Minor salivary gland secretion in the elderly

OBJECTIVE: Very little information exists on minor salivary gland output (MSGO) in health and disease. We investigated the minor salivary gland output of elderly subjects with different medical backgrounds and the relationship of that output with life practices, demographic variables, complaints of dry mouth, medication usage, functional status, medical treatments, and dental and medical variables.Study Design: MSGO was measured with a special moisture-detecting paper on the lip, cheek, and palate, which comprised the total MSGO. A parsimonious linear regression model was developed to determine which of the many measured variables influenced the MSGO. RESULTS: There were significant differences in MSGO between the recruitment sites, with the non-Veteran Affairs (VA) Independent Living participants having significantly lower MSGO than the VA groups. A secretion rate for MSGO based on median values from all subjects of <4.6 microL/min was categorized as being low, whereas a secretion rate for MSGO >/=4.6 microL/min was categorized as high. A regression model was used to examine variables that could be associated with MSGO variability. The results show that being older, a woman, a current smoker, and having a complaint of dry mouth were associated with lower MSGO rates. CONCLUSIONS: An association between subjective complaints of dry mouth and a decrease in MSGO measured objectively was demonstrated in this elderly population. Furthermore, age and sex effects on MSGO were also demonstrated.     

Effect of chlorhexidine varnish mouthguards on the levels of selected oral microorganisms in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: The effect of a chlorhexidine varnish delivery system on the levels of selected oral microorganisms was evaluated in caries active pediatric patients, ages 4 to 12 years old. METHODS: Forty-six patients were enrolled into the study when they had multiple carious surfaces and salivary mutans streptococci (MS) levels higher than 10(4) colony forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. This study incorporated a double-blind design and patients were randomly assigned to either the chlorhexidine treatment group or the placebo group. Complete-arch, vacuum-adapted mouthguards (0.02 in. polypropylene coping material) were custom fabricated and coated internally with either a 3.0% chlorhexidine varnish or a placebo varnish. Two pretreatment paraffin-stimulated saliva samples were obtained for culturing prior to varnish treatment. Saliva samples were also obtained immediately after treatment and once a month for up to three months after wearing the mouthguard appliances. Dental restorations were placed at most of these saliva collection visits. Mouthguards were reportedly worn for an average of 9.7 hours per night for approximately seven nights by 40 subjects (87%). RESULTS: After two months, and after three months, there was a significant reduction in MS levels immediately after the chlorhexidine varnish treatment. Total anaerobic and total facultative bacteria levels were not significantly affected. CONCLUSION: One week of nightly use of the chlorhexidine varnish mouthguard system is effective at reducing the number of MS in caries-active pediatric patients in the mixed and primary dentition for at least three months.     

Advances in diagnosis and detection of oral diseases

Medicine, particularly with respect to diagnostic decision-making, has seen remarkable advances in the last ten years. The art of diagnosis has become much more of a science. Basic science advances have moved from the laboratory into the hospital and radically changed the way a medical diagnosis is arrived at or confirmed. Dentistry, especially oral diagnosis, as yet has not been a significant part of this general medical advance. However, several examples demonstrate that this situation is starting to change. Oral conditions are beginning to be evaluated with greater precision and sophistication. This report reviews some recent advances in oral diagnostic research and suggests where they will carry dentistry over the next 25 years.     

A logistic regression model for the decision to perform access surgery

Abstract Access surgery may be recommended to about 80% of patients who present with advanced forms of periodontal disease. In this report, a multivariate logistic regression analysis which incorporated several clinical parameters for each tooth examined, i.e., tooth type, furcation involvement, bleeding on probing, attachment level, probing depth, mobility and BANA test score, was conducted using generalized estimating equations (GEE). This approach identified parameters that were significantly associated at p < 0.05 level with the need for access surgery or extraction for periodontal purposes. The estimated probabilities derived from the GEE model were plotted over the complete spectrum of operating conditions to obtain a receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve. At a probability cutpoint of 0.8, the decision threshold for surgery/extraction at the pre-treatment examination would have a sensitivity of 76.1% and a specificity of 75.3%. We have taken this 0.8 cut point to look at specific clinical decisions made by our examiners after the patients had received scaling and root planing plus 2 weeks unsupervised usage of systemic antimicrobials. The clinicians' decision was taken as the primary reference standard. The model's estimated decision agreed with the clinicians' decision in 226 of the 284 teeth, for an accuracy of 80%. The specificity was 90% and the sensitivity was 43%.