Midwestern Latino caregivers’ knowledge, attitudes and sense making of the oral health etiology, prevention and barriers that inhibit their children’s oral health: a CBPR approach

Using community-based participatory research, the Health Protection Model was used to understand the cultural experiences, attitudes, knowledge and behaviors surrounding caries etiology, its prevention and barriers to accessing oral health care for children of Latino parents residing in Central Indiana

Dietary Fluoride Intake Over the Course of Pregnancy in Mexican Women

Objective: To estimate dietary fluoride intake (F) over the course of pregnancy and the overall adjusted difference in dietary F intake by pregnancy stages and levels of compliance with dietary recommendations. Design: Secondary data analysis from a longitudinal pregnancy cohort study in a population exposed to fluoridated salt. Women were followed during the early, middle and late stages of their pregnancy (n 568). The dietary intake of recommended prenatal nutrients according to Mexican dietary guidelines and F intake (mg/d) was estimated with a validated FFQ. Data were summarised with descriptive statistics. Levels of F intake were compared with the USA’s Institute of Medicine adequate intake (AI) of 3 mg/d for pregnancy. Adjusted differences in F intake by pregnancy stages and levels of compliance with recommendations were estimated using random effects models. Setting: Mexico City. Participants: Women participating in the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to ENvironmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) project, from 2001 to 2003. Results: Median dietary F intake throughout pregnancy ranged from 0·64 (interquartile range (IQR) 0·38) in the early to 0·70 (IQR 0·42) in the middle, and 0·72 (IQR 0·44) mg/d in the late stage (0·01 mg F/kg per d). Corresponding adjusted intakes of F were 0·72 (95 % CI 0·70, 0·74), 0·76 (95 % CI 0·74, 0·77) and 0·80 (95 % CI 0·78, 0·82) mg/d. Women who were moderately and highly compliant with Mexican dietary recommendations ingested, on average, 0·04 and 0·14 mg F/d more than non-compliant women (P < 0·005). Conclusions: Dietary F intake was below current AI, was greater with the progression of pregnancy and in women who were moderately and highly compliant with dietary recommendations

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element with multiple implications for human health. This review discusses its metabolism and toxicity, along with the current understanding of the mechanism of action of fluoride and its role as a safe and effective agent in the prevention of dental caries. The relationship between excessive fluoride intake during periods of dental enamel formation and the development of dental fluorosis is also reviewed

The association between geographical factors and dental caries in a rural area in Mexico

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between markers of oral disease and geographical factors influencing access to dental care (DMFT score) among school children in Central Mexico. Retrospective data were collected during an international service-learning program between 2002 and 2009. A sample of 1,143 children (55% females; mean age 12.7±13.1years) was analyzed. The mean DMFT score, represented largely by untreated tooth decay, was 4.02 (4.76). The variables that had the most significant effect on the DMFT score were proportion of paved roads between the community and dental services, and the availability of piped potable water. The DMFT score increased in proportion to the percentage of paved roads. In contrast, the DMFT score decreased with the availability of piped potable water. Similar results were found for untreated tooth decay. The main variable associated with a significant increase in dental fillings was proportion of paved roads. Together with Brazilian reports, this is one of the first investigations of the association between geographical factors and oral health in an underdeveloped setting