Fibromyalgia: dental aspects

Fibromyalgia is a disease accompanied by diffuse chronic pain for >3 months and tenderness on palpation in at least 11 of 18 anatomic points (American College of Rheumatology criteria). Gnathalgia was also included in the revised fibromyalgia criteria in 2010. Some patients have facial pain spots, symptoms and signs of temporomandibular dysfunction in combination with chronic fatigue and sleep disorder. The paper presents the results of an anonymous questionnaire survey in patients with a valid diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The patients with this disease require a follow-up by a family physician, a rheumatologist, and a dentist

Blended intensive programme’s implementation in dental education: post-pandemic evolution of learning

Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP’s) represent a valuable tool for gathering knowledge and summarising the latest trends in medicine and dentistry. Blended education has been found, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, to increase the level of education and stimulate effective learning for postgraduate healthcare professionals. Interprofessional education is critical for preparing students to enter the health workforce, where teamwork and collaboration are important competencies. This article outlines the key points of the Blended Intensive Programme’s implementation in dental education organised by Wroclaw Medical University in Poland. BIP involved professors from 12 universities or research institutions from Europe and South America and 28 participants from 8 countries. The course was taught remotely and in person. In addition, it included a visit to the university and practical classes with artificial simulation and practice in dentistry. A structured questionnaire enabled measuring the evaluation of students’ perception of the COVID-19 education before and after the pandemic. The European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) was fundamental to carrying out the BIP with the participation of several countries, allowing the exchange of knowledge, assessing the impact of the pandemic on dental universities, and strengthening international collaborations and the future project of research, education and clinical assistance. We conclude that hybrid teaching programmes broaden the learning spectrum in dental studies by allowing transnational and interdisciplinary approaches that make students aware of the importance of their work within the framework of the general health approach, as this differs from country to country

Early Clinical Effectiveness of ER:Yag Laser in Association with the Red Complex of Bacteria in the Initial Treatment of Moderate Chronic Periodontitis

Chronic periodontitis is a result of polymicrobial infection and its treatment aims removal of dental calculus and biofi lm from the periodontal pocket. Many hand and power-driven instruments are created for this purpose. In recent years, lasers are widely discussed tools for periodontal therapy. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the early microbiological and clinical effectiveness of the Er:YAG laser in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. 30 patients with moderate chronic periodontitis were enrolled in the study. Using a split-mouth design they were treated either with Er:YAG laser (chisel tip, 100 mJ, 15 Hz, 5-6 water spray)-test group or with Gracey curettes- control group. Probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival recession (GR), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing and plaque presence were evaluated at baseline and one month after the therapy. Microbiological samples were taken from the deepest four pockets of each quadrant from 20 randomly selected patients (n = 80). They were evaluated using real time PCR for periodontal pathogens from the red complex (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia). One month after therapy in the control group PPD decreased from 4.59 mm to 3.36 mm, the CAL gain was 1.09 mm and the reduction of bleeding and plaque - from 87.9% to 33.7% and from 75.9% to 40.9%, respectively. In the test group PPD decreased from 4.58 mm to 3.15 mm, the CAL gain was 1.37mm and the reduction of bleeding and plaque was from 85.6% to 25.9% one month after the treatment. The results were statistically significant in favour of the laser group (p < 0.05). Microbiological analysis revealed that the pathogens from the red complex decreased 3 times in the control and 6 times in the test group. Therefore, the Er:YAG laser demonstrate pronounced early effectiveness in chronic periodontitis treatment and would be appropriate alternative of the conventional periodontal therapy