Oral Health Status and Treatment Need in Geriatric Patients with Different Degrees of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dental treatments in patients with special needs provided by university medical center in Southern Taiwan: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

We perform special-need dental treatment at outpatient department (OPD), under general anesthesia (GA) when necessary, and provide domiciliary dental care. We aim to evaluate the profile and the characteristics of special needs patients (SNPs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We consecutively enrolled 3117 SNPs from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022. Eighty patients with rare or genetic diseases were excluded. Demographic data were retrospectively collected.

RESULTS

There were totally 3037 SNPs (mean age: 48.2 years; range, 1-100; male-to-female ratio, 1.5); 89.1% (n = 2705) SNPs received dental care at the OPD (OPD-SNPs), 7.9% (n = 239) received dental treatment under GA, and 3.0% (n = 93) received domiciliary dental care. Among those SNPs who received dental treatment under GA (n = 239), 91.2% (n = 218) were mental/intellectual disabled, and most underwent cavity filling (69.5%) and dental extractions (56.5%). OPD-SNPs with mental/intellectual disabilities (n = 1340) received significantly more items of dental treatment than those without (n = 1365). SNPs with more severe disabilities received more fluoride application and ultrasonic scaling (both p < 0.001, trend tests). Interestingly, among OPD-SNPs with mental/intellectual disabilities (n = 1340), more severe patients received more fluoride application (p < 0.001) and ultrasonic scaling (p < 0.001) but fewer root canal treatment (p = 0.007, trend test).

CONCLUSIONS

GA benefited SNPs with more dental procedures, including invasive items. SNPs with mental/intellectual disabilities can tolerate more measures and SNPs with more severe mental/intellectual disabilities received more preventive measures but less invasive measures. Similarly, more severe SNPs with other disabilities received more preventive measures but not invasive measures.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Our findings may provide useful information for special needs dentists and for doctor-patient communication.

Self-efficacy and attitudes of nurses providing oral care in geriatric care facilities: A cross-sectional study in Shanghai

AIMS

To investigate nurses' self-efficacy and attitudes of providing oral care in geriatric care facilities (GCFs) and compare differences between individuals, facilities and countries.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional and multicentre study.

METHODS

Data were collected from 852 nurses in 42 GCFs using two scales, "Self-Efficacy for Providing Mouth Care" (SE-PMC) and "Attitudes for Providing Mouth Care" (A-PMC), and analysed using t-test and ANOVA.

RESULTS

Totally 852 nurses (844 females, 99%) participated in this study with an effective response rate of 85.2%. Scores of SE-PMC and A-PMC of nurses varied significantly among GCFs with different sizes, types and years of establishment and differentiated among staff about the length of employment (p < .05). Nurses (N = 434) in North Carolina scored higher than nurses in Shanghai both in SE-PMC and A-PMC (p < .05). Establishment and implementation of Oral health promotion programmes were desired based on characteristics of different institutions and nurses' clinical ladder.

Effect of Dextranase and Dextranase-and-Nisin-Containing Mouthwashes on Oral Microbial Community of Healthy Adults—A Pilot Study

This study analyzed the alteration of oral microbial composition in healthy subjects after using dextranase-containing mouthwash (DMW; Mouthwash formulation I) and dextranase-and-nisin-containing mouthwash (DNMW; Mouthwash formulation II). Eighteen participants were recruited and were randomly allocated to two groups: G1 (DMW user; n = 8) and G2 (DNMW user; n = 10). The subjects were instructed to use the provided mouthwash regularly twice a day for 30 days. The bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), probing depth (PBD), and gingival index (GI) were analyzed, and saliva samples were collected before (day 0) and after (day 30) the use of mouthwashes. The saliva metagenomic DNA was extracted and sequenced (next-generation sequencing, Miseq paired-end Illumina 2 × 250 bp platform). The oral microbial community in the pre-and post-treated samples were annotated using QIIME 2™. The results showed the PI and PBD values were significantly reduced in G2 samples. The BOP and GI values of both groups were not significantly altered. The post-treated samples of both groups yielded a reduced amount of microbial DNA. The computed phylogenetic diversity, species richness, and evenness were reduced significantly in the post-treated samples of G2 compared to the post-treated G1 samples. The mouthwash formulations also supported some pathogens’ growth, which indicated that formulations required further improvement. The study needs further experiments to conclude the results. The study suggested that the improved DNMW could be an adjuvant product to improve oral hygiene.

Physical Activity and Mental Health Among Physicians in Tertiary Psychiatric Hospitals: A National Crosssectional Survey in China

This study aimed to examine the level of mental health and its correlates, particularly physical activity (PA) frequency, among physicians in tertiary psychiatric hospitals. In a national crosssectional survey, 4,520 physicians nested in 41 tertiary psychiatric hospitals from 29 provinces completed the online questionnaire. Their mean age was 38.5 ± 8.6 years, and 41.86% of physicians were men. More than one-third (35.24%) of physicians reported no PA in the past month, and only 21.88% reported happiness. Only 55.15 and 58.10% of the physicians reported normal status of depression and anxiety, respectively. In the adjusted multivariable ordinal logistic regression, higher PA frequency was associated with depression, anxiety, and happiness, except those who reported PA almost every day. Programs that aim to increase PA may promote the mental health of physicians in tertiary psychiatric hospitals.