Relationship Between Dental Students' Personality Profiles and Self-reported Oral Health Behaviour.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between oral health behaviour and personality profiles among dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred six consecutive (pre-)clinical dental students (58 females and 48 males) were recruited for this observational study. Participants' oral health behaviour was evaluated using the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI). The NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was used to assess the participants' personality profiles. Main outcome measures were personality dimensions measured by NEO-FFI (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and oral health behaviours measured by HU-DBI (dental visits, toothbrushing, oral health awareness, and oral hygiene practices). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: All participants were completely analysed. The students' level of education and age had no relationship to the HU-DBI and NEO-FFI scores (p > 0.05). The conscientiousness personality scores were associated with better oral health attitude and behaviour (p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Higher scores of the conscientiousness personality dimension were associated with better oral health attitudes and behaviour. Therefore, it is recommended to consider assessment of personality dimensions when oral health attitudes and behaviours are evaluated. Personality profiles might affect oral health behaviour and attitudes of dental care providers. This interaction should be considered as it might potentially impact professionals' capacities to offer oral health care, and this would influence patients' oral health.

Combined Implant and Tooth Support: An Up-to-Date Comprehensive Overview.

Objectives. This article presents a review on the concerned topics and some considerations related to the concept of splinting teeth and implants in the rehabilitation of partial edentulism. Study Selection. An electronic PubMed/MEDLINE and manual search of identified articles and reviews as well as clinical, laboratory, and finite element studies was performed in this project. Due to the shortage in within-subject, long term, randomized, controlled clinical trials regarding the subject a meta-analysis was not possible. Results. Although surrounded with some controversy, joining teeth and implants during the rehabilitation of partial edentulism provides the clinicians with more treatment options where proprioception and bone volume are maintained and distal cantilevers and free end saddles are eliminated. It makes the treatment less complex, of less cost, and more acceptable for the patient. Conclusions. Whenever suitable and justified, combining implant and tooth support might be recommended as an alternative during rehabilitation of partial edentulism. Based on the literature, clinical tips and suggestions were recommended to increase the success of this treatment.

Ozone treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a double blinded study.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of ozone to treat recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Consecutive sixty-nine participants with RAS were recruited into this non-randomized double blind, controlled cohort observational study (test group). A control group of 69 RAS patients who matched test group with age and gender was recruited. RAS lesions in test group were exposed to ozone in air for 60 seconds while controls received only air. Ulcer size and pain were recorded for each participant at baseline and daily for 15 days. Ulcer duration was determined by recording the time taken for ulcers to disappear. The main outcome measures were pain due to the ulcer, ulcer size and ulcer duration. 138 RAS participants (69 participants and 69 controls) were analyzed. Ulcer size was reduced starting from the second day in test group and from the fourth day in controls (p ≤ 0.004). Pain levels were reduced starting from the first day in the test group and from the third day in controls (p ≤ 0.001). Ulcer duration, ulcer size after day 2 and pain levels were more reduced in the test group. In conclusion, application of ozone on RAS lesions for 60 seconds reduced pain levels and enhanced ulcers' healing by reducing ulcers' size and duration.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS): a preliminary within-subject study of quality of life, oral health impacts and personality profiles.

BACKGROUND: RAS may affect quality of life and impacts oral health and daily activities; consequently, psychological factors, dental needs and patients' perceptions. Professionals should understand this relation to adequately manage oral ulcers. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between oral health impacts, oral health-related quality of life and psychological profiles in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). METHODS: Fifty-three patients (30 men and 23 women, mean age: 31.1 ± 10.1 years) with RAS participated in this study. During ulcer episodes, participants completed Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and United Kingdom Oral Health-Related Quality of Life measure (OHQoL-UK) proformas. Patients completed OHIP-14 and OHQoL-UK again when they were ulcer-free. The statistically significance levels were set at P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: During ulcer episodes, patients reported worse oral health impacts and an inferior quality of life in comparison with ulcer-free times (P < 0.0001). Higher OHIP scores were significantly associated with higher HAD depression (P = 0.036) and anxiety (P = 0.012) scores. NEO-FFI scores had no significant relations with OHIP and OHQoL-UK scores (P > 0.05). During ulcer-free periods, no relationships were detected between OHIP, OHQoL-UK, HAD and NEO-FFI scores (P > 0.05), except between OHQoL-UK and conscientiousness scores (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: RAS increased the negative oral health impacts on patients and consequently lowered their quality of life. Stressful situations and conditions (including anxiety and depression), rather than inherent personality profiles and stable psychological traits, were related to oral health impacts and quality of life in patients with RAS.