Some odontostomatological aspects in childhood oncology. (41/199)

Childhood neoplasias have become increasingly important in recent years in the ambit of paediatric medicine. This phenomenon has been accompanied by a spectacular improvement in the treatment of childhood cancer, long-term survival rates reaching 90% in the case of some tumours. A corollary of this success is the obligation to provide new and improved medical assistance both as regards the possible prevention of any alterations and, if possible, the avoidance of complications derived from the neoplasm itself and its treatment. Among possible secondary effects are oral manifestations of a chronic or acute nature, which may cause great discomfort, act as foci of systemic infections or have long-term after effects, all of which will depend on the exact moment of the child s development that treatment is undertaken. The incidence and severity of most oral complications is associated with pre-existent factors, such as caries, gingivitis or generally poor hygiene, which strongly affect the beginning, increase and persistence of the same. It is to be decried that a problem in the buccal cavity is allowed to develop, which a simple preventative measure, simple hygiene or dental conservation treatment could prevent or reduce.  (+info)

Dental health in liver transplant patients. (42/199)

Since the first liver transplantation in Spain was carried out in 1984, advances in surgical technique and immunosuppressive drugs have facilitated an increase in the number of transplants performed. The present study evaluates buccodental health in liver transplant patients. A cross-sectional descriptive study was made of a sample of patients subjected to liver transplantation in Principes de Espana Hospital (Bellvitge University Health Care Complex, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona--Spain). Information was collected relating to demographic characteristics, general clinical history, buccodental history and intraoral exploratory findings. A total of 53 individuals were evaluated (28 males and 25 females, with a mean age of 57.6 years). The mean time elapsed from transplantation was 3 years and 9 months. The most frequent indication for liver transplantation was liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (49.1% of the global series). The most widely used immunosuppressors were cyclosporine and tacrolimus. The CAOD index of the series was 11.2. In relation to periodontal disease, 22% of the dentate patients showed gingival overgrowth, while half of those with teeth had gingival recessions, and 34% presented some type of dental mobility. The examination of the oral mucosa showed fissured tongue to be the most common disorder (39.6%), followed by saburral tongue (28.3%) and xerostomia (18.9%). Buccodental pathology in these patients is related to the use of immunosuppressor medication and other factors such as a lack of preventive measures. The findings of the present study point to the need for preventive treatments in this population group.  (+info)

Actinomyces dentalis sp. nov., from a human dental abscess. (43/199)

A previously undescribed filamentous, beaded, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from pus of a human dental abscess. Based on its cellular morphology and the results of biochemical testing the organism was tentatively identified as a member of the genus Actinomyces, but it did not correspond to any currently recognized species of this genus. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies showed the bacterium represents a distinct subline within the genus Actinomyces, clustering within a group of species that includes Actinomyces bovis, the type species of the genus. Sequence divergence values of >8 % with other recognized species within this phylogenetic group clearly demonstrated that the organism represents a hitherto unknown species. Based on biochemical and molecular phylogenetic evidence, it is proposed that the unidentified organism recovered from a dental abscess be classified as a novel species, Actinomyces dentalis sp. nov. The type strain is R18165T (=CCUG 48064T=CIP 108337T).  (+info)

Addressing oral health disparities in settings without a research-intensive dental school: collaborative strategies. (44/199)

Research suggests that oral health is linked to systemic health, and those with poor oral health are potentially at greater risk for important diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in Hawaii have high rates of many such diseases. Studies in children in Hawaii have revealed disparities in dental health; for example, API children have significantly higher rates of cavities than other groups. Hence, conducting further study is vital in adults, particularly APIs, to assess oral health and its correlation to overall health outcomes. Given the lack of a dental school and the lack of fluoridated water in the state, the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine (ABSOM) has identified the need to assume a leadership role in creating effective community-based oral health research and treatment programs. With the support of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, JABSOM fostered a collaborative relationship with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, a premiere research-intensive dental school, the Waimanalo Health Center, and the Hawaii State Department of Health. This partnership has worked together to implement a community-based approach to performing research designed to illuminate disparities and develop innovative strategies to promote oral health in Hawaii's diverse populations. We hope that this collaborative, culturally competent approach may serve as a model for use in other settings without a research-intensive dental school.  (+info)

Improving the oral health of Alaska Natives. (45/199)

There is a high prevalence of oral disease in the Alaska Native population, much of which goes untreated, creating a large discrepancy between the level of their oral health and that of the general population. The causes of this discrepancy are multiple--a major cause being the lack of access to care, especially in remote Alaska Native villages. Improving the oral health status of Alaska Natives will require treatment of current disease and initiation of an effective program to prevent oral disease. Cooperation between the Alaska Native organizations, dental health aides, the dental profession, and the government will be important. A strategy that combines addressing the disease currently present and preventing the occurrence of disease in the long run is the only strategy that offers a sustainable solution.  (+info)

The crowning achievement: getting to the root of the problem. (46/199)

An ideal goal of oral-craniofacial dental reconstructive therapy is to establish treatment modalities that predictably restore functional tissues. One major area of focus has been in the area of dental materials with marked improvements in the design of materials used to restore teeth/periodontium/bone lost as a consequence of disease or disorders. With advances in understanding the cell and molecular controls for development and regeneration of tooth structures, it is now possible to consider therapies that promote regeneration of lost tissues, along with replacement of these tissues. This review presents a background on our current knowledge as to the composition of the tooth/periodontium followed by a discussion on successes to date, both in vitro and in vivo, toward regenerating a whole tooth and next steps required to regenerate a functional tooth.  (+info)

Future trends in dental benefits. (47/199)

Dentistry and dental payment systems as we know them today will continue to evolve. Dentistry as practiced today and the prepayment systems of dentistry are substantially different than they were fifty years ago when dental insurance as we know it was first developed. Dentistry has always changed with the development of our science and the expression of dentistry's diseases in the populations we serve. The changes that are likely to occur in the future will be focused on improving health outcomes across risk-analyzed populations with the goals of providing optimal health outcomes at reasonable costs. Dentists will increasingly become engaged in the whole health of their patients. Where sufficient correlations can be leveraged between dentistry and overall health, medical plans will play an increasing role in dentistry's future for two reasons. Given favorably altered therapeutic outcomes for medical systems that preserve scarce resources, it will be an economic imperative to engage the dental system. It will also be the right thing to do from a total health perspective. In the final analysis, this elevates the role of dentistry and empowers the dentist to participate in the total health of their patients.  (+info)

Dental disease in children with chronic illness. (48/199)

This article aims to raise awareness among paediatricians and specialist paediatric services that poor oral health, in particular children with chronic illness, is a major cause of morbidity and can be a risk factor for severe, even life threatening complications. Good oral health and dentition is important for efficient mastication, speaking and of course, cosmetically for smiling. If left untreated, dental caries can lead to pain and infection. Chronic infection around one or more teeth can result in damage to localised structures, such as the developing permanent teeth. Children who are medically compromised (such as being immunocompromised from disease and/or therapy) however are at increased risk of developing systemic complications from dental infections, which may prove fatal. We focus on the role of the general paediatrician in promoting the importance of good dental health for all children and in particular those children "at risk". We present preventive measures, evidence based where available, that may improve dental care and promote the role of paediatric dental services in the multidisciplinary management of chronic disease.  (+info)