Publications by authors named "Momoko Nakahara"

Oral health behaviors, risk aversion, and the health belief model are associated with health behaviors. However, there have been few studies that investigated the association between these factors and the willingness to undergo regular dental check-ups. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the associations between the willingness of Japanese university students to undergo regular dental check-ups and oral health behaviors, the health belief model, and absolute risk aversion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Self-rated oral health (SROH) is an effective measure of someone's oral health and was evaluated over nine years in Japanese university students through a study involving nearly 18,000 participants who completed exams and questionnaires.
  • - The findings indicated that SROH improved from 2011 to 2019, especially among students who were female and maintained good oral health practices, such as frequent tooth brushing, and had no signs of gum bleeding or tooth decay.
  • - The study also noted a significant interaction between the year of the survey and regular dental check-ups, suggesting that improved oral health behaviors and clinical status contributed to the overall enhancement in SROH over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to characterize the profile and diversity of the oral microbiome of a periodontally non-severe group with ≥20 teeth in comparison with a severe periodontitis group of elderly Japanese people.

Methods: A total of 50 patients who had ≥20 teeth and aged ≥60 years were recruited, and 34 participants (13 non-severe participants) were analyzed. After oral rinse (saliva after rinsing) sample collection, the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced to investigate microbiome composition, alpha diversity (Shannon index, Simpson index, richness, and evenness), and beta diversity using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although some studies showed that lifestyle was associated with oral health behavior, few studies investigated the association between household type and oral health behavior. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the association between household type, oral health behavior, and periodontal status among Japanese university students. Data were obtained from 377 students who received oral examinations and self-questionnaires in 2016 and 2019.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The long-term effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) on dental caries among Japanese young adults remain unclear. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate whether household exposure to SHS is associated with dental caries in permanent dentition among Japanese young adults. The study sample included 1905 first-year university students (age range: 18-19 years) who answered a questionnaire and participated in oral examinations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF