Glucose levels and hemodynamic changes in patients submitted to routine dental treatment with and without local anesthesia

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to (1) observe the extent to which hemodynamic and glucose measurements change in patients submitted to a dental procedure with and without a local anesthetic and a vasoconstrictor (LAVA; 2 percent mepivacaine with adrenaline 1100,000) and (2) correlate those parameters with the patients' anxiety levels. METHOD: This was an unblinded, random, prospective, and observational study with paired groups. Patients were evaluated during two different consultations during which they either did or did not receive a local anesthetic/vasoconstrictor. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients ranging in age from 18 to 45 years (mean 30.4 ± 5.5 years) were evaluated. Hemodynamic parameters, including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and glucose levels, did not change significantly in healthy patients, regardless of whether a LAVA was administered during the dental treatment. CONCLUSION: The patients' anxiety statuses neither varied significantly nor showed any correlation with the studied hemodynamic parameters and glucose levels, regardless of whether local anesthetics were used.

Relationship between orofacial pain and absenteeism among workers in Southern Brazil

Aim: To verify the relationship between orofacial pain and absenteeism in workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study, with the random sample of 401 workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil, was carried out. A questionnaire referred to the situation of absenteeism caused by nine different types of orofacial pain and also the amount of time the employee was kept from work. Results: Only 60 workers (15%) reported having missed work due to orofacial pain in the six months prior to the study. The prevalence of absenteeism resulting from orofacial pain was of 15%. The types of orofacial pain that resulted in absenteeism were: spontaneous toothache (9.7 %); toothache caused by cold or hot liquids or by sweet foodstuff (6.5%) and pain around and behind the eyes (3.2%). There was a predominance of absenteeism in half and full work shifts for the types of orofacial pain experienced. Associations between absenteeism from induced toothache and gender (p < 0.05), absenteeism and spontaneous toothache and family income (p = 0.011), and between absenteeism and the self awareness of their oral health condition, as well as the nine types of orofacial pain (p < 0.001) were observed. Conclusions: The prevalence of absenteeism as a result of orofacial pain was low.

Dores dental e facial em trabalhadores do sul do Brasil, 2003 / Dental and facial pain among workers, southern Brazil, 2003

Objetivo - este estudo verificou a dor dental e a facial relatada por trabalhadores de um frigorífico do sul do Brasil em 2003. Método - trata-se de um estudo transversal, observacional e analítico, com amostra aleatória de 401 trabalhadores com idade superior a 18 anos. O instrumento aplicado foi o questionário desenvolvido por Locker e Grushka (1987). Os dados foram analisados no software STATA 8.0, sob o teste Qui-quadrado. O nível de significância utilizado foi 5%. Resultado - apenas 108 trabalhadores (26,9%) não sentiram dor dental e facial nos últimos 6 meses. A presença de dores dental e facial correspondeu a 73,1%. Com relação à gravidade, observou-se maior proporção de dores leves e moderadas. Observou-se também dor em diversas localizações anatômicas e as mais citadas foram: nos dentes (86,3%); ao redor ou atrás dos olhos (28,2%) e na ATM (20,2%). Proporção considerável de participantes relatou também dor durante a mastigação (20,7%). Conclusão - embora a presença de dor dental e de facial tenha sido alta, sua severidade foi baixa. Alguns tipos de dor foram mais presentes entre os participantes mais jovens, do gênero masculino, e entre os trabalhadores com menor grau de escolaridade.

Objective - the purpose of the study was to verify dental and facial pain among poultry company workers, Southern Brazil, 2003. Methods - an observational, analytic study was carried out. A simple random sample was composed of 401 (33.78%) workers who were aged 18 years and more. The instrument used was the questionnaire developed by Locker and Grushka (1987). Data were analyzed with STATA 8.0 statistical package, through Chi-Square Test at a 5% level of significance. Results- the dental and facial pain presence was 73.1%. 197 workers (49.1%) presented non-spontaneous tooth pain, 149 (37.2%) presented spontaneous tooth pain, 83 (20.7%) presented pain during mastication, 81 (20.2%) presented temporomandibular pain and 60 (15.0%) participants presented tongue or other sites of the mouth burn, in the 6 months before the survey. At all types of studied dental and facial pains, the severity was slight and its frequency was low. Conclusion - dental and facial pain presence was high among the surveyed population. The most prevalent types of pain were spontaneous tooth pain and non-spontaneous tooth pain. Although dental and facial pain presence was high, its severity and frequency were low in all types of the studied pains. Some types of pain were more present among younger, male workers and among participants that had less years of study.