ABSTRACT
Objective: To identify the main factors associated with early childhood caries by analyzing the risk factors of early childhood caries, thus providing a reference for developing prevention programs to reduce the risk of early childhood caries. Methods: We selected a total of 221 children aged 3-4 years from two kindergartens in Tongzhou District, Beijing for this study. We conducted oral examination and the caries activity test (Cariostat) on children and their parents / primary caregivers, and the parents / primary caregivers additionally answered a questionnaire survey. Based on the results, we comprehensively evaluated the caries status of children and statistically analyzed the caries-related factors to identify the relevant risk factors. Results: The mean age of children in the study children was 40.08 ± 2.65 months, with a caries prevalence rate of 54.97% and a mean caries value of 4.61. Early childhood caries was correlated with the intake frequency of sugary foods, intake of sugary foods before bedtime, frequency of tooth brushing, oral health knowledge of parents, caries susceptibility, and age of starting to brush teeth. Logistic regression analysis results showed that the intake frequency of sugary foods, oral health knowledge of parents, and caries susceptibility were the factors influencing early childhood caries, especially the intake frequency of sugary foods. Conclusion: The intake frequency of sugary foods, intake of sugary foods before bedtime, frequency of brushing teeth, oral health knowledge of parents, caries susceptibility, and age of starting to brush teeth were associated with early childhood caries. Among these, the intake frequency of sugary foods, oral health knowledge of parents, and caries susceptibility, especially the intake frequency of sugary foods, were the influencing factors.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to evaluate the effects of basic periodontal disease therapy on the general condition and serum inflammatory indicators of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) combined with chronic periodontitis (CP). METHODS: Forty patients with RA were enrolled in the study and, based on the results of an oral examination and in line with the 2018 periodontitis diagnostic criteria, they were divided into a group with CP (the RA + CP group) and a group without CP (the RA group). Twenty-nine patients with CP who attended the periodontal department of our hospital were recruited as a group with only CP (the CP group), and 20 volunteers without any systemic or periodontal disease were recruited as a healthy control group (the H group). The periodontal and joint conditions of the subjects in the four groups were recorded; anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibodies, interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor levels, which reflect the severity of the RA, were detected, and the differences between the groups were analyzed. The probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss, and sulcus bleeding index (SBI), which reflect the severity of the periodontitis, were correlated with the factor levels. The RA + CP and CP groups received therapeutic intervention, and the differences in each indicator before and six weeks after the treatment were compared, and their data were compared with those of patients in the RA group and H groups. RESULTS: Compared with the RA group, the serum expressions of ESR, CRP, and IL-6 were significantly higher in the RA + CP group. There were significant differences in the levels of PD, SBI, IL-6, and CRP in the patients receiving basic periodontal disease therapy before and after the treatment. CONCLUSION: A relatively large proportion of patients with RA have chronic periodontitis, and the local inflammatory state of CP might exacerbate the systemic inflammatory response in RA. Basic periodontal disease therapy may improve the oral condition of patients with RA and reduce the serum levels of the inflammatory factors.