A single-centre investigator-blinded randomised parallel-group study protocol to investigate the influence of an acclimatisation appointment on children’s behaviour during N2O/O2 sedation as measured by psychological, behavioural and real-time physiological parameters

Aims and objectives To describe a study protocol of a randomised control trial (RCT) assessing the effectiveness, in reducing dental anxiety, of an acclimatising nitrous oxide sedation (N2O) session prior to actual dental treatment with N2O. Materials and methods A single-centre investigator-blinded parallel-group RCT conducted in a postgraduate dental hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Anxious children requiring N2O (aged 5–15 years) will be randomly assigned to; a study group: children who will have a preparatory N2O trial experience or; a control group: children who will only have N2O explained to them. Treatment with N2O for both groups will start at the second visit. The following outcomes will be recorded: completion of dental treatment, anxiety scores at baseline and after treatment (using the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale faces), behaviour of the child (using Frankl Rating Behaviour Scale) and the acquisition of real-time physiological anxiety-related parameters (using E4® electronic wrist devices). Results The data will be analysed statistically. Discussion There is a paucity of research regarding dental N2O acclimatising appointments. This RCT will supplement existing literature. Conclusions This RCT will report whether prior acclimatising of a child to N2O sedation is effective, or not, in improving dental treatment behaviour

Does relative analgesia with nitrous oxide reduce the number of general anaesthetic sessions and dental loss?

Background: The use of general anaesthesia (GA) in dentistry is discouraged in all but essential cases. The use of sedation techniques, including relative analgesia (RA), is encouraged to reduce the demand for GA. Aim: The research objective was to determine if RA reduces the number of GA administrations and teeth extracted. Method: A service evaluation of the referrals for GA to the Community Dental Service South West of Cornwall over a period of two years and two months. Results: The results showed that 88% of the referrals could be managed with RA rather than sedation. A total of 105 administrations of GA were avoided and 141 teeth restored which would have been extracted from the population of 118 patients. Conclusions: The main conclusions drawn from this study are that RA is an effective alternative to GA and a number of teeth can be saved by opting, when appropriate, for this treatment option. It was also found that RA has a negligible morbidity rate.Full Tex

Early childhood caries in preschool children of Kosovo - a serious public health problem

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Even though it has been widely studied, early childhood caries (ECC) remains a serious public health problem, especially in countries where there is no national program of oral health assessment and no genuine primary oral health care, such as in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of ECC and analyze caries risk factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The subjects were 1,008 preschool children, selected by stratified random cluster sampling, in the municipality of Prishtina, capital of Kosovo. Data were collected through clinical examination and interviews. Dmft data were recorded according to WHO criteria. Bacterial examination (CRT bacteria test) and plaque test of Greene-Vermillion were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean dmft of preschool children was found to be 5.8. The prevalence of ECC was 17.36%, with a mean dmft of 11 ± 3.6. Streptococcus mutans prevalence in ECC children was 98%. A significant correlation between dmft and S mutans counts (≥10⁵CFU/mL saliva) was demonstrated. A correlation was also found between daily sweets consumption and dmft in children with ECC (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Comparing the dmft of ECC children and duration of bottle feeding showed a statistical correlation (<it>P </it>< 0.001). The mean plaque test was 1.52. None of the examined children had ever used fluoride.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of ECC was high among preschool children in the municipality of Kosovo. We recommend increasing parents' knowledge of proper feeding habits and oral health practices, and increasing preschool children's accessibility to dental services.</p

The Politics of European Collaboration in Big Science

Intergovernmental collaboration in Big Science has been an important resource for European science since the 1950s, as a means to compete on global level. But interestingly, collaboration in (basic) science has traditionally been left outside of the political integration work of the European Community/Union, which has resulted in a cluttered policy field and a situation where European Big Science collaborations are built on ad hoc solutions rather than a coherent political framework and common regulatory standards. Despite this formal detachment, however, the genesis and development of collaborations, and their political realities once launched, often draw upon and reflect the ordinary (geo)political dynamics of Europe. This chapter reports on four historical and two contemporary cases of European collaboration in Big Science, from CERN in the 1950s to the currently planned European Spallation Source (ESS), all well-documented by previous studies, showing that while scientific and technical preconditions doubtlessly impact the fate of these Big Science installations, the logic and cycles of high-level politics in Europe always plays a role and can, in some cases, be said to have been decisive for the realization of a collaborative effort. Always balancing between national interest and the common good, European collaboration in Big Science is thus no different from the process of EC/EU integration, despite being formally detached therefrom. Using a historical perspective to make justice to the rather small collection of cases to study, the chapter covers a distinct instance of where science and technology is directly affected by international politics