Is self interdental cleaning associated with dental plaque levels,dental calculus,gingivitis and periodontal disease?

Crocombe LA, Brennan DS, Slade GD, Loc DO. Is self interdental cleaning associated with dental plaque levels, dental calculus, gingivitis and periodontal disease? J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 188–197. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: To ascertain whether interdental cleaning behaviours of Australian adults were associated with lower levels of plaque, gingivitis and periodontal disease. Material and Methods: Data were obtained from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004–06. Outcome variables were three indicators of oral hygiene outcomes (the presence or not of dental plaque, dental calculus and gingivitis) and two of periodontal disease (the presence or not of at least one tooth with a periodontal pocket or clinical attachment loss of ≥ 4 mm). The independent variable was classified into the following three groups: regularly clean interproximally ‘at least daily’ (daily+); ‘less than daily’ (< daily); and ‘do not regularly clean interproximally’ (reference group). Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) relative to the reference group, adjusted for covariates. Results: Regular self interdental cleaning was associated with less dental plaque (< daily, PR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.84, 0.95; and daily+, PR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82, 0.96), less dental calculus (< daily, PR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80, 0.97; and daily+, PR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.70, 0.89) and lower levels of moderate/severe gingivitis (daily+, PR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.94). Periodontal pocketing was less likely for the < daily group (PR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.82), but was not associated with daily+ cleaning (PR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.663, 1.49). There was not a significant association between interdental cleaning and clinical attachment loss (< daily, PR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.77, 1.05; and daily+, PR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.95, 1.44). Conclusion: Regular interdental cleaning was associated with better oral hygiene outcomes, such as dental plaque and gingivitis, although there was no significant association between regular interdental cleaning and clinical attachment loss.     

Is self interdental cleaning associated with dental plaque levels, dental calculus, gingivitis and periodontal disease?

No association between self interdental cleaning and clinical attachment loss.     

Are oral and dental diseases linked to cancer?

Oral Diseases (2011) 17 , 779–784 Objective: Infection and inflammation play a role in carcinogenesis, and highly prevalent oral and dental diseases have been significantly linked to some types of cancer. This article reviews current literature in this area. Materials and Methods: Open literature review using the PubMed database and focused on publications from 2000 to 2010. Results: Numerous potential mechanisms are implicated in the oral disease/carcinogenesis paradigm, including infection‐ and inflammation‐associated cell pathology and microbial carcinogen metabolism. Poor oral hygiene is associated with oral cancer, but there is also evidence of a possible link between oral or dental infections and malignancies in general. Conclusion: Oral infections may trigger malignant transformation in tissues of the mouth and other organs. However, scientific evidence to date remains weak and further well‐conducted studies are warranted before cancer can be properly added to the list of oral infection‐related systemic diseases.     

Are intrauterine growth restriction and preterm birth associated with dental caries?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between two intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) surrogates - IUGR [small for gestational age birth (SGA) and fetal growth restriction (FGR)] and preterm birth with dental caries. METHODS: Data from the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (1988-1994) were used, including 2- to 5.9-year-old singletons (n = 3189). Dental caries was defined as presence of any teeth with dental caries (treated or untreated) and also as presence of at least two teeth with dental caries. Exposure variables were preterm birth (<37 gestational weeks), FGR, and SGA. Covariates included were poverty, race/ethnicity, age, sex, sucrose intake, environmental tobacco smoking, dental visits, education of head of household, breastfeeding, and use of baby bottle. Separate statistical analyses were conducted for IUGR and for preterm birth through the estimation of prevalence ratio (PR), taking complex sampling design into consideration and adjusting for confounders. Sensitivity analysis was conducted including and excluding 2-year-old children and also with the two definitions of dental caries. RESULTS: In general, the inclusion of 2-year-old children and the case definition of presence of any teeth with dental caries biased the results toward the null, but with no major changes in the results. In bivariate analysis, SGA and FGR birth were both negatively but not significantly associated with dental caries while a significant positive association was found for preterm birth. Sensitivity analysis showed that the PR for preterm in bivariate analysis varied from 1.65 (95% CI 1.14-2.40) to 1.84 (95% CI 1.19-2.83). After adjusting for confounders, the PR for preterm birth varied from 1.38 (95% CI 1.00-1.89) to 1.64 (95% CI 1.22-2.20). After adjustment, the PR for SGA varied from 0.79 (95% CI 0.56-101) to 0.66 (95% CI 0.33-0.96). For children from 3 to 5.9 years old, the adjusted PR for FGR using the category 'none' as reference were mild (PR 1.10; 95% CI 0.76-1.58), moderate (PR 0.66; 95% CI 0.26-167), and severe (PR 0.59; 95% CI 0.36-0.99). These values for FGR were very similar for the other models using other classifications of case definition or inclusion of 2-year-old children. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm birth was found to be positively associated with dental caries while there is an indication that SGA and FGR are negatively associated with dental caries. Although the negative association is counterintuitive, it is possible that increased antibiotic use and delayed tooth eruption may explain the negative association between IUGR and dental caries.     

Are there differences in oral health and oral health behavior between individuals with high and low dental fear?

Abstract – Epidemiological studies of the relationship between dental fear, use of dental services, and oral health in different age groups in a common population are scarce. Dental fear and its relationships are usually described in individuals with high dental fear only. The purposes of this study were to describe the prevalence of dental fear in the Norwegian adult population according to age, and to explore differences in oral health, oral hygiene, and visiting habits between individuals with high and low dental fear. For the present study, data from the Trøndelag‐94 study were used. The prevalence of dental fear in our study population of adults in Trøndelag, Norway was 6.6%. There was a tendency for individuals with high dental fear to engage in avoidance behavior more frequently than the low dental fear group. Individuals with high dental fear had a statistically significantly higher number of decayed surfaces (DS), decayed teeth, (DT) and missing teeth (MT) but a statistically significantly lower number of filled surfaces (FS), filled teeth (FT), functional surfaces (FSS), and functional teeth (FST). There were no differences in DMFS and DMFT between the groups of high and low dental fear. Since one of the superior aims of the dental profession is to help a patient to achieve a high number of functional teeth throughout life, consequently detecting and treating dental fear should therefore be an important aspect of dental processionals' work.     

Association of Helicobacter pylori with oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To assess any potential association between Helicobacter pylori and oral squamous cell carcinoma/oral potentially malignant disorders.

Materials and methods

Data mining was done using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS databases. The search included articles published up to May 2019. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to score the quality of the included articles. Data including the type of study, the sample population, the type of oral lesion, and the resulting statistical data were extracted.

Results

Out of 131 screened articles, only 15 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Among the 15 studies, 9 focused on oral squamous cell carcinoma and 6 focused on oral potentially malignant disorders. Eight out of the 9 oral squamous cell carcinoma studies were included in the meta-analysis. Forest plot was generated using the odds ratio and confidence intervals calculated for each of the included studies. Due to the lack of sufficient studies, the meta-analysis was not performed for oral potentially malignant disorders.

Conclusion

Due to the contradictory results of the included studies, it was not possible to make any conclusive statement on the potential association of H. pylori with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The variations in the methodology, especially the differences in the sensitivity/specificity of the diagnostic modalities could be the cause for differential results.

Clinical relevance

Although the association of H. pylori with oral squamous cell carcinoma could not be confirmed, it is vital to reduce the excess oral microbial load, especially in patients exhibiting oral mucosal changes with no history of associated risk factors.

     

Is periodontitis associated with oral neoplasms?

BACKGROUND: Infections have been suggested in the etiology of oral cancer. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of periodontal disease on oral soft tissue lesions. METHODS: A total of 13,798 subjects aged 20 years and older with at least six natural teeth and who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) constituted the study population. Severity of periodontal disease was represented by clinical attachment loss (CAL) and was dichotomized as < or =1.5 mm versus >1.5 mm according to its distributions in the NHANES III population. Three separate dependent variables were employed: 1) tumor (non-specific); 2) precancerous lesions; and 3) any oral soft tissue lesion. The independent effect of CAL on those three dependent variables was assessed by weighted multiple logistic regression analyses adjusting for the effects of number of filled teeth, number of decayed teeth, presence of prosthesis, age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, tobacco, alcohol, occupational hazard, and interaction term "tobacco*occupational hazard." Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: CAL was not related to the presence of any soft tissue lesion (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.91 to 1.31), but was specifically related to the presence of tumor (OR = 4.57, 95% CI: 2.25 to 9.30) and precancerous lesions (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.27). CONCLUSION: This study suggests associations between periodontal disease and the risk for precancerous lesions and tumors generating a hypothesis about a possible relationship between periodontal disease and oral neoplasms. Prospective or well-designed case-control studies with histologically confirmed incident oral cancer cases are necessary to confirm this relationship.     

Brushing associated with oral irrigation in maintaining implants and overdentures hygiene – a randomized clinical trial

Odontology - Evaluate, through a randomized clinical trial, the efficacy of brushing associated with oral irrigation in maintaining implant and overdenture hygiene. Thirty-eight participants, who...     

Are maternal mental disorders associated with children's oral health? A systematic review

Maternal mental problems may lead to a negative effect on children's oral health (COH). The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to answer the question: Are maternal mental disorders (MMD) associated with COH from zero to 12 years old? Electronic searches were performed in five databases with no language restriction. Cohort, case‐control, and cross‐sectional studies were included. A total of 1183 references were identified, and seven studies were included. In relation to MMD studies investigated: Common Mental Disorders (n = 2), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (n = 2), symptoms of depression (SD) (n = 3), Alcohol‐related diagnosis (n = 1), and symptoms of anxiety (n = 2). As outcome, the studies investigated dental caries (n = 5), gingivitis and periodontal diseases (n = 1), sleep bruxism (SB) (n = 1), and malocclusion (n = 1). Positive association was found between MDD and OH (SB and dental caries). There was no MMD associated with malocclusion. Alcohol‐related diagnosis showed a positive association with gingivitis and periodontal diseases and no association with dental caries; anxiety had a positive association with dental caries and no association with SB. The heterogeneity of the data precluded precise conclusions to be drawn, but MMD may have influence on COH.     

Is poor access to dental care why people outside capital cities have poor oral health?

Background : Why oral health status outside capital cities is poorer than that in capital cities has not been satisfactorily explained. The aim of this study was to determine if the reason was poorer access to dental care. Methods : Data were obtained from the Australian National Survey of Adult Oral Health (2004–06). Oral health status was measured by DMFT Index, and numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth. A two‐step analysis was undertaken: comparing the dependent variables by location, socio‐demographic confounders and preventive dental behaviours, and then including six access to dental care variables. Results : Of the 14 123 people interviewed, 5505 were examined, and 4170 completed the questionnaire. With socio‐economic parameters in the first regression model, non‐capital city people had higher DMFT (regression coefficient = 1.15, p < 0.01), more decayed (0.42, p < 0.01) and missing teeth (0.85, p < 0.01), but not filled teeth (?0.11, p = 0.71), than capital city based people. In the second step analysis, non‐capital city people still had a greater DMFT (1.01, p < 0.01), more decayed (0.27, p = 0.03) and missing teeth (0.74, p < 0.01), but not filled teeth (0.00, p = 0.99) than capital city based people. Conclusions : Access to dental care was not the only reason why people outside capital cities have poorer oral health than people living in capital cities.     

Effects of academic stress on oral hygiene – a potential link between stress and plaque‐associated disease?

BACKGROUND: While there seems to be a common belief that psychosocial stress affects oral hygiene behavior, this assumption has rarely been proved. The present study thus aims to analyse stress effects on oral hygiene. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 16 matched pairs of medical students each consisting of 1 student participating in a major academic exam and 1 control without current academic stress, were formed on the basis of baseline plaque levels. At baseline, a professional tooth cleaning was performed. On the last day of exams, students answered questionnaires about oral hygiene during the exams and were afterwards asked to attend for a 2nd dental examination, of which they had no prior knowledge. RESULTS: On the last day of exams, approximately 6 weeks after professional tooth cleaning, 20.9+/-18.3% of control students' sites but only 10.5+/-9.3% of exam students' sites were found to be free of any plaque (p=0.022). Differences were most obvious at oral, as compared to vestibular, sites. Exam students reported a reduction in thoroughness (p=0.019) but not of frequency of oral hygiene behavior. CONCLUSION: The study strongly supports the assumption that psychosocial stress may induce neglect of oral hygiene and increase of plaque accumulation.