Oral dryness is common in persons with untreated obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) as well as in those using positive airway pressure (PAP). OSA with or without PAP treatment could therefore be a risk factor of dental caries.

Objectives: To describe and compare the prevalence of dental caries among persons with or without PAP-treated OSA.

Methods: Cross-sectional data derived from a clinical examination of 121 adults without OSA, and with or without long-time experience of PAP treated OSA (>10 years) were used. The participants responded to a questionnaire and were clinically and radiographically examined. Decayed, missing, and filled teeth, decayed surfaces, gingivitis and presence of dental plaque were registered. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe dental caries prevalence among groups. To compare groups, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests was conducted.

Results: Participants (52% females, mean age 69.5±5.8 years) were categorised into groups based on OSA status; non-OSA (n=49), non-PAP-treated OSA (n=38), and PAP-treated OSA (n=34). Dental caries prevalence showed no statistically significant differences among groups, except for occlusal caries, where the PAP-treated OSA group had a higher mean compared to the non-OSA group (p=0.033). Most participants did not report xerostomia, but the highest prevalence was found in the non-PAP-treated OSA group (31.6%).

Conclusions: The prevalence of dental caries was slightly higher in persons with PAP treated OSA compared to non-PAP-treated OSA and persons without OSA, but the results were not statistically significant.

OBJECTIVES: Through inflammation and hyposalivation, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is suggested to affect periodontal status over time. Our aim was to compare the clinical and radiographic periodontal status of hypertensive patients with or without long-term presence of OSA, treated or untreated with continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2007-2009, a screening for OSA was conducted among 394 hypertensive primary care patients. Polygraphy was used to create three groups: no OSA, non-CPAP, or adherent CPAP based on the apnea hypopnea index (AHI). After 10 years, a cross-sectional sleep and periodontal examination including a clinical and radiographic examination, a questionnaire, and a matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) chair-side test was conducted. Based on levels of alveolar bone, bleeding on probing (BoP), and probing pocket depth (PPD), patients were categorized into four periodontal stages: periodontal health/gingivitis and three periodontal disease stages. Periodontal status and periodontal stages were compared between the OSA (n = 49), non-CPAP (n = 38), or adherent CPAP (n = 34) groups.

RESULTS: The 121 patients (53% women) had a median age of 71 years. No differences were seen between the OSA groups regarding median number of teeth (p = .061), teeth/implants, (p = .107), plaque index (p = .245), BoP (p = .848), PPD ≥ 4 mm (p = .561), PPD ≥ 6 mm (p = .630), presence of MMP-8 (p = .693) except for bone loss (p = .011). Among patients with stage periodontal health/gingivitis a significant difference was seen, as 70% of those were categorized as no OSA, 20% as non-CPAP, and 10% as adherent CPAP (p = .029). Differences were not seen in periodontal disease stages.

CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) did not have an adverse clinical periodontal status compared to patients without OSA. However, when combining radiographic and clinical status into periodontal stages, patients without OSA more frequently exhibited periodontal health or gingivitis compared to patients without OSA, regardless of CPAP treatment.

Objective

To explore, as a part of oral health literacy conceptual content, how migrant mothers utilise oral health-related information to maintain and promote oral health in their children.

Materials and Methods

In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards, and their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The participants were encouraged to describe their experiences seeking oral health information and oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis with coding in categories, followed by formulating a main category.

Results

The findings revealed a main category—combining different ways of information utilisation. The main category captures the essence of the migrant mothers' various ways of using oral health-related information in the Swedish context to maintain and promote oral health in their children. The main category draws upon four sub-categories that emerged from the analysis: cognitive processing, decision-making competencies, adapting to social norms and practical application.

Conclusions

The results provide an important insight into migrant mothers' approach to utilisation of oral health-related information. This approach distinguished being rational and making logical connections, believing in their capacity to know what is right for their children and acting based on these beliefs, as well as adapting to prevailing social norms and applying information in specific use. This knowledge can be used to support parental oral health actions and conduct further research in this area.

Objective

This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information.

Material and method

In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants’ experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis.

Findings

The main findings indicate that migrant mothers used information sourcing as a pathway to solve oral health literacy tasks. Three main categories were identified, each with subcategories, describing the migrant mothers’ experiences of accessing and evaluating oral health information: ‘accessible source of information’, ‘needs-related purpose of seeking information’ and ‘trustworthiness assessment’. The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion.

Conclusion

To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.

Parkinsons sjukdom är en av de vanligaste neurodegenerativa sjukdomarna och den blir vanligare i takt med åldrande. Risken för framför allt karies, men även för parodontit, ökar vid Parkinsons sjukdom. Då allt fler behåller sina tänder högt upp i åldern är det av största vikt att tidigt säkerställa att preventionsstrategier för god munhälsa fungerar.

INTRODUCTION: The identification of salivary molecules that can be associated to dental caries could provide insights about caries risk and offer valuable information to develop caries prediction models. However, the search for a universal caries biomarker has proven elusive due to the multifactorial nature of this oral disease. We have therefore performed a systematic effort to identify caries-associated metabolites and proteins in saliva samples from adolescents that had a caries experience and those that were caries-free.

METHODS: Quantification of approximately 100 molecules was performed by the use of a wide range of techniques, ranging from NMR metabolomics to ELISA, Luminex or colorimetric assays, as well as clinical features like plaque accumulation and gingival index. In addition, simplified dietary and oral hygiene habits questionnaires were also obtained.

RESULTS: The caries-free group had significantly lower consumption of sweetened beverages and higher toothbrushing frequency. Surprisingly, very few compounds were found to individually provide discriminatory power between Caries-experienced and Caries-Free individuals. The data analysis revealed several potential reasons that could underly this lack of association value with caries, including differences in metabolite concentrations throughout the day, a lack of correlation between metabolite concentrations in plaque and saliva, or sex-related differences, among others. However, when multiple compounds were combined by multivariate analysis and random forest modelling, a combination of 3-5 compounds were found to provide good prediction models for morning (with an AUC accuracy of 0.87) and especially afternoon samples (AUC=0.93).

CONCLUSION: While few salivary biomarker could differentiate between caries-free and caries-experienced adolescents, a combination of markers proved effective, particularcly in afternoon samples. To predict caries risk, these biomarkers should be validated in larger cohorts and longitudinal settings, considering factors such as gender differences, and variations in oral hygiene and diet.

OBJECTIVES: This study determines the effect of an integrated 12-month follow-up support programme on the oral health of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who received radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 47) or a control group (n = 45). The intervention group received usual care and an integrated supportive programme, which included face-to-face education and telephone coaching. The control group received usual care. After a clinical dental examination, the prevalence of caries, gingival inflammation and plaque were registered. Oral health impact profile (OHIP)-14 and the WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults were used to evaluate oral health in both groups.

RESULTS: A total of 79 participants completed a 12-month follow-up. The intervention group had lower caries increment between baseline and the 12-month follow-up compared with controls, although this was not statistically significant. After 12 months, the intervention group had statistically significant better outcomes in the plaque index (p = 0.038) and the OHIP-14 (p = 0.002) than the control group. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups concerning gingival index. However, the intervention group reported an overall better state of teeth (p = 0.034) and gums after 12 months (p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS: The integrated supportive programme showed positive effects on improving oral health in patients with HNC regarding plaque control, the state of teeth and gums and oral health-related quality of life during the 12-month follow-up.

Astma och karies är två vanligt förekommande sjukdomar hos barn och ungdomar, och det finns samband mellan sjukdomarna och även mellan astma och dental erosion. En fungerande samverkan mellan barnhälsovården och tandvården är därför viktig så att tandvården tidigt kan sätta in adekvata preventionsstrategier, och vid behov ställa diagnos och behandla eventuell karies och dental erosion.

A visit to the dental clinic may be challenging for a child with Downs syndrome due to medical and oral health problems as well as communication problems.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to explore how parents of children with Down syndrome describe their child’s needs in the dental health care setting.

Method: In a online survey concerning parental experiences with dental health care in Sweden, free comments were analysed with content analysis. By answering the survey, parents consented to participate. Ethical approval was obtained by from the Regional Ethics Committee for Human Research at Linköping University, Sweden.

Result: The analyse resulted in five categories: “Need for continuity of care in dental health care”; “Need for dental health care professionals to have knowledge and expertise in caring for children with Down syndrome and other disabilities”; “Need for dental health care professionals to use a caring approach with children with Down syndrome”; “Need for the child with Down syndrome to be prepared to participate in their dental health care visit” “Need for the child with Down syndrome to be given the same rights as typically developing children”.

Conclusion: To support children with Down syndrome in an optimal way, dental health care needs to be tailored to meet the child’s unique needs. When visiting dental health care services, children with Downs syndrome need continuity, and they need to meet professionals who have a caring approach and knowledge and experience of children with Down syndrome.

A visit to the dental clinic may be challenging for a child with Down syndrome due to medical and oral health problems as well as communication problems. The aim of the present study was to explore how parents of children with Down syndrome describe their child's needs in the dental health care setting. In a survey concerning parental experiences with dental health care in Sweden, free comments were analysed with content analysis and resulted in five categories: "Need for continuity of care in dental health care"; "Need for dental health care professionals to have knowledge and expertise in caring for children with Down syndrome and other disabilities"; "Need for dental health care professionals to use a caring approach with children with Down syndrome"; "Need for the child with Down syndrome to be prepared to participate in their dental health care visit" and "Need for the child with Down syndrome to be given the same rights as typically developing children". To support children with Down syndrome in an optimal way, dental health care needs to be tailored to meet the child's unique needs. In addition, dental health care professionals need knowledge of and expertise in the care of children with Down syndrome.