March 12th, 2023
By Gracie Groth, Class of 2026
What an exciting time! The field of dentistry continues to evolve as both research & technology advance. Dentists today are able to offer their patients multiple treatment options, more comfortable procedures, and the most accurate educational information to support healthy oral health. Here are some of the latest studies involving dentistry:
Influence of the vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diet on the oral health status in adults
22 studies were included for data extraction & final analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that the bleeding on probing measure was higher in omnivores & the overall periodontal health was significantly better in vegan/vegetarians than omnivores. Vegan/vegetarians demonstrated more dental erosion. In adults over 60 years old, the prevalence of caries was higher in omnivores, while complete edentulism was more prevalent in vegetarians. This review reveals that adults on an omnivore diet may be associated with a higher risk for periodontal problems and dental caries, while vegetarians/vegans may be associated with a higher risk for dental erosion.
Oral care considerations for people with cystic fibrosis
A cross-sectional survey in the form of a structured, anonymous questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding adults with CF’s feelings toward dentists and dental treatment. A total of 71 people (33 Male: 38 Female) over the age of 18 living with CF in the Republic of Ireland responded to the survey. 54.9% of respondents were unhappy with their teeth. 63.4% felt that CF had an impact on oral health. 33.8% were anxious about attending their dentist. Respondents believed that CF has impacted their oral health due to the medications and dietary requirements involved, as well as tiredness and other side effects of CF. Reasons for being anxious about attending the dentist included cross-infection concerns, issues with the dentist, with tolerating treatment, and the teeth themselves. Respondents wanted dentists to be aware of the practicalities of dental treatment for people with CF, especially their discomfort with lying back. They also want the dentist to be aware of the impact that their medication, treatment, and diet have on their oral health. Over 1/3 of adults with CF reported anxiety about attending the dentist. Reasons for this included fear, embarrassment, cross-infection concerns, and problems with treatment, especially being in the supine position. Adults with CF want dentists to be aware of the impact that CF can have on dental treatment and oral health care.
Skin irritation in children undergoing orthodontic facemask therapy
Skin irritation is common in children undergoing orthodontic treatment with facemasks. Treatment success is highly dependent on patient cooperation & the duration of wearing the device; therefore, discomfort or pain related to skin changes can result in reduced treatment effects. The results showed that 43.5% of the patients experienced some form of skin reaction during treatment. No similar studies have investigated the prevalence of skin changes associated with facemask therapy. Most studies regarding adverse skin reactions during orthodontic treatment focus on nickel allergies caused by nickel-containing appliances. Furthermore, there are data about reactions caused by extraoral appliances, while most studies are on the nickel component of headgear
References:
Azzola, L.G., Fankhauser, N. & Srinivasan, M. Influence of the vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diet on the oral health status in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Dent (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-023-00853-z
Coffey, N., O’Leary, F., Burke, F. et al. Oral care considerations for people with cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional qualitative study. BDJ Open 9, 11 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-023-00136-w
Kim, H., Kim, J.S., Kim, C.S. et al. Skin irritation in children undergoing orthodontic facemask therapy. Sci Rep 13, 2200 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29253-0
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