Oral and dental health in pregnant women: attitudes among dentists in southeastern Spain.

A study was undertaken to determine the general level of knowledge, attitudes and practices in clinical dental care of pregnant women. This was a transversal descriptive study in the form of a structured and anonymous survey completed by dentists in Murcia (southeast Spain). The questionnaire was sent by e-mail and investigated dentists' knowledge of and attitudes toward different dental procedures applying to pregnant women. The response rate to the questionnaire was 60%. The vast majority of dentists (81.3%) agreed that oral care should be part of general healthcare for pregnant women. However, discrepancies were found in knowledge and attitudes to practice.

Effects of potassium apigenin and verbena extract on the wound healing process of SKH-1 mouse skin.

Tissue repair is a complex process, which may be favoured or inhibited by different factors. Potassium apigenin (AP) and other flavonoids present in verbena extract (PLX(®) ) possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of topical treatment with AP and PLX gels on wounds inflicted on SKH-1/CRL mice. Forty-eight SKH-1 mice were used (4 groups with 12 animals each), which were subjected to wound excision with a round scalpel, 4 mm in diameter, on the dorsal skin. The animals were divided into four groups: Group I received topical applications of apigenin gel; Group II received PLX gel; Group III received vehicle gel; Group IV acted as control. Wound contraction, reepithelialisation, inflammation and neovascularisation (by means of immunohistochemical staining with anti-laminin) were recorded at study periods established at 2, 7 and 14 days. Reepithelialisation was faster in Groups I and II at 7 days (56·25% grade 3 and 43·75% grade 4) compared with the other groups. The degree of inflammation showed improvement with a tendency towards statistical significance in Groups I and II at 2 and 7 days. Anti-laminin staining was more intense in the group treated with PLX at the 2- and 7-day periods. Topical treatment with PLX gel improved the degree of reepithelialisation and inflammation, and favoured neo-vascularisation of the wounds at 2 and 7 days following surgery.

Perioperative antibiotic regimen in rats treated with pamidronate plus dexamethasone and subjected to dental extraction: a study of the changes in the jaws.

PURPOSE: Osteonecrosis of the jaws is a well-known condition associated with long-term bisphosphonate use. This study analyzed the prophylactic effect of antibiotic treatment in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with pamidronate plus dexamethasone and subjected to oral surgery in the form of dental extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty animals were included in a randomized prospective study. Animals in group I (n = 60) were treated with dexamethasone 1 mg/kg and pamidronate 3 mg/kg 3 times per week for 7, 14, and 21 days. All were subjected to right mandibular or maxillary molar extraction 8, 15, and 22 days after the start of dosing. Animals in group II (n = 60) received the same treatment except for the addition of penicillin 0.1 mL/kg per day for 3 days before and 4 days after extraction. Rats in the 2 groups were sacrificed 14 and 28 days after extraction. A clinical and histologic evaluation was performed. RESULTS: In group I, osteonecrosis was documented in 18 cases (34.6%; affecting the upper and lower jaws in 10 and 8 cases, respectively). In group II, osteonecrosis was documented in 5 cases (9.61%; affecting the upper and lower jaws in 3 and 2 cases, respectively). The difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of preventive measures (antibiotic prophylaxis) in invasive dental procedures results in a significant decrease in osteonecrosis of the jaws associated with bisphosphonate use.

An experimental study of bisphosphonate-induced jaws osteonecrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats.

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing treatment with bisphosphonates may develop jaw lesions consisting mainly of bone necrosis. The present study describes a model of maxillary osteonecrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats, applying bisphosphonates and examines the changes occurring after tooth extraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total 200 animals were included in a randomized prospective study involving the following groups: group I (control, 20 rats without drug treatment), group II (60 animals administered dexamethasone 1 mg/kg/day for 7, 14 and 21 days, in subgroups of 20 animals each), group III (60 animals administered pamidronate daily at a dose of 3 mg/kg) and group IV (60 animals administered pamidronate and dexamethasone). In all groups, molar extraction was carried out on the right upper maxillary or mandibular side 8, 15 and 22 days after the start of dosing. The rats were killed 14 and 28 days after extraction in all groups. RESULTS: A total of 18 cases of osteonecrosis were recorded in the group administered pamidronate and dexamethasone. Osteonecrosis affected the upper maxilla in 10 cases and the mandible in eight cases, and was circumscribed to the extraction zone in all cases. Osteonecrosis was not seen in any of the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of pamidronate and dexamethasone in rats subjected to molar extraction increases the risk of osteonecrosis.

Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw. Knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the knowledge of dentists and dental students of bisphosphates and osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in the Autonomous Community of Murcia, Spain. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A structured questionnaire was elaborated on knowledge, attitude and practice regarding aspects of the aetiology, diagnosis and prevention of bisphosphonate-associated ONJ. The questionnaire was administered to two groups: group I with 60 dental students and group II, 60 dentists with well-established professional activity. RESULTS: As regards the subjects' knowledge of bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis, 30 (50%) students and 41 (68.36%) dentists (P = 0.0041) had up to date knowledge. Most correctly identified risk factors involved. Only eight (13.33%) students and 20 (33.33%) dentists (P = 0.010) knew how to treat osteonecrosis once established. CONCLUSIONS: Training strategies need to be established as regards bisphosphonate-associated ONJ.

Knowledge and attitudes about oral cancer among dentists in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: Detecting oral cancer (OC) at an early stage is the most effective means of improving survival and reducing morbility from disease. The objective was to study the knowledge, opinions and attitudes held by general dentists in Spain regarding aspects of OC in general clinic practice. METHODS: A 44-item questionnaire relating to OC was randomly distributed by email to 1000 dentists in the different autonomous communities in Spain. RESULTS: The response rate was 42.7%. Only 49.7% of the dentists who replied considered themselves to have up-to-date knowledge on OC. A total of 94.7% of those interviewed hold the opinion that it is the dentists who are qualified to carry out the oral examination. In addition, 41.8% felt that family doctors and 13.8% that dental hygienists were also capable of making this examination. We should highlight that dentists who rated their undergraduate OC training favourably were more likely to agree that their OC knowledge was current than those who rated their undergraduate training unfavourably [odds ratio (OR) = 4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-4.2, P = 0.019). Respondents who performed oral cancer examinations on all patients 40 years of age or older were 1.8 times more likely to agree that their OC knowledge was current; however, the differences were not significant (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 0.6-2.7, P = 0.392). CONCLUSIONS: Gaps in knowledge exist, strongly suggesting the need for continued courses of education detection and prevention of OC.

Plasma rich in growth factors and bone formation: a radiological and histomorphometric study in New Zealand rabbits.

A radiographic and histomorphometric study was conducted on the influence of autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) upon bone healing in surgically created defects in rabbits. Radiographically, bone regeneration was significantly greater with the use of PRGF after one month (p = 0.005), though no differences were recorded after the second month. In the histomorphometric analysis one month after surgery, the defects filled with autologous bone plus PRGF showed a greater percentage of neoformed bone (35.01 +/- 5.31) than the control defects (22.90 +/- 12.23), though the differences were not significant. Two months after surgery, the defects filled with autologous bone showed greater regeneration (46.04 +/- 10.36%) than the control defects (30.59 +/- 5.69%), though the differences were not significant. The application of PRGF in the bone defects produced in New Zealand rabbits exerted a limited effect on local bone formation.

Effects of plasma rich in growth factors on wound healing of the tongue. Experimental study on rabbits.

OBJECTIVES: To apply autologous Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) in wounds provoked in the tongue of New Zealand albino rabbits and to study its effects in the epithelialization and inflammation of the wounds at 7 and 28 days after its application. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study carried out on 20 adult rabbits. Two wounds were made on the midline of the dorsal surface of the tongue in each animal, one control, and the other in which PRGF was applied. A histological study of the epithelialization and inflammation of wounds at 7 and 28 days was made. RESULTS: At 7 days were not observed differences between the study group and the control, nevertheless at 28 days all the wounds in which we applied the PRGF were completely epithelialized and with resolution of the inflammatory process, finding significant differences with respect to the control (p=0.031) and (p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: The PRGF accelerates epithelialization and reduces inflammation at 28 days of provoking wounds in the oral mucosa.

Plasma rich in growth factors and bone formation: a radiological and histomorphometric study in New Zealand rabbits

A radiographic and histomorphometric study was conducted on the influence of autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) upon bone healing in surgically created defects in rabbits. Radiographically, bone regeneration was significantly greater with the use of PRGF after one month (p = 0.005), though no differences were recorded after the second month. In the histomorphometric analysis one month after surgery, the defects filled with autologous bone plus PRGF showed a greater percentage of neoformed bone (35.01 ± 5.31) than the control defects (22.90 ± 12.23), though the differences were not significant. Two months after surgery, the defects filled with autologous bone showed greater regeneration (46.04 ± 10.36 percent) than the control defects (30.59 ± 5.69 percent), though the differences were not significant. The application of PRGF in the bone defects produced in New Zealand rabbits exerted a limited effect on local bone formation.