ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gummy smile (GS) has a direct effect on individuals, especially among young adults, because of its association with smile avoidance. The younger populations are sensitive about their smiles and prefer aesthetic, beautiful smiles, a lack of which can negatively impact their quality of life. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to measure the GS prevalence among young adults aged 16 to 18 attending high schools in Ha'il City, Saudi Arabia, evaluating oral health related to quality of life (OHQoL) in those suffering GS by using the OHQoL questionnaire (OHIP-14). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 385 female high school students located in Ha'il. Students with GS took a survey on oral health using OHIP-14. For this, SPSS was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The study included 200 people with GS (52%). The mean age was 18±0.01. The prevalence of GS was analyzed, with a mean value of 4.68±1.2 mm, indicating most students had GS ranging between 4 and 5 mm. The most frequent value for all items in the OHIP-14 questionnaire was 1, indicating that students often had their quality of life affected. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test indicated the results had a significant value (p < 0.05), showing a positive and significant association. CONCLUSION: Based on the OHIP-14 questionnaire and respecting the methodology, it was concluded that the quality of life has been affected for all female students with GS. The high prevalence for ages 16-18 showed most students agreed their lives were being affected by GS and their condition needed to be treated. It was also confirmed by the significant association of GS with items of oral health and quality of life.
ABSTRACT
Background. Several studies were reported on the prevalence, and relationship between the existence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in oral cavity and in stomach of patients. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on the presence of H. pylori in the oral cavity and its link to gastric infection, the existence of coinfection, and the impact of anti-H. pylori therapy on the dental plaque and vice versa. Method. Two authors independently searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for relevant studies. The articles were analyzed critically and all qualified studies were included. The search was carried out by using a combined text and the MeSH search strategies: using the key words Helicobacter, Helicobacter pylori, and H. pylori in combination with dental plaque, periodontitis, and oral hygiene. Results. The data was presented in 8 tables and each topic separately discussed. Conclusion. Based on the systematic review of the available literature on H. pylori infection and its presence in the oral cavity, it can be concluded that dental plaque can act as a reservoir, and proper oral hygiene maintenance is essential to prevent reinfection. Due to the diversified methods and population groups involved in the available literature, no concrete evidence can be laid down. Further studies are necessary to establish the role of H. pylori in the oral cavity and its eradication on preventing the gastroduodenal infection.
