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Although the shortened dental arch ( SDA) concept has been known to all over the world, acceptance of the SDA concept as an oral health standard can be questionable from the patients' point of view, even if it is biologically reasonable. Furthermore, because the health insurance system covers removable partial dentures ( RPDs) for all citizens in Japan, SDA patients seem to prefer to receive prosthetic treatment to replace the missing teeth. However, there were few field surveys to investigate the usage rate of RPDs in Japan. The purpose of this study was to determine the usage rate of RPDs in older Japanese subjects and to investigate the factors related to the usage of RPDs. Partially edentate participants ( n = 390) were included in this study. Oral examinations were conducted to record several indices. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to evaluate the relationship between the number of missing teeth and the usage rate of RPDs. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression analysis were conducted to evaluate the factors related to the usage rate of RPDs. Usage of RPDs had a significantly positive association with the number of missing distal extension teeth and bilaterally missing teeth. The usage rate of RPDs increased as the number of missing distal extension teeth increased ( P for trend < 0·001). The conclusion of this study was that participants with missing distal extension teeth had higher usage rates of RPDs than other participants, and the usage rate increased as the number of missing distal extension teeth increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and/or antihypertensive medication reportedly induce dry mouth; however, an immediate relationship between salivary flow and hypertension has not been elucidated. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of hypertension and antihypertensive medication with salivary flow rate and pH in older adults. SUBJECTS: Subjects were independently living volunteers aged 60-78 years taking no medication (n = 138) or only antihypertensive medication (n = 27). Unstimulated saliva and stimulated saliva by the mastication method were collected, and salivary pH was measured. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure of ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mmHg. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between either hypertension or intake of antihypertensive medication and unstimulated or stimulated salivary flow rate. However, multiple regression analysis showed that hypertension was significantly associated with pH of unstimulated saliva after controlling for other variables (β = -0.270, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Hypertension regardless of antihypertensive medication was related to a lower pH of unstimulated saliva. Blood pressure might be a required consideration for maintenance of oral health in older individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the adrenergic nervous system regulates the in vivo choline levels in the mouse major salivary glands. 2 Methoxamine (α[sub 1]-adrenoceptor agonist, 2.5-20 mg kg[sup -1], s.c.) elevated choline levels dose-dependently and the effect of methoxamine (10 mg kg[sup -1]) was completely inhibited by the α-adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine (5 mg kg[sup -1], i.p.) but not by the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (3 mg kg[sup -1], i.p.). 3 In contrast, isoprenaline (β-adrenoceptor agonist 0.25-20 mg kg[sup -1], s.c.) lowered choline levels and the effect of isoprenaline (2 mg kg[sup -1]) was inhibited by propranolol, but not by phentolamine. 4 Noradrenaline (1-4 mg kg[sup -1], s.c.) manifested both the α- and β-adrenergic actions depending on its dose. Noradrenaline at 1-2 mg kg[sup -1], lowered choline levels and the effect of noradrenaline (1 mg kg[sup -1]) was inhibited by propranolol, but not by phentolamine. On the other hand, noradrenaline (4 mg kg[sup -1]) elevated choline levels and the effect was blocked by phentolamine, but not by propranolol. 5 Tyramine (5-80 mg kg[sup -1], s.c.) elicited the release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerve terminals and induced essentially the same effects on the choline levels as noradrenaline. Tyramine (10 mg kg[sup -1]) lowered choline levels and the effect was inhibited by propranolol, but not by phentolamine. However, tyramine (80 mg kg[sup -1]) elevated choline levels and the effect was inhibited by phentolamine, but not by propranolol. 6 These results suggest that choline levels in the salivary glands may be under separate α- and β-adrenergic control and suggest a possibility that the neurotransmitter noradrenaline released for sympathetic nerve terminals can manage the dual control of choline levels in some autonomic organs in a characteristic dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]