World Oral Health Day
20 March 2024
On the 20 March every year, we ask the world to unite to help reduce the burden of oral diseases, which affect individuals, health systems and economies everywhere. Its purpose: to empower people with the knowledge, tools and confidence to secure good oral health. World Oral Health Day
UpToDate
General
Paediatrics
Cochrane Library
Articles
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Covid-19
Paediatrics
Research
Patient resources
Reports
Journals
E-books
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Articles
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Addressing the oral health workforce needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians
Tooth decay and gum disease, the main dental diseases affecting Australians, can cause pain and deformity as well as affecting eating and speech. Dental practitioners are efficient and effective in relieving dental pain, and they can effectively restore oral function. There is good evidence that better health care outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients are associated with care from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals. Unfortunately, the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the dental practitioner workforce is very low. We argue that a strategic approach, along with additional investment, is needed to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people qualified as dental practitioners. Australian health review 2 August 2021
A scoping review to inform the use of continuous quality improvement in Australian Aboriginal oral health care
Data exploring continuous quality improvement (CQI) in the context of Aboriginal oral health is scarce. The plan–do–study–act cycle and its variations show potential applicability to Aboriginal oral health care. However, for CQI approaches to be adequately implemented, the prevailing model of dental care requires a paradigm shift from quality assurance to quality improvement, acknowledging the impact of structural and process elements on care. Australian health review 14 July 2022
Inequalities in the utilisation of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule between Aboriginal* and non-Aboriginal children
The data are encouraging with regard to equity because they show that for services overall, Australian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children have similar levels of utilisation. However, lower levels of the use of preventive services may indicate future inequalities in oral health among Aboriginal children. Australian health review 5 February 2021
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Covid-19
The mouth as a site of SARS-CoV-2 infection
SARS-CoV-2 can enter and replicate in the oral cavity and be spread between individuals via shed in saliva. Several acute oral manifestations of infection have been reported, and the lingering effects of infection on oral tissues are an area of ongoing investigation. Current oral health reports 21 February 2024
Association between periodontitis and COVID-19
In this review, the authors discuss associations and make the case for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection and complications. Current oral health reports 3 January 2024
The oral-vascular-pulmonary infection route: a pathogenic mechanism linking oral health status to acute and post-acute COVID-19
High viral load in the mouth and poor oral health status are associated with COVID-19 disease severity, increasing the risk of death. Pathophysiological links between viral activity in the mouth, oral health status, and disease outcome in the lungs and blood provide a rationale for further evaluation of the oral-vascular-systemic pathway in patients with acute COVID-19 and long COVID. The potential benefits of oral hygiene protocols and periodontal procedures in COVID-19 also warrant further investigation. Current oral health reports 3 November 2023
The impact of periodontal disease on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The present findings suggest a possible association between poor periodontal health and the risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes. However, owing to the observed methodological heterogeneity across the included studies, further prospective cohort studies with standardized methodologies are warranted to further unravel the potential association between periodontal disease and COVID-19 and its adverse outcomes. BMC oral health 9 September 2023
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Paediatrics
Association between dental caries and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, dietary intake, and body mass index in children
In this study, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) rather than nutrients was found to be important in dental caries. Also maternal education level was also found to be a determinant factor in dental caries in children. Decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (DMFT) and dft did not differ between BMI groups. Further studies should be conducted to assess the impact of the MD on dental caries in children to develop dietary interventions for preventative purposes. BMC oral health 2 March 2024
Oral health care in children with disabilities: A narrative review
Children with disabilities face discrepancies in receiving oral health services due to several barriers. This article aims to provide an overview on the oral health status of children with disabilities, impact on Quality of Life of children with disabilities and their family members, approaches in oral health education and/or services, roles of medical/oral health care providers, carers/parents, and special schools/centres, and future aspiration concerning these children. Articles were searched using online databases (Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed) using various terms. Additional articles were searched manually from the reference list of the previously searched articles. Children with disabilities showed a higher prevalence of caries and periodontal disease and had irregular dental visits owing to the limitations encountered by the carers/parents. The psychological and physical health of carers/parents, and the well-being of children with disabilities are interrelated, suggesting the need for a comprehensive support system to address the specific needs of these groups. Oral hygiene care services for these children could be improved using oral health education tools, strengthening dental outreach programs, and/or adopting behaviour modification techniques.
Oral health in children with disabilities is a global concern, therefore a holistic approach addressing this problem from the
individual to international level, including interprofessional collaboration is imperative. IIUM Journal of orofacial and health sciences 29 February 2024
Comparative evaluation of effectiveness of mobile app and dental videos in management of dental anxiety in paediatric patients
Dental application and Dental Video are effective alternate to Tell Show Do technique in reducing dental anxiety in young children. International journal of applied dental sciences 21 February 2024
Artificial intelligence in pediatric dentistry
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained significant momentum in the field of pediatric dentistry, with applications aimed at improving diagnostics, treatment planning, patient engagement, and research. The integration of AI technologies in dental practices offers potential to enhance the accuracy of diagnoses, predict treatment outcomes, customize patient-specific treatments, and streamline practice management. AI-driven tools, such as machine learning algorithms, can analyze complex dental data, including radiographs, photographs, and clinical notes, to aid in early detection and management of oral diseases prevalent in children. Moreover, AI can provide educational resources tailored to young patients, fostering better oral health habits. Academia journal of medicine 20 February 2024
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Research
Is Australia’s lack of national clinical leadership hampering efforts with the oral health policy agenda?
The landmark 2021 Resolution on Oral Health by the 74th World Health Assembly has elevated the importance of oral health into the global health policy agenda. This has led to the development and adoption of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Strategy on Oral Health in 2022. It acknowledged the need to integrate oral health as part of universal health coverage (UHC), which is supported by national clinical leadership for oral health. Although Australia is a signatory WHO member state, it is yet to appoint a Commonwealth Chief Dental Officer to provide national clinical leadership. This commentary provides a background on the current issues on population oral health in Australia, an insight into the Australian oral healthcare system, and explores some of the challenges and learnings related to previous Commonwealth dental programs. This paper highlights why expertise in dental public health is required to steer national oral health policy that is focused on prevention and early intervention. A population oral health approach for UHC should be informed by evidence, prioritise and address oral health inequities, and be co-ordinated by national clinical leadership for oral health. Australian health review 9 February 2023
Analysis of oral risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients
The presence of a coated tongue and oral bleeding in ICU admission could be considered markers for the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Clinical oral investigations 27 June 2020
Assessing oral health-related quality of life and the application of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in arresting caries among older adults
Due to the existence of oral health problem and negative health impacts, healthcare providers should focus on identifying vulnerable populations and providing targeted interventions to improve oral health outcomes in these groups. Considering the caries arrest outcomes and adverse effects of silver diamine fluoride (SDF), health professionals should consider promoting the use of SDF as a non-invasive and effective treatment option, especially for older adults with carious lesions. Journal of health research 1 March 2024
The link between periodontitis and Alzheimer’s Disease: Reality or yet another association
These intervention studies, together with the recent association and biological mechanism studies, strengthen the evidence for a direct link or causation between these two diseases. In addition, these recent studies support the special role of the dental practitioner in the management of patients with cognitive decline. Current oral health reports 23 September 2022
Periodontal health and psychiatric disorders
There are complex and bi-directional interactions between dental pathology and psychiatric illnesses/ substance use disorders (SUDs) that include a wide range of interconnected biological, behavioral, and psychosocial factors. Current oral health reports 21 July 2023
Psychological stress: A predisposing and exacerbating factor in periodontitis
Psychological stress appears to be an important modifiable risk factor for the development and progression of periodontitis and other periodontal diseases. Current oral health reports 11 August 2020
Charting the future of oral health: A bibliometric exploration of quality-of-life research in dentistry
In recent decades, the focus of health research has shifted to the impact of disease or impairment on how people proceed, behave, and experience quality of life. People’s lives are affected by oral diseases in various ways. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is inextricably linked to general health and well-being, and it has far-reaching consequences for clinical practice and dentistry research. International journal of environmental research and public health 22 February 2024
Exploring refugees' experience of accessing dental health services in host countries: a scoping review
This scoping review explored the challenges refugees have experienced in accessing dental health services in host countries, which included the key barriers such as affordability, accessibility, accommodation, availability, awareness, and acceptability. The scarcity of relevant research highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of refugees’ experiences accessing dental health services in host countries. Limited data were identified regarding evidence focusing on the characteristics of dental services accessed by refugees in host countries. Frontiers of oral health 12 March 2024
More than a mouth to clean: Case studies of oral health care in an Australian hospital
Clinical observations of patient's oral health status might not match the patient's own judgement of their oral health and, if not explicitly addressed, may mask the need for oral health and hygiene intervention. Assessment and care planning needs to incorporate patients' own perceptions of their oral health and existing oral health care routines. Oral health histories may provide a means of facilitating this person-centred oral health care for older patients in hospital. Gerodontology 12 February 2024
Water fluoridation in Australia: A systematic review
Highlights
Environmental research 15 November 2023
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Reports
Oral health and dental care in Australia
The goal of Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 (COAG Health Council 2015) is to improve the oral health status and reduce the burden of poor oral health across the Australian population. The Plan outlines national strategic directions at both the population and individual level, across six Foundation Areas, the first being oral health promotion. Key strategies of this Foundation Area include:
AIHW 21 November 2023
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This is just a sample of the e-books the library subscribes to – you will need your library login
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