Assessing the impact of oral health disease on quality of life in Ecuador: a mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Globally, oral health diseases surpass all other non-communicable diseases in prevalence; however, they are not well studied in underserved regions, where accessibility to dental services and oral health education is disparately worse. In Ecuador, further research is needed to understand such disparities better. We aimed to assess the effect of oral health disease on individuals' quality of life and how social disparities and cultural beliefs shape this. Methods: Individuals 18 or older receiving care at mobile or worksite clinics from May to October 2023 were included. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measures, and extra-oral photographs (EOP). Results: The sample (n = 528) included mostly females (56.25%) with a mean age of 34.4 ± 9.44. Most participants (88.26%) reported brushing at least twice daily, and less than 5% reported flossing at least once per day. The median OHRQoL score was 4 (min-max), significantly higher among individuals ≥40 years old, holding high school degrees, or not brushing or flossing regularly (p < 0.05). Identified barriers to good oral health included affordability, time, and forgetfulness. Participants not receiving care with a consistent provider reported fear as an additional barrier. Participants receiving worksite dental services reported these barriers to be alleviated. Dental providers were the primary source of oral hygiene education. Most participants reported oral health concerns, most commonly pain, decay, dysphagia, and halitosis - consistent with EOP analysis. Discussion: Findings underscore a need for multi-level interventions to advance oral health equity.

Chlamydia trachomatis in the gingival sulcus and pharynx in patients of Northeast Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The oral microenvironment provides the conditions for the establishment of microorganisms not usually considered residents of the normal oral microbiota. Sexually transmitted microorganisms such as Chlamydia trachomatis can adhere to any mucosal surface and ascend to reach appropriate locations to survive and develop symptomatic infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To determine the presence of C. trachomatis, direct immunofluorescence of this microorganism was carried out in 76 randomly selected patients attending a periodontal clinic during a period of 1 year. Samples from the gingival sulcus and the pharynx were collected for detection of C. trachomatis. Patients who attended the periodontal clinic were divided into two groups: those without periodontitis and those with periodontitis. For the purpose of performing other statistical analyses, all patients were also divided by gender and age. RESULTS: From the total of 76 patients, in the group without periodontitis, 61% were positive for C. trachomatis in the gingival sulcus and 63.4% in the pharynx; in the periodontitis group, 45.7% were positive in the sulcus and 40% in the pharynx. When we compared patients by gender or age, no statistical difference was found. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of C. trachomatis in this group was 53.9% in the gingival sulcus and pharynx of the studied patients.

Concepciones en los usuarios de un servicio odontológico público sobre salud-enfermedad bucal / Conceptions users of a public dental service on oral health-disease

Introducción: el estudio y análisis de la salud no debe excluir la trama de concepciones, creencias, significados y percepciones que los sujetos poseen, construidos sobre la base de su interacción social. Objetivo: identificar las concepciones de la salud/enfermedad bucal en usuarios de un servicio odontológico público. Método: investigación descriptiva, transversal, de campo y fuente viva. Se seleccionó muestra de conveniencia (50 pacientes) de acuerdo a los criterios de inclusión: Personas entre los 18 a 60 años y más. Ambos sexos, que asistieran durante el mes de octubre de 2012 al Servicio Odontológico del Ambulatorio Sur-Veritas del Instituto Venezolano de los Seguros Sociales; Maracaibo, Zulia , Venezuela. Las variables del estudio fueron: salud/enfermedad bucal, atención del profesional de la odontología, y edentulismo. Se empleó un cuestionario semi-estructurado y se aplicaron técnicas de análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo a los datos obtenidos. Resultados: la significación de estar sano de la cavidad bucal estuvo vinculada a la ausencia de la enfermedad (53 por ciento). El 82 por ciento de los usuarios señaló la buena presencia, imagen y belleza como uno de los mayores beneficios de tener buena salud bucal. Expresaron el 74 por ciento de los entrevistados que lo que más les afectaba de tener una enfermedad bucal era los gastos en tratamientos rehabilitadores. El 76 por ciento manifestó que su experiencia con la atención del profesional de la odontología fue buena. El 58 por ciento asoció el edentulismo con fealdad, y descuido personal, y 42 por ciento lo vinculó a la vejez. Conclusiones: las concepciones de la salud-enfermedad bucal de los individuos de este estudio resultaron muy vinculadas con la estética en sus referentes de belleza e imagen; aun cuando se encontraron avances respecto a reconocer a la salud bucal como un componente de la salud general(AU)

Introduction: the study and analysis of health cannot exclude the plot of concepts, beliefs, meanings and perceptions that patients have, built on the basis of their social interaction. Objective: to identify the oral health/disease conceptions on the users of a public dental service. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out.A convenience sampling was applied. The sample was constituted by 50 patients, from 18 to 60 and more years of age, which attended to the dental service of the Ambulatorio Sur-Veritas of the Venezuelan Social Security Institute, Maracaibo ­ Zulia state, Venezuela; during October 2012. The variables defined for this study were: Oral health/disease, dentistry professional's attention and edentulism. A semi-structured questionnaire was used and quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques were applied. Results: the significance of having a healthy oral cavity was strongly linked to the absence of disease (53 percent). 82 percent of users stood out the good presence, image and beauty as one of the greatest benefits of having a good oral health. 74 percent of the respondents expressed that the expenses implied in the rehabilitation treatments were the thing that most affected them about having an oral disease. 76 percent of users said that their experience with the dentistry professional's attention was good. Regarding edentulism 58 percent associated it with ugliness, disgust or personal carelessness, and 42 percent linked it to old age. Conclusions: the conceptions about oral health/disease of the individuals considered in this study were strongly associated with aesthetics in its relating of beauty and image; even though advances were found with respect to recognize oral health as a component of general health(AU)

Salud enfermedad bucal en pacientes pediátricos con cáncer: su asociación con factores sociales / Oral health-disease in patients pediatric with cancer: their relationship with social factors

El propósito de esta investigación fue determinar las condiciones de Salud-enfermedad bucal de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y su asociación con factores sociales. Muestra probabilística conformada por 41 pacientes (4 a 18 años de edad) y sus padres atendidos en la Unidad de oncohematología del Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas de Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, Venezuela. En los niños se evaluó estado de la dentición, placa bacteriana, gingivitis y mucositis. Los aspectos sociales se determinaron identificando en los padres, su nivel de educación y las actitudes hacia la salud bucal. Resultados: El grupo de 4 a 7 años de edad registró altos valores de ceo-d (x =2.87) y en el grupo de 16 a 18 años de edad se observo el mayor índice CPOD (x =8.5) El índice total de placa y gingivitis fue de 0,86 y 0,80 respectivamente. El 58,3 por ciento de los padres tenía bajos niveles educativos y 63,4 por ciento mostró actitudes neutras hacia la salud bucal. No se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre caries dental, placa y gingivitis con las actitudes (P>0,05) deficientes condiciones de salud bucal fueron encontradas en los pacientes de este estudio lo que puede originar complicaciones bucales y modificar la terapia oncológica, se requiere la aplicación de estrategias de cuidados bucales que incluya a los padres y considere sus conceptos, valores y creencias respecto a la salud bucal

To determine the conditions oral health-disease in patients pediatric with cancer: their relationship with social factors. The sample was conformed for 41 children (4 to-18 years- old) and their parents. This patients were attend in the onco-hematology service of pediatrics specialities hospital in Maracaibo municipally Zulia state, Venezuela. In these children were evaluated dentition state, plaque and gingival index, and severity of mucositis. In the parents a questionnaire was designed to inquire about oral health attitudes and education level. The group of 4 -7 years old was high mean dmft(2.87), The mean DMFT in the group of 16-18 years old was 8.5. The plaque index was 0.86 and 0.80 for gingival index. 63.4 percent of the parents showed neutral attitude of oral health and 53.6 percent showed low education level. No statistically significant differences were found between caries, plaque, gingivitis and the parent’s aptitude (P>0,05). Conclusions: Deficient conditions of buccal health was found in patients of this study which can originate oral complications and to modify the oncology therapy, reason why it requires the application of strategies of buccal cares that includes the parents and consider their concepts, values and beliefs with respect to the oral health