What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

More than 90% of the world’s population suffer from one or more oral conditions that affects their oral health related quality of life. Edentulism (partial or full) is a major public health problem especially in poorer settings where people have limited options to manage tooth pain, tooth decay or periodontal disease. Often the only treatment option available is tooth extraction resulting in early tooth loss. In other settings, for example, the Western Cape, cultural and traditional norms practiced over generations has resulted in some of the highest edentulism rates in the world. Placement of a stainless steel crown (SSC) is the most commonly recommended restoration following endodontic treatment of primary molars,1 as it provides a good coronal seal, preventing microbial infiltration or restoration failure over time. However, dental aesthetics are compromised due to colour characteristics of the SSCs, which may influence child's and parent's acceptance, especially when compared to more aesthetic options such as composite resins (CRs)

What’s new for the clinician – summaries of recently published papers (October 2023)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. Around 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low- and middle-income countries. In 2020, 22.3% of the world’s population used tobacco: 36.7% of men and 7.8% of women

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

Periodontitis is a chronic oral disease characterized by inflammation of the gingiva and/or destruction of the connective tissue and alveolar bone that support the teeth. Subgingival microorganisms that adhere to and grow in the periodontal pocket, along with excessive and aggressive immune response against these microorganisms, are considered to cause periodontitis. Therefore, the primary purpose of periodontal treatment is to control subgingival microorganisms. Surgical removal of the third molar is one of the most common interventions in oral surgery and postoperative complaints occur quite frequently. Many clinicians routinely prescribe antibiotics pre-operatively to reduce the chances of post-op infection although there is no consensus on whether this is the best protocol to adopt

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

The lack of a cure for COVID-19 infection has spawned a host of treatment and preventative approaches directed at either the virus, strengthening of the immune system or management of the signs and symptoms associated with the disease. Vitamin D is thought to play an effective role in immune system functioning, which can help in a satisfactory cellular response and in protecting against the severity of infections caused by microorganisms1. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D below 50nmol/l) has also been associated with severe COVID-19 raising discussions about the benefits of supplementation of this vitamin when treating the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2. In Europe, an association has been identified between vitamin D deficiency in the population and higher COVID-19 mortality rates implying that that countries closer to the equator present lower COVID-19 mortality rates than those further from the equator

What’s new for the clinician – summaries of recently published papers (April 2023)

Dental implants are a common treatment modality that is offered to many patients. There is therefore a good chance that many oral health professionals (dentists, dental therapists, oral hygienists, dental specialists) will encounter such patients in their private or public dental clinics. Barrak and colleagues (2023)1 have highlighted the mismatch between the knowledge and skill requirement of the general dental practitioner (GDP) in managing such patients and the training provided at undergraduate (UG) and general postgraduate (PG) levels. Studies in the UK among dental schools there and in Ireland have shown that most schools provided lecture-based information with no clinical trainingat undergraduate level on implant dentistry. This, despite the fact that most implants were in fact placed by dentists who had little training in their undergraduate training

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

The Corona pandemic fundamentally changed the world of business, communication, healthcare delivery and infection control in the last 2-3 years. Dentistry, which was already a high-risk category during the HIV pandemic went into a lockdown that saw many practices close or offer very limited non-aerosol generating procedures (non-AGPs) during this period. The science and best practice also changed significantly from an initial period where interventions such as fogging, mandatory testing with the slightest presentation of symptoms, isolation of suspected covid-19 infected patients, etc resulted in closure or limited scope of practice being offered at most private and public facilities. SARSCoV-2 is mainly transmitted through droplets and aerosol particles

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

At the 74th session of the World Health Assembly held from 24 May to 1 June 2021, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved a landmark resolution on oral health. The resolution recognized the global burden of oral diseases and their associations with other conditions, urging Member States to address shared risk factors, enhance the professional capacity of oral health professionals to deliver consistent and quality care, and to include oral health in universal health coverage (UHC) benefit packages. It also requested WHO to develop a global strategy and action plan on oral health with 2030 targets, among other follow-up actions

What’s new for the clinician – summaries of recently published papers (March 2023)

In a world of increasing emphasis on aesthetics and beauty, the tooth form, colour and appearance has taken on significant importance in the overall makeover that many patients seek as part of their quest for beauty and youthfulness. Common concerns among many patients relate to the appearance and colour of their teeth. This dissatisfaction has led to an increased desire for treatments that improve dental aesthetics, including tooth bleaching, which is a conservative and viable option for attaining a patient’s desired smile when tooth integrity is acceptable.

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

There is substantial published literature describing the relationship between systemic health and oral, particularly periodontal health1. To list a few, periodontal diseases have been linked to cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, dementia, respiratory diseases, and mortality, where an inflammatory pathway was depicted.1 Another line of research has examined the association between the number of teeth, severe dental caries, and general health among older adults and children, suggesting a nutritional pathway.1 In the United Kingdom (UK), DEPPA, the Denplan PreViser Patient Assessment, is used an online tool that assesses patients’ risk of developing future oral disease and their current oral health status is recorded using the composite 'Oral Health Score' (OHS) . Online questionnaires are completed by patient and practitioner using data collected in a routine examination

What’s new for the clinician– summaries of recently published papers

Particles, particularly aerosols, and splatter generated during routine dental procedures have been shown to have the potential to transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus to patients. Thus, controlling the spread of aerosolized particles has become one of the core strategies for reducing occupationally acquired infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus1 . The World Health Organization (WHO) defines splatter as particles greater than 100 μm in size, droplets as particles between 5 and 100 μm in size, and aerosols as particles smaller than 5 μm. 1 Dental procedures generate particles that are a mixture of saliva, blood, water coolant, plaque, gingival crevicular fluid, tooth hard tissue debris, calculus, and dental restorative materials that generate potential hazards to dental professionals.1 The extent and spread pattern of common dental AGPs need to be identified before applying mitigating strategies