Trends and factors related to adolescent pregnancies: an incidence trend and conditional inference trees analysis of northern Nicaragua demographic surveillance data

Background We aimed to identify the 2001-2013 incidence trend, and characteristics associated with adolescent pregnancies reported by 20-24-year-old women. Methods A retrospective analysis of the Cuatro Santos Northern Nicaragua Health and Demographic Surveillance 2004-2014 data on women aged 15-19 and 20-24. To calculate adolescent birth and pregnancy rates, we used the first live birth at ages 10-14 and 15-19 years reported by women aged 15-19 and 20-24 years, respectively, along with estimates of annual incidence rates reported by women aged 20-24 years. We conducted conditional inference tree analyses using 52 variables to identify characteristics associated with adolescent pregnancies. Results The number of first live births reported by women aged 20-24 years was 361 during the study period. Adolescent pregnancies and live births decreased from 2004 to 2009 and thereafter increased up to 2014. The adolescent pregnancy incidence (persons-years) trend dropped from 2001 (75.1 per 1000) to 2007 (27.2 per 1000), followed by a steep upward trend from 2007 to 2008 (19.1 per 1000) that increased in 2013 (26.5 per 1000). Associated factors with adolescent pregnancy were living in low-education households, where most adults in the household were working, and high proportion of adolescent pregnancies in the local community. Wealth was not linked to teenage pregnancies. Conclusions Interventions to prevent adolescent pregnancy are imperative and must bear into account the context that influences the culture of early motherhood and lead to socioeconomic and health gains in resource-poor settings

Effectiveness of the bucco-lingual technique within a school-based supervised toothbrushing program on preventing caries: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Supervised toothbrushing programs using fluoride dentifrice have reduced caries increment. However there is no information about the effectiveness of the professional cross-brushing technique within a community intervention. The aim was to assess if the bucco-lingual technique can increase the effectiveness of a school-based supervised toothbrushing program on preventing caries. Methods A randomized double-blinded controlled community intervention trial to be analyzed at an individual level was conducted in a Brazilian low-income fluoridated area. Six preschools were randomly assigned to the test and control groups and 284 five-year-old children presenting at least one permanent molar with emerged/sound occlusal surface participated. In control group, oral health education and dental plaque dying followed by toothbrushing with fluoride dentifrice supervised directly by a dental assistant, was developed four times per year. At the remaining school days the children brushed their teeth under indirect supervising of the teachers. In test group, children also underwent a professional cross-brushing on surfaces of first permanent molar rendered by a specially trained dental assistant five times per year. Enamel and dentin caries were recorded on buccal, occlusal and lingual surfaces of permanent molars during 18-month follow-up. Exposure time of surfaces was calculated and incidence density ratio was estimated using Poisson regression model. Results Difference of 21.6 lesions per 1,000 children between control and test groups was observed. Among boys whose caries risk was higher compared to girls, incidence density was 50% lower in test group (p = 0.016). Conclusion Modified program was effective among the boys. It is licit to project a relevant effect in a larger period suggesting in a broader population substantial reduction of dental care needs. Trial registration ISRCTN18548869

Prevalence of sealants in relation to dental caries on the permanent molars of 12 and 15-year-old Greek adolescents. A national pathfinder survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of sealants as an effective measure for the prevention of pit and fissure caries in children has been well documented by several studies; either they are used on an individual or on a public health basis. In order to plan and establish a national preventive program with sealants in a community, it is mandatory to know the epidemiological pattern of caries along with other variables influencing their use and effectiveness. Aims: To assess the utilization and distribution pattern of pit and fissure sealants on the first and second permanent molars of Greek adolescents and to evaluate whether the existing usage of sealants and some socio-demographic factors are correlated to caries prevalence on the population examined</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A stratified cluster sample of 2481 Greek adolescents was selected according to WHO guidelines (1224 twelve and 1,257 fifteen-year-old), living in urban and rural areas in 11 districts within the country. Five calibrated examiners carried out clinical examinations, recording caries experience at the dentine threshold (BASCD criteria) and presence or absence of sealants along with Socio-demographic indicators associated with oral health. Mann Whitney and Pearson's chi-square non parametric tests were utilized for assessing the data. The level of significance was p < 0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sealants utilization varied considerably within the different districts, with 8,3% of the 12 and 8,0% of the 15-year-old adolescents having at least one sealed molar. Sealants reduced DMFS scores by 11% in the 12-year-olds and by 24% in the 15-year-olds, while 15-year-old adolescents from rural areas had a statistically significant (p = 0.002) less chance of having sealants (71%) compared to children from urban areas. Girls had higher chance to receive sealants in both age groups (26% for the 12 and 19% for the 15-year-old) as well as patients that visited the dentist for prevention compared to those visiting the dentist because they thought they needed a restoration or because they were in pain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The finding that sealants reduced DMFS scores despite their very low utilization, along with the high prevalence of dental caries found on the occlusal surfaces of the posterior teeth of Greek adolescents, is calling for a national preventive program with sealants which could eliminate caries to a larger extent.</p

Влијание на кинеската традиционална медицина за лекување на болки во грбот

Болките во грбот претставуваат еден од почестите проблеми со кој се соочуваат луѓето во нивниот секојдневен живот и се најчеста причина за значајни загуби на работните денови. Хроничните болки во грбот станаа една од најчестите причини за боледување кај вработените на возраст под 45 години. Кога луѓето остануваат дома заради повреда во грбот, само 65% се враќаат на работа по една недела и речиси 14% се сеуште отсутни по еден месец. И ако некој е на боледување подолго од шест месеци, има само 50% шанси да се врати на работа. Поголемиот дел од болките во грбот се должат на иритација на зглобовите, или притисок врз лигаментите и мускулите од заболени дискови или шилци. Притисокот врз нервните завршетоци исто така може, да доведе до болки во грбот и нозете. Многу фактори можат да ги влошат болките во грбот. Доживеаниот стрес, преголемата тежина, неправилното држење на телото и лошата кондиција можат да ги влошат или продолжат болките во грбот. Постојат огромен број причини за појава на болки во грбот, но најчесто се работи за една од следниве: механички проблеми, повреди, стекнати болести, инфекции и тумори и емоционален стрес. Кинеската традиционална медицина се развивала во денешна Кина, потоа била пренесена во Јапонија, Кореа, Монголија, Виетнам, Филипините и др. Од физиолошка гледна точка, древните лекари го разгледувале човечкиот организам како сложен систем, во кој елементите се функционално поврзани. Тие си го претставиле телото како “монада“, поделено на два еднакви дела Jин и Јан. Јан го претставува машкиот дел или татковото потекло, кој се изразува во секое светло, активно, суво, топло, творечко, постојано. Jин е од мајчинско потекло кое се изразува како влажно, ладно, темно, сокриено, пасивно. Здравото тело олицетворение на хармонијата помеѓу Јан и Jин. Дисбалансот помеѓу нив доведува до болест. Друга претстава од страна на старата источна медицина е взаемното дејство помеѓу петте елементи – симболи на физичката состојба на природата: дрвото – црн дроб, оган – срце, земја – панкреас, метал – бели дробови, вода – бубрези. Древните научници откриле точки кои ги нарекле космички точки. Боцкањето со игли, загревањето со мокса, притисокот и масажата во тие точки доведува до подобрување на состојбата. Исто така била откриена и т.н. космичка енергија или Чи која што се движи по невидливите канали - меридијаните. Меридијаните се 12 парни кои се расположени по двете страни на телото и два непарни, кои на краевите се поврзани со внатрешните клонови еден со друг и така енергијата Чи циркулира низ телото во еден затворен систем. Секој меридијан има најголема активност по 2 часа дневно. Кај болков синдром меридијаните со нивните билошко – активни точки (БАТ) се место на надворешна симптоматика и перку нив може да се дијагностицира. Точките стануваат болни, со покачена температура и тврди. Треба да се знае дека точките не се поставени во близина на болниот орган, туку тие се наоѓаат по меридијаните. Акупресурата како метода има предност затоа што е безболна и безкрвна процедура, не е потребна специјална техника и лесно се применува. Таа се употребува за покачување на заштитните сили на организмот, за тонизирање, за подобрување и одржување на општата состојба, се употребува и како профилактички метод. Може да се употреби и со други терапевтски методи: класична или сегментарна масажа, климато терапија, балнео терапија. Клучни зборови Акупресура – метод на лекување со притискање. Јин – вид на енергија во телото кое го претставува женскиот пол Јан – вид на енергија во телото кое го претставува машкиот по

Protective psychosocial factors and dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial protective factors include dispositional and family attributes that may reduce the occurrence of dental caries. AIM: This review analysed the evidence on the relationship between protective psychosocial factors and dental caries in children and adolescents. DESIGN: Primary studies involving children and adolescents were searched in the following electronic databases: Medline, SCOPUS, LILACS, SciELO, and Web of Science. The reference lists were also screened. Protective psychosocial factor descriptors were in accordance with the salutogenic theory. The outcome was clinical measure of dental caries. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. RESULTS: The final search resulted in 35 studies, including 7 cohort, one case-control, and 27 cross-sectional studies. Most studies were of moderate quality. Meta-analyses revealed that low parental internal locus of control (cohort studies: OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.64; cross-sectional studies: OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.19-1.41), high parental external chance (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.29), and high maternal sense of coherence (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.93) were associated with dental caries in children. High social support (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93) and greater self-efficacy (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.12-1.22) were also associated with dental caries in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence suggests that some salutogenic factors are important protective factors of dental caries during childhood and adolescence

Dental health in 13-year-olds in Vasterbotten County, Sweden. Changes over twenty years

An epidemiological study of the prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis in 13-year-olds was carried out in the county of Vasterbotten, Sweden, in 1987. Besides providing information on the dental health of this age group, prevalence data were compared with data from earlier surveys of the same age group carried out in 1967 and 1977, covering the same areas and applying the same diagnostic criteria and methods. The results showed a marked decrease in the prevalence of caries and gingivitis. The mean number of DMF surfaces was 4.6, compared to 9.0 in 1977 and 19.0 in 1967. The mean GBI% was reduced from 33% to 21% between 1977 and 1987. In contrast to the results from 1967 and 1977 the differences in mean DMF values between the three areas were nonsignificant in 1987. The decline in dental caries is most probably due to an extended regular dental care with a strong preventive approach. Only slight differences in dental health were found between the three areas in 1987 in contrast to in 1977 and 1967. The most likely reason was probably that larger resources had been allocated to preventive programmes in the rural areas than in the city of Umea

Costs for prevention of dental caries in a group of Swedish teenagers

The aim of this study was to analyse the costs for 4 years of prevention of dental caries in 92 Swedish adolescents. Using records, the total time allocated to prevention between 1987 and 1991 was calculated. Costs for prevention was assessed from the total cost for dental service at the clinic. The cost for one hour of dental service was SEK 860, 80 pounds. The total cost for prevention in the study group during 4 years was SEK 40,162, 3,744 pounds. The amount spent on prevention in the low or average caries active group of adolescents during 4 years was less than half the sum spent in the high caries active group

Marginal bone loss in 16-year-old Swedish adolescents in 1975 and 1988

Abstract The study was designed to compare the prevalence of marginal bone loss in 2 cohorts of 16-year-old adolescents, born in 1959 and 1972, respectively. Bitewing radiographs from 400 adolescents in each group were evaluated and the presence of bone loss (distance between the cementoenamel junction and the alveolar crest > 2 mm), calculus, restorations and proximal dental caries were recorded. The prevalence of bone loss was 3.5% in 1975 as well as in 1988. Bone loss was found most frequently at the mesial and distal surfaces of the first maxillary molar. The prevalence of calculus was 12% in 1975 and 7% in 1988. The mean DPS for proximal surfaces was 3.1 in 1975 and 0.8 in 1988. No statistically verified dependence was found between bone loss and calculus, or bone loss and proximal caries