Community dental health最新文献

Objective: To investigate the association between the Single-Point Insulin Sensitivity Estimator (SPISE) index and the prevalence of periodontitis in Korean adults.

Basic research design: A cross-sectional study.

Participants: Adults aged ≥20 years (n = 9899).

Main outcome measures: Data from the 7^th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), conducted between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed. The SPISE index was calculated using the body mass index (BMI), serum triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and the participants were categorized into quartiles. Periodontitis was defined on the basis of the World Health Organization's Community Periodontal Index. The association between the SPISE index and periodontitis was evaluated using logistic regression analysis, and its predictive accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results: A higher SPISE index was significantly associated with lower periodontitis prevalence, with a consistent inverse correlation observed in the unadjusted and multivariate models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, drinking, exercise, systemic diseases, socioeconomic status, and oral hygiene habits. The Q4 group had a 41% lower risk of periodontitis compared to the Q1 group (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.50-0.70), and the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) from the ROC analysis was 0.749.

Conclusions: The SPISE index demonstrated a significant inverse correlation with periodontitis.

Syphilis, a resurgent sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum, poses significant public health challenges globally. Its varied clinical presentations, especially oral manifestations, position dental professionals uniquely for early detection and intervention. This review synthesizes current epidemiological trends, clinical features, diagnostic approaches, prevention strategies, and management guidelines with an emphasis on the role of dental professionals. A literature review was conducted to assess the clinical presentation of syphilis, prevention and management by dental professionals. Key topics included epidemiology, risk factors, transmission, diagnosis and treatment. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published in English from 2010 to 2024, supplemented by public health and media reports. A notable increase in syphilis cases was reported globally, including Canada and the United States, with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. Oral lesions, including chancres and mucosal patches, frequently present in early stages, underscoring the importance of dental examination. Rapid point-of-care testing offers opportunities for timely diagnosis in dental settings. Prevention relies on education, routine screening, and structural interventions, while management centres on penicillin-based treatment and coordinated referrals. Dental professionals can play a critical role in mitigating syphilis transmission through early identification, patient education, and referral. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and provider training is essential for improving syphilis outcomes and population health.

In an underserved parish in South Louisiana, a critical need for early childhood dental care was identified. This brief report describes a service-learning intervention that was developed, implemented and aimed at screening, educating, and improving access to dental care for children aged 3 to 6. The core services provided by the program include fluoride varnish application, dental screenings, oral health education, nutritional counseling, and parental engagement for 170 students. The primary goal was to build sustainable partnerships that ensured reciprocity between the community and the university that was involved. The objectives were to enhance access to care, advance oral health literacy, mitigate oral health disparities, and promote dental prevention strategies. Additionally, the program aimed to serve the community while offering healthcare students valuable experiential learning opportunities.

Background: Attributes of cystic fibrosis (CF) can increase one's risk of developing periodontitis, and both CF and periodontitis are known to impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this hypothesis-generating pilot study, our goals were to assess if periodontitis is associated with lower HRQoL for adults with CF and to identify sociodemographic, medical, and dental factors associated with HRQoL.

Methods: We conducted a pilot cross-sectional study of adults with CF ages ≥18 years at a single CF center (N = 32). HRQoL was assessed in two ways: (1) Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) based on the Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP-14); and (2) CF-related quality of life (CFRQoL) based on the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R). We used the Mann-Whitney test to assess for differences in median scores of OHIP-14 and CFQ-R domains by periodontitis status. We used the Mann-Whitney test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Spearman rank correlation to identify factors associated with HRQoL.

Results: The median age of participants was 30 years, 63% were female, and 97% were white. Median OHIP-14 and CFQ-R domain scores did not differ significantly by periodontitis status. There were no significant differences in the OHIP-14 or CFQ-R domain scores for adults with CF by periodontitis severity. Low socioeconomic status (SES), anxiety, and depression were associated with significantly worse domain scores for both HRQoL measures.

Conclusions: Periodontitis in adults with CF was not associated with HRQoL, but markers of low SES and poor mental health were associated with lower HRQoL, including OHRQoL. These findings are preliminary and should be interpreted within the context of this study population comprised of higher-income adults with CF. Future studies should further examine potential disparities in HRQoL for a more socioeconomically diverse individuals with CF.

Traditional approaches to dental public health education across Europe remain dominated by lecture-based learning which often fail to cultivate critical reflection on inequities, privilege, and the broader social determinants of oral health. Social accountability has been recognized as core competency for dental graduates, requiring dental professionals to align professional practice with the health needs of communities. Community-engaged education is a promising pedagogical model that situates learning within real-world contexts, fosters empathy, cultural competence, and advocacy skills, and strengthens professional identity formation. This paper discusses the Peninsula Dental School's innovative model, which integrates community engagement, reflective practice, and interprofessional education within a spiral curriculum. Through the Interprofessional Engagement (IPE) module, students collaborate with local community organisations to co-design health improvement projects, critically reflect on their experiences, and gain deeper insight into oral health inequities. Embedding community engagement and social accountability across European dental curricula is both timely and necessary to equip future practitioners to address oral health inequities, meet evolving societal needs, and contribute to a more just healthcare system.

BackgroundAsylum seekers and refugees (ASR) experience disproportionately poor oral health due to socioeconomic disadvantage and barriers to accessing routine dental care. Although ASR are entitled to free dental treatment through HC2 exemption, practical challenges persist. Charitable organisations such as Dentaid provide mobile community clinics to address this gap.AimThis retrospective mixed-methods service evaluation assessed the accessibility, utilisation, and impact of Dentaid's dental clinics for ASR in England.MethodsQuantitative data from 88 clinics delivered across 11 locations between April 2023 and August 2024 were analysed. Variables included demographics, presenting complaint, treatment provided, and smoking status. A dental-charted subsample of 50 adults was compared with national data. Fisher's Exact Test explored differences between clinic sites. A SWOT-based stakeholder survey was performed and analysed thematically to identify barriers and facilitators in service delivery.ResultsA total of 647 patients received care, with 70% presenting in pain and 42% reporting smoking, almost double the national average. The subsample demonstrated high levels of untreated decay and previous extractions. Common treatments included restorations, extractions, and preventive care. Fisher's Exact Test reported no significant differences between sites. Stakeholders highlighted improved accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and reduced financial barriers, but reported challenges with consistent funding for follow-up clinics and interpreter provision.ConclusionsDentaid's clinics improved access to urgent and preventive care for ASR who struggle to use mainstream dental services. However, reliance on charitable provision reflects structural inequity. Integration with commissioned NHS pathways and sustained Inclusion Health support are required to ensure equitable, long-term access.

Objective: Assess the association between childhood dental visits and self-reported problems with mouth and gums in adulthood. Methods: Data came from the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS) and 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70), two birth cohort studies following individuals born in the UK throughout their lives. Information on dental visits was collected at three points during childhood; and at adulthood, participants answered two questions regarding problems with their mouth and gums in the last year or persistently since age 16. The association between number of childhood dental visits and self-reported mouth and gums problems was tested in logistic regression models, crude and adjusted for socio-demographic factors and cohort year. Results: 15,885 participants were included in the analysis. Odds of persistent and last-year self-reported problems with mouth and gums decreased as the number of dental visits during childhood increased. The fully adjusted models showed participants visiting the dentist three times having 24% (OR: 0.76, 95%CI 0.59-0.98) lower odds of self-reported persistent mouth and gums problems; similarly, those visiting the dentist one, two and three times during childhood, were 26% (OR: 0.74; 95%CI 0.59-0.94), 25% (OR: 0.75; 95%CI 0.60-0.95), and 27% (OR:0.73; 95%CI 0.55-0.97) less likely to report problems with mouth and gums in the previous year as those who never visited the dentist. Conclusion: Regular dental visits during childhood are linked to fewer self-reported oral health problems in adulthood.

Dental caries remains a significant public health problem with almost a quarter of children in England having experience of caries by the time they are five. This implementation focused paper presents an overview of the local dental public health team working collaboratively with health visiting teams in the South West of England to deliver a multistranded oral health improvement programme embedded into the Healthy Child Programme. At aged nine to 12 months children receive a mandated health check conducted by health visitors which provides an opportunity to deliver an oral health intervention. The intervention, First Dental Steps, includes oral health training, distribution of oral health packs, a referral pathway for high-risk children and a data capture template. Health visiting teams have shown high levels of engagement with the initiative, which has also included the innovative recording of oral health information as part of clinical notes taken by health visiting teams. Implementation of First Dental Steps varied across local teams, with fidelity of programme delivery, such as distribution of oral health packs and appointment of oral health champions, differing between health visiting teams. This evaluation relied primarily on process-based outcomes, which posed challenges for health visitors to collect consistently due to differences in electronic patient record systems and the need for resource-intensive manual extraction in some localities. Future plans for the programme involve adapting the intervention for inclusion health groups and creating a repository of oral health resources for health visiting teams.

In response to overlooked oral health needs among hospitalised children in Alder Hey Children's Hospital (AHCH), an initiative known as 'Mini Mouth Care Matters' (MMCM), was implemented to improve children's mouthcare by appropriately training healthcare professionals (HCPs) to be confident and knowledgeable in assessing, providing and promoting oral health among hospitalised children. Commissioned by Liverpool City Council, the launch of MMCM in AHCH commenced in February 2024. Previous surveys in the hospital indicated a need for oral care training. Implementation of MMCM involved streaming an e-learning course and videos for HCPs and children on the hospital website, drop-in sessions in the wards, study day training sessions, allocation and training of champions and provision of mouth care packs. Several challenges were encountered during the preparation of the resources and the implementation of the intervention. One key lesson learned is that it is preferable for the manager or team responsible for implementation to come from within the organisation. This allows them to leverage their connections and navigate the hospital's workload dynamics. Theory-based process and outcomes evaluation is planned to understand the effect of MMCM implementation on its effectiveness and to study MMCM normalisation within routine clinical practice. The evaluation of MMCM will contribute to understanding the impact of oral health interventions in hospital settings and will inform future strategies to improve oral care practices and outcomes for hospitalised children.

Introduction: Oral health, though linked with overall health and well-being, is often neglected in low- and middle-income countries such as India. Tooth loss, primarily caused by dental caries and periodontal disease, has been associated with malnutrition, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even mortality. Despite the increasing burden of multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), limited research in India has explored the association between tooth loss and MLTCs. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of complete tooth loss and assessed its association with MLTCs using nationally representative data from the second wave of the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE).

Methods: The study utilized data from the second wave of SAGE conducted in 2015 in India. Data collection covered six states using a multistage stratified sampling approach. MLTCs were defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions, assessed via self-reported diagnoses and clinical measurements. The analysis included 7,595 participants aged ≥45 years. Statistical analyses were conducted using weighted estimates and logistic regression models.

Results: The prevalence of loss was 12%, while 25.1% of individuals had MLTCs. Among those with MLTCs, 15.4% experienced tooth loss. Tooth loss was significantly associated with MLTCs and ageing. The likelihood of tooth loss was higher in individuals with MLTCs [AOR: 1.30 (95% CI: 1.06-1.59), p-value: 0.012].

Conclusion: Tooth loss and MLTCs were found to be associated among adults aged ≥45 years in India, emphasizing the need to integrate oral health into chronic disease management strategies.