Dental Caries Are Associated with Anemia in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries (cavities) and anemia are among the most common chronic diseases seen by health professionals and experienced globally. However, the quality, and current evidence linking pediatric dental caries to anemia, is not well established. Moreover, it is not well known whether anemia seen with dental caries is due to iron deficiency or other causes. OBJECTIVE: This systematic literature review was designed to analyze the relationship between anemia and pediatric dental caries and examine the strength of evidence in current research. METHODS: Articles were sourced from PubMed, the American Dental Association database, American Dental Hygienist's Association database, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Medline ProQuest. Outcomes were pooled for statistical effect size. RESULTS: Nineteen articles were selected from 351 identified. There was a 4.5-fold incidence in anemia diagnosis among children with, compared to without, dental caries. While ferritin and mean corpuscular volume were not significantly different among children with and without dental caries, the average serum iron was nearly 30 ug/dL greater in caries-free children, suggesting that iron deficiency may be more common among children with caries. Studies in the future may benefit from methodological improvements and more specific study questions to further investigate this question.

Survey instrument development and validation to measure technology adoption in dental hygiene clinical environments.

PURPOSE: This pilot study aimed to develop and test a comprehensive assessment instrument, through an examination of measurement properties, to evaluate relationships between faculty technology adoption and age, level of education, teaching experience, technology anxiety, perceived technology integration barriers, and technology available in dental hygiene (DH) clinical environments. Focus was to acquire instrument validity with emphasis on test content, internal structure, and response processes. METHODS: The survey was developed based on expert review, pretesting, and survey piloting in 2018. Three content experts evaluated face and traditional content validity. Eleven DH faculty with diverse clinical experiences were recruited for pretesting to comment on item definitions and language. The instrument was pilot tested among DH faculty with full-time, part-time, and clinical appointments at institutions located in the Mid-West. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated with frequency analysis and scale responses detailed. RESULTS: Evaluation by experts and faculty members refined definitions, language, and response options for the seventy-item response scale. Forty-three DH faculty completed the online pilot. The 4 sections subjected to factor analysis showed excellent factor loading. Internal consistency was satisfactory. Frequency analysis showed an array of perceived abilities and technological integration in the educational environment. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that respondents found the survey easy to complete and understand. The survey appears to be a valid measure of technology adoption among DH faculty of differing experiences. The survey will now be disseminated to a larger group of DH faculty.

Prevention of dental caries by grape seed extract supplementation: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries are the most prominent chronic disease of children and adults worldwide, and facilitating evidence-based, preventative care for their prevention is critical. Caries are traditionally and successfully prevented by regular fluoride use, but there are opportunities to halt and restore caries with alternative agents in addition to fluoride use. Grape seed extract (GSE) is a readily available plant-based supplement that, due to its concentrated levels of proanthocyanidins, has promising characteristics that may assist in dental caries prevention. AIM: The goal of this review was to investigate whether current research supports use of grape seed extract to prevent dental caries formation. METHODS: A systematic review of articles related to grape seed extract, prevention of dental caries, inhibition of Streptococcus mutans, and remineralization was conducted. Articles were first chosen by inclusion of dental models that used grape seed extract as an intervention, and then by strength of study design. RESULTS: Twenty articles were reviewed. Studies overall supported three unique grape seed extract properties facilitating dental caries prevention. In the first articles reviewed, grape seed extract inhibited proliferation of bacterial biofilms on tooth surfaces. In addition, studies reviewed indicated that grape seed extract promoted dental remineralization. CONCLUSIONS: Caries prevention by grape seed extract may be unique compared with fluoride, and is linked to grape seed extract's bacteriostatic and collagen crosslinking properties. Future research should investigate potential delivery methods, and benefits of combined grape seed extract use with known caries preventative agents, in human participants.

Interprofessional Collaboration of Dental Hygiene and Communication Sciences & Disorders Students to Meet Oral Health Needs of Children with Autism.

PURPOSE: This pilot project was intended to introduce an authentic interprofessional education experience with students from Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and Dental Hygiene (DH) to develop and apply strategies to assist children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to decrease their anxiety and improve their ability to participate in an oral screening and prophylaxis appointment. The second purpose was for students to learn each other's scope of practice. METHODS: Four children diagnosed with ASD were identified as having dental anxiety and unmet dental needs. The students collaborated to develop visual support strategies to support the implementation of an oral screening and prophylaxis. RESULTS: Three participants were able to participate in the oral screening, instruction for brushing teeth, and prophylaxis. The students reported having a better understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities and feeling more confident working with a child with ASD. CONCLUSION: The DH students were better able to identify the characteristics associated with ASD and to develop and use visual supports to assist children with ASD control anxiety during dental prophylaxis procedures. The CSD students learned techniques that hygienists use and how to help parents prepare their children for dental hygiene treatments.