Oral health literacy and knowledge among patients who are pregnant for the first time

BackgroundThe authors conducted an observational cohort study to determine the levels of and examine the associations of oral health literacy (OHL) and oral health knowledge in low-income patients who were pregnant for the first time.MethodsAn analytic sample of 119 low-income patients who were pregnant for the first time completed a structured 30-minute, in-person interview conducted by two trained interviewers in seven counties in North Carolina. The authors measured OHL by means of a dental word recognition test and assessed oral health knowledge by administering a six-item knowledge survey.ResultsThe authors found that OHL scores were distributed normally (mean [standard deviation], 16.4 [5.0]). The percentage of correct responses for each oral health knowledge item ranged from 45 to 98 percent. The results of bivariate analyses showed that there was a positive correlation between OHL and oral health knowledge (P < .01). Higher OHL levels were associated with correct responses to two of the knowledge items (P < .01).ConclusionsOHL was low in the study sample. There was a significant association between OHL and oral health knowledge.Clinical ImplicationsLow OHL levels and, thereby, low levels of oral health knowledge, might affect health outcomes for both the mother and child. Tailoring messages to appropriate OHL levels might improve knowledge.     

Effectiveness of a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program

The aims of this study were to estimate the caries-preventive effects of a school-based weekly fluoride mouthrinse (FMR) program and to determine whether its effectiveness varied by school-level caries risk. We used clinical and parent-reported data for 1,363 children in grades 1 through 5 from a probability sample of North Carolina (NC) schoolchildren. Children's caries experience was measured using decayed and filled primary (d(2,3)fs) and total (d(2,3)fs+D(2,3)MFS) tooth surfaces. Program participation was quantified using 'FMR years'. To estimate caries risk at program entry, children were matched with NC kindergarten-surveillance data representing school-level mean untreated decay (low-risk school: < 1 and high-risk school: ≥ 1 untreated carious teeth). Mean d(2,3)fs was 4.1 [95% confidence limits (CL) = 3.7, 4.5]. Overall, each 'FMR year' was associated with weak reduction of caries prevalence in the primary [prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.98; 95% CL = 0.90, 1.06] and the mixed dentition (PR = 0.98; 95% CL = 0.91, 1.05). We found a trend toward a larger caries-preventive benefit among children in high-risk schools compared with those in low-risk schools (i.e., 55% vs. 10% caries reduction for 5 to 6 yrs of FMR participation compared to none). Although this difference was not confirmed statistically, our results indicate that children in high-risk schools, as identified by school-level surveillance data, may experience substantial caries-preventive benefits from long-term FMR participation.     

Exploring the genomic basis of early childhood caries: a pilot study

Objective

A genetic component in early childhood caries (ECC) is theorized, but no genome‐wide investigations of ECC have been conducted. This pilot study is part of a long‐term research program aimed to: (1) determine the proportion of ECC variance attributable to the human genome and (2) identify ECC‐associated genetic loci.

Methods

The study's community‐based sample comprised 212 children (mean age=39 months; range = 30–52 months; males = 55%; Hispanic/Latino = 35%, African‐American = 32%; American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry definition of ECC prevalence = 38%). Approximately 2.4 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using DNA purified from saliva. A P < 5 × 10^?8 criterion was used for genome‐wide significance. SNPs with P < 5 × 10^?5 were followed‐up in three independent cohorts of 921 preschool‐age children with similar ECC prevalence.

Results

SNPs with minor allele frequency ≥5% explained 52% (standard error = 54%) of ECC variance (one‐sided P = 0.03). Unsurprisingly, given the pilot's small sample size, no genome‐wide significant associations were found. An intergenic locus on 4q32 (rs4690994) displayed the strongest association with ECC [P = 2.3 × 10^?6; odds ratio (OR) = 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.1–5.9]. Thirteen loci with suggestive associations were followed‐up – none showed evidence of association in the replication samples.

Conclusion

This study's findings support a heritable component of ECC and demonstrate the feasibility of conducting genomics studies among preschool‐age children.

     

中药冰片—水杨酸低共熔物透皮吸收研究

某些固体有机药物有和水杨酸类生成低共熔物的特点。本文利用冰片(borneol简称BO)和水杨酸(salicylic acid简称SA)生成低共熔物性质,探讨了BO-SA低共熔物透过大白鼠离体皮肤的效果。实验结果表明BO-SA低共熔物比BO的透皮吸收有明显的增加,为研制冰片透皮吸收制剂提供了方法。     

6-(αα-二苯基乙酰哌嗪基苯基)-4,5-二氢-5-甲基-3(2H)-哒嗪酮对兔血小板聚集及TXB_2,cAMP的影响

6-(αα-二苯基乙酰哌嗪基苯基)-4,5-二氢-5-甲基-3(2H)-哒嗪酮(简称DMDP)是我院新合成的哒嗪酮的衍生物。DMDP可以显著抑制由花生四烯酸(AA(?),ADP和血小板活化因子(PAF)诱导的免血小板聚集,其IC_(50)分别为1.12±0.1.4.19±0.5和2.97±0.1μmol/L。实验还表明DMDP在1～500 μmol/L浓度范围内呈剂量依赖性地抑制兔血小板内血栓素B_2含量,但升高兔血小板内环腺苷酸水平,这可能是其抑制血小板聚集的作用机理之一。