Evaluation of the Dental Hygienist Beliefs Survey; test-retest assessment in a group of general dental patients

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the Dental Hygienist Beliefs Survey (DHBS) and the test-retest reliability of DHBS in a group of general dental patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The DHBS, which is a questionnaire constructed to assess patients' specific attitudes towards dental hygienists (DHs), was distributed together with the Dental Anxiety Scale adapted to specifically assess fear of DH treatment (DHAS). It was hypothesized that DHBS would correlate with DHAS and gender. The questionnaires were consecutively distributed to 80 patients at their first visit and after a clinical examination performed by a DH student. Retest assessments of DHBS were conducted approximately two weeks later in conjunction with the next visit at the DH student and before treatment (scaling session). The final study sample included 77 adult general dental patients in treatment at an education clinic for DH students.

RESULTS

The results verified a statistically significant correlation between DHBS and DHAS. The DHBS sum of scores showed high internal consistency with Cronbach's a coefficient of 0.88 and 0.91 at the first and second assessments, respectively, and the test-retest reliability of the DHBS was acceptable with intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76. No statistically significant association was found between DHBS and gender.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the DHBS is a reliable and stable scale to use to assess patients' specific attitudes towards DHs. Moreover, DH beliefs are associated with fear of DH treatment.

Utilisation of locally delivered doxycycline in non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. A comparative multi-centre trial of 2 treatment approaches

AIM

In the present 6-month multicentre trial, the outcome of 2 different approaches to non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis, both involving the use of a locally delivered controlled-release doxycycline, was evaluated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

105 adult patients with moderately advanced chronic periodontitis from 3 centres participated in the trial. Each patient had to present with at least 8 periodontal sites in 2 jaw quadrants with a probing pocket depth (PPD) of > or =5 mm and bleeding following pocket probing (BoP), out of which at least 2 sites had to be > or =7 mm and a further 2 sites > or =6 mm. Following a baseline examination, including assessments of plaque, PPD, clinical attachment level (CAL) and BoP, careful instruction in oral hygiene was given. The patients were then randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: scaling/root planing (SRP) with local analgesia or debridement (supra- and subgingival ultrasonic instrumentation without analgesia). The "SRP" group received a single episode of full-mouth supra-/subgingival scaling and root planing under local analgesia. In addition, at a 3-month recall visit, a full-mouth supra-/subgingival debridement using ultrasonic instrumentation was provided. This was followed by subgingival application of an 8.5% w/w doxycycline polymer at sites with a remaining PPD of > or =5 mm. The patients of the "debridement" group were initially subjected to a 45-minute full-mouth debridement with the use of an ultrasonic instrument and without administration of local analgesia, and followed by application of doxycycline in sites with a PPD of > or =5 mm. At month 3, sites with a remaining PPD of > or =5 mm were subjected to scaling and root planing. Clinical re-examinations were performed at 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS

At 3 months, the proportion of sites showing PPD of < or =4 mm was significantly higher in the "debridement" group than in the "SRP" group (58% versus 50%; p<0.05). The CAL gain at 3 months amounted to 0.8 mm in the "debridement" group and 0.5 mm in the "SRP" group (p=0.064). The proportion of sites demonstrating a clinically significant CAL gain (> or =2 mm) was higher in the "debridement" group than in the "SRP" group (38% versus 30%; p<0.05). At the 6-month examination, no statistically significant differences in PPD or CAL were found between the two treatment groups. BoP was significantly lower for the "debridement" group than for the "SRP" group (p<0.001) both at 3- and 6 months. The mean total treatment time (baseline and 3-month) for the "SRP" patients was 3:11 h, compared to 2:00 h for the patients in the "debridement" group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that simplified subgingival instrumentation combined with local application of doxycycline in deep periodontal sites can be considered as a justified approach for non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis.

The use of metronidazole and amoxicillin in the treatment of advanced periodontal disease. A prospective, controlled clinical trial

The present clinical trial was performed to study the effect of systemic administration of metronidazole and amoxicillin as an adjunct to mechanical therapy in patients with advanced periodontal disease. 16 individuals, 10 female and 6 male, aged 35-58 years, with advanced periodontal disease were recruited. A baseline examination included assessment of clinical, radiographical, microbiological and histopathological characteristics of periodontal disease. The 16 patients were randomly distributed into 2 different samples of 8 subjects each. One sample of subjects received during the first 2 weeks of active periodontal therapy, antibiotics administered via the systemic route (metronidazole and amoxicillin). During the corresponding period, the 2nd sample of subjects received a placebo drug (placebo sample). In each of the 16 patients, 2 quadrants (1 in the maxilla and 1 in the mandible) were exposed to non-surgical subgingival scaling and root planing. The contralateral quadrants were left without subgingival instrumentation. Thus, 4 different treatment groups were formed; group 1: antibiotic therapy but no scaling, group 2: antibiotic therapy plus scaling, group 3: placebo therapy but no scaling, group 4: placebo therapy plus scaling. Re-examinations regarding the clinical parameters were performed, samples of the subgingival microbiota harvested and 1 soft tissue biopsy from 1 scaled and 1 non-scaled quadrant obtained 2 months and 12 months after the completion of active therapy. The teeth included in groups 1 and 3 were following the 12-month examination exposed to non-surgical periodontal therapy, and subsequently exited from the study. Groups 2 and 4 were also re-examined 24 months after baseline. The findings demonstrated that in patients with advanced periodontal disease, systemic administration of metronidazole plus amoxicillin resulted in (i) an improvement of the periodontal conditions, (ii) elimination/suppression of putative periodontal pathogens such as A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia and (iii) reduction of the size of the inflammatory lesion. The antibiotic regimen alone, however, was less effective than mechanical therapy with respect to reduction of BoP - positive sites, probing pocket depth reduction, probing attachment gain. The combined mechanical and systemic antibiotic therapy (group 2) was more effective than mechanical therapy alone in terms of improvement of clinical and microbiological features of periodontal disease.

Short-term effects of triclosan on healing following subgingival scaling

The present clinical trial was performed to evaluate short-term effects of a triclosan-containing dentifrice/gel combination on soft tissue healing, when applied supra-/sub-gingivally at periodontal sites treated with scaling and root planing. 16 subjects with moderate periodontitis participated in a 2x 2-week, split-mouth designed clinical trial. 2 combinations of gel/dentifrice (the test combination containing triclosan) were used. 2 pairs of contralateral sites with probing pocket depth (PPD) > or 5 mm, and which bled on probing (BoP +) were selected in each patient as experimental units. A baseline examination included assessments of PPD, BoP, gingival index scores, plaque index scores, and the composition of the subgingival microbiota (dark-field microscopy). The assigned quadrant was anaesthetized and the teeth exposed to meticulous scaling and root planing. Immediately after the completion of mechanical therapy, either the test or control gel was applied subgingivally at the experimental sites. The volunteer was instructed to brush his/her teeth with an assigned dentifrice and to apply the gel (via a custom-made stent) supra-gingivally 2x daily for the following 2 weeks. He/she was recalled on day 7 for a second professional subgingival gel application. Re-examinations were carried out on days 2, 7 and 14 after treatment. 1-week wash-out periods separated the 2 experimental periods. The mean PPD reductions (between days 0 and 14) were 1.8 mm and 1.9 mm for the test and control gel/dentifrice sites. The reduction in BoP and gingival index scores was significantly greater during the test than during the control regimen. No significant differences were observed between the 2 regimens regarding plaque scores and composition of the subgingival microbiota. The findings from the present investigation demonstrated that triclosan, applied both sub- and supra-gingivally reduced soft tissue inflammation following scaling and root planing.

The effect of supragingival plaque control on the subgingival microflora in human periodontitis

The aim of the present trial was to study if carefully practiced supragingival plaque control influenced the subgingival microbiota at periodontal sites with suprabony, infrabony, or furcation pockets. 12 subjects, 5 males and 7 females aged 44 to 69 years (mean age 55 years) participated in the study. None of the participants had during the last 12 months received periodontal therapy, and none of the subjects had used antibiotics during a 3-month period preceding the study. Following a screening examination, 6 to 8 sites per subject were selected which had a probing depth of > or = 5 mm. Among these sites, 1-3 sites had a suprabony location, 1-3 sites had an infrabony location, and 1-3 sites were associated with a furcation defect. The selected sites were exposed to a baseline examination at which the following parameters were recorded: plaque, gingivitis, probing pocket depth and probing attachment level. A bacterial sample was obtained from each of the selected sites: 2 sterile paper points were inserted into the pocket and kept in place for 30 seconds. The paper point samples were removed, placed in a vial containing an anaerobically prepared transport medium, and processed using routine procedures. Following the baseline examination, each subject was given a case presentation, received thorough supragingival scaling and was instructed to practice proper plaque control with the use of toothbrush and dentifrice. During the subsequent 30 weeks they were recalled 2-3xper week for professional tooth cleaning. Each session was handled by a dental hygienist and required about 15 min. Re-examinations were performed after 30 weeks. The findings indicated that professionally delivered and frequently repeated supragingival tooth cleaning, combined with careful self-performed plaque control had a marked effect on the subgingival microbiota of moderate to deep periodontal pockets. Thus, at sites with suprabony and infrabony pockets, as well as at furcation sites, the meticulous and prolonged supragingival plaque removal reduced the total number of microorganisms that could be harvested, as well as the % of sites with P. gingivalis.