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This study investigates the potential link between periodontitis and the development of hypertension, aiming to assess the risk of hypertension in individuals with periodontal disease. Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the supporting structures of teeth, has been increasingly associated with systemic health issues, including cardiovascular diseases. We conducted a comprehensive review of existing literature and analyzed data from clinical studies to evaluate the prevalence and severity of hypertension in patients with periodontitis. Our findings suggest a significant correlation between periodontal inflammation and elevated blood pressure, highlighting the role of systemic inflammation as a contributing factor. The study emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and management of periodontitis as a potential strategy to mitigate the risk of hypertension. Further research is recommended to explore the underlying mechanisms and to develop integrated approaches for the prevention and treatment of both conditions. This investigation underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between dental and medical professionals to enhance patient care and outcomes.

Aim of the study This paper aims to identify the characteristics of mouth breathing as an oral vicious habit frequently encountered in paediatric dentistry clinical practice, evaluating the possible outcomes in regards to somatic and stomatognatic development, as well as interceptive treatment modalities. Materials and method A number of clinical case studies and review articles were evaluated, after searching databases for available papers using key words like “oral vicious habits”, “mouth breathing”, “interceptive treatment”, “children and adolescents”. Results Oral vicious habits are one of the most frequent disturbances seen by the paediatric dentist in the dental office, which often impair the child’s quality of life. Vicious habits include thumb sucking, prolonged use of a pacifier, lip biting and sucking, onycophagia (fingernail biting), bruxism, oral self-harm, mouth breathing and tongue interposition. These habits have a great impact on occlusion and muscle development, causing repetitive and complex muscular contractions, with effects varying from individual to individual depending on the frequency, period and intensity of the habit. Conclusions Mouth breathing is an oral vicious habit which can induce numerous negative effects on the development of the stomatognatic system, therefore the identification, interception and early intervention on oral breathing should be a desiderate of every paediatric dentist’s office.

Oral health professionals and caregivers alike agree that children with disabilities, whether acquired or developmental, have the right to receive proper rehabilitation, in order to obtain their maximal functioning potential and lead a normal life. Aim of the study This paper aims to review the main challenges faced by paediatric dentists in the management of children with various intellectual disabilities, and formulate a set of recommendations and guidelines designed to enhance disabled patients’ trust in dental therapists, while enabling the latter to successfully carry out specific oral health procedures on this group of vulnerable individuals. Material and methods A review of available literature was performed, searching MedLine and PubMed databases for terms like: children, intellectual disability, prevention, dental treatment. Results Difficulties that arise in the context of dental management of a disability may be overpassed with a few techniques and methods available for the general dentist and the paediatric dentist alike. Conclusions Educating the paediatric dentist regarding the most common oral manifestations of intellectual disabilities is important, and guidelines are necessary in order to properly manage the dental treatment of this population group.

The aim of the study was to assess the mother’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health in relation to the oral health of 6-year-old children from Iasi, Romania. The results of our study showed that the level of knowledge and attitudes of mothers regarding oral health is moderate and the level of education influences the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding oral health among mothers, mothers with higher educational levels had a high level of knowledge compared to mothers with high school education.

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes regarding the oral health of preschoolers and school children among educators and teachers in Iasi. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the general knowledge of the oral health of teachers was correct, except for the management of dental trauma. The results of our study indicate the need for educational programs addressed to teachers in both kindergartens and schools.

The study aim was to assess the level of dental anxiety in a group of children aged 4-12 years and to identify the factors associated with them. Materials and methods. The study was conducted on a sample of 70 children that were asked to complete the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (faces) (MCDASf) questionnaire. The children’s dental behaviour was assessed using the Frankl’s behavioral rating ​​scale. Results. A cumulative distribution was observed for the negative behavior of children (Frankl ≤ 2) in equal percentages between the two genders. The results of the Frankl behavioral rating ​​scale were relatively correlated, with reduced statistical significance with the children gender (r = -0.294, p

The term molar-incisor hypomineralization describes an uncommon pathological entity characterized by the hypomineralization of permanent first molars and commonly affecting permanent incisors. In this paper, we describe a case of a 12 years old male patient attended with severe dental sensibility, masticatory and phonetic difficulties. Clinical examination revealed extended atypical restorations on permanent first molars, associated with opacities at the border of the restorations, enamel breakdown and opaque stains affecting permanent incisors. MIH diagnosis for this case is justified not only by the visual aspect of the lesions, but also by dental affection pattern.

Estimation of dental age in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics and forensic dentistry is a continuous challenge due to the fact that it is very important in assessing if the adult age was reached or not, in determining growth and somatic development. Aim. To assess the accuracy of dental age estimation by Demirjian and Nolla methods in a sample of Romanian children population. Materials and Methods. The study was carried on a number of 161 orthopantomographs of Romanian boys and girls of known chronological age. Dental age accuracy was estimated by calculating how close the estimated dental age was to the actual chronological age. Results and discussions. There was a strong correlation between chronological age and dental age calculated by Demirjian method; the same situation was found in the case of the dental age estimated by the Nolla method. Dental age prediction by Nolla method was more accurate than the one of Demirjian method in both genders in our micro-study. Conclusion. To improve accuracy of dental age estimation it is preferable to elaborate further specific curves and scores for the Romanian population that must be developed and tested, based on ethnicity.

Dental enamel is an essential structure of teeth, protecting the dentin and the dental nerve sensitive to external stimuli. Certain foods eaten can adversely affect tooth enamel, including food dyes used in colored foods and beverages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of staining (immersion in blueberry, orange, pomegranate juice, carmoisine, tartrazine, and brilliant blue solution) and discoloration (immersion in strawberry and apple juice) on tooth enamel. Also, the impact of time and the pH of the solutions on the staining and discoloration of the tooth enamel will be investigated. Material and methods: Twenty-four human teeth were extracted for orthodontic reasons. Results: The study indicates that prolonged and frequent exposure to food dyes can cause staining or discoloration of tooth enamel, especially when used in high concentrations. The statistical analysis indicates that natural dyes are absorbed faster and color more intensely than synthetic ones, but at the same time, there is a much easier discoloration than synthetic ones, which may be due to the acidic pH. Conclusions: Food dyes can have a negative impact on tooth enamel, causing discoloration, damage, and other changes in its appearance and integrity.

Molar incisor hypomineralization syndrome (MIH) is considered to be a 21st century disease, but it was studied for a long time in dental medicine, as it poses clinical problems for dentists around the world, especially in children and adolescents. This study aims to evaluate treatment methods available in literature for teeth affected by MIH syndrome. Materials and method Information were obtained by evaluating electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science and performing a review of literature containing basic science and clinical studies regarding MIH syndrome in children and adolescents. In total, a number of 54 scientific articles were selected and evaluated, after applying the MeSH search terms: ”MIH syndrome”, ”treatment”, ”children and adolescents”. Results Preventive strategies, treatment options and management guidelines are available in literature, and each clinician should carefully evaluate their implementation depending on the severity of the syndrome and the age of the child. Conclusions Management of MIH syndrome is complex and difficult considering the morpho-functional, psycho-social and economic aspects of the disease, but possibilities are varied and dentists should always be up to date with treatment protocols. Some of the treatment methods available today are presented in this review.

Fluoride (F) ions actively participate in the dental enamel remineralisation process and inhibit the activity of cariogenic bacteria of the oral biofilm. However, increased systemic intake of F during critical periods of amelogenesis can lead to dental fluorosis (DF). The necessity of our study stemmed from the growing consumption of bottled water, as water is one of the primary sources of F in humans, and labelling F concentration is optional. Our aim was to evaluate the F concentration in bottled natural mineral or spring still waters available on the market in Iasi, Romania. We purchased forty different brands of still bottled water from the major grocery stores and tested them using an ion-selective electrode method. The reliability of the data was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), while the differences between the obtained and labelled F values were examined using a paired samples t-test. The tested F levels ranged between 0.0338 and 4.6262 milligrams per litter (mg/L). The majority of the samples, around 85% recorded F values ranging from 0.232 to 0.0338 mg/L, offering slight or no benefit in caries prevention. Another 10% of the samples had F values ranging between 0.3 and 0.4 mg/L and could provide a dental health benefit. A percentage of 5% of the tested samples recorded F levels above the optimal level of 0.7 mg/L, as set by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. HHS). This elevated F concentration poses a potential risk for DF in infants and toddlers, indicating that regular consumption of these samples may be unsafe.

The ideal time to initiate orthodontic treatment in children is a controversial subject in the scientific literature. Beginning treatment in the, even though tempting, has a disadvantage in the fact that recommended wrongfully can prolong treatment, sometimes spanning to up to 10 years and leading to patient burnout and dissatisfaction. However, waiting until the late mixed dentition also has its disadvantages. Commencing treatment in the permanent dentition implies compliance issues with teenage patients, female patients with little growth remaining. Early mixed dentition treatment often focuses on skeletal rather than dental correction. In order to design a comprehensive treatment plan, the clinician must have a complete grasp of the growth and development patterns, but also of the outcome of the chosen treatment option. Is there a conclusive benefit of early treatment for certain orthodontic issues? This question has yet to be fully answered by researchers. The clinician can diagnose and intercept certain developing problems with early treatment. Many other cases on the other hand should be supervised, but not treated until the permanent teeth are erupted.

Background and Objectives: Odontogenic sinusitis is a frequently underestimated pathology with fewer symptoms in patients with periapical lesions, periodontal disease, or iatrogenic foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus. The aim of our study was to determine the correlation between maxillary sinusitis and periapical lesions using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging and histological and immunohistochemical investigations. Materials and Methods: A total of 1450 initial patients diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis in the Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa” Iasi, Romania, were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Of these, 629 still had unresolved symptomatology and were later referred to the Dental Medicine departments for further investigations. Only 50 subjects with periapical lesions in the premolar/molar maxillary area were included in the present study. All the periapical lesions were observed on CBCT and classified using the Periapical Status Index (PSI) and the mean maxillary sinus mucosa thicknesses (MSMT). The enrolled patients underwent surgical procedures with the excision of periapical lesions. The excised samples were submitted to the histological and immunohistochemical investigations. Results: The 50 patients presented periapical lesions of their maxillary teeth in 328 dental units. There was a higher prevalence of periapical lesions in men than in women (chi-square test). We observed a significant difference between the mean MSMT of individuals with periapical lesions compared to those without (p < 0.01). Mean MSMT was 1.23 mm for teeth without periapical lesions and 3.95 mm for teeth with periapical lesions. The histopathological study identified 50% cases with periapical granulomas, 10% cases with periapical granulomas with cystic potential, and 40% cases as periapical cysts. Immunohistochemical stainings showed that CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, along with CD20+ B lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages, were diffusely distributed in all periapical cysts and in some periapical granulomas, but CD79α+ plasma cells characterized especially periapical granulomas. Conclusions: The current study observed a significant correlation between CBCT maxillary mucosa thickness and type of periapical lesion. Chronic inflammatory lympho-histiocytic infiltrate predominates in periapical lesions, supporting the idea that lesion progression is determined by a humoral-type (CD20+ and CD79α+ B lymphocytes) but also by a cellular-type (CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte population) immune mechanism.