A comparison of oral health status and need for dental care between abused/neglected children and nonabused/non-neglected children.

This paper compares oral health status and presence of untreated, decayed permanent teeth in abused/neglected children with nonabused/non-neglected controls. The sample comprised 903 children between 5 and 13 years old; 30 were confirmed cases of child abuse and 873 served as controls. Their oral health status was assessed by two calibrated dentists using the DMFS index. Presence of untreated, decayed teeth was determined from the decayed and unfilled component of the DMFS score. The data were analyzed using logistic regression so that the influence of other explanatory variables (sociodemographic characteristics) on oral health status and presence of untreated, decayed teeth could be controlled while the influence of abuse status was evaluated. Results show that abuse status is an important explanatory variable for both oral health status and presence of untreated, decayed teeth. While the impact of abuse status on oral health status is obscured by interactions with other explanatory variables, its impact on the presence of untreated, decayed teeth is clear. Abused children are eight times more likely to have untreated, decayed permanent teeth than nonabused children. Accordingly, it is recommended that confirmed cases of child abuse/neglect should be referred routinely for dental screening as part of their overall rehabilitation.

Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia (Kozlowski type): case report.

Kozlowski syndrome is the most common type of spondylometaphyseal dysplasia (SMD). It is characterized by short stature (130 to 150 cm), pectus carinatum, limited elbow and hip movement, mild bowleg deformity, and curvature of the spinal column. Children with Kozlowski dwarfism usually are not recognized at birth, since they have normal clinical features, weight, and size. This article reports the dental treatment and oral findings of a 14-year-old female patient with Kozlowski dwarfism.

Enhancement of antimicrobial properties of cavity varnish: a preliminary report.

Bacterial contamination beneath amalgam restorations has been a problem in restorative dentistry. Cavity varnish improves the marginal seal but possesses no antibacterial properties, and chlorhexidine gluconate is a known antimicrobial substance. This study investigated the efficacy of a chlorhexidine gluconate/cavity varnish mixture against Streptococcus mutans, S. salivarius, and Escherichia coli. The in vitro results indicated that the addition of chlorhexidine gluconate to cavity varnish improved its antimicrobial properties.

Incidental finding of an intranasal foreign body discovered on routine dental examination: case report.

A nasal foreign body was discovered radiologically on an initial dental examination of a young child. The child was a candidate for dental rehabilitation, using nasotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. The parents were unaware of the object's presence, and the child had no nasal symptoms. The child was referred to the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Service to have the object removed; this was accomplished successfully without sequelae on an outpatient basis. Dentists and physicians who treat children should be alert to the possible presence of intranasal objects in their patients.

North American Burkitt's lymphoma presenting with intraoral symptoms.

A case is presented in which posterior tooth mobility and pain, bilateral intraoral swelling of the mandible, and anterior open bite following an incident of facial trauma were the presenting symptoms of a 4-year-old, white American male with Burkitt-type malignant lymphoma. Radiographic examination revealed multiple osteolytic lesions in the body of the mandible, with loss of osseous trabecular architecture, and generalized loss of lamina dura in both maxillary and mandibular arches. The patient also had bone marrow involvement at the time of diagnosis. Following the initial course of chemotherapy, the patient experienced a significant resolution of the bilateral mandibular swelling, anterior open bite, tooth mobility, and dental pain. Relapse occurred shortly after remission was achieved, with tumor metastasis to the central nervous system and testes. The tumor remained resistant to further chemotherapeutic treatments and radiation strategems. Because of renal and metabolic complications, Burkitt's lymphoma constitutes an oncologic emergency. If untreated, this rapidly growing tumor is fatal. Early interception and referral of these cases by the examining dentist is crucial.