Dental Caries, Oral Health Behavior, and Living Conditions in 6-8-Year-Old Romanian School Children.

Dental caries still have a high prevalence in Romania. The aim of this paper is to determine the prevalence of caries in children (aged 6 to 8 years) correlated with individual-level predictors and socio-economic variables. A stratified, randomized nationally representative sample was established, taking into consideration the total number of preschool children and based on administrative units and residence. Self-assessment was performed by means of the Oral Health Questionnaire for Children (WHO). Examinations were conducted by 10 standardized examiners, with International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) caries codes higher than 3 considered as dentinal caries, missing teeth as MT, and restorations as FT. DMFT and SiC indexes were calculated accordingly. The dataset for each outcome variable was analyzed by the Hurdle approach analyzed. The gender distribution was similar (47.22% male and 52.78% female), with 42.65% residing in rural areas. The mean DMFT value for the sample was 4.89 and SiC index 9.83. A negative association could be seen between DMFT and the father's level of education (β = -0.33, SE = 0.07, p < 0.01) as well as the mother's education (β = -0.25, SE = 0.07, p < 0.01). In conclusion, caries prevalence is very high in Romania as compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for this age group in correlation with socio-economic factors and oral health behavior

Caries Management Aided by Fluorescence-Based Devices

Fluorescence-based intraoral cameras are increasingly gaining more interest in the modern dental practice, as an aid for the early detection of carious lesions. Such devices can have different operating systems, such as infrared lasers, quantitative light fluorescence (QLF), or LED lights, but they all rely on the fluorescent properties of tooth structures. Healthy enamel and enamel affected by demineralization have different light-scattering properties, a fact that allows for distinction under excitation with light of a known wavelength. The central problem in the treatment of dental decay is that operational care is still considered the predominant management plan for caries control in the general practice. Devices that use fluorescence have the potential to improve the detection and management of carious lesions significantly. Currently, there are several intraoral devices that employ fluorescence on the market, but more validation studies would be required to uphold the interest of the newly developed devices and to justify their reliability in clinical practice. Dental professionals cannot yet solely rely on one single-fluorescence device for incipient caries diagnosis, but they already present themselves as useful adjunctive tools to traditional examination methods

Prophylaxis And Early Diagnosis by Cyto-immunohistochemical Evaluationin Periodontal Disease

Introduction: The inflammatory lesions in periodontal disease (PD) have a negative impact on the whole organism causing the appearance of dental infection and generating infection in the whole body. Methods: We examined 85 patients, 37 of them being diagnosed with chronic periodontal disease (confirmed by periodontogram and radiology assay) and 48 clinical healthy patients without inflammatory symptoms and loss of periodontal tissue. We performed early diagnosis and screening of PD, using salivary citodiagnosis, from sulcular liquid, and periodontal pockets using the APT-Dragan technique. Statistical analysis was made using sensibility and specificity indicators of the cytological method. Evaluation of exfoliated cells or cells obtained from tissues, allows us to obtain useful information and establish the cytology classes (C1, C2, C3, C3a, C3b). Immunohistochemical study (IHC): In order to determine immunohistochemical reactions we applied a coloring technique using monoclonal specific antibodies, which react to specific tissue antigens, on surgical obtained tissue samples. In order to establish the pathological process in chronic periodontal disease we investigated the behavior of some categories of markers: epithelial (CK) and mesenchimal (CD31). Results: The IHC study evaluated the immunologic reactivity of morphological tissues to some markers of epithelial differentiation (CK). For some of the cases, we tried to establish a correlation between the degrees of disease and the cytology class observing all clinical and radiological aspects of patients as well as interpreting cell cultures, and the results show clearly that periodontal diagnosis can be completed with cytology class diagnosis. Interpreting cytology cultures allows a correlation between the lesion grading and estimating the prognostic of disease. Conclusions: This paper sustains the idea that interdisciplinary research in PD, in order to elucidate some less known aspects of the disease is useful in order to set the basis for the early diagnosis and prognosis of PD in patients without clinical symptoms

Carious status and socio-behavioral risk factors among 12 year-old children in South-Central region in Romania

Abstract Background Regular screenings at children population level are necessary in order to assess communities’ need for education, prevention, as well as early detection and intervention programs The study aims to assess dental caries experience and oral health-related behaviors among Romania children from the South and Central region. Methods The cross-sectional study conducted in 2019–2020 is part of the national survey “Romanian Oral Health Survey”, under the endorsement of the World Health Organization (WHO). The stratified, randomized and representative sample included 98 children of 12 years of age. The assessment included a clinical examination, using International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and the Oral Health Questionnaire for Children recommended by the World Health Organization. Results Results revealed that the frequency of caries-free children among 12 year-olds was 36.7% and the mean DMFT was 2.89. Regarding the oral health-related habits, 38.8% of children brushed twice daily; the consumption of sugary foods multiple times per day has been frequently met and 11.2% at the age of 12 never visited the dental office. Conclusions The findings revealed that caries prevalence was high and behaviors negatively influence oral health. The presented data are of utmost importance for Romanian policy makers to promote oral health education among children, to support consistent preventive oral health campaigns and to stimulate dental attendance, irrespective of children’ living areas or gender

Radiological Measurement of Sella Turcica Dimensions in Different Skeletal Patterns in Romanian Patients

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphology and linear dimensions of sella turcica in Romanian participants from all three skeletal classes to see whether there were any differences. (2) Method: We examined 90 lateral cephalometric radiographs of patients aged 12 and older and divided them into skeletal classes I, II, and III (30 participants in each). Sella turcica linear measurements such as length, depth, and anteroposterior diameter were measured and studied. To see the nature of our data, Q–Q plots tests were performed. By examining these tests performed for each variable belonging to a particular class, it can be noted that the points are fairly well distributed along some lines, meaning that the data are normally distributed. An Anova test with Bonferroni correction was used to compare the mean values of the examined parameters between the classes. Also, to observe the correlation between our experimental data, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. (3) Results: In all three skeletal classes, the average length of the sella was 8.98 mm ± 1.470, the average depth was 7.99 mm ± 1.081, and the average diameter was 10.29 mm ± 1.267. For all examined linear dimensions, there was a statistically significant difference between class I and class III subjects and between class II and class III subjects (p < 0.001). The morphology of sella turcica was found to be normal in 51.1% of instances, representing the majority across all skeletal classes. In the Romanian population, sella turcica has shown a significant amount of variation. Class III subjects had larger sella dimensions, whereas class II subjects had smaller values. (4) Conclusions: The measurements and morphology of the sella analysed in the present research can serve as standards for subsequent research concerning the sella turcica region in individuals from Romania

Natural Preparations Based on Orange, Bergamot and Clove Essential Oils and Their Chemical Compounds as Antimicrobial Agents

Since ancient times complementary therapies have been based on the use of medicinal plants, natural preparations and essential oils in the treatment of various diseases. Their use in medical practice is recommended in view of their low toxicity, pharmacological properties and economic impact. This paper aims to test the antimicrobial effect of natural preparation based on clove, orange and bergamot essential oils on a wide range of microorganisms that cause infections in humans including: Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, Candida parapsilosis, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Haemophilus influenza. Three natural preparations such as one-component emulsions: clove (ECEO), bergamote (EBEO), and orange (EOEO), three binary: E(BEO/CEO), E(BEO/OEO), E(CEO/OEO) and a tertiary emulsion E(OEO/BEO/CEO) were obtained, characterized and tested for antimicrobial effects. Also, the synergistic/antagonistic effects, generated by the presence of the main chemical compounds, were studied in order to recommend a preparation with optimal antimicrobial activity. The obtained results underline the fact that the monocomponent emulsion ECEO shows antimicrobial activity, while EOEO and EBEO do not inhibit the development of the analyzed strains. In binary or tertiary emulsions E(BEO/CEO), E(CEO/OEO) and E(OEO/ BEO/CEO) the antimicrobial effect of clove oil is potentiated due to the synergism exerted by the chemical compounds of essential oils

Caries Prevalence Associated with Oral Health-Related Behaviors among Romanian Schoolchildren

Oral health-related behaviors and living conditions play an important role in general and oral health. This study aimed to evaluate caries prevalence and severity in schoolchildren residing in rural and urban areas of Romania, and to correlate these with oral health-related behaviors. An estimation of the required sample size was conducted (sampling error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level), followed by the stratification of administrative units and then the selection of 49 schools. The Hurdle approach was used to analyze the dataset, requiring two sets of analyses for each outcome variable: a multilevel binary model to predict prevalence, and a multilevel Poisson analysis using only non-zero values. The mean and standard deviation (SD) for the dentinal caries index was 4.96 (5.33). Girls were more likely to have non-zero restoration codes (β = 0.14, SE = 0.08, p < 0.05). Low education levels of each parent were associated with an increased likelihood of having non-zero carious tooth surfaces (β = 0.23, SE = 0.06, p = 0.01; β = 0.22, SE = 0.06, p < 0.01). The presence of cavities was predicted by the consumption of carbonated soft drinks (β = 0.19, SE = 0.07, p < 0.01), candies (β = 0.13, SE = 0.06, p < 0.01), sweetened milk (β = 0.12, SE = 0.06, p < 0.05), tea (β = 0.16, SE =0.08, p < 0.05), or cocoa (β = 0.13, SE = 0.06, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the non-zero values of the dentinal caries index were more likely in rural schools (β =−0.37, SE = 0.11, p < 0.01), and a negative association between the county development index and the fillings/restorations index (β = −0.01, SE = 0.01, p < 0.05) was also established. The outcome of this research highlights that the presence of caries (dentinal caries index) in Romanian schoolchildren is influenced by their socioeconomic background, as well as their specific consumption behaviors

In Vitro Assessment of the Cytotoxic and Antiproliferative Profile of Natural Preparations Containing Bergamot, Orange and Clove Essential Oils

Medicinal plants and essential oils (EOs), in particular, were intensively studied in recent years as viable alternatives for antiproliferative chemical synthetic agents. In the same lines, the present study focuses on investigating the effects of natural preparations (emulsions) based on EOs obtained from Citrus bergamia Risso (bergamot-BEO), Citrus sinensis Osbeck (orange-OEO), and Syzygium aromaticum Merill et L. M. Perry (clove-CEO) on different healthy (human immortalized keratinocytes&mdash;HaCaT and primary human gingival fibroblasts&mdash;HGF) and human tumor cell lines (human melanoma&mdash;A375 and oral squamous carcinoma&mdash;SCC-4) in terms of the cells&rsquo; viability and cellular morphology. The obtained results indicate that the CEO emulsion (ECEO) induced a dose-dependent cytotoxic in both healthy (HaCaT and HGF) and tumor (A375 and SCC-4) cells. OEO emulsion (EOEO) increased cell viability percentage both for HaCaT and A375 cells and had an antiproliferative effect at the highest concentration in HGF and SCC-4 cells. BEO emulsion (EBEO) decreased the viability percentage of SCC-4 tumor cells. By associating OEO with CEO as a binary mixture in an emulsified formulation, the inhibition of tumor cell viability increases. The E(BEO/OEO) binary emulsion induced an antiproliferative effect on oral health and tumor cells, with a minimal effect on skin cells. The non-invasive tests performed to verify the safety of the test compound&rsquo;s emulsions at skin level indicated that these compounds do not significantly modify the physiological skin parameters and can be considered safe for human skin

Link between Oral Health, Periodontal Disease, Smoking, and Systemic Diseases in Romanian Patients

(1) Background: The link between oral and systemic health is becoming increasingly obvious. Oral diseases, particularly periodontitis, have been linked to various diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among others. This survey aimed to assess the oral health condition of individuals, considering both their overall health and periodontal status, by performing oral examinations and collecting data using questionnaires. (2) Methods: After obtaining approval from the University’s Ethics Committee, the study was carried out from 2021 to 2022 at the Department of Oral Health, located in the Emergency Municipal Hospital in Timisoara, Timis County, Romania. Bivariate correlations were performed using nonparametric Spearman’s Rho using SPPS software version 23. To assess the importance of smoking frequency related to the severity of periodontitis diagnosis, the ANOVA Simple test (one-way) and Hochberg GT2 post hoc analysis were utilized. The chi-squared test was employed for nominal variables. A significance level of 0.05 (alpha = 0.05) was adopted for all statistical tests. (3) Results: There is a significant positive association between the frequency of systemic disease and the severity of the periodontitis diagnosis taken as a total, Rho (242) = 0.151, p p p = 0.01), with a strong effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.73). (4) Conclusions: The findings are increasingly indicating a potential association between oral diseases and a range of systemic diseases. The impact of periodontal disease on the quality of life is significant, especially in individuals with associated systemic conditions and present risk factors