Oral health related quality of life among pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare negative impacts of oral conditions in Oral Heath Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) assessed by the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) scores in pregnant women receiving or not comprehensive periodontal treatment. This randomized controlled clinical trial included pregnant women aged between 18 and 35 years old. Participants were randomized in a test group with 96 and a control group with 114 women. Patients in the test group received comprehensive periodontal treatment, supra and subgingival scaling and root-planning and periodontal maintenance appointments. The OHIP-14 was applied before and after treatment. The primary outcome was changes in OHIP-14 scores after follow-up period. The impact of having received or not comprehensive periodontal treatment on the change of the OHIP-14 scores was also investigated. Both groups showed significant reduction in OHIP-14 scores and effect size for the test group was 0.60 and 0.36 for the control group. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that participants of the control group had 5.9-fold odds (CI 95% 1.88-18.52) of worsening in OHIP-14 scores and their perception of oral conditions in relation to test group. Comprehensive periodontal treatment during pregnancy can reduce the negative impacts in OHRQoL.

Chlorhexidine with or without alcohol against biofilm formation: efficacy, adverse events and taste preference

Abstract In recent years, different chlorhexidine formulations have been tested, including an alcohol-free alternative, but the effect of this solution on early biofilm formation is not clear. A crossover, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of two chlorhexidine solutions against supra- and subgingival biofilm formation (NCT#02656251). Thirty-five participants were randomized and asked to rinse twice daily with 15 ml of an alcohol-containing 0.12% chlorhexidine solution, an alcohol-free 0.12% chlorhexidine solution, or placebo. The study was conducted in three experimental periods of 4 days each, with a 10-day washout between the periods. All the experimental periods followed the same protocol, except that the solutions were switched. Biofilm distribution was evaluated every 24 hours by the Plaque-Free Zone Index, during 96 hours. Adverse events were self-reported and sensory evaluation was performed using a hedonic scale. Compared to the placebo, the chlorhexidine solutions resulted in a significantly higher number of surfaces free of plaque over 96 hours (p < 0.01), and were able to prevent subgingival biofilm formation (p < 0.01). The alcohol-free chlorhexidine solution was associated with a lower incidence of adverse events, compared with alcohol-containing chlorhexidine (p < 0.05); it also received better sensory evaluation and acceptance by trial participants, compared with the alcohol-containing chlorhexidine (p = 0.007), and had a similar inhibitory effect on the formation of supra- and subgingival biofilms.

Self-reported halitosis and associated demographic and behavioral factors

Abstract Halitosis is still poorly studied in young adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of self-reported halitosis and associate it with demographic and behavioral factors in young adult dental students. This cross-sectional study was designed as a census of students enrolled in three initial and three final semesters of a dental course in a Brazilian public university. Of 284 eligible students, 257 (90.5%) completed a self-administered questionnaire. Self-reported halitosis was the primary study outcome, and was assessed with the question "do you feel you have bad breath?". Data on age, gender, frequency of tooth brushing and interproximal cleaning, tongue cleaning, mouth rinse use and dry mouth were collected using the questionnaire, and were considered independent variables. Of the students surveyed, 26.5% reported as never, 51.7% as rarely, 21.4% as sometimes, and 0.4% as always feeling they had halitosis. Morning halitosis was reported by 90.6% of those who reported halitosis. In the final multiple model, last semester students had a 55% lower chance of reporting halitosis, compared with students from the first semesters [odds ratio (OR) 0.46; 95%CI 0.24-0.89]. Women had a 2.57fold higher chance of reporting halitosis (OR = 2.57; 95%CI 1.12-5.93). Dry mouth increased the chance of self-reported halitosis 3.95-fold, compared with absence of dry mouth (OR = 3.95; 95%CI 2.03-7.68). It can be concluded that self-reports of halitosis were low among dental students, but may represent an important complaint. Gender, dry mouth and level of college education of the dentist were factors significantly associated with self-reported halitosis.

O impacto do tratamento periodontal na qualidade de vida de pacientes portadores de síndrome metabólica: uma análise parcial de um ensaio clínico randomizado / The impact of periodontal treatment on quality of life of patients with metabolic syndrome: an interim analysis of a randomized clinical trial

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito do tratamento periodontal na qualidade de vida de pacientes portadores de Síndrome Metabólica (SM), em uma amostra de 48 pacientes. Os pacientes apresentavam diagnóstico de Periodontite e SM e foram randomizados para dois grupos de tratamento: um grupo ao qual era oferecido tratamento periodontal imediato e outro grupo de tratamento tardio, que receberia o tratamento periodontal após seis meses da sua inclusão no estudo. Para aferir qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal e qualidade de vida geral, foram usados os instrumentos OHIP-14 e WHOQoL-bref, respectivamente. Exames periodontais completos avaliaram Índice de placa visível, Índice de sangramento gengival, Fatores retentivos de placa, Profundidade de sondagem, Sangramento à sondagem e Nível de inserção clínica, em seis sítios por dente. Além disso, exames antropométricos, exames sorológicos e entrevistas com os questionários de qualidade de vida foram realizados no momento inicial e após seis meses do início do estudo. Os dois grupos se mostraram semelhantes no momento inicial. Após seis meses, foram observadas reduções significativas no grupo de tratamento imediato para todos os parâmetros periodontais clínicos. A análise do WHOQoL-bref por domínios mostrou pequenas alterações não significativas em ambos os grupos. Na avaliação dos escores totais de OHIP-14 foi observada, após 6 meses, uma redução de 18,6 para 15 (Δ=3,6) no grupo tardio e de 15 para 5,7 (Δ=9,3) no grupo imediato, com diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos (p=0,003)...

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of periodontal treatment in quality of life of patients with Metabolic Syndrome, in a sample of 48 patients. The patients showed diagnosis of Periodontitis and Metabolic Syndrome and were randomized for two treatment groups: 1) immediate periodontal treatment 2) later treatment, six months after study inclusion. The instruments OHIP-14 and WHOQoL-bref were used to assess oral health related quality of life and general quality of life, respectively. Complete periodontal exams evaluated plaque visible index, gingival bleeding index, plaque retentive factors, probing depth, bleeding on probing and clinical attachment level, on six sites per tooth. Furthermore, antropometrics, blood exams and interview with quality of life measures instruments were performed in baseline and six months after the beginning of the study. Both groups were similar in baseline. After six months, significant reductions on immediate treatment group for all clinical periodontal parameters were observed. The WHOQoL-bref analysis by domains showed no significant small changes, for both groups. After six months, a decrease of 18,6 to 15 (Δ=3,6) for the later treatment group and 15 to 5,7 (Δ=9,3) for the immediate treatment group was observed in the evaluation of OHIP-14 for total scores, with statistical significant differences between the groups (p=0,003). These differences resulted in an effect size of 0,27 (small) for the later treatment group and 0,78 (moderate) for the immediate treatment group...