Oral health-related quality of life in patients infected with HIV, Iran: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The life expectancy of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has increased, but its oral manifestations can affect the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of these patients. This study aimed to evaluate OHRQoL in HIV-infected patients and determine its related factors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 250 HIV-infected patients were randomly selected from Shiraz Voluntary Counseling and Testing center in 2019. OHRQoL was measured using the revised Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index for HIV patients. The associations between patients' OHRQoL and demographic characteristics were examined. RESULTS: The mean score of the patients' OHRQoL was 24.55 ± 6.27. The lowest and highest scores belonged to the psychosocial and pain categories, respectively. In the univariate analysis, the OHRQoL was significantly associated with patients' age (p = 0.012), duration of the disease (p = 0.009), job (p = 0.006), edentulous status (p = 0.003), and wearing denture (p < 0.001). However, in the multiple linear regression analysis, a significant difference was found only between denture wearing and non-denture wearing patients (p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The OHRQoL of HIV-infected patients was not optimal since most of the patients were worried about their oral and dental health problems. The OHRQoL was significantly better in denture-wearing patients. This finding highlights the impact of unmet dental needs on OHRQoL in HIV-infected patients. Therefore, dental services coverage for patients with HIV is essential, so that they can have timely access to oral health care. Furthermore, dentures should be considered as an unmet healthcare need among HIV patients in public health policies.

Evaluation of parental awareness regarding their child's oral hygiene.

OBJECTIVES: To determine parental awareness about their child's oral hygiene and its associated factors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 396 parents and their 3- to 6-year-old children were selected by randomized cluster sampling from Shiraz kindergartens in 2013. Parents completed a questionnaire on their perception of their child's oral hygiene. The children received a dental examination, and their dental cleaning status was determined using Simplified Debris Index. Parental awareness was determined by comparing parents' perception of their child's oral hygiene with the results of the dental examination. Associations between demographic factors and parental awareness were evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty per cent of the parents were aware of their child's teeth cleaning status. Higher percentage of parents with university degree (P < 0.001) and parents whose child did not have a previous dental visit (P < 0.001) were aware. Also, more aware mothers were employed compared with homemakers (P = 0.002). Children of aware parents had lower dmft (P < 0.001) and better oral hygiene (P = 0.001) than those of unaware parents. Parents who perceived overall oral health status of their child as good (P < 0.001) as well as those who believed that their child did not have any cavities (P < 0.001) were more likely to be aware of their child's teeth cleaning than those who perceived otherwise. CONCLUSION: Many parents were not aware of their child's oral hygiene. Educational interventions should be provided to young families to increase parental knowledge and skills that help them recognize their child's dental needs. The interventions are more necessary for low socioeconomic parents and for the parents of children with poor oral hygiene.

Impact of oral hygiene on oral health-related quality of life of preschool children.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of oral hygiene of preschool children and parental attitude on children's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 396 children of Shiraz kindergartens were selected by a randomized cluster sampling. Children's oral hygiene was assessed using the Simplified Debris Index (DI-S) and a self-made questionnaire about oral hygiene habits. Children's OHRQoL was evaluated by the Farsi version of Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (F-ECOHIS). The effect of oral hygiene determinants on OHRQoL was measured using Pearson and Spearman correlation, independent-sample t-test and anova. RESULTS: Children's mean DI-S and F-ECOHIS scores were 1.19 (± 0.77) and 19.36 (±8.42), respectively. Only 75% of the children had their teeth brushed once a day or more, and in 28%, toothbrushing had started before 2 years of age. DI-S values (P < 0.001) and frequency of toothbrushing (P < 0.001) had a statistically significant impact on OHRQoL of the children. Children's OHRQoL was also significantly associated with parents' attitude towards the importance of brushing deciduous teeth (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Oral health status of preschool children in Shiraz was less than optimal and had a significant impact on their OHRQoL. Therefore, improvement of children's OHRQoL could be achieved by improving their home dental care. Strategies promoting parental attitude about the importance of children's toothbrushing may significantly influence children's oral hygiene and are highly recommended.

Oral health-related quality of life of removable partial denture wearers and related factors.

This study aims to investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a group of removable partial denture (RPD) wearers in Shiraz (Iran), using the Persian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Two hundred removable partial denture wearers had completed a questionnaire regarding patients' demographic characteristics and denture-related factors. In addition, the OHIP-14 questionnaire was filled out by interviewing the patients. Two measures of interpreting the OHIP-14 scales were utilised: OHIP-14 sum and OHIP-14 prevalence. The relationship of the patients' demographic characteristics and denture-related factors, with their OHRQoL was investigated. The mean OHIP-14 sum and OHIP-14 prevalence of RPD wearers were 13·80 (±10·08) and 44·5%, respectively. The most problematic aspects of OHIP-14 were physical disability and physical pain. Twenty-seven percentage and 24% of participants had reported meal interruption and eating discomfort, respectively. OHIP-14 prevalence and OHIP-14 sum were found to be significantly associated with factors representing RPD wearer's oral health such as self-reported oral health and frequency of denture cleaning. Furthermore, OHIP-14 prevalence and OHIP-14 sum were significantly associated with factors related to frequency of denture use such as hours of wearing the denture during the day and wearing the denture while eating and sleeping. Therefore, it can be concluded that the OHRQoL of the patients of the study was generally not optimal and found to be strongly associated with oral health.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists towards prophylaxis after exposure to blood and body fluids.

BACKGROUND: Post-exposure prophylaxis plays an important role in prevention of bloodborne diseases after occupational exposures. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists towards post-exposure prophylaxis. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 140 dentists in Shiraz were selected through a systematic randomized sampling. They filled out a self-made questionnaire including 30 knowledge, 4 attitude and 10 practice questions. Mean of knowledge and percentage of various items of attitude and practice were reported. RESULTS: The mean±SD knowledge score of dentists was 18.5±6.2. Knowledge had a significant relationship with the level of education (p<0.001), attending infection control seminars (p<0.001), and working in public clinics (p<0.001). A total of 63 (43%) dentists believed that immediate washing of the exposed area has no effect on the prevention of hepatitis and AIDS. Of the studied dentists, 13%, 11%, and 34% believed that prophylaxis after exposure to patients' blood had no effect on prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus infections, respectively. Only 170 (53%) exposed dentists immediately washed the exposed area and only 43 (13.4%) of them evaluated the source patient for risk factors of hepatitis and AIDS. CONCLUSION: Knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists working in Shiraz towards postexposure prophylaxis are not desirable. Interventions to raise their awareness are therefore warranted.

The effect of thermal and mechanical cycling on bond strength of a ceramic to nickel-chromium (Ni-Cr) and cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the effect of thermo-mechanical cycling (TMC) on the bond strength of a ceramic to three cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) and two nickel-chromium (Ni-Cr) alloys. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred metal-ceramic specimens were prepared. While half of the specimens from each metal-ceramic combination (n = 10) were tested after storage in water at 37°C for 24 hours, the other half were subjected to TMC before testing. The bond strength was evaluated by the flexural strength test according to ISO 9693:1999 (E) recommendations. RESULTS: TMC decreased the bond strength of the tested metal-ceramic systems as compared to the water storage (control groups) (P=0.04). Although metal alloys were significantly different from each other in their bond strength with porcelain (P<0.001), the effect of TMC on the various metal-ceramic systems was not significantly different (P=0.99). CONCLUSION: It may be concluded that base metal-ceramic bond strength is affected by aging and the effect is relatively the same for all the tested porcelain-metal systems.

Vancomycin-Resistant Entrococci colonization in chronic hemodialysis patients and its risk factors in southern Iran (2005-2006).

BACKGROUND: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) recently have emerged as a nosocomial pathogen among dialysis patients. This study aims to appraise the prevalence, incidence density and risk factors for VRE colonization among these patients. METHODS: In this prospective study, 782 stool or rectal swab specimens were collected from 250 chronic hemodialysis patients with an interval of at least one month. To identify the risk factors of VRE colonization, demographic and health data of VRE+ and VRE- patients were compared. RESULTS: VRE colonization was detected in 55 (22%) patients during study. Incidence density of one case per 79.6 patient-month of follow up was estimated.The only significant difference between the data collected from VRE+ and VRE- patients was observed in antibiotic consumption (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: VRE colonization is relatively high and rapidly spreading among chronic dialysis patients. It is strongly associated with recently antibiotic consumption.