Oral health behaviours of older Australian men: the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project.

BACKGROUND: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP) is a cohort study of the health of a representative sample of older Australian men. The aim of this paper is to describe the oral health behaviours and dental service use of CHAMP participants and explore associations between oral health behaviours with and general health status. METHOD: Information collected related to socio-demographics, general health, oral health service-use and oral health behaviours. Key general health conditions were ascertained from the health questionnaire and included physical capacity and cognitive status. RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent of the men reported visiting a dental provider at least once or more a year and 56.7% did so for a "dental check-up". Of those with some natural teeth, 59.3% claimed to brush their teeth at least twice or more a day. Most men (96%) used a standard fluoride toothpaste. Few participants used dental floss, tooth picks or mouth-rinses to supplement oral hygiene. Cognitive status and self-rated general health were associated with dental visiting patterns and toothbrushing behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Most older men in CHAMP perform favourable oral health behaviours. Smoking behaviour is associated with less favourable dental visiting patterns, and cognitive status with toothbrushing behaviour.

Direct Observation by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry of

The use of methanol as solvent is essential for the formation of the double-bookshelf-type oxide cluster [(Cp*Rh)(2)Mo(6)O(20)(OMe)(2)](2-) from [{Cp*Rh(µ-Cl)Cl}(2)] and four equivalents of [Mo(2)O(7)](2-). The reaction proceeds via [Cp*RhMo(3)O(8)(OMe)(5)](-). The proposed structure for this key intermediate (shown schematically) is supported by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and labeling experiments with CD(3)OD as solvent. Cp*=eta(5)-C(5)Me(5).

[Effect of oral-adsorbent (AST-120) in chronic renal failure (CRF) in rats].

The progression of renal failure has been suggested to be altered by dietary manipulation of protein based on the presumption that the progressive nature of CRF may be caused by the vicious cycle driven by some toxic metabolite uncleared by failing kidney. We studied 29 female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks weighing 226 to 290 gm subjected to a 5/6 nephrectomy. 2 days after, group C (16 rats) were given a commercially prepared diet (CE-2, Japan Kurea). While group A (13 rats) were given the same diet and 5% AST-120. Initial serum creatinine of both group was 2.2 mg/dl. After 9 weeks, all surviving rats were sacrificed for evaluation of renal histology. During the observation period, survival rate, Ccr, urinary creatinine and urea excretion were significantly better in group A rats. Result also showed a better weight increase with concomitant increase in protein catabolic rate in group A rats. These result showed the beneficial effect of AST-120 in uremic rats in terms of survival rate and delaying the progression of CRF despite the presence of increased protein catabolic rate. Based on this study, one way of preventing the progression of renal failure is through removal of some toxic metabolite in the gastrointestinal tract by the use of oral adsorbent as exemplified by AST-120.