend to improving access to and use of oral health care.

Providing better access to oral health care for people receiving substance use treatment: A timely discussion.

Substance use disorders are a risk factor for poor oral health which in turn impacts quality of life. Resultant oral problems contribute to chronic illness, premature mortality, social stigma, embarrassment and reduced opportunities for employment and social interaction. Providing dental services to people with substance use disorders is often difficult due to high rates of oral disease, anxiety, behavioural and drug use changes, and lifestyle factors. Previous studies have demonstrated that alcohol and other drug service clients find accessing and navigating oral health services complex and suggest a multidisciplinary care approach to improve outcomes. In this commentary, we describe individual and structural barriers that limit the use of oral health care among people with substance use disorders, alcohol and other drug clinicians' challenges to integrating oral health into their practice and identify key issues for oral health services in delivering care. We draw on our experience to recommend a multidisciplinary approach be used to develop strategies in order to increase access to oral health services at a standard similar to the general population for clients of alcohol and other drug services.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health care use in the United States through December 2021

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health care provided from July 2020 through December 2021 using national claims data. MethodsDeidentified quarterly claims from 2017 through 2021 were analyzed (2017-2019 provided prepandemic data). Data were sorted into multiple treatment categories. Analyses compared prepandemic with postpandemic procedure volumes and were stratified according to age groups (0-5 years, 6-18 years, 19-64 years, ≥ 65 years). ResultsFor children aged 0 through 5 years, use of sealants and topical fluorides other than varnish were considerably lower in 2021, as were direct operative and palliative procedures from 2020 through 2021. Only use of silver diamine fluoride, prefabricated crowns, and oral surgery increased significantly (P < .05) in some quarters. For children aged 6 through 18 years, diagnostic, direct operative, periodontic, oral surgery, and palliative procedures were significantly lower in most of 2020 through 2021, and only prefabricated crowns and indirect operative procedures increased significantly in more than 3 quarters. For adults aged 19 through 64 years, diagnostic and preventive procedures were significantly lower in 3 quarters, and direct operative, gingival surgery, endodontic, and palliative procedures were significantly lower in most of 2020 through 2021. Only occlusal guards and scaling and root planing increased significantly in more than 3 quarters. For adults 65 years and older, direct operative, gingival and osseous surgery, and palliative procedures were significantly lower in more than 3 quarters; all other procedures increased significantly in more than 3 quarters. ConclusionsThe pandemic was associated with changes in the provision of oral health care that persisted for more than 1 year. Practical ImplicationsReductions in preventive procedure volumes across age groups younger than 65 years may have implications for longer-term effects of the pandemic.

Children’s oral health and oral health care use during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with declines in children’s oral health and oral health care use in 2020. The authors examined the pandemic effects on these outcomes into 2021. MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data from the National Survey of Children’s Health from 2017 through 2021. The authors compared parent’s or caregiver’s perceptions of the child’s oral health and reported dental problems and dental visits across years, adjusting for child and household covariates and state of residence. The authors evaluated potential heterogeneity across demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. ResultsIn 2021, parents and caregivers were still more likely to perceive children’s oral health as poor (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% CI, 1.28 to 2.82) and less likely to report very good or excellent oral health (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.92) than in 2019, similar to differences between 2020 and 2019. Dental visits were also less likely in 2021 than 2019 (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.83). These differences between 2021 and 2019 were not explained by prepandemic trends and were observed across a range of demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. ConclusionsChildren’s oral health as perceived by parents and caregivers and oral health care use were still worse in 2021 than before the pandemic both overall and across demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. Practical ImplicationsThe persistent adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health as perceived by parents and caregivers and shown through dental visits highlight the need to improve oral health care access and use and to evaluate the long-term effects of the pandemic on children’s oral health.

Maternal disability and prenatal oral health experiences: Findings from Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

BackgroundAlthough disability has associations with poor health and reduced access to health care services, limited research exists on the connection between disability, oral health, and oral health care use. Moreover, to the authors’ knowledge, no study has examined the association between disability and oral health around the time of pregnancy. This is an important gap in research, considering that both disability and oral health play a critical role in maternal and infant well-being. MethodsThe authors obtained cross-sectional data from 15 states from 2019 and 2020 from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (N = 20,189). The authors used multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the relationship between cumulative disabilities and specific forms of disability (seeing, hearing, walking, remembering, self-care, and communicating) for 6 indicators of oral health experiences during pregnancy. ResultsWomen reporting multiple forms of disabilities around the time of pregnancy (especially ≥ 3 disabilities) reported lower levels of knowledge of appropriate oral health care during pregnancy, were less likely to undergo dental prophylaxis during pregnancy, were more likely to report needing care for dental health problems, and had more unmet oral health care needs than those without disabilities. ConclusionsMaternal disability is a risk factor for poorer oral health outcomes and oral health care use during pregnancy. Practical ImplicationsGiven the potential harms of poor oral health to maternal and infant well-being, the findings of this study suggest the need for increased health promotion efforts to foster improved oral health for pregnant women living with disabilities.

Ecological Effects of Daily Antiseptic Treatment on Microbial Composition of Saliva-Grown Microcosm Biofilms and Selection of Resistant Phenotypes.

Antiseptics are widely used in dental practice and included in numerous over-the-counter oral care products. However, the effects of routine antiseptic use on microbial composition of oral biofilms and on the emergence of resistant phenotypes remain unclear. Microcosm biofilms were inoculated from saliva samples of four donors and cultured in the Amsterdam Active Attachment biofilm model for 3 days. Then, they were treated two times daily with chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) for a period of 7 days. Ecological changes upon these multiple antiseptic treatments were evaluated by semiconductor-based sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and identification of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Furthermore, culture-based approaches were used for colony-forming units (CFU) assay, identification of antiseptic-resistant phenotypes using an agar dilution method, and evaluation of their antibiotic susceptibilities. Both CHX and CPC showed only slight effects on CFU and could not inhibit biofilm growth despite the two times daily treatment for 7 days. Both antiseptics showed significant ecological effects on the microbial compositions of the surviving microbiota, whereby CHX led to enrichment of rather caries-associated saccharolytic taxa and CPC led to enrichment of rather gingivitis-associated proteolytic taxa. Antiseptic-resistant phenotypes were isolated on antiseptic-containing agar plates, which also exhibited phenotypic resistance to various antibiotics. Our results highlight the need for further research into potential detrimental effects of antiseptics on the microbial composition of oral biofilms and on the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the context of their frequent use in oral healthcare.

A Comparison of the Adaptive Response of Staphylococcus aureus vs. Streptococcus mutans and the Development of Chlorhexidine Resistance.

Antimicrobials with nonselective antibacterial efficacy such as chlorhexidine can be effective in reducing biofilm, but bear the risk of inducing resistance in specific bacteria. In clinical practice, bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus have been found resistant to chlorhexidine, but other bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, have largely remained susceptible to chlorhexidine despite its widespread use in oral healthcare. Here, we aim to forward a possible reason as to why S. aureus can acquire resistance against chlorhexidine, while S. mutans remains susceptible to chlorhexidine. Measurement of surface-enhanced fluorescence indicated that chlorhexidine caused gradual, but irreversible deformation to adhering green fluorescent S. aureus due to irreparable damage to the cell wall. Concurrently, the metabolic activity of adhering staphylococci was higher than of planktonic bacteria, suggesting efflux mechanisms may have been activated upon cell wall deformation, impeding the buildup of a high chlorhexidine concentration in the cytoplasm and therewith stimulating the development of chlorhexidine resistance in S. aureus. Exposure of S. mutans to chlorhexidine caused immediate, but reversible deformation in adhering streptococci, indicative of rapid self-repair of cell wall damage done by chlorhexidine. Due to cell wall self-repair, S. mutans will be unable to effectively reduce the chlorhexidine concentration in the cytoplasm causing solidification of the cytoplasm. In line, no increased metabolic activity was observed in S. mutans during exposure to chlorhexidine. Therewith, self-repair is suicidal and prevents the development of a chlorhexidine-resistant progeny in S. mutans.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health and oral health care use

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic led to early restrictions on access to oral health care and social distancing requirements. The authors examined the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s oral health and access to oral health care in the United States. MethodsUsing nationally representative data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, the authors compared several measures of children’s oral health and oral health care use early during the pandemic in 2020 with 1 year earlier. Logistic (multinomial or binary) regression models were estimated, adjusting for several child and household covariates and state fixed effects. Similar comparisons were estimated for 2019 relative to 2018 to evaluate prepandemic trends. ResultsChildren in 2020 were 16% (relative risk ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.93) less likely to have excellent dental health as perceived by parents and 75% (relative risk ratio, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.67) more likely to have poor dental health than in 2019. In addition, children in 2020 had higher risk of bleeding gingivae (odds ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.85). The likelihood of having a dental visit in the past 12 months was 27% (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.82) lower in 2020, including lower likelihood for preventive visits. The differences between 2020 and 2019 were observed across demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. There were no such differences between 2019 and 2018. ConclusionsThere was a widespread decline in children’s oral health status and access to oral health care early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical ImplicationsPrompt policies and oral health campaigns are needed to counter the pandemic effects and increase timely access to dental services.

Oral health and oral health care use among able-bodied adults enrolled in Medicaid in Kentucky after Medicaid expansion: A mixed methods study

BackgroundOral health care use remains low among adult Medicaid recipients, despite the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s expansion increasing access to care in many states. It remains unclear the extent to which low use reflects either low demand for care or barriers to accessing care. The authors aimed to examine factors associated with low oral health care use among adults enrolled in Medicaid. MethodsThe authors conducted a survey from May through September 2018 among able-bodied (n = 9,363) Medicaid recipients who were aged 19 through 65 years and nondisabled childless adults in Kentucky. The survey included questions on perceived oral health care use. Semistructured interviews were also conducted from May through November 2018 among a subset of participants (n = 127). ResultsMore than one-third (37.8%) of respondents reported fair or poor oral health, compared with 26.2% who reported fair or poor physical health. Although 47.6% of respondents indicated needing oral health care in the past 6 months, only one-half of this group reported receiving all of the care they needed. Self-reported barriers included lack of coverage for needed services and lack of access to care (for example, low provider availability and transportation difficulties). ConclusionsLow rates of oral health care use can be attributed to a subset of the study population having low demand and another subset facing barriers to accessing care. Although Medicaid-covered services might be adequate for beneficiaries with good oral health, those with advanced dental diseases and a history of irregular care might benefit from coverage for more extensive restorative services. Practical ImplicationsThese results can inform dentists and policy makers about how to design effective interventions and policies to improve oral health care use and oral health outcomes.

Preventive oral health care use for children with special health care needs aged 6 through 12 years enrolled in Medicaid: A mixed methods study

BackgroundThe authors aimed to assess preventive oral health care (POHC) use for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) aged 6 through 12 years enrolled in Medicaid and identify intervention strategies to improve oral health. MethodsIn this sequential mixed methods study, the authors analyzed 2012 Medicaid data for children aged 6 through 12 years in Washington state. They used eligibility and claims data to identify special health care needs status (independent variable) and POHC use (outcome variable). They ran modified Poisson regression models to generate prevalence rate ratios. They coded data from 21 key informant interviews deductively using content analytic techniques. ResultsOf the 208,648 children in the study, 18% were identified as CSHCN and 140,468 used POHC (67.3%). After adjusting for confounding variables, the authors found no difference in POHC use by special health care need status (prevalence rate ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.01; P = .91). In the qualitative analysis, the authors identified 5 themes: caries risk depends on a child’s specific health condition, caries complicates overall health, having a special need creates a bigger barrier to care, legislation alone is “not going to make much of a dent,” and improvements across all fronts are needed to promote the oral health of CSHCN in Medicaid. ConclusionsCSHCN enrolled in Medicaid are just as likely as children without special health care needs to use POHC, although barriers to oral health care access persist for CSHCN. Practical ImplicationsFuture efforts should focus on comprehensive strategies that address the varying levels of dental disease risk and difficulties accessing oral health care within the diverse group of CSHCN.

Use of oral health care services in the United States: unequal, inequitable\u2014a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSocial determinants drive disparities in dental visiting. Disparities can be measured simply by comparing outcomes between groups (inequality) but can also consider concepts of social justice or fairness (inequity). This study aimed to assess differences in dental visiting in the United States in terms of both social inequality and inequity.MethodsData were obtained from a cross-sectional study—the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015–2016, and participants were US adults aged 30+ years. The outcome of interest, use of oral health care services, was measured in terms of dental visiting in the past 12 months. Disparity was operationalized through education and income. Other characteristics included age, gender, race/ethnicity, main language, country of birth, citizenship and oral health status. To characterize existing inequality in dental service use, we examined bivariate relationships using indices of inequality: the absolute and relative concentration index (ACI and RCI), the slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) and through concentration curves (CC). Indirect standardization with a non-linear model was used to measure inequity.ResultsA total of 4745 US adults were included. Bivariate analysis showed a gradient by both education and income in dental visiting, with a higher proportion (> 60%) of those with lower educational attainment /lower income having not visited a dentist. The concentration curves showed pro-higher education and income inequality. All measures of absolute and relative indices were negative, indicating that from lower to higher socioeconomic position (education and income), the prevalence of no dental visiting decreased: ACI and RCI estimates were approximately 8% and 20%, while SII and RII estimates were 50% and 30%. After need-standardization, the group with the highest educational level had nearly 2.5 times- and the highest income had near three times less probability of not having a dental visit in the past 12 months than those with the lowest education and income, respectively.ConclusionThe findings indicate that use of oral health care is threatened by existing social inequalities and inequities, disproportionately burdening disadvantaged populations. Efforts to reduce both oral health inequalities and inequities must start with action in the social, economic and policy spheres.

Patterns of use of oral health care services in Australian rural adults: the Crossroads-II Dental sub-study.

As part of a larger study, the Crossroads-II Dental sub-study determined the patterns of, and barriers to, oral health care service utilization in a rural area of Victoria. In this cross-sectional sub-study predisposing, enabling, needs-related, and oral health variables were considered in association with patterns of oral health care utilization. A logistic regression was performed to explain the use of oral health care services. Overall, 574 adults participated, with 50.9% reporting having visited an oral health care service in the previous 12 months. Age, number of chronic health conditions and holding a health card; were associated with increased visit to a dentist (OR = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.03; OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.16; OR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.26-3.36, respectively). Perceived barriers to care and number of missing teeth decreased the odds of using services (OR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.36-0.58; OR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92-0.98, respectively). Results suggest that use of oral health care services is associated with a range of financial, educational, health and structural barriers. Increasing the use of oral health care services in rural populations requires additional efforts beyond the reduction of financial barriers.

Oral health status of young adults in Serbia - clinical and non-clinical assessment of undergraduate students in Belgrade

Introduction. Since 1987, there has been little information on oral health (OH) status of young adults aged 19 to 26 in Serbia. This study aimed to investigate the trends in OH status and OH-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of undergraduate student population in Belgrade in 2012. Materials and methods. The study included a total of 699 students of different study fields who underwent a dental examination, with 530 of them agreeing to an assisted survey and 275 forgoing a periodontal assessment. The survey consisted of six sections - basic information, socio-demographic data, oral healthcare use and habits, risk factors, OH self-assessment and OHRQoL. Clinical assessment was performed using the Decayed, Missing, Filled teeth (DMFT) index; Gingival Index; Clinical Attachment Level; Community Periodontal Index, and Plaque index. OHRQoL was evaluated through a modified OH Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Results. The mean DMFT of the examined population was 10.24 (standard deviation [SD] 5.33). Students from East and South Serbia (DMFT=8.69 [SD=4.93]), technical study field (DMFT=8.84 [SD=4.94]), with mother?s having a university degree (DMFT=9.33 [SD=5.15]) and with satisfactory OH (DMFT=8.94 [SD=4.76]) were all significantly associated with lower DMFT. A significantly lower OHRQoL score was observed in students with satisfactory self-reported OH (Score=9.48 [SD=1.44]). The periodontal assessment showed no significant differences across all values of observed indexes. Conclusion. The mean DMFT of Belgrade?s young adults? population has decreased from 1987 to 2012 from 12.5 to 10.4. Self-reported OH is significantly associated with both the DMFT values and OHRQoL.

Interprofessional collaboration and smartphone use as promising strategies to improve prenatal oral health care utilization among US underserved women: results from a qualitative study

BackgroundData on barriers and facilitators to prenatal oral health care among low-income US women are lacking. The objective of this study was to understand barriers/facilitators and patient-centered mitigation strategies related to the use of prenatal oral health care among underserved US women.MethodsWe used community-based participatory research to conduct two focus groups with eight pregnant/parenting women; ten individual in-depth interviews with medical providers, dental providers and community/social workers; and one community engagement studio with five representative community stakeholders in 2018–2019. Using an interpretive description research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups which were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content.ResultsWe identified individual and systemic barriers/facilitators to the utilization of prenatal oral health care by underserved US women. Strategies reported to improve utilization included healthcare system-wide changes to promote inter-professional collaborations, innovative educational programs to improve dissemination and implementation of prenatal oral health care guidelines, and specialized dental facilities providing prenatal oral health care to underserved women. Moreover, smartphones have the potential to be an innovative entry point to promote utilization of prenatal oral care at the individual level.ConclusionsLow-income women face multiple, addressable barriers to obtaining oral health care during pregnancy. Inter-professional collaboration holds strong promise for improving prenatal oral health care utilization.

Children’s dental service use reflects their parents’ dental service experience and insurance

BackgroundDecisions about children’s oral health care are made by parents. Parents' dental insurance, dental service use, and perceived affordability all influence their children’s oral health care. MethodsUsing data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, the authors constructed a database of 4,396 nationally representative US children and their linked household adults. The authors assessed the relationship between children’s and parents’ use of dental services, private and public dental insurance, and deferral of oral health care owing to cost. To adjust for factors that may influence outcomes independently, the authors performed multivariate analyses to consider child, parent, and household characteristics. ResultsChildren have 2 times the risk of lacking a dental visit in a year if the parent has none, 7 times the risk of reportedly lacking dental coverage if the parent has none, and nearly 10 times the risk of having care deferred owing to cost if the parent finds oral health care unaffordable. Affordability risk factors for children include older age and minority race, whereas protective factors include public insurance, parents with higher educational attainment, and female-led households. Increased oral health care use by children was associated with states that provide more extensive adult Medicaid dental benefits. ConclusionsGreater parental dental service use, dental coverage, and ability to afford care benefit their children’s use of oral health care. Practice ImplicationsPolicies by employers and government that expand quality private and public coverage for adults hold strong promise to improve oral health care for both parents and their children.

International Conference on Emerging Trends in Biomedical and Health Applications (ICETBHA-2020)

The International Conference on Emerging Trends in Biomedical and Health Applications (ICETBHA -2020) is an initiative undertaken by the Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India. The Conference aims to provide a platform for scientific and knowledge exchange and also explore the recent trends in biomedical field. The purpose of this conference is to explore the Novel concepts by the scientific experts involved in the biomedical research and health care sector. This conference focus on the presentations, Interaction between the expertise and students, research scholars on the updated information on Nano medicine, Cancer therapeutics, Pharmacogenomics, Awareness survey on health care, Microbial applications, Molecular biological investigations, Genetic studies, Drug therapy, Pharmacognostic evaluation, Dental applications in the field of Biomedicine and its use in Oral health care. This conference featured the keynote speaker and invited lectures from Countries like South Korea, USA, Japan. Scientific presentation included Paper /e-poster with diverse topics on the cutting edge research and novel innovations.

Loneliness and disability as predictors of oral diseases among 2 groups of older adults in central India

BackgroundIn this study, the authors aimed to assess the association of loneliness and disability with oral health in 2 groups older adults (≥ 60 years) in central India. MethodsA total of 421 older adults participated in the study; 316 (75.1%) attended outpatient services at the Department of Dentistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India, and 105 (24.9%) were from old age homes. The authors used the Patients Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System’s social isolation 8a short form to assess loneliness. Disability was assessed using the 12-item version of the self-administered World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale. The authors conducted regression analyses to establish the association of loneliness and disability with the decayed, missing, and filled tooth index; periodontal disease; and edentulousness. ResultsPoor oral health findings were noted in both groups. Eighty-eight (20.9%) participants had never visited a dentist, and 201 (88.5%) had unmet dental prosthetic needs. Loneliness and disability were associated with decayed, missing, and filled tooth index scores; periodontal disease; and edentulousness, with odds ratios of 1.86, 1.29, 2.37 and 4.63, 3.85, 3.63 respectively (P < .001). Age, sex, socioeconomic status, type of residence, tobacco use, and use of oral health care were also independent variables associated with oral health (P < .001). ConclusionsLoneliness and disability were found to be significantly associated with oral health. The study results found poor oral health, low use of oral health care, and high unmet need for dental prosthetics in the 2 groups of older adults. Practical ImplicationsPracticing dentists need to understand the significance of loneliness and social isolation on oral health. Interventions to reduce isolation and disability can be beneficial in improving the oral health of older adults.

Persistent but narrowing oral health care inequalities in Canada from 2001 through 2016

BackgroundSimilar to the United States, inequality in oral health care use is longstanding in Canada. It remains unclear whether this inequality is improving or worsening. In this study, the authors report on income-related inequality in dental visits in Canada and across its provinces over time and interprovincial inequality in dental visits among Canadian provinces. MethodsThe authors used 7 nationally representative health surveys of the Canadian population and collected data from 2001 through 2016. The magnitude of income-related inequality was measured using the slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality. Interprovincial inequality was examined using a number of indexes including the Theil index. ResultsIncome-related inequality in dental visits was present in all survey years, with people in higher income groups reporting higher dental visit prevalence rates. However, results from the slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality showed a steady decline, meaning there was a decrease in the magnitude of inequality over time. Absolute and relative inequality decreased by 7.2% and 22.9% from 2000 through 2016, respectively. A similar decline was observed across most Canadian provinces. Interprovincial differences in dental visits also decreased over time. ConclusionsThere appears to be persistent but narrowing income-related inequality in dental visits in Canada and across its provinces over time. In addition, it appears that Canadian provinces are becoming more equal in terms of dental services use. Practical ImplicationsNarrowing income-related inequality in dental visits in Canada is promising, suggesting a more equal distribution of dental visits. However, unequal use of dental services remains an issue affecting the Canadian population.