Can the sustainable development goal 9 support an untreated early childhood caries elimination agenda?

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a global public health challenge that requires innovation, infrastructure, and health system influences to bolster initiatives for its management and control. The aim of this scoping review was to investigate the published evidence on the association between ECC and the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9) concerned with industry, innovation, and infrastructure development.

Methods: The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Introduction: The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 calls for universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are crucial elements of health and well-being and fundamental for a life in dignity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease affecting health and quality of life of millions of young children worldwide. This scoping review aims to explore the connection between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation.

Caries status in 12-year-old children, geographical location and socioeconomic conditions across European countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Understanding of socioeconomic context might enable more efficient evidence-based preventive strategies in oral health.

Aim: The study assessed the caries-related socioeconomic macro-factors in 12-year-olds across European countries.

Design: This systematic review involved epidemiological surveys on the caries status of 12-year-olds from 2011 to 2022.

Scoping review on the association between early childhood caries and responsible resource consumption and production: exploring Sustainable Development Goal 12.

Background: The Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG12) promotes patterns that minimize waste and maximize resource utilization. It is therefore plausible that preventing Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and promoting oral health can contribute to sustainable consumption. In addition, sustainable consumption and production can contribute to the control of ECC.

Scoping review on the link between economic growth, decent work, and early childhood caries.

Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a prevalent chronic non-communicable disease that affects millions of young children globally, with profound implications for their well-being and oral health. This paper explores the associations between ECC and the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8).

Methods: The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

Child dental neglect and legal protections: a compendium of briefs from policy reviews in 26 countries and a special administrative region of China.

Background: Child neglect is a public health, human rights, and social problem, with potentially devastating and costly consequences. The aim of this study was to: (1) summarize the oral health profile of children across the globe; (2) provide a brief overview of legal instruments that can offer children protection from dental neglect; and (3) discuss the effectiveness of these legal instruments.

Methods: We summarized and highlighted the caries profile and status of implementation of legislation on child dental neglect for 26 countries representing the World Health Organization regions: five countries in Africa (Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe), eight in the Americas (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Unites States of America, Uruguay), six in the Eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Iran, Libya, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia), four in Europe (Italy, Latvia, Serbia, United Kingdom), two in South-East Asia (India and Indonesia) and one country (China) with its special administrative region (Hong Kong) in the Western Pacific.

Early leaf responses of cell physiological and sensor-based signatures reflect susceptibility of wheat seedlings to infection by leaf rust.

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Erikss. can have devastating effects on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), causing severe economic losses.

The Participation of Pediatric Dentists in Oral Health Promotion and Education in Serbia.

Objectives: To identify the involvement of Serbian paediatric dentists in oral health promotion and education, and to propose further actions for the improvement of these activities.

Methods: This is an analysis of data collected by a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of 445 dentists involved in the provision of dental health services to children at the primary healthcare level. We explored dentists' involvement in oral health education and promotion and the cooperation with other health professionals at the healthcare centre and the community level as well as their attitudes towards the importance of some factors influencing their work.

Multilevel calibration procedure for the oral health national multicenter survey in primary teeth.

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) requires systematically collected and standardized data.

Aim: To describe a novel multilevel calibration procedure in primary dentition.

Design: Calibration method involved two calibration levels: the first (L ) involved an interexaminer agreement between three main investigators, the group leaders (GLs) in the following level; the second level (L ) involved three groups of 11 paediatric dentists and interexaminer agreement assessment according to the GLs in each group.

Using role play to develop positive attitudes toward people with disabilities among dental students: An exploratory pilot study.

Introduction: Comprehensive and interprofessional undergraduate teaching and training in special care dentistry (SCD) could influence future dentists' attitudes towards patients with disabilities. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of role play as part of SCD training on the attitudes of undergraduates towards patients with disabilities.

Method: The students attending the SCD module during the autumn semester of 2019 comprised our target population.

Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Response of Different Winter Wheat Varieties under Drought Stress at Germination and Seedling Growth Stage.

Due to climate change in recent years, there has been an increasing water deficit during the winter wheat sowing period. This study evaluated six Croatian winter wheat varieties' physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses under two drought stress levels at the germination/seedling growth stage. Lipid peroxidation was mainly induced under both drought stress treatments, while the antioxidative response was variety-specific.

Pediatric Dentists' Service Provisions in South-East Europe during the First Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic: Lessons Learned about Preventive Measures and Personal Protective Equipment Use.

Introduction: Having in mind the importance of providing continuous pediatric dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that children have similar viral loads to adults, the potential to spread the virus to others, and with variable clinical presentation of COVID-19 infection, this study aimed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on pediatric dentistry service provision, risks, and preventive measures before and during dental treatment.

Method: Structured and closed epidemiological cross-sectional survey involved seven Southeastern European countries. The questionnaire was developed using the modified Delphi method, pretested, and tested in North Italy during April 2020.

Wheat Leaf Antioxidative Status-Variety-Specific Mechanisms of Zinc Tolerance during Biofortification.

In this study, we evaluated the leaf antioxidative responses of three wheat varieties (Srpanjka, Divana, and Simonida) treated with two different forms of zinc (Zn), Zn-sulfate and Zn-EDTA, in concentrations commonly used in agronomic biofortification. Zn concentration was significantly higher in the flag leaves of all three wheat varieties treated with Zn-EDTA compared to control and leaves treated with Zn-sulfate. Both forms of Zn increased malondialdehyde level and total phenolics content in varieties Srpanjka and Divana.

Translation and preliminary validation of the Serbian version of an ageism scale for dental students (ASDS-Serb).

Aims: The ageist attitudes among dental clinicians may result in inadequate treatment planning and reduce quality of life for older adults. This study aimed at performing a preliminary validation of an ageism scale for dental students (ASDS) in Serbia (ASDS-Serb).

Methods And Results: The 27-item ASDS was translated from English into Serbian and completed by 129 dental students.

Construction of AC/DC magnetic syringe device for stimulated drug release, injection and ejection of nanocarriers and testing cytotoxicity .

Iron nanoparticles are used as a targeted drug delivery system. The nanocarrier itself can be genotoxic, trigger oxidative stress or cell death. Therefore, we developed an AC/DC magnetic syringe for injecting, stimulating drug release and safe removing of the nanocarrier.

Oxidative Status and Antioxidative Response to Attack and Different Nitrogen Levels in Winter Wheat Varieties.

Abiotic and biotic stresses, such as mineral nutrition deficiency (especially nitrogen) and attack, pose a global threat with devastating impact on wheat yield and quality losses worldwide. This preliminary study aimed to determine the effect of inoculation and two different nitrogen levels on oxidative status and antioxidative response in nine wheat varieties. Level of lipid peroxidation, activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase), phenolics, and chloroplast pigments content were measured.

An ecological study on the association between universal health service coverage index, health expenditures, and early childhood caries.

Background: Universal health care (UHC) may assist families whose children are most prone to early childhood caries (ECC) in accessing dental treatment and prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between UHC, health expenditure and the global prevalence of ECC.

Methods: Health expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product, UHC service coverage index, and the percentage of 3-5-year-old children with ECC were compared among countries with various income levels using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Perceived Preparedness of Dental Academic Institutions to Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Survey.

Dental academic institutions are affected by COVID-19. We assessed the perceived COVID-19 preparedness of these institutions and the characteristics of institutions with greater perceived preparedness. An international cross-sectional survey of dental academics was conducted from March to August 2020 to assess academics' and institutional attributes, perceived preparedness, and availability of infection prevention and control (IPC) equipment.

AC/DC magnetic device for safe medical use of potentially harmful magnetic nanocarriers.

Continuing our previous research work on a drug delivery system based on combined AC/DC magnetic fields, we have developed a prototype AC/DC magnetic syringe device for stimulation of drug release from drug carriers, with the options of injecting/removing drug carriers. The porous FeO carrier, in a dose-dependent manner, causes acute oxidative damage and reduces the viability of differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, indicating the necessity for its removal once it reaches the therapeutic concentration at the target tissue. The working mechanism of the device consists of three simple steps.

Behavior change due to COVID-19 among dental academics-The theory of planned behavior: Stresses, worries, training, and pandemic severity.

Objective: COVID-19 pandemic led to major life changes. We assessed the psychological impact of COVID-19 on dental academics globally and on changes in their behaviors.

Methods: We invited dental academics to complete a cross-sectional, online survey from March to May 2020.

Study Protocol for an Online Questionnaire Survey on Symptoms/Signs, Protective Measures, Level of Awareness and Perception Regarding COVID-19 Outbreak among Dentists. A Global Survey.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have developed preparedness and prevention checklists for healthcare professionals regarding the containment of COVID-19. The aim of the present protocol is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak among dentists in different countries where various prevalence of the epidemic has been reported. Several research groups around the world were contacted by the central management team.