Dental Caries among over 1.5 Million Records of Schoolchildren in Singapore, 2007-2019: Age-Period-Cohort Effect Analyses.

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the effects of age, period (historical events), and cohort (generational impact) (APC) on caries prevalence and mean DMFT among Singapore schoolchildren from 2007 to 2019.

Methods: Anonymised records of all 6-year-old primary 1 (P1), 11-year-old primary 6 (P6), and 14-year-old secondary 3 (S3) students before the start of each school year between 2007 and 2019 were extracted from the Integrated Dental Electronic Assessment System (IDEAS), categorised by school level, ethnicity, and sex. Poisson regression and partial least squares regressions were applied to estimate APC effects.

Acceptance of silver diamine fluoride use in community dwelling older adults, nursing home residents, and caregivers.

Objectives: To compare the level of acceptance of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment between different functional groups of older adults aged 65-years-old and above.

Methods: Three groups were recruited representing functionally-independent ("Community dwelling"), frail ("Nursing home"), and functionally-dependent older adults ("Caregiver": proxy respondent involved in caring for an older adult of all functional levels). Participants viewed a video on SDF and an interviewer-led questionnaire collected demographics, dental experience and perception on SDF use.

Prevalence and experience of dental caries among Singaporean schoolchildren: A time-trend analysis from 2007 to 2019.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe caries prevalence and experience trends of permanent teeth among Singapore schoolchildren between 2007 and 2019.

Methods: Anonymized records of all 6-year-old Primary 1 (P1), 11-year-old Primary 6 (P6) and 14-year-old Secondary 3 (S3) before the start of each school year were extracted from the Integrated Dental Electronic Assessment System (IDEAS) by school level, ethnicity and sex. Prais-Winsten regression was used to assess trends of mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and caries prevalence (% DMFT > 0) among the schoolchildren by school level, with reported Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC) together with respective 95% confidence interval (CI).

Increasing empathy for children in dental students using virtual reality.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) can be used to simulate the viewpoint of a child to allow dental students to experience what a child experiences during a dental visit.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of VR simulation on the empathy and comfort managing children among dental students.

Design: Sixty dental students experienced a VR scenario created for the study.

At what age do children have the motor development to adequately brush their teeth?

Background: There is no consensus regarding when children are ready to brush independently.

Aim: To examine the effects of chronological age and motor development on toothbrushing effectiveness in 5- to 7-year-old children.

Design: In this cross-sectional study, the change in Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) score and the improvement in OHI category (eg, poor to fair) were used to measure toothbrushing effectiveness.

Masticatory function after comprehensive dental treatment in children with severe early childhood caries.

Background: Parents are frequently concerned that their child's mastication may be compromised after comprehensive dental treatment.

Aim: To evaluate changes in masticatory function and food preferences after dental treatment in children with early childhood caries.

Design: This prospective study assessed masticatory function with the (1) mixing ability test using duo-coloured chewing gum and (2) the number of chews/g and time taken to eat six food items before and 3 months after dental treatment.

Parental acceptance of silver diammine fluoride in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have concerns with fluoride/silver content in silver diammine fluoride (SDF).

Aim: To compare parental acceptance of SDF and dental fear between children with and without ASD.

Design: Three hundred parents were enrolled.

Clinical efficacy of a two-year oral health programme for infants and toddlers in Singapore.

Introduction: Dental caries, which is prevalent in Singapore preschoolers, is a disease that has a major impact on children's health and places a high cost on the society and health services. Oral health programmes for young children implemented in some parts of the world have been shown to be effective in the prevention of dental caries. We aimed to examine the clinical efficacy of a two-year oral health programme for infants and toddlers in Singapore.

Unmet dental needs and barriers to dental care among children with autism spectrum disorders.

Mail-in pilot-tested questionnaires were sent to a stratified random sample of 1,500 families from the North Carolina Autism Registry. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the significance of unmet dental needs and other predictors. Of 568 surveys returned (Response Rate = 38%), 555 were complete and usable.

Idiopathic gingival hyperplasia: a case report with a 17-year followup.

This is a case report of a patient with idiopathic gingival hyperplasia and an undiagnosed genetic disorder that demonstrated static encephalopathy, mental retardation, developmental delay, seizures, hypotonia, and severe gingival hypertrophy. The clinical dental management and attempts to obtain a genetic diagnosis are described.