Effect of professional flossing with NaF or SnF2 gel on approximal caries in 13-16-year-old schoolchildren

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of professional flossing with NaF and SnF₂ gels on caries development on approximal tooth surfaces. Two-hundred-and-eighty 13-year-old schoolchildren were divided into 3 groups: (1) NaF (n = 97), (2) SnF₂ (n = 85), and (3) placebo gel group (n = 98). The investigation was carried out double-blind. The children were treated 4 times a year for 3 years with 1% NaF gel, 1% SnF₂ gel, or placebo gel. The treatment was carried out by dental nurses and the time required per visit was approximately 10 min. After 3 years, the mean approximal caries increment, including initial caries lesions, was 2.8 in the NaF, 2.4 in the SnF₂, and 4.0 in the placebo gel group (P < 0.05 for SnF₂ vs placebo); a reduction compared to the placebo of 30% and 39% in the NaF and SnF₂ groups, respectively. Thus, professional flossing with NaF or SnF₂ gel carried out 4 times a year may be considered as an interesting caries-preventing method for large-scale application in schoolchildren.     

Early dental caries risk assessment and prevention in pre-school children: evaluation of a new strategy for dental care in a field study

The aim of the present field study was to evaluate a new strategy for the dental care of pre-school children which includes an early caries risk assessment and early preventive care. One hundred and sixty-seven children were studied from 1 to 6 years of age (intervention group). A group of 125 children from the same clinic (historical control) was used as a comparison group. On the basis of the clinical examinations of the children and the interviews with the parents when the children were 3 years of age, the children in the intervention group were divided into four different risk groups: no (n = 95),low (n = 33), moderate (n = 30), and high caries risk (n = 9). Only 8 of the 95 children who had been placed in the no caries risk group at 3 years of age developed manifest carious lesions in their primary cuspids and molars by 6 years of age. At 6 years of age 81% in the intervention group were free of manifest carious lesions, compared with 55% in the comparison group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean numbers of defs were 0.6 for children in the intervention group and 2.7 in the comparison group. Thus, this field study indicates that early primary prevention (before the onset of caries attack) and a structured and systematic approach to dental care for pre-school children result in good oral health for the children and may be economically profitable for a society with organized public dental service for pre-school children.     

Associations between oral sugar clearance,dental caries,and related factors among 71-year-olds

Objective. To investigate the associations between oral sugar clearance and the prevalence of dental decay. Material and Methods. A total of 92 (44 F, 48 M) 71-year-old subjects in Göteborg, Sweden were consecutively chosen from a representative cohort study. The subjects were examined for: 1) caries-related status, 2) oral function, 3) salivary conditions, 4) cariogenic micro-organisms, and 5) oral sugar clearance. A factor analysis was used to investigate the possible existence of latent variables within these five areas. The latent variables from the factor analyses were used to study the associations between clearance and caries in multivariate regression models. Results. Only one latent variable relating to oral sugar clearance was found. In the regression model with the latent variable related to oral sugar clearance as a dependent variable and gender plus the latent variables related to oral function and salivary conditions as an independent variable, there were associations with gender and some latent variables reflecting oral function and one reflecting glucose in saliva (R²=0.20/0.17). Three latent variables relating to caries-related status were found and these were associated with the number of teeth, the percentage of filled tooth surfaces, and the percentage of decayed tooth surfaces (DS%). In the regression analysis using the latent variable associated with DS% as a dependent variable, this variable was related to the latent variables of oral sugar clearance and to some reflecting oral function, as well as glucose in saliva (R²=0.28). Conclusions: Oral sugar clearance appears to be independently associated with the prevalence of dental caries in the elderly.     

Intake of sweet foods and counts of cariogenic microorganisms in relation to body mass index and psychometric variables in women

OBJECTIVE: As a part of the SPAWN (Stockholm Pregnancy and Women's Nutrition) study, the intake of sweet foods (habitual and pre-menstrual intakes) and the number of cariogenic microorganisms in saliva was analysed in relation to body mass index (BMI) and psychometric variables. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Three hundred and sixty-two women with a median BMI of 24.2 kg/m(2) (range 17.5-47.8) and 45 y of age (range 34-64). METHODS: A questionnaire of sweet food intake, salivary counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli and a self-rating scale on psychometric variables (CPRS-S-A). RESULTS: The number of mutans streptococci correlated with BMI (P<0.05), indirectly indicating a higher intake of sweet foods in obese women. The reported energy intake of sweet foods (more specifically the intake of chocolate), correlated with CPRS scores (P<0.01), indicating that women with more severe psychiatric symptomatology have higher intakes of sweet foods. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that women with higher CPRS score have higher energy intakes of sweet foods, indicating a possible link between mood regulation and the intake of sweet food. SPONSORSHIP: Karolinska Institute Research Funds.     

Explanatory models for clinical and subjective indicators of periodontal disease in an adult population

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze indicators of periodontal disease using: (1) community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN), (2) subjectively reported change of front teeth position, and 3) subjectively reported gingival bleeding. METHOD: These 3 indicators were used in models with explanatory variables from 4 domains: (A) socio-economic attributes, (B) general health and health-related lifestyle, (C) dental attitudes and behaviors, and (D) dental status expressed as (number of teeth and DFT) for the clinically-determined dependent variables. In 1992, the study was carried out cross-sectionally in all 50-year olds in 2 Swedish counties using a questionnaire (n=6343) and clinical investigation of a 20 % sub-sample (n= 1040). RESULTS: Multiple and logistic regression analysis showed that explanatory patterns varied for the clinical and subjective indicators. Use of tobacco had strong effects in all models as did high care utilization. There were few associations with socio-economic attributes. The 2 subjective indicators "changed front position" and "gingival bleeding" associated with attitudes, behaviors and subjective health. Number of teeth and DFT covaried with clinical indicators. CONCLUSIONS: The main conclusions from this study are: (1) that it is possible to find multivariate models with acceptable goodness of fit for prediction of occurrence of periodontal indicators, and (2) that the lack of relation between social attributes and the disease gives arguments for a biological provenance of periodontitis.