Cancer patients hospitalised for palliative reasons. Symptoms and needs presented at a university hospital.

The aim of this study was to identify patients in need of palliative care in 11 different care units with a total of 256 beds at Linköping University Hospital and to look at their overall situation with respect to assessed symptom control and quality of life. There were 46 patients fulfilling the two criteria of incurable cancer and need for palliative care, and each was assessed with the aid of a questionnaire (five oral questions on life situation) and a single visual analogue scale (VAS) about their overall quality of life (QoL). Each patient also assessed him- or herself on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS).

Nutritional status and dental caries in a large sample of 4- and 5-year-old South African children.

Background: Evidence from studies involving small samples of children in Africa, India and South America suggests a higher dental caries rate in malnourished children. A comparison was done to evaluate wasting and stunting and their association with dental caries in four samples of South African children.

Design: Cross-sectional study based on random sampling of birth records of two age bands.

On the pH-lowering potential of lactobacilli and mutans streptococci from dental plaque related to the prevalence of caries.

The common method used today to identify persons at risk of dental caries is to estimate the numbers of cariogenic bacteria such as lactobacilli and mutans streptococci in saliva or plaque samples taken from the patient. However, the value of these bacterial counts for explaining and predicting individuals at risk of caries has not been powerful enough. Evaluating one virulence factor such as the acidogenicity of these bacteria might increase their explanatory values for caries.

Number of mutans streptococci or lactobacilli in a total dental plaque sample does not explain the variation in caries better than the numbers in stimulated whole saliva.

For practical reasons the numbers of mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli (LB) in plaque are commonly estimated from saliva samples. The saliva counts are considered to be a reasonable indicator of the entire dentition's total microbial load. However, the value of salivary counts for explaining and predicting caries have been found to be low.

Anomalies in the permanent dentition and other oral findings in 29 individuals with Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

This paper reports a clinical and roentgenological examination of the teeth, jaws and saliva of 29 Scandinavian individuals with Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl (LMBB) syndrome, whose cardinal signs are retinal dystrophy, polydactyly, obesity, hypogenitalism and mental retardation. All subjects had at least three of these signs, including retinal dystrophy. Compared with normal subjects, the group had statistically significantly higher frequencies of hypodontia, small teeth and short roots.

Influence of social factors on sugary products behavior in 4-year-old children with regard to dental caries experience and information at child health centers.

The aim was to analyze the steering effects of 15 social factors on sugary products behavior at 4 years of age in 177 children. The parents had in most cases received information on dental health care at child health centers, with due respect to the level of caries among the children, who were classified as 'healthy' (no caries experience) (n = 83) or 'diseased' (caries experience) (n = 84). The parents filled in a mailed diet history form.

Salivary lactobacilli explain dental caries better than salivary mutants streptococci in 4-5-year-old children.

The present comparative study was undertaken to determine which of the bacteria, lactobacilli (lbc) and mutans streptococci (ms), in saliva better explains the variation of caries in 2728 South African 4-5-yr-old children. Caries was diagnosed according to WHO criteria. For lbc, the Dentocult system was used.

A modified palatal arch for treatment of unilateral functional cross-bite in the primary dentition.

A modified palatal arch, based on the classical principle of the safety pin and aimed at bilateral expansion in cases with a unilateral functional cross-bite, is described. It is illustrated with case reports.

Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and placental plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-2) in gingival fluid from 8-9-year-old children.

High concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and placental type plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-2) have previously been found in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of adults. In the present study, the levels were examined in 16 children aged 8-9 yr. Sampling of GCF was performed with small disks of Millipore-filter.

Prevalence of dental caries in 4- to 5-year-old children partly explained by presence of salivary mutans streptococci.

The correlation between dental caries and the number of oral mutans group streptococci (ms) present has been shown to be weak. The aim of this investigation was to study associations between caries experience (decayed, missing, and filled surfaces [dmfs]) and the number of ms in stimulated saliva, with emphasis on the level of disease and the confounding effect of regular intake of sweets, the presence of salivary lactobacilli, and oral hygiene. In some 2,700 4- to 5-year-old South African children of different ethnic origins, caries was diagnosed on the basis of World Health Organization criteria and saliva samples were analyzed for ms after cultivation on mitis salivarius-bacitracin agar and for lactobacilli by using the Dentocult kit.

Clinical evaluation of preventive and class-I composite resin restorations.

This study was initiated in 1986 in response to increased interest in restorative procedures favoring preservation of tooth substance and in the search for alternatives to dental amalgams. Eighty-seven preventive resin restorations in permanent molars and 35 occlusal composite resin restorations in primary molars (limited size) and 13 in premolars were followed up for 2 years. They were placed by a large number of operators, mainly dental students under supervision, and rated by five calibrated instructors in accordance with an internationally accepted system for the evaluation of the clinical performance of dental materials.

Sweets and other sugary products tend to be the primary etiologic factors in dental caries.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between caries incidence and each of seven caries-related factors in a group of 15- to 18-yr-olds as well as in single and combined subgroups representing favorable or less favorable fractions of six of the factors. Sixty-nine 18-yr-olds were interviewed about consumption of sweets and other sugar-containing products during the past 3 yr and examined for oral hygiene, salivary counts of mutants streptococci and lactobacilli, salivary flow rate and oral sugar clearance time at the ages of 15 and 18. Simple linear correlations and a stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to compare ranks and explanatory values.

Variation of posterior approximal caries incidence with consumption of sweets with regard to other caries-related factors in 15-18-year-olds.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between caries incidence and a number of caries-related factors in 15-18-yr-olds, in order to estimate the explanatory value of consumption of sweets under different conditions. Sixty-nine 18-yr-olds were interviewed about consumption of sweets and other sugar-containing products during the past 3 yr. Data on oral hygiene, salivary counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, salivary flow rate and oral sugar clearance time were collected when the individuals were 15 and 18 yr old.

Correlations between caries prevalence and potential etiologic factors in large samples of 4-5-yr-old children.

A data base containing information on dental caries, oral hygiene, gingival state, Streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus counts, and salivary flow rate and buffer capacity in some 2800 4-5-yr-old South African children was created in 1984. The children were equally distributed in four groups; rural black, urban black, urban Indian, and urban white. In this study, the data were used for simple linear correlations between all the factors including caries as well as stepwise multiple regression analyses between caries prevalence and the independent factors in each of the four groups.

Elastic outward bending of loaded buccal and lingual premolar walls in relation to cavity size and form.

The aim was to study effects of the size and form of the occlusal part of Class II cavities on elastic outward bending during loading of buccal and lingual walls, separated by the preparation. Twenty newly extracted caries-free premolars were used. A special arrangement for standardized cavity preparation was set up.

Correlation between child caries incidence and S. mutans/lactobacilli in saliva after correction for confounding factors.

The correlation between caries incidence and Streptococcus mutans/lactobacilli in saliva was studied in two different age groups, followed from ages 5 to 7 and from 12 to 14. The coefficients of correlation were computed before and after correction for the confounding effect of oral hygiene and the alternative bacteria. The best value for S.

Hard tissue barrier formation in pulpotomized monkey teeth capped with cyanoacrylate or calcium hydroxide for 10 and 60 minutes.

Monkey incisor teeth were pulpotomized in groups of 10. After physiological hemostasis, the pulps of group I were covered with isobutyl cyanoacrylate, and those of groups II and III with calcium hydroxide for 10 and 60 minutes, respectively, whereafter this compound was washed away and the wound surfaces covered with Teflon. In group IV, calcium hydroxide was used as a positive control, and Teflon as a negative control in group V.

Preeruptive effect of NaF tablets on caries in children from 12 to 17 years of age.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preeruptive effect of NaF tablets on caries in proximal surfaces of permanent molars and premolars. The material consisted of 47 subjects who had consumed fluoride tablets for a minimum of 5 yr between 1/2 and 6 yr of age in accordance with recommendations from the National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare (F+-group) and 69 comparable children who had never consumed such tablets (F(-)-group). All had resided since birth in an area with a water fluoride concentration of 0.

Diagnosis of mild enamel fluorosis in permanent maxillary incisors using two scoring systems.

The main purpose of this study was to compare the diagnosis of mild enamel fluorosis as established by two scoring systems, that of Dean based primarily on quantitative aspects and that of Thylstrup & Fejerskov with a preferentially qualitative approach. A further aim was to study the prevalence of fluorosis in permanent maxillary incisors after intake of fluoride tablets for a minimum of 5 yr between 1/2 and 6 yr of age in accordance with recommendations from the National Swedish Board of Health and Welfare. Maxillary incisors were examined in 118 13-yr-old children; 49 constituted a tablet group and the remaining 69 a control group who had never consumed tablets.

Model for the study of the preeruptive effect of NaF tablets on caries in permanent teeth.

The purpose of this study was to elaborate a model for estimating the caries-reducing effect of a preventive measure with due consideration of background factors. The material comprised 50 children, who had consumed NaF tablets regularly during preschool age, and 76 comparable children who had never consumed NaF tablets. They were all examined at 12 and 13 yr of age.

Early prediction of long-term margin adaptation of dental amalgam restorations.

The present study assessed the predictive value of an indirect metric method for the early detection of margin defects of amalgam restorations, relative to results using a direct clinical method. The material consisted of plaster casts of amalgam restorations taken at 1- and 2-yr examinations of four different amalgam-treatment combinations. The widest margin defect of each restoration was measured in a dissection microscope equipped with a metric scale in the ocular.