Dental hygiene

OBJECTIVES: This study determines the effect of an integrated 12-month follow-up support programme on the oral health of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who received radiotherapy (RT). METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 47) or a control group (n = 45). The intervention group received usual care and an integrated supportive programme, which included face-to-face education and telephone coaching...

BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence supports an association between the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the risk of infection from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in dental healthcare workers (DCW). However, the prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the setting of dental care remains poorly characterized. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published prior to Mai 2023 providing epidemiological data for the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in DCW was performed...

Caries is a multifactorial disease that involves a majority of the pediatric population. If not diagnosed and treated, it can lead to severe consequences affecting the permanent dentition. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of oral foci of infection in a multispeciality hospital during the pandemic in Chennai, South India. The majority of the patients examined had caries.

INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PKD) is neurodegenerative disorder marked by tremors, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity and reduction in precise hand movements which could lead to improper oral hygiene and Periodontal disease. Current systematic review aims to review existing literature and provide assessment of periodontal health in PKD patients through a meta-analysis METHODS: Review was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in PROSPERO-CRD42023451700...

PURPOSE: To determine the caries status in children's deciduous teeth and examine the influence of family oral health behaviours on the caries status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 329 children aged 3-6 years in rural Heishanzui Township, Hebei Province, China, and used a completely random sampling method. These children underwent physical and oral health examinations. The questionnaires were given to the parents and caregivers of the examined children...

The maintenance of oral health is a crucial aspect of general well-being; however, a significant proportion of the worldwide population experiences a range of oral diseases. Dental caries is a highly prevalent non-communicable disease globally, especially in children and adolescents. Fluoride is involved in the control of dental caries, primarily by decreasing the critical pH for dental hard tissue dissolution and decreasing enamel solubility. Due to the substantial data supporting the efficacy of fluoride in controlling dental caries, many community-level fluoridation initiatives have been devised and executed as global public health preventive interventions...

Purpose Social media can be an effective tool in health care education. The purpose of this study was to explore dental hygiene educators' familiarity and use of social media platforms and to examine how social media was implemented in dental hygiene education. Methods A 25-item questionnaire was designed to investigate the use of social media by dental hygiene educators. The instrument included demographic data and items addressing personal, professional, and educational use of twelve common social media sites and the respondents' beliefs about social media using a 4-point Likert scale...

Professional collaboration is a key component of patient care and a source of fulfilment for oral health care providers. However, reports of incivility in employment as well as education are increasing impacting individuals in all settings including patients. Uncivil behavior implies a disregard for others and creates an atmosphere of disrespect, conflict, and stress. In contrast, civility towards others implies polite, respectful behavior towards others. This short report presents case studies in dental hygiene clinical practice and in dental hygiene education with strategies for approaching uncivil behavior...

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This overview of the systematic review provides guidance regarding how and when to use this approach to a research question. High quality systematic reviews are essential to assist health care practitioners keep current with the large and rapidly growing body of scientific evidence. The systematic review is a transparent and reproducible synthesis of all the available evidence on a clearly defined research question or topic. Key stages in conducting a systematic review include clarification of aims and methods in a protocol, finding all of the relevant research, data collection, quality assessments, synthesizing evidence, and interpreting the findings...

Purpose Disaster victim identification (DVI) service requires knowledge, confidence, and an attitude (KCA) of readiness. The purpose of this study was to assess allied dental students' perceived KCA regarding DVI skills and topics. Methods A convenience sample of senior dental hygiene students (n=27) and senior dental assistant students (n=14) were recruited by email then presented mismatched simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) bitewing radiographs and asked to indicate correct matches. Collectively, participants made 205 radiographic matches and indicated 205 degrees of certainty binarily as "positive" or "possible" (one per match)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) signs and symptoms may be first identified by dental hygienists during routine extra and intra-oral examinations. A comprehensive extra-oral and intra-oral examination during regular dental hygiene assessment is paramount to identifying oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and cancerous lesions for timely referral and treatment. Integrating a systematic list of questions during the medical and dental assessment along with careful visual and tactile examinations is critical to identifying OPMDs and cancerous lesions...

Purpose The relative newness of Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) has revealed a void in assessment protocols and treatment guidelines for dental settings. Providing oral health care practitioners with an assessment and treatment protocol could facilitate the delivery of comprehensive oral health care. The purpose of this study was to test a protocol for assessing and treating patients with PCC in dental practice settings. Methods A qualitative exploratory research design was used to conduct the study. A PCC assessment and treatment protocol (ATP) was developed and was used by dental hygienists in clinical practice in California for a period of 6 weeks...

INTRODUCTION: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) adverse events among patients who have dental diagnoses remain unclear. We sought to determine if dental caries or dental implant placements increased: 1) 90-day medical complications; 2) 90-day readmissions; and 3) 2-year implant-related complications, including periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) after THA. METHODS: A nationwide database for primary THAs from 2010 to 2021 was queried to compare three patient cohorts...

BACKGROUND: Children with disabilities generally face poorer oral health outcomes compared with their non-disabled peers due to a range of factors including inadequate oral hygiene, infrequent dental visits and systemic barriers in accessing care. AIM: This ethnographic study explored the perspectives of caregivers and professionals to identify the ways that children with disabilities are included in oral health. DESIGN: A purposive sample of 10 caregivers, all mothers with disabled children aged 9-15 years, five healthcare providers and five educators in Saudi Arabia, participated...

BACKGROUND: There is no accessible information on countries with oral health policies. The purpose of this study was to identify World Dental Federation (FDI) member countries with oral health policies and their scope and extent of coverage of oral health care for young children. METHODS: This international survey recruited chief dental officers, oral health advisors to national ministries of health, and other key informants of the 158 FDI member countries between December 2020 and December 2021...

PURPOSE: The potential of combining teledentistry and engaging parents as underutilised resources to monitor paediatric dental health was emphasised during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains underexplored. This study aims to assess parental acceptance and use of a commercially available intraoral camera (IOC) for effective remote monitoring. METHODS: 47 child-parent dyads, where the parent was the main caregiver and the child was treated under general anaesthesia for early childhood caries, were recruited...

BACKGROUND: In an era wherein, persuasive evidence continues to witness the association between systemic and periodontal diseases, the absence of scientific data on dental professionals' comprehension concerning the HIV infection and periodontal link is lamentably backward. Thus, the key objective of this research is to ascertain the extent of comprehension possessed by dentists and dental hygienists concerning periodontal implications and their management in HIV patients. METHODS: It is a quantitative cross-sectional survey employing a descriptive approach focusing on a specific cohort of dental professionals...

Dental and oral management (DOM) is a long-established treatment modality. This scoping review aimed to narratively review previous studies, examine the effects of perioperative DOM, and identify the available evidence. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed electronic database for studies published between January 1, 2000, and March 8, 2022. The search yielded 43 studies, most of which were published in the last 10 years. The results of this study confirmed that improved perioperative oral hygiene is effective in preventing postoperative pneumonia...