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ABSTRACT Background: Chemotherapy, a cornerstone treatment for childhood cancers, can negatively impact oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and evolution of oral complications in these patients. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study enrolled 44 children diagnosed with malignancy undergoing chemotherapy at a tertiary care institute in central India. Oral examinations were performed at baseline, with follow-ups at 3-6 and 9-12 months. Data collected included demographics, medical history, oral hygiene practices, and oral lesions. Blood counts and World Health Organization grading for mucositis were used. Descriptive statistics and appropriate statistical tests analyzed the data (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was the most prevalent malignancy. Children reported various oral complaints such as ulcers, bleeding gums, and difficulty eating. Mucositis prevalence significantly decreased over follow-up visits (baseline: 56.8 and second follow-up: 13.3). Gingival inflammation was present, though mean scores decreased over time. Oral hygiene scores varied without significant changes. Caries experience scores increased from baseline to follow-up. Conclusion: This study identified a high prevalence of ALL and diverse oral complications in children undergoing chemotherapy. While mucositis severity lessened over time, other issues such as caries persisted. These findings highlight the critical need for preventive oral care strategies to safeguard this vulnerable population's oral health. Keywords: Chemotherapy, children, dental caries, leukemia, malignancy, oral complications, oral mucositis, Author(s): P Ambati [1]; Virat Galhotra (corresponding author) [1]; Sunil Natha Jondhale [1]; Tundup Dolker [1]; Mugilan Ravi [1]; Parth Rathod [1] Introduction Cancer diagnosis has an enormous impact on [...]

This case report describes the implementation approach and evaluation of a medical-dental integration (MDI) project in Colorado that embedded dental hygienists (DHs) into 10 medical practice settings. Through the MDI Learning Collaborative, DHs were integrated into primary care medical care practices to provide full-scope dental hygiene care to patients. Dental hygienists were trained to collect quality-improvement metrics on all encounters, including untreated tooth decay, and referred patients with restorative needs to partnering dentists. Cross-sectional, aggregated clinic-level oral health metrics were submitted monthly from 2019-2022. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the population receiving MDI care and interviews were conducted with MDI staff to describe their perspectives on this approach to comprehensive care. A logistic regression model, adjusted for time and practice, compared untreated dental caries in established vs new MDI patient-visits. From 2019-2021, integrated DHs completed 13,458 visits to low-income patients, Medicaid (70%, n=9,421), uninsured (24%, n=3,230), SCHIP (3%, n = 404), private (3%, n = 404), of various ages: 0-5 (29%, n = 3,838), 6-18 (17%, n = 2,266), 18-64 (51%, n = 6,825), >65 (4%, n = 529). A total of 912 visits were provided to pregnant patients. Services included caries risk assessment (n=9,329), fluoride varnish (n = 6,722), dental sealants (n = 1,391), silver diamine fluoride (n=382), x-rays (n = 5,465) and scaling/root-planing (n=2,882). Improvement was found in untreated decay of established vs. new patient-visits in four of the practices. Dental hygienists integrated into medical teams provided full-scope dental hygiene care to patients and expanded access to dental services. Medical-dental integration (MDI) care was variably associated with reduction in untreated decay. Integrating dental hygienists into primary care medical practices has potential to improve oral health-related outcomes, however access to restorative dental care remains a challenge. Keywords medical dental integration, dental hygienists, dental hygiene care, access to care, vulnerable populations NDHRA priority area, Population level: Access to care (interventions). Submitted for publication: 4/26/23; accepted after revision: 5/19/23., INTRODUCTION In 2000, the first-ever United States (US) Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health stated that 'oral health is more than healthy teeth and is integral to the general health [...]

2023 JUN 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on Gram-Positive Bacteria - LactoBacillus have been published. According [...]

2023 MAY 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- A new study on antimicrobials is now available. According to news reporting [...]

2023 APR 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- New research on streptococcus is the subject of a new report. According [...]

2023 APR 8 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Current study results on antimicrobials have been published. According to news reporting [...]

2023 JAN 21 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- New study results on nanosilver have been published. According to news originating [...]

2022 DEC 24 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Fresh data on Drugs and Therapies - Antimicrobials are presented in a [...]

Purpose: Quality of life is considered a component of patient centered care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) and the actual oral health status of children. Methods: This retrospective cohort study consisted of pediatric dental chart reviews from three clinics. Demographic and dental visit data along with the child's OHRQoL utilizing the Pediatric Oral health-related Quality of Life (POQL) instrument, were collected. Associations with untreated decay, treated decay, or POQL score were tested, using Chi- square, Fisher's exact test, 2-sample t-tests, or ANOVA. Linear regression was used to evaluate the effect of statistical confounders in the relationship between untreated decay and POQL scores. Significance level was set to 0.05. Results: Two hundred ninety-seven out of 336 children had both POQL and caries data. White children and children with untreated decay had significantly more negative POQL scores. Children rating their oral health as 'excellent' or 'very good' and children with sealants on molars had significantly more positive POQLs. Associations between POQL scores were significant with untreated decay, but not sealants, when considering both variables in the same model. After adjusting for having sealants, POQL scores were on average 7.5 points higher (more negative) in children with untreated decay, than in children without decay (p Conclusions: Collecting OHRQoL data allows oral health providers to easily incorporate patient perceptions in their assessment and care and would ensure that all oral health needs of the patients are being met. This is important for children, who may have difficulty expressing their concerns, particularly in clinical environments. Keywords: health-related quality of life, pediatric health; oral health, person-centered care, dental caries This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area: Population level: Access to care (vulnerable populations) Submitted for publication:10/31/19; accepted 2/6/20, Introduction Health care providers have traditionally been taught to use a 'medical model' when treating patients. This model treats the person and their social difficulties as medical problems and does [...]

Purpose: The Michigan Caries Prevention Program (MCPP) aimed to reduce the burden of childhood dental disease in the state of Michigan by offering training programs to implement preventive oral health services during well-child medical visits. The purpose of this study was to elicit feedback from the participants of the MCPP and determine which oral health services were implemented post-training, identify implementation barriers and assess provider comfort levels in performing oral screenings and fluoride applications. Methods: A descriptive electronic survey was utilized for data collection. A 15-item survey consisting of multiple choice and Likert scale questions was sent to medical providers who had participated in the MCPP from 2015-2017 (n=1115). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 170 surveys were completed for a 15% response rate. The majority of the participants were physicians (82%, n=134). Nearly all participants reported performing oral screenings and fluoride varnish application post- training (93%, n=153). Participants felt more comfortable applying fluoride varnish than performing oral screenings (80%, n=121 vs 70%, n=112), respectively. Barriers included lack of time, understaffed, staff resistance, feeling that procedures were outside of their scope of practice and disinterest from parents or safety concerns. A majority (70%, n=112) reported that the MCPP training did not help to establish new relationships with community dental providers. Conclusion: Medical providers indicate that the MCPP training was beneficial and that they were willing and able to incorporate oral health screenings and fluoride varnish applications in their practice, but that they face challenges in developing relationships with dental care providers. Opportunities for dental hygienists to work in non-traditional medical-dental integration practice settings may help to increase oral health services offered to patients and improve communication between health care providers. Keywords: interprofessional collaboration, Michigan Caries Prevention Program, early childhood caries, caries risk assessment, oral screening, fluoride This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area, Professional Development: Regulation (interprofessional collaborations). Submitted for publication: 2/24/20; accepted:7/30/20, Introduction Interprofessional collaboration has been defined as the process of developing and maintaining effective interprofessional working relationships with learners, practitioners, patients, clients, families, and communities with the goal of enabling [...]

Byline: Asmaa. Mosleh, Shahenda. Abdallah, Shaymaa. Shishiny, Yomna. Mourad Background: Pit and fissure sealing is an evidence-based preventive measure against dental caries, especially in primary teeth which possess high caries [...]

2022 JUN 4 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- A new study on dentistry is now available. According to news reporting [...]

2020 DEC 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators publish new report on Nanotechnology - Nanosystems. According to news reporting [...]

Purpose: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an inexpensive, non-invasive, antimicrobial liquid used to treat carious lesions and decrease sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of registered dental hygienists in alternative practice (RDHAP) regarding the use of SDF to treat dental caries. Methods: A 16-item survey designed to evaluate RDHAP's familiarity and perceptions of SDF was electronically distributed to 222 RDHAPs practicing in the state of California. A survey research software program collected and tabulated responses, calculated response frequencies for each survey item, and determined statistical relationships among variables, using cross tabulation analysis. Results: The response rate was 46% (n=103). Over half the respondents, 54%, were unfamiliar with SDF. After describing SDF's properties and uses, 78% of respondents agreed that applying SDF to treat dental caries would be within the scope of practice of a RDHAP. Respondents agreed that patients or parents of patients would be interested in using SDF because it provides an alternative to removing tooth structure with a dental drill in order to place restorative material (82%), less expensive than restorative treatment (82%), applied like a varnish and time efficient (86%), and utilized without local anesthesia (91%). Over 56% of the respondents agreed that many patients or guardians of patients would object to the permanent black staining of the carious lesion treated with SDF. The respondents' employment/ practice settings were related statistically (p Conclusions: SDF would be a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of dental caries for RDHAP practitioners treating underserved populations. Keywords: alternative practice, registered dental hygienist in alternative practice, dental caries, silver diamine fluoride, preventive products, special needs patients This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area: Client level: Oral health care (new therapies and prevention modalities) Submitted for publication: 6/8/2016; accepted 3/30/17, Introduction The traditional method of treating dental decay in the United States (U.S.) has been restorative dental treatment, which can be expensive, time consuming, and difficult to access for many [...]

2020 NOV 14 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Research findings on Oncology - Head and Neck Cancer are discussed in [...]

2020 OCT 24 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- According to news reporting based on a preprint abstract, our journalists obtained [...]

2019 DEC 21 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Fresh data on health and medicine are presented in a new report. [...]

The purpose of Linking Research to Clinical Practice is to present evidence based information to clinical dental hygienists so that they can make informed decisions regarding patient treatment and recommendations. Each issue will feature a different topic area of importance to clinical dental hygienists with A BOTTOM LINE to translate the research findings into clinical application., The Bottom Line: Silver diamine fluoride has been shown to be effective in preventing and arresting dental caries. It provides an economical, noninvasive mechanism for dental hygienists to manage caries [...]

2019 JUN 15 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Researchers detail new data in Aging Research - Geriatrics and Gerontology. According [...]

2019 MAY 11 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators discuss new findings in Drugs and Therapies - Pharmacology. According to [...]

2019 APR 6 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators discuss new findings in Obesity, Fitness and Wellness. According to news [...]

2019 FEB 23 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Data detailed on Environmental Pollution have been presented. According to news reporting [...]