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Objectives@#The purpose of this study was to identify whether stress experienced by those working in the local civil service was related to their oral health during the COVID-19 pandemic. @*Methods@#A survey was conducted on 431 civil servants from eight districts, currently working in the Daegu City Hall had COVID-19 related work duties during the pandemic. @*Results@#Several factors associated with oral health related quality of life were explored. Demographic details revealed that men had significantly better oral health related life quality as compared to women; further, being younger, being unmarried, and having a lower position had better outcomes for oral health related quality of life. Regarding the relationship between oral health behavior and oral health related quality of life, it was found that the better the subjective oral health, the higher the rate of not visiting the dentist in the past year. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a particularly important time to explore in order to understand how the stress experienced by local government officials is related to their oral health. It has been especially noted that the higher the work stress, the worse the oral health related quality of life amongst individuals. @*Conclusions@#Results of this study emphasize that at a time when fatigue among civil servants is increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, oral conditions caused by stress should be identified and greater awareness should be created about oral health care.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study is to identify the factors related to re-visit intentions of patients who had visited the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled currently operating in Korea. @*Methods@#A self-developed questionnaire (29 items) was distributed among 1,000 randomly selected patients and their guardians who had visited one of the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled, with a consent. Consequently, 874 questionnaires were collected and analysed for statistics using SPSS 25.0. @*Results@#The patients traveled a long distance to visit the oral health care centers because of their specialization for the disabled. With the level of satisfaction with dentist services, dental hygienist services, and facilities increasing, the re-visit intention proportionally rose. @*Conclusions@#This study presents basic data that provides information on the operation of 10 oral health care centers for the disabled. It is imperative to develop a more structured questionnaire, and conduct an annual survey of the disabled visiting the centers.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study is to identify the factors related to re-visit intentions of patients who had visited the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled currently operating in Korea. @*Methods@#A self-developed questionnaire (29 items) was distributed among 1,000 randomly selected patients and their guardians who had visited one of the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled, with a consent. Consequently, 874 questionnaires were collected and analysed for statistics using SPSS 25.0. @*Results@#The patients traveled a long distance to visit the oral health care centers because of their specialization for the disabled. With the level of satisfaction with dentist services, dental hygienist services, and facilities increasing, the re-visit intention proportionally rose. @*Conclusions@#This study presents basic data that provides information on the operation of 10 oral health care centers for the disabled. It is imperative to develop a more structured questionnaire, and conduct an annual survey of the disabled visiting the centers.
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Objectives@#Loneliness was associated with not only social status but also general health. Psychological conditions in older people have negative effects on general health and oral health. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between loneliness and subjective chewing discomfort in the elderly. @*Methods@#This cross-sectional study analyzed the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (KSHAP) for the questionnaire, UCLA loneliness scale data of 1,511 older adults living in a rural community. Logistic regression was conducted to identify the relevance of subjective chewing discomfort in the elderly according to the level of loneliness. @*Results@#According to the final model that after adjustment for other risk factors (age, gender, level of education, smoking, drinking, etc.), in the elderly who rarely feel loneliness group compared to the elderly who never feel loneliness was Odds ratio (OR) 1.256 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.99-1.60) and sometimes+often feel loneliness was OR 2.110 (95% CI: 1.39-3.21). @*Conclusions@#Loneliness is associated with subjective chewing discomfort in the elderly. Older people feeling loneliness are likely to have more subjective chewing discomfort.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study was to examine the antibacterial effect of mastic oil on a representative caries-inducing bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. @*Methods@#S. mutans UA159 was maintained in a BHI medium containing 0.1% sugar at 37℃ and 10% CO2 . Strains were treated with six different concentrations of mastic oil (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5%). After incubation for 16 h, the antibacterial effect was evaluated by measuring the optical density (OD) and observing the colony-forming unit. A microtiter plate assay was performed to analyze the anti-adhesion ability of mastic oil on S. mutans. @*Results@#More than 0.1% of mastic oil inhibited the growth of S. mutans. In addition, 0.4% mastic oil exterminated S. mutans. Mastic oil induced an anti-adhesive ability in S. mutans. @*Conclusions@#These results suggest that mastic oil may be used as a preventive measure against dental caries.
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Objectives@#Periodontitis-causing microorganisms and their virulence factors can provoke periodontal destruction in the host. This study was aimed at evaluating the distribution of periodontal disease and its relationship with 11 periodontal disease-causing bacteria in the elderly. @*Methods@#Individuals aged 60 years or above were recruited after obtaining informed consent. The clinical attachment loss was measured at studied sites to determine the severity of periodontitis. Further, the stimulated salivary samples were collected and analyzed with real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect 11 strains of periodontitis-causing bacteria. @*Results@#The severity of periodontal disease was proportional to the amount of periodontal diseasecausing bacteria. Porphyromonas gingivalis in the red complex increased from 6.60±5.50 in stage 1 to 5.36±5.39 in stage 2 and 7.19±5.56 in stage 3 (P=0.003). Tannerella forsythia increased from 6.54±4.60 in stage 1 to 7.44±4.56 in stage 2 and 8.49±4.70 in stage 3 (P=0.007). @*Conclusions@#The presence of complex bacterial groups and their number of strains were high in participants with severe periodontitis. Controlling periodontitis-related bacteria is important for periodontal health in the elderly.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study was to examine the antibacterial effect of mastic oil on a representative caries-inducing bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. @*Methods@#S. mutans UA159 was maintained in a BHI medium containing 0.1% sugar at 37℃ and 10% CO2 . Strains were treated with six different concentrations of mastic oil (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5%). After incubation for 16 h, the antibacterial effect was evaluated by measuring the optical density (OD) and observing the colony-forming unit. A microtiter plate assay was performed to analyze the anti-adhesion ability of mastic oil on S. mutans. @*Results@#More than 0.1% of mastic oil inhibited the growth of S. mutans. In addition, 0.4% mastic oil exterminated S. mutans. Mastic oil induced an anti-adhesive ability in S. mutans. @*Conclusions@#These results suggest that mastic oil may be used as a preventive measure against dental caries.
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Objectives@#Periodontitis-causing microorganisms and their virulence factors can provoke periodontal destruction in the host. This study was aimed at evaluating the distribution of periodontal disease and its relationship with 11 periodontal disease-causing bacteria in the elderly. @*Methods@#Individuals aged 60 years or above were recruited after obtaining informed consent. The clinical attachment loss was measured at studied sites to determine the severity of periodontitis. Further, the stimulated salivary samples were collected and analyzed with real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect 11 strains of periodontitis-causing bacteria. @*Results@#The severity of periodontal disease was proportional to the amount of periodontal diseasecausing bacteria. Porphyromonas gingivalis in the red complex increased from 6.60±5.50 in stage 1 to 5.36±5.39 in stage 2 and 7.19±5.56 in stage 3 (P=0.003). Tannerella forsythia increased from 6.54±4.60 in stage 1 to 7.44±4.56 in stage 2 and 8.49±4.70 in stage 3 (P=0.007). @*Conclusions@#The presence of complex bacterial groups and their number of strains were high in participants with severe periodontitis. Controlling periodontitis-related bacteria is important for periodontal health in the elderly.
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OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to analyze the effect that oral health literacy of adults has on perceived oral health state and to identify the factors that affect perceived oral health status. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was distributed to 554 adults who lived in the Daegu or Gyeongbuk areas and visited dental institutions located in the Daegu area. For adults who were 60 years old or older, direct interviews were conducted. Statistical analysis was performed with t-tests, analysis of variance, and multiple regression using SPSS RESULTS: Between oral health literacy and perceived oral health status, a significant positive correlation was revealed (r=0.142, P<0.01). A significant positive correlation was revealed between oral health literacy and knowledge (r=0.397, P<0.01). A significant but weakly positive correlation was revealed between oral health knowledge and perceived oral health status (r=0.086, P<0.05). To identify factors affecting perceived oral health status, multiple regression analysis was conducted, and the result showed that oral health literacy was a statistically significant factor (β=0.105, p<0.05). Among general characteristics, age was a statistically significant negatively affecting factor, as it showed a negative relationship with perceived oral health status (β=−0.140, P=0.001, adjusted R2=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: When these study results are taken into consideration, oral health literacy is a factor affecting perceived oral health status, and as such, oral health literacy of the research targets should be taken into consideration when implementing oral health education to promote oral health.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Education , Health Literacy , Literacy , Oral HealthABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oral mucositis during radiotherapy which is harmful to the patients with head and neck is suggested to be related to the oral hygiene and health. Therefore, we evaluated the oral health status in relation to the occurrence of mucositis among patients with head and neck cancer during radiotherapy. METHODS: Tooth plaque index (PI), periodontal depth, and oral mucositis in 50 patients with head and neck cancer were examined by a dentist for 8 weeks after radiotherapy initiation. Cancer type and site were recorded based on the patients’ medical records. In addition, we assessed oral health-related quality of life. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 56.3 ± 11.6 years, with patients aged > 60 years comprising the largest proportion of the mucositis group. The median (range) of the PI index were 0 (0–3) and 1 (0–3) among participants with mucositis and those without, respectively, with no significant difference (P = 0.761). The median (range) of the total Oral Health Impact Profile score were 54 (42–58) and 41 (14–70) among participants without mucositis and those with mucositis, respectively (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that patients who developed mucositis during radiotherapy had lower oral health-related quality of life than those who did not. However, there was no difference in oral health status according to mucositis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Dentists , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Head , Medical Records , Mucositis , Neck , Oral Health , Oral Hygiene , Quality of Life , Radiotherapy , Stomatitis , ToothABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the relationship between oral hygiene and health status and radiationinduced mucositis among patients with head and neck cancer over an 8-week period. METHODS: We recruited 40 patients with head and neck cancer scheduled to receive radiation therapy (RT), and 25 patients were included in the study. Before commencing RT, a dentist examined the patients for plaque, and determined the gingival index and pocket depth. A dental hygienist assessed the patients for radiation-induced mucositis once weekly, for 8 weeks, during RT. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 60.96 (±8.47) years, and 21 (87.5%) patients were male. Twenty patients (83.3%) had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with cancer located in the head region had more severe mucositis than those with cancer in the neck region, but this was not significant statistically (P=0.053). However, toothbrushing frequency, plaque, gingival index, and pocket depth were not related to radiation-induced mucositis. During RT, the severity of mucositis significantly worsened compared to that at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Mucositis severity worsened during RT, but this was not related to oral hygiene and health status among patients with head and neck cancer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Dental Hygienists , Dentists , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Head , Mucositis , Neck , Oral Health , Oral Hygiene , Periodontal Index , Radiotherapy , ToothbrushingABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: With the growing elderly population, there is an increasing interest in the oral and general health of elderly individuals. Loss of teeth is representative of oral disease in elderly individuals and is associated with medical and dental problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the number of remaining functional teeth and cognitive function. METHODS: A total of 456 (111 public health centers, 261 senior centers, 84 sanatoriums) older adults (aged ≥65 years) residing in Korea were included. A mental health nurse examined the cognitive function using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. A dentist examined the number of functional teeth and denture status through an oral examination, while a dental hygienist surveyed the subjective masticatory level using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 79.5 years (range 65–97 years), and 76.1% of them were women. Participants with a small number of functional teeth had lower cognitive function. In these participants, the odds ratio with poor cognitive function was 2.30 times higher; it was 2.74 times higher after adjusting for age, sex, residence, education, and denture use, and was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that the number of functional teeth was associated with cognitive function in the Korean elderly population.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Cognition , Dental Hygienists , Dentists , Dentures , Diagnosis, Oral , Education , Korea , Mental Health , Odds Ratio , Public Health , Senior Centers , ToothABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Association between periodontitis and of head and neck carcinoma was suggested. In the present study, we evaluated the oral health status of patients with head and neck carcinoma and analyzed the relationship between cancer characteristics and oral health. METHODS: Oral health of 40 patients with head and neck carcinoma was examined. Decayed teeth, missing teeth, plaque index, gingival index, and probing depth were measured. Cancer type and site were recorded based on the patients’ medical records. RESULTS: The average age of participants was 60.10 ± 8.99 years, and 35 of participants were male. The decay or missing teeth index was 5.43 ± 5.57, and the plaque index, gingival index, and probing depth were 1.37 ± 1.03, 1.57 ± 0.84, and 4.13 ± 1.45, respectively. These indexes showed no significant difference according to the type or site of cancer (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that there was no correlation between oral health parameters and characteristics of head and neck carcinoma.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Head , Medical Records , Neck , Oral Health , Periodontal Diseases , Periodontal Index , Periodontitis , ToothABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the changes in bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations in urine from before to after sealant filling and the relationship between BPA and the number of teeth with sealed surfaces. METHODS: Thirty-one children aged 6 and 7 years from three elementary schools in Daegu city who did not have any sealant and resin filling were selected as subjects. Urine samples were collected before and after sealant filling until 24 hours, with informed consent from their caregivers. The BPA concentration in all the collected urine samples was analyzed at Seegene Medical. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman test, Scheirer-Ray-Hope test, and the repeated-measures generalized linear mixed model of SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: The BPA concentrations increased from 3.49-μg/g creatinine before to 4.91-μg/g creatinine 2-3 hours later and to 4.15-μg/g creatinine after 24 hours. The more teeth with sealed surfaces, the higher the BPA concentration in children, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The BPA concentrations were highest at 2–3 hours after sealant filling and decreased at 24 hours. Exposure to the sealant appears to have a meaningful correlation with the concentration of BPA in the urine of children.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Caregivers , Creatinine , Informed Consent , ToothABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Unmet needs for dental treatment are one of the potential contributing factors to poor oral health because oral health problems worsen if left untreated. This study aimed to demonstrate the prevalence of and the causes for unmet dental needs, and to evaluate the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and oral health status. METHODS: Data on 3,883 subjects aged ≥18 years from the Korean National Oral Health Survey 2006 were analyzed. Information regarding unmet needs for dental treatment was obtained using standardized questionnaires. Eight trained dentists examined decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple regression models were built to assess the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and the DMFT scores. RESULTS: The prevalence of perceived unmet needs for dental treatment was 34.7% among the adult Korean population. Economic constraints were the main cause (38.6%) for unmet dental needs. The average DMFT scores were higher in the subjects with unmet needs for dental treatment than in those without. In individuals with unmet needs for dental treatment within the past 1 year, the number of decayed teeth after adjusting for confounders was likely to be greater by 0.58 and that of missing teeth by 0.27 compared to that in their counterparts with no unmet dental needs in the past 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived unmet needs for dental treatment were significantly associated with poor oral health status among the adult Korean population. Further studies are needed to clarify the direct and indirect effects of unmet needs for dental treatment on an individual's oral health status by investigating critical variables of the causal pathways among perceived dental needs, dental care utilization, and oral health status.
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Adult , Humans , Dental Care , Dental Health Surveys , Dentists , DMF Index , Health Services Needs and Demand , Oral Health , Prevalence , ToothABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the change in oral health-related quality of life among patients with head & neck cancer who received radiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 40 patients who were diagnosed as having head and neck cancer and scheduled to have radiotherapy were enrolled in this study; however, only 25 patients were included in the final analysis. Prior to radiotherapy, a dentist performed an oral examination to check for the presence of decayed and missing teeth, plaque, and determine the gingival index. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using the OHIP-14 questionnaire. Eight weeks after starting radiotherapy, oral health-related quality of life was re-evaluated using the same questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 60.20 (±7.29) years, and 22 (88.8%) of them were men. The majority of the participants were diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma (68.0%). The total OHIP-14 score was significantly decreased from 56.20 (±13.50) at baseline to 45.72 (±10.98) eight weeks after radiotherapy. In addition, according to subjective oral health at baseline, the observed change in the OHIP-14 score was significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Oral health-related quality of life was significantly lowered after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Dentists , Diagnosis, Oral , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Head , Oral Health , Periodontal Index , Quality of Life , Radiotherapy , ToothABSTRACT
The purposes of this study were to investigate the factors affection the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances for Children (C-OIDP) in elementary and middle school students, and identify the association between oral health-related behaviors, oral health condition and C-OIDP. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three schools in Incheon, Asan, Korea. A total of 175 selected children were interviewed by a trained examiner using a questionnaire. Oral Health Related Quality of Life was assessed by the Korean version of C-OIDP. Socio-economic characteristics, oral health-related behaviors, oral health condition and C-OIDP were verified using the questionnaire. ANOVA analysis was performed to determine the oral health and C-OIDP, and multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting the C-OIDP. The activities with the greatest effect were eating (28.0%), cleaning teeth (22.9%), and smiling (18.9%). In the logistic regression model, the high item score of C-OIDP was associated with experiencing dental caries and gum pain in the past month. The more the C-OIDP prevalence item, the more the fillng deciduous tooth surface (fs) (p=0.024), caries experienced deciduous tooth surface (dfs) (p=0.049), total caries tooth surface (ds+DS) (p=0.021), and total caries experienced tooth surface (dfs+DMFS) (p=0.047). It can be concluded that the factors affecting C-OIDP are fs, dfs, dfs+DMFS, and gingival pain. Based on these results, we can improve C-OIDP to advance preventive practice.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Dental Caries , Eating , Gingiva , Korea , Logistic Models , Oral Health , Prevalence , Quality of Life , Smiling , Tooth , Tooth, DeciduousABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Many people rely on recommendations from family, relatives, and other information sources in order to select the appropriate dental clinic for treatment. The object of this study was to find out the relationship between quality of dental service and Korean Net Promoter Score (KNPS). METHODS: A total of 520 patients were selected through consecutive sampling from four dental clinics in Daegu city. Informed consent of all selected patients was obtained. The patients were required to complete a questionnaire that comprised of three categories of queries related to provision of satisfactory dental service, relation quality, and personal data. Sub-categories of questions included physical and environmental factors, human service factors, patients' satisfaction with related quality and KNPS. Data was collected by interviewing all individuals on a personal basis over a period of 3 months. Statistical analysis was performed using studental t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS 20.0 software (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: Among the various socio-economic factors studied, income was most significantly related to KNPS while satisfaction of relation quality was the largest factor affecting the KNPS. Factors such as satisfactory physical environment, quality of human service, relation quality and income accounted for 52.4% of KNPS. In short, the three major factors that affected KNPS were patient compliance, professionalism of the attending dentist and response of hygienist to patient. Other minor factors influencing KNPS included trust upon the attending dentist, aesthetics of clinicstiinterior, and physical convenience. CONCLUSIONS: It is highly recommended that dental clinics should make strenuous efforts to increase the level of patient compliance, professionalism, and response towards patients, which can be achieved by improving the quality of service and through positive marketing of the hospital.
Subject(s)
Humans , Dental Clinics , Dentists , Esthetics , Informed Consent , Marketing , Patient Compliance , ProfessionalismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between oral health, activity of daily living, and cognitive impairment among elderly people who live at home in a rural area. METHODS: A total of 183 participants older than 70 years of age were recruited from a public health center in a rural Korean city. Trained examiners conducted questionnaire surveys and at-home oral exams to assess oral health, geriatric function, and cognitive impairment. Oral health was assessed by counting remaining teeth and examining salivary flow. Geriatric function and cognitive impairment were assessed using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA), the Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), and an activity of daily living (ADL) questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean age (SD) of the participants was 83.77 (5.99) years and 68.9% of them were women. The participants who had a lower number of remaining teeth were significantly older, had severe cognitive impairment, and poor ADL and MNA results. The participants with severe cognitive impairment were significantly older and had fewer remaining teeth and low salivary flow. Simple linear regression analysis showed an association between remaining teeth and cognitive impairment with a P-value of 0.000, which disappeared after adjusting for sex and age or sex, age, denture use, and salivary flow, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Possible associations between remaining teeth and salivary flow, activity of daily living, and cognitive impairment were discovered among some elderly people living in a rural area.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Activities of Daily Living , Dementia , Dentures , Linear Models , Mass Screening , Oral Health , Pilot Projects , Public Health , ToothABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to observe the decrease in tooth color after home and office bleaching due to consumption of juice, soda, and coffee over a period of one year. METHODS: We obtained written consent from 30 subjects, who were divided into two groups i.e., home bleaching and office bleaching groups. They were treated with opalessence® and Zoom2 whitening gel, and the color of their teeth was assessed using shade Eye-NCC over a one-year period. A self-describing questionnaire was used to determine the frequency of juice, soda, and coffee consumption. RESULTS: The changes in color were measured before and after 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Although the tooth color slightly changed after 12 months, the teeth were brighter than the original color. Consumption of juices, sodas, and coffee is thought to be associated with decrease in tooth color, although the change was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The ΔE* values showed that the tooth bleaching effect remained for 12 months. Consuming a normal amount of juice, sodas, and coffee does not significantly reduce tooth color after tooth bleaching.