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BACKGROUND: About 1.35 million deaths annually are attributed to tobacco use in India. The main challenge, given the magnitude of tobacco use and limited resources, is delivering cessation support at scale, low cost, and through a coordinated cross-system effort; one such example being brief advice interventions. However, highly credentialed staff to identify and counsel tobacco users are scarce. Task-shifting is an important opportunity for scaling these interventions. OBJECTIVE: The LifeFirst SWASTH (Supporting Wellbeing among Adults by Stopping Tobacco Habit) program-adapted from the LifeFirst program (developed by the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, Mumbai, India)-is a tobacco cessation program focusing on lower-socioeconomic status patients in Mumbai receiving private health care. This parallel-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial investigates whether the LifeFirst SWASTH program increases tobacco cessation rates in low-resource, high-reach health care settings in Mumbai. METHODS: This study will target tuberculosis-specific nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), dental clinics, and NGOs implementing general health programs serving lower-socioeconomic status patients. Intervention arm patients will receive a pamphlet explaining tobacco's harmful effects. Practitioners will be trained to deliver brief cessation advice, and interested patients will be referred to a Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation counselor for free telephone counseling for 6 months. Control arm patients will receive the same pamphlet but not brief advice or counseling. Practitioners will have a customized mobile app to facilitate intervention delivery. Practitioners will also have access to a peer network through WhatsApp. The primary outcome is a 30-day point prevalence abstinence from tobacco. Secondary outcomes for patients and practitioners relate to intervention implementation. RESULTS: The study was funded in June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the study experienced some delays, and practitioner recruitment commenced in November 2023. As of July 2024, all practitioners have been recruited, and practitioner recruitment and training are complete. Furthermore, 36% (1687/4688) of patients have been recruited. CONCLUSIONS: It is hypothesized that those patients who participated in the LifeFirst SWASTH program will be more likely to have been abstinent from tobacco for 30 consecutive days by the end of 6 months or at least decreased their tobacco use. LifeFirst SWASTH, if found to be effective in terms of cessation outcomes and implementation, has the potential to be scaled to other settings in India and other low- and middle-income countries. The study will be conducted in low-resource settings and will reach many patients, which will increase the impact if scaled. It will use task-shifting and an app that can be tailored to different settings, also enabling scalability. Findings will build the literature for translating evidence-based interventions from high-income countries to low- and middle-income countries and from high- to low-resource settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05234983; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05234983. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/57236.

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Background: The presence of dental caries impacts on children's daily lives, particularly among those living in deprived areas. There are successful interventions across the United Kingdom for young children based on toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste. However, evidence is lacking for oral health improvement programmes in secondary-school pupils to reduce dental caries and its sequelae. Objectives: To determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of a behaviour change intervention promoting toothbrushing for preventing dental caries in secondary-school pupils. Design: A multicentre, school-based, assessor-blinded, two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot and embedded health economic and process evaluations. Setting: Secondary schools in Scotland, England and Wales with above-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. Randomisation occurred within schools (year-group level), using block randomisation stratified by school. Participants: Pupils aged 11-13 years at recruitment, who have their own mobile telephone. Interventions: Two-component intervention based on behaviour change theory: (1) 50-minute lesson delivered by teachers, and (2) twice-daily text messages to pupils' mobile phones about toothbrushing, compared with routine education. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome: presence of at least one treated or untreated carious lesion using DICDAS4-6MFT (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth) in any permanent tooth, measured at pupil level at 2.5 years. Secondary outcomes included: number of DICDAS4-6MFT; presence and number of DICDAS1-6MFT; plaque; bleeding; twice-daily toothbrushing; health-related quality of life (Child Health Utility 9D); and oral health-related quality of life (Caries Impacts and Experiences Questionnaire for Children). Results: Four thousand six hundred and eighty pupils (intervention, n = 2262; control, n = 2418) from 42 schools were randomised. The primary analysis on 2383 pupils (50.9%; intervention 1153, 51.0%; control 1230, 50.9%) with valid data at baseline and 2.5 years found 44.6% in the intervention group and 43.0% in control had obvious decay experience in at least one permanent tooth. There was no evidence of a difference (odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.26, p = 0.72) and no statistically significant differences in secondary outcomes except for twice-daily toothbrushing at 6 months (odds ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.63, p = 0.03) and gingival bleeding score (borderline) at 2.5 years (geometric mean difference 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.00, p = 0.05). The intervention had higher incremental mean costs (£1.02, 95% confidence interval -1.29 to 3.23) and lower incremental mean quality-adjusted life-years (-0.003, 95% confidence interval -0.009 to 0.002). The probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 7% at 2.5 years. However, in two subgroups, pilot trial schools and schools with higher proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals, there was an 84% and 60% chance of cost effectiveness, respectively, although their incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years remained small and not statistically significant. The process evaluation revealed that the intervention was generally acceptable, although the implementation of text messages proved challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic hampered data collection. High rates of missing economic data mean findings should be interpreted with caution. Conclusions: Engagement with the intervention and evidence of 6-month change in toothbrushing behaviour was positive but did not translate into a reduction of caries. Future work should include work with secondary-school pupils to develop an understanding of the determinants of oral health behaviours, including toothbrushing and sugar consumption, particularly according to free school meal eligibility. Trial registration: This trial is registered as ISRCTN12139369. Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 15/166/08) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 52. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Tooth decay has an impact on children and young people's daily lives, particularly those living in deprived areas. For young children, programmes to improve toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste help prevent tooth decay. The Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh trial (BRIGHT) investigated whether a secondary-school-based toothbrushing programme would work. We developed a new programme which included a lesson and twice-daily text messages sent to pupils' phones. In total, 4680 pupils, aged 11­13 years, from 42 secondary schools in the United Kingdom took part in the trial. At each school, one year group was randomly selected to receive the programme, while the other year group did not receive it. All pupils were followed up for 2.5 years to see whether there were any differences in levels of tooth decay, frequency of toothbrushing, plaque or quality of life. We also considered the programme's value for money and the views of pupils and school staff. We followed up 2383 pupils and found no difference in tooth decay, plaque or quality of life. We found those who had the programme were more likely to brush their teeth twice daily after 6 months than those who did not. The programme was not good value for money overall. However, the programme appeared to be of more benefit at preventing tooth decay in pupils eligible for free school meals compared to those not eligible. In the schools with more pupils eligible for free school meals, the chance of the programme representing good value for money increased. The programme was generally liked by the pupils and school staff. Some pupils found the text messages useful, although others said they were annoying. The programme helped pupils brush their teeth more frequently in the short term, but this did not lead to less tooth decay. Further research is needed to understand how to prevent tooth decay in secondary-school pupils.

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Background and Aims: Delayed implementation of new knowledge into clinical practice poses patient safety risks. This study investigates agreement on use of the dental caries interventions, sealing, and stepwise excavation. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey, based on 11 constructed cases with descriptions of patient symptoms, radiographic, and clinical findings. Interrater agreement on dental caries- and pulp diagnoses and interventions were measured with Cohen's and Light's κ. The data collection period was September 28 to November 5, 2021. To explore variations in use and knowledge factors, we examined Danish dentists' attitudes toward continuing education. Results: Based on 243 responses, moderate interrater agreement for dental caries and pulp diagnoses and weak agreement on interventions were seen. The agreement with the gold standard for caries was moderate. No agreement was found for dental pulp diagnosis, and for interventions the agreement was weak. No pattern in agreement with the gold standard was seen in relation to case difficulty level. The majority reported knowing of and using stepwise excavation, in conflict with findings that less than half chose stepwise excavation in cases, where considered appropriate. One in four (25%) reported to be unfamiliar with sealing, and half (50%) use sealing regularly. Better access to continuing education and for universities to offer continuing education as alternatives to one-sided private market were requested. Conclusion: Some patients may receive too radical treatment despite available less invasive evidence-based effective treatments. Dentists acknowledge the importance of continuing education. Easier access and perhaps more incentives for seeking out high-quality continuing education from trustworthy sources are needed.

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This article explores the various challenges systemic conditions can pose before and during orthodontic treatment. Cardiovascular conditions like infective endocarditis require antibiotic prophylaxis before certain orthodontic procedures are started. Patients with bleeding disorders require special considerations in regards to viral infection risk and maintenance of excellent atraumatic oral hygiene. Orthodontists play an important role in early identification of signs and symptoms of eating disorders and should deal with these patients sensitively. Congenital disorders, craniofacial anomalies, and nutritional deficiencies require special considerations and should be addressed appropriately before orthodontic treatment is started.

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Introduction Dental health is an important component of overall health. Many factors can obstruct access to dental care and limit the utilization of services. Barriers to accessing dental services are divided into three groups - by patients, by dental profession, and by state and society. Factors by patients are proven to be the leading ones. Methods We conducted an anonymous survey among 416 Bulgarians to study the barriers to accessing dental services and the demographic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors that influence those barriers. The research complies with ethical standards and is approved by the Ethics Committee of Medical University, Sofia. Results The main group of barriers to accessing dental care in the Republic of Bulgaria was patient-related (67.03%). They led all groups by gender, age, residence, education, income, overall health status, self-assessment of dental health, and frequency of visits. Barriers by state and society were second in importance (28.9%) and were mentioned mainly among men, low-income people (33.96%), the less educated (27.33%), age group 45-65 years (22.76%), and patients visiting a dental office only in case of emergency (32.97%). The leading reason for the postponement of visits was lack of pain (31.21%). Lack of pain was more often indicated among women (20.04%), age group 45-65 years (28.28%), and rural population (31.04%). The cost of dental treatment (15.54%) was not a significant factor and was outweighed by psychosocial factors such as lack of time (17.8%) and dental fear and anxiety (16.67%). Dental fear and anxiety were cited mainly among women (9.12%), younger patients (17.9%), the less educated (12.21%), those with low income (9.62%), and those without income (25%), as well as among people with low self-estimation of their oral health status (40%) and those visiting a dental office irregularly (25.53%). Conclusion The main group of barriers to accessing dental services in the Republic of Bulgaria was those created by patients and were indicated mainly among women, people with higher education and income, and those from rural populations, while barriers by state and society were indicated mainly by men, low income, less educated, and people over 45 years. Complex impact by more than one group of factors was reported mainly by middle-aged people, city populations, people visiting a dental office irregularly, and those with low self-assessment of their dental status. Patients postponed dental treatment mainly due to lack of pain, which was more significant among women, people over 45 years, and rural populations. The cost of dental treatment is no longer a significant factor and has been overtaken by psychosocial factors such as lack of time and dental fear and anxiety.

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OBJECTIVE: To assess the barriers to obtaining care for patients with orofacial clefts through a survey of Florida-based orthodontists and families and an analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study utilizing multiple-choice questionnaires completed by Florida orthodontists and caregivers of patients who attended a Florida-based cleft and craniofacial clinic. Additionally, data from the PHIS database were analyzed to investigate national factors affecting the age of alveolar bone grafting (ABG). SETTING: Craniofacial team in Florida. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: The survey included 39 orthodontists (7.1% response rate) and 48 caregivers (41% response rate) The PHIS study included 1182 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Barrier to orthodontic care and age of ABG. RESULTS: Orthodontic Survey: Among the surveyed orthodontists, 71% treated cleft/craniofacial patients, 37% accepted Medicaid, and 55% provided pro-bono care. Poor reimbursement was identified as the most common barrier (58%). Caregiver Survey: Most patients were insured by Medicaid (67%), with 55% incurring out-of-pocket expenses. PHIS Database: The average age of ABG was 10.3 years (SD = 3.2). Government funding was associated with a 6.0-month delay in ABG (p = 0.047) and residing in non-Medicaid expanded states was linked to a 6.0-month delay (p = 0.023). Post-Medicaid expansion status was also associated with a delay (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Access to oral care is difficult for patients with OFC. Despite both federal and state mandates, many financial and non-financial barriers still exist in accessing orthodontic care and a majority of patients experience significant out-of-pocket expenses despite statutorily mandated insurance coverage.

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Scotland's 2022 suicide prevention strategy recommends building skills and knowledge among healthcare staff who play a role in preventing suicide. A quality improvement project (QIP) in relation to this was initiated because several patients attending dental appointments disclosed suicidal thoughts and/or plans to attempt death by suicide. Dental staff and students involved expressed feeling ill-equipped at how to manage this situation. This initial QIP aimed to establish routine screening, identification and signposting of dental outpatients identified as having an increased risk of suicide during attendance at any dental clinic within the Dental Hospital. Several Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles ensued. First, to understand the problem, a scoping literature search on the role of dental professionals in preventing suicide and the availability of suicide risk awareness training frameworks for non-medical healthcare staff revealed few publications and no identified training frameworks. This was PDSA1. To gain insight into the local culture in relation to the QIP aims, two further cycles were undertaken. These examined whether dental patients were routinely screened for mental health conditions, and dental staff and student attitudes. Screening activity was measured, a new medical history intervention was implemented and a significant improvement in the number of patients being screened was seen (PDSA2). At the time of writing, the newly introduced medical history form is now used routinely to screen all outpatients attending the Dental Hospital, where 60 000 outpatients' appointments are delivered annually. PDSA3 sought dental staff and student views on whether suicide risk awareness is part of their role. This found suicide risk awareness is considered part of the dental professionals' role, but a lack of training, and a desire for training was expressed. With no suitable training frameworks, PDSA4 aimed to design, implement and evaluate a pilot training educational intervention by a clinical psychologist. Sixteen dental care professionals attended the workshop. To measure training effectiveness, participants completed pre-training (baseline) and post-training questionnaires to assess their self-efficacy around suicide awareness. Improvements in self-efficacy following training occurred across all domains, demonstrating a successful intervention which can be upscaled.

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OBJECTIVE: Oral health is often overlooked in ageing health issues, despite its impact on overall health and quality of life. Older Australians, especially those in rural and remote areas, face difficulties accessing oral health services. The aim of the study was to investigate the factors that contribute to financial barriers to accessing dental services among the ageing population in Australia in relation to their residential location. METHOD: The study included a weighted sample of Australian adults aged 65 years and over from a population-based survey called the National Study of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) conducted in 2017-18. Descriptive analysis was conducted and generated cross-tabulation tables to investigate the distributions of the outcome, exposure and covariates, including Sex, Education level (the highest level of education), Equivalised household income, Dental insurance, Concession card ownership, Difficulty paying a dental bill and last dental visit. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition counterfactual analysis was used to explore the potential impact of a person's residence on their financial difficulty accessing dental services. RESULTS: The findings showed that 26.2% (95% CI: 24.3-29.3) of major city residents and 30.1% (95% CI: 26.9-33.3) of rural residents avoided or delayed dental visits due to cost. The decomposition analysis indicated that 53.8% of the disparities in the prevalence of avoided or delayed dental visits due to cost were explained by the selected variables, while 46.2% remained unexplained. The explanatory variable with the largest contribution was difficulty paying a $200 dental bill, accounting for 62.4% of the differences, followed by dental insurance, last dental visit and equivalised household income, which explained 42.1%, 20.8% and 14.9% of the differences, respectively. CONCLUSION: Regional/remote populations experience more financial barriers to accessing dental care than major city populations and the identified factors explain a significant proportion of these disparities. Based on the study findings, recommendations include expanding public dental service coverage, evaluating concession card mechanisms and advocating for regular dental visits to mitigate disparities in dental care access.

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BACKGROUND: Oral problems are a common occurrence among school-age children. In order to develop effective oral health interventions and services, it is essential to determine children's oral health behaviours using an internationally accepted standardised instrument that is child-friendly. However, no instrument currently exists to measure oral health according to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in Turkish school-aged children. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Oral Health Questionnaire, which includes the components of the theory of planned behavior such as attitude toward children's oral health, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy, for the Turkish population. METHODS: This was a methodological-descriptive-correlational study conducted on 298 school children aged 9-10 years. Data were collected using The Oral Health Questionnaire. The data were evaluated using explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, item-total score correlation, and Pearson product-moment correlation analysis. RESULTS: Factor analysis confirmed the five-dimensional structure. The factor loads were greater than 0.30, and all fit indices were greater than 0.90. The model consistency indexes were found to be X2 = 146.95, RMSEA = 0.053, GFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.98, IFI = 0.97, and NNFI = 0.97. The Cronbach's alpha values of its sub-dimensions were 0.71 and 0.80. CONCLUSIONS: The Turkish version of Oral Health Questionnaire is considered a reliable and valid instrument that can be used by professionals to determine children's attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and oral and dental health intentions toward tooth brushing.

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Background The widespread availability of Internet access and the rising popularity of social media platforms have facilitated the dissemination of health-related information, including dental health practices. However, assessing the quality and effectiveness of such information remains a challenge, particularly concerning traditional practices such as Miswak (Salvadora persica) usage. This study aims to assess the description, use, and effectiveness of the Miswak (Salvadora persica) chewing stick posted as video clips on YouTube™ and provide considerations for future interventions. Methodology YouTube videos were searched using the terms "Miswak," "Siwak," "Salvadora persica," and "Chewing stick." Each video's descriptive features, i.e., title, links, country of origin, upload date, running time, views, comments, likes, and dislikes, were recorded. Content quality was assessed using the DISCERN tool, which rates the reliability, dependability, and trustworthiness of online sources across 16 items. Scores were aggregated for analysis. The statistical analysis examined video features and associations between the speaker, video type, source, and quality, with significance set at a p-value <0.05 using SPSS Statistics Version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results A total of 45 videos were included in the study, with the majority (62%) created by the "other professionals" category. Almost three-quarters (73.3%) of the videos were educational. The quality of the video clips was correlated with the speaker source and category of "other," revealing that high-quality information was considered such when the source was other than a dentist. Further, we found that a video's source did not elicit differences in the opinion of the video's quality. Conclusions This social media analysis provides considerations and implications for future research on the potential use of YouTube as a platform for Miswak educational interventions.

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Aim: Socially handicapped children face a number of challenges including limited access to basic health including oral healthcare. The aim of this study is to determine the oral health status and treatment needs of socially handicapped children and to assess the effectiveness of the Comprehensive Dental Health Program (CDHP) on their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Materials and methods: A total of 97 children in the age-group of 7-14 years were enrolled in the study. Prior to the implementation of CDHP, the collection of baseline data including basic demographic data, dentition status, decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), and treatment needs [World Health Organization (WHO) 1997] was done. CDHP was instituted based on their assessment and treatment needs. The evaluation of OHRQoL was done at baseline as well as a postintervention intervention at the end of 12 months. Statistical analysis: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to find normality. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon sign rank tests were applied for item analysis in the questionnaire. The value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean domain scores of OHRQoL at baseline and following CDHP showed a statistically significant difference. There was a consistent overall increase in the postintervention domain scores with respect to all the components. Conclusion: The oral health status of socially handicapped children was found to be fair requiring minimal dental treatment. CDHP instituted among them was beneficial in improving their OHRQoL. Clinical significance: Assessing the impact of oral diseases using a multidimensional constraint and planning appropriate interventional measures that improve the general well-being of socially handicapped children. How to cite this article: Babu BS, Sahana S, Vasa AAK, et al. Impact of Comprehensive Dental Health Program on the Oral Health-related Quality of Life among Socially Handicapped Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(3):260-264.

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BACKGROUND: Oral health is essential for overall well-being and can significantly improve quality of life. However, people with special health care needs (SHCN) often face challenges in accessing dental services. This study aimed to systematically review all available evidence on the oral and dental service utilization determinants among these individuals. Based on the findings, we also explore strategies to increase their access to dental care. METHOD: This study is a systematic review of reviews based on the PRISMA 2020. Six databases were systematically searched including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library. Related keywords were applied up to 30 October 2023. This study includes all systematic, scoping, and rapid reviews written in English that examine the factors affecting dental service use among SHCNs. Microsoft Power BI was used for descriptive quantitative analysis, and MAXQDA version 10 was applied for qualitative thematic analysis. RESULTS: The number of 2238 articles were retrieved based on the search strategy. After excluding duplications and appraising the eligibility, 7 articles were included. An examination of these 7 articles shows that they were all carried out from 2016 to 2022. Of these, 42% were systematic reviews, 42% used a scoping method, and one study (14%) was a rapid review. According to the thematic analysis, there were five main themes concerning determinants of oral and dental utilization of SHCN: "Financial considerations," "Patient-Provider Relationship," "Accessibility and Availability of Services," "Patient Factors," and "Quality of Care." Additionally, regarding strategies for improving utilization, three main themes emerged: "Education and Training," "Service Improvement," and "Policy Solutions. CONCLUSION: This study delves into the intricate challenges SHCNs face in accessing dental services, highlighting the imperative for comprehensive interventions addressing supply and demand. Supply-oriented measures encompass dentist education, implementing financial policies for affordable services, and integrating dental care into primary healthcare systems. On the demand side, strategies revolve around empowering patients and caregivers and enhancing cultural inclusivity. Despite sustained efforts, current utilization rates fall short of optimal levels. Thus, effective strategic planning by policymakers and healthcare leaders is paramount to bolster dental service utilization among SHCNs, thereby enhancing their overall well-being.

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Despite limited evidence for a preoperative dental screening examination and needs-based focal rehabilitation, as well as the need for antibiotic prophylaxis prior to invasive dental procedures, oral health is and remains a relevant topic in arthroplasty. The aspect of oral health should not be neglected in the future in connection with periprosthetic infections and should continue to be the subject of intensive research. The frequency of conspicuous dental findings in middle and old age underlines the importance of this problem. A dental examination prior to arthroplasty implantation can generally contribute to minimizing the risk of arthroplasty infection. It would be desirable for further studies to provide evidence on this topic in order to make recommendations for action. Independently of this, the development of an interdisciplinary guideline (arthroplasty and dentistry) on this topic should be encouraged. This could help to ensure that standardized treatment procedures are integrated into everyday clinical practice across the board.

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BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic intestinal failure (CIF) may be predisposed to poor oral health outcomes. This study explored the self-reported oral health status, function, and psychological impacts of oral health of adult patients with CIF, their access to dental care, and how these compare with the broader population. METHODS: All patients >18 years old receiving home intravenous therapies for CIF were invited to complete a self-reported questionnaire providing information on oral health status and access to oral health services. Collateral information was provided by treating clinicians. Descriptive data analysis was undertaken, including subgroup analysis of clinical characteristics, and was compared with the available population-level data. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients participated. Short gut and dysmotility accounted for 88% of the etiologies of CIF. Respondents reported good preventative oral health behaviors (96%), accessing dental care within the last 12 months (75%), and limited barriers to receiving care. Dry mouth (96%), oral pain (59%), and temperature sensitivity (60%) were commonly reported across the cohort. Smoking history and reduced oral diet were associated with significantly worse self-reported oral health outcomes. Patients with CIF reported worse oral health outcomes despites better oral health access than the general population. CONCLUSION: Patients with CIF appear to be at risk of poor oral health outcomes, especially where smoking or reduced oral intake are concurrently involved. Clinicians involved in CIF care should be alert to the oral health needs of this population and consider oral and dental health as part of the multidisciplinary care required for optimal CIF care.

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OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of preventive interventions in children who have undergone caries-related dental extractions. METHODS: Rapid review across five databases (CENTRAL, Ovid Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus). Quality was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. RESULTS: Five studies were included, all randomised controlled trials involving pre-and/or post-extractions activity. Three studies involved oral health education (computer game, motivational interviewing, visual aids), one delivered clinical prevention (fissure sealants), and one an enhanced prevention programme combining additional health education and a clinical intervention (fluoride varnish). Retention was mixed (55%-80% in the intervention groups). Of the three studies measuring caries, all reported less caries development in the test group. However, only a study involving a dental nurse-delivered structured conversation, informed by motivational interviewing, showed an improvement in oral health. Two studies reporting on plaque and gingival bleeding had conflicting results. A study reporting on subsequent dental attendance did not demonstrate a clear improvement. CONCLUSION: Few published studies have explored prevention-based interventions in high caries-risk children requiring dental extractions. Whilst evidence of clinical benefit of preventive interventions in this population is limited, the potential use of contemporary behaviour change techniques appears promising. There is an urgent need for more high-quality longer-term trials using contemporary methodologies.

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PURPOSE: To measure the general oral and dental health knowledge level of family medicine residents who are receiving full-time specialty training in Turkey. Primary care physicians can contribute to improving the oral and dental health of patients during general health services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The fundamentals of oral and dental health that the family medicine physicians should know about were determined, and questionnaire items on these fundamentals were prepared. The sample size was calculated as 296 individuals. The survey was conducted online. The collected data were analysed employing the following tests: chi-squared, Fisher, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Spearman, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Bonferroni. RESULTS: 302 family medicine residents in various clinics in Turkey participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 29.6 ± 5.1. The mean knowledge scores of the resident physicians were calculated as 65.2 ± 10.9 (lowest: 27; highest: 92). The majority of resident physicians stated that they did not receive training on oral and dental health during their residency training, and that they agreed with the idea of integrating it into the residency training curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: The general knowledge level of family medicine residents in Turkey about oral and dental health was found to be moderate.

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BACKGROUND: Orthognathic surgery, addressing skeletal and dental irregularities, is pivotal for patients suffering from malocclusion, facial asymmetry, and related disorders. With the internet becoming a primary source of health information, the accuracy, quality, and reliability of online Arabic-language patient-centered information on orthognathic surgery necessitate thorough evaluation. This study aimed to assess the quality, reliability, and readability of Arabic online resources about orthognathic surgery to ascertain their potential as reliable patient education tools. METHODS: An infodemiological approach was employed, analyzing the top 100 websites from Google, Yahoo, and Bing based on specific Arabic search terms related to orthognathic surgery. Websites were evaluated for affiliation, content specialization, and presentation and excluded based on predetermined criteria to ensure relevance and focus. Quality assessment was conducted using the DISCERN instrument, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and Health On the Net code evaluation. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease scales. RESULTS: Of 600 initial websites, 96 met the inclusion criteria. Most were affiliated with universities or medical centers (53.1%), followed by commercial (28.1%), and non-profit organizations (16.7%). The majority of websites (96.9%) were only partially related to orthognathic surgery. Content analysis revealed a moderate quality of information, with a median overall DISCERN quality rating of 3 out of 5. The JAMA benchmarks showed a lack of comprehensive adherence, with currency being the most achieved criterion. Readability assessments indicated the content was generally accessible yet highlighted the need for Arabic-specific readability evaluation tools. CONCLUSION: The study reveals a critical need for enhancing Arabic online resources on orthognathic surgery. Despite the available content's moderate quality and acceptable readability, there is a substantial gap in providing comprehensive, patient-centered, and easily understandable information. Future efforts should focus on developing high-quality, reliable, and readable online resources to aid Arabic-speaking patients in making informed decisions about orthognathic surgery.

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Background The prevalence of malocclusion in Mongolia is increasing every year. Estimating the need for orthodontic treatment in the population is crucial for planning orthodontic care services and monitoring oral health programs. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the need for orthodontic treatment among schoolchildren in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Methods A total of 656 schoolchildren aged 9-12 years were enrolled from 8 schools located in urban and suburban areas of 6 districts of Ulaanbaatar city. All the children were assessed according to the two components of the IOTN, the Dental Health Component (DHC) and the aesthetic component (AC). Statistical analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28 (Released 2021; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results The prevalence of malocclusion was 561 (84.5%), consisting of 452 (68%) Angle Class I, 178 (26.8%) Angle Class II, and 34 (5.2%) Angle Class III malocclusion. For the DHC, the moderate need for treatment was 194 (29.3%) and the definite need was 53 (8.1%). For the AC, the moderate need was 148 (22.3%) and the definite need was 45 (6.9%). The association between the DHC and the AC was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). The most common malocclusions were an increased overjet (maxillary protrusion), a contact point displacement (crowding), and an increased overbite (deep bite). The AC, Angle's molar relationship, an increased overjet, a contact point displacement, and an increased overbite were factors associated with the need for orthodontic treatment. Conclusion Approximately one-third of schoolchildren in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, require orthodontic treatment. This finding helps dental practitioners to better understand oral health problems, leading to an improvement in the overall quality of life of children.

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Psychosocial properties of oral health have been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the causal effect of complete loss of natural teeth on loneliness by using fixed-effects analysis to control for confounding factors, including unmeasured time-invariant factors. Data from older adults participating in at least 2 consecutive waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in waves 3 (2006/2007), 5 (2010/2011), and 7 (2014/2015) were analyzed (N = 18,682 observations from 7,298 individuals). The association between complete loss of natural teeth and loneliness score (ranging from 3 to 9) was examined using fixed-effect linear regression analysis adjusting for time-varying confounders, including sociodemographic and health characteristics. The prevalence of complete tooth loss was 12.7%, 12.8%, and 10.6% in waves 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Individuals who transitioned to complete tooth loss during any 2 consecutive waves had an increase in loneliness score by 0.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03, 0.52), which was greater than those who maintained natural teeth (-0.03; 95% CI -0.05, -0.01). Fixed-effects analysis adjusting for time-varying confounders revealed a significant association between complete loss of natural teeth and an increase in loneliness score by 0.31 (95% CI 0.17, 0.46). Complete loss of natural teeth among older adults in England was associated with loneliness, even after accounting for measured time-varying and (un)measured time-invariant confounders. Retaining natural teeth may reduce the risk of loneliness.

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Disadvantaged schoolchildren from rural and low socioeconomic backgrounds face persistent oral health inequalities, specifically dental caries, and periodontal diseases. This protocol aims to review the effectiveness of promotive and preventive oral health interventions for improving the oral health of primary schoolchildren in these areas. We will search the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) via EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Dentistry and Oral Sciences databases for studies published from 2000-2023. The review includes randomised/nonrandomised controlled trials and community trials evaluating the effectiveness of promotive and preventive oral health interventions on at least one of these outcomes: changes in dental caries status, periodontal disease status, oral hygiene status/practices, sugar consumption, or smoking behaviours. Two reviewers will independently assess the searched articles, extract the data, and assess the risk of bias in the studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (ROB 2) for randomised controlled trials and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) for non-randomised controlled trials. Both narrative and quantitative analyses will be conducted. However, only narrative synthesis will be performed if the data are substantially heterogeneous. The synthesised evidence from this review can inform policymakers on evidence-based interventions to improve the oral health outcomes of schoolchildren from rural and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42022344898).

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