COVID-19 as an opportunity for minimally-invasive dentistry : a national cross-sectional survey

Funding Information: IM acknowledges financial support from Post-doctoral-Research-Aid-Programme (European Regional Development Fund; 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/543, Contract No 9.-14.5/27). All authors were part-time financed by the project of National Research Program “Impact of COVID-19 on health care system and public health in Latvia; ways in preparing health sector for future epidemics” (Project Nr. VPP-COVID-2020/1-0011). SEU acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 857287. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).BACKGROUND: During the COVID19 pandemic, the Latvian government issued first absolute restrictions (elective treatments prohibited, only emergency care) and later relative restrictions (preference for non-aerosol-generating procedures (AGP) and emergency care) on dental care. This study aims to assess the impact of these restrictions on the decision made by Latvian dentists about caries treatment. METHODS: A Survey-based cross-sectional study was used. A minimum sample size of 174 dentists was estimated for national representativeness (N = 1524). The questionnaire was developed by experts and sent three times via email to Latvian dentists from July to September 2020 and was also delivered in printed form at two national conferences in September and October 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: We received 373 completed questionnaires, with a total response rate of 24.5%. Under the recommendation to reduce AGP for the treatment of uncomplicated caries, 10% of the dentists stated that they would stop attending, 54% would only attend emergencies, and 36% would attend as usual. Under prohibition, the percentages are 15%, 74%, and 11%, respectively. Regarding the type of treatment, more than 75% would opt to proceed with selective caries removal for both primary and permanent teeth and 10% for extraction. CONCLUSION: Latvian dentists are willing to treat patients with caries during the pandemic and state that they prefer to use non- or minimally invasive and less aerosol-generating methods for caries treatment.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Clinical effectiveness/child-patient and parent satisfaction of two topical fluoride treatments for caries: a randomised clinical trial

Knowledge gaps exist regarding optimal silver diammine fluoride (SDF) regimens and the efficacy of new products for arresting dental caries in young children. We evaluated the effectiveness of 38%-SDF (SDI-RivaStar), Tiefenfluorid (TF) comparing with Placebo (P), all in conjunction with behavioural modification (BM), in preventing major complications (endodontic/extractions/pain)—a patient-centred outcome—due to early childhood caries over 12 months in children under 71-months. A six-arm, patient/parent-blinded, superiority, placebo-controlled randomised control trial at the university clinic in Riga, Latvia, from 1/9/20-31/8/22 (Protocol registration ISRCTN17005348). The trial tested six protocols, using three compounds (P/SDF/TF) under two regimes: annual and biannual (P1/P2/TF1/TF2/SDF1/SDF2) for major complications. Secondary outcomes included minor complications and parental satisfaction. All groups received BM. 373/427 randomised children (87.3%) completed the study. SDF2 had a significantly lower rate and risk of major (21.5%, OR = 0.28, 95%CI [0.11, 0.72], p 0.05). SDF biannual application with BM effectively prevented major complications of early childhood caries and was well accepted by children and their parents. Trial registration number: ISRCTN17005348, principal investigator: Ilze Maldupa, registration date: 30/06/2021. Clinical trial registration number: ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN17005348, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17005348, registration date: 30/06/2021

Biologiski aktivu vielu saturosu zobu pastu parbaude gingivita profilakse un arstesana pusaudziem

A 6-12 month double - blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, anticalculus efficiency and the effect on supragingival plaque formation. Laboratory study was also conducted evaluating the influence on local oral immune conditions of three dentifrices containing 0.001% T-activin, 1% enzyme immozime (activity 250 PE (ml)) and placebo dentifrice without any active agents. All dentifrices were based on the basis of dicalciphosphate produced by firm "Dzintars" Latvia. At onset 172 Latvian - Riga city children, 12 and 13 years of age with gingivitis were randomly assigned to one of the three clinical trial groups and 156 subjects completed the trial. 62 children used enzyme-containing dentifrice for 12 months, 44 children used T-activin containing for 6 months and 50 children used placebo dentifrice. All subjects were initially evaluated for PMA, HI and CPITN indices. Influence on local immune conditions in the oral cavity were determined by S IgA; IgA; IgG according to Manchini G. (1965) and lysozyme according to Grant H. (1985) in mixed, non-stimulated saliva. All subjects received oral prophylaxis at baseline and after 6 months. The subjects were evaluated for all clinical and laboratory data after 3, 6, 12 months use of the dentifrice. Students T-test and analysis of variance were employed for statistical analysis with a level of statistical significance set at 5%. After 6 - 12 months clinical trial all three dentifrices had significant anti-inflammatory effect for 76%, the supragingival plaque formation was reduced for 40% and anticalculus effect for 45%. Enzyme containing dentifrice was shown to provide statistically significant reduction in supragingival calculus formation and anti-inflammatory effect comparing to placebo and T-activin dentifrices. Enzyme containing dentifrice suppressed the production of S IgA, decreased the IgA; IgG and lysozyme production in the oral cavity showing anti-inflammatory effect. T-activin containing dentifrice simulated the production of host resistant factors, helping to control periodontal disease activitySeparate summary in Latvian, Russian, English, 20 p.Available from Latvian Academic Library / LAL - Latvian Academic LibrarySIGLELVLatvi

Comparison between measurements of tooth decay with an International Caries Detection and Assessment System method versus the decayed, missing and filled teeth method

Aims & objectives: The purpose of this paper is to provide a contribution to improve knowledge of the gain of information available when using an ICDAS D1MFT method vs. the conventional D3MFT method when analyzing a database of oral health clinical data of populations aged 6 - 15 years old and adults (15+ years) stemming from European (EU) Program "European Global Oral Health Indicators Development” (EGOHID). Materials and method: Clinical epidemiological data were collected in 2008 by a network of ‘sentinel’ dentists with a sample of European population in 8 countries. The EGOHID implementation of ICDAS D1MFT method recommends the collection of data using ICDAS lesion severity codes which gives information on both:  i) initial caries lesions according to the ICDAS method and ii) the more advanced stages of the caries, typically recorded when using the WHO basic method. Results: ICDAS improves detection of initial lesions not disclosed with conventional D3MFTmethods. The loss of information between the traditional method and the ICDAS method is of 40.8 % and 35.1% respectively for populations aged 6 - 15 years. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated very significant information gains in using the EGOHID application of ICDAS in the dental health information system setting.&nbsp