Acid Rather Than Nonacid Reflux Burden Is a Predictor of Tooth Erosion.

Objectives: The relation between tooth erosion (TE) and gastroesophageal reflux in children has not been clearly established, and there are no studies to determine the relation with refluxate height, nonacid reflux, and erosions. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between TE and acid and nonacid gastroesophageal refluxes measured using combined pH and multichannel intraluminal impedance (pH-MII).

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of children presenting for pH-MII testing.

Time delays in treating dental trauma at a children's hospital and private pediatric dental practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the time interval between a child sustaining a dental injury and the rendering of treatment in a hospital setting and a private pediatric dental practice.

Methods: Data were collected from the patient records of children treated for dental trauma at a children's hospital emergency department, a children's hospital dental clinic, and a private pediatric dental practice. Data included demographics and the time, date, type of injury, and its treatment.

The use of local anesthesia during dental rehabilitations: a survey of AAPD members.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document current practices among pediatric and general dentists who are members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) regarding the use of local anesthesia (LA) on children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA).

Methods: A survey was administered via e-mail to AAPD members to document the use of LA during dental rehabilitations under GA and the rationales for its use.

Results: A total of 952 of 5,599 members responded to this survey; 79 percent of respondents use LA at least part of the time during dental rehabilitations under GA.

Premature loss of primary anterior teeth due to trauma--potential short- and long-term sequelae.

Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) can result in the premature loss of primary anterior teeth due to an immediate avulsion, extraction later after the injury because of poor prognosis or late complications, or early exfoliation. There are a number of potential considerations or sequelae as a result of this premature loss that have been cited in the dental literature, which include esthetics, quality of life, eating, speech development, arch integrity (space loss), development and eruption of the permanent successors, and development of oral habits. This article provides a comprehensive review of the dental literature on the possible consequences of premature loss of maxillary primary incisors following TDI.

Massachusetts emergency departments' resources and physicians' knowledge of management of traumatic dental injuries.

Background: Hospital emergency departments (ED) are confronted with triaging and managing dental emergencies of both traumatic and non-traumatic origin. However, the literature suggests that there exists inadequate knowledge of the management of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) among medical professionals who must be knowledgeable and have the appropriate resources needed to triage or treat patients presenting with TDI.

Aim: The aims of this study were to (i) evaluate the resources of Massachusetts emergency departments (MEDs) for TDI, (ii) determine the knowledge of management of TDI among MED physicians, and (iii) investigate potential factors that affect their knowledge.

Prenatal lead levels, plasma amyloid β levels, and gene expression in young adulthood.

Background: Animal studies suggest that early-life lead exposure influences gene expression and production of proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objectives: We attempted to assess the relationship between early-life lead exposure and potential biomarkers for AD among young men and women. We also attempted to assess whether early-life lead exposure was associated with changes in expression of AD-related genes.

Part 3: neglect.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the current rate of observing and reporting of child neglect among Massachusetts dentists and to identify possible factors associated with child neglect observation and reporting behaviors.

Methods: A web-based questionnaire was emailed to 3,451 members of the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS). The questionnaire was divided into three parts: demographic information on the dentists and their practices; knowledge and reporting behaviors of child maltreatment; and educational experiences with child maltreatment.

Part 2: abuse.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the current rate of observing and reporting of child abuse among Massachusetts dentists, determine if there have been changes since a similar 1975 survey, and review possible factors associated with child abuse observation and reporting behaviors.

Methods: A web-based questionnaire was emailed to 3,451 members of the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS). The questionnaire was divided into three parts: demographic information on the dentists and their practices; knowledge and reporting behaviors of child maltreatment; and educational experiences with child maltreatment.

Part 1: knowledge and educational experience.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the current knowledge and educational experiences of Massachusetts dentists regarding child maltreatment and to compare those findings to a similar survey completed in 1975.

Methods: A web-based questionnaire was emailed to 3,451 members of the Massachusetts Dental Society. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: demographic information on the dentists and their practices; knowledge and reporting behaviors of child maltreatment; and educational experiences with child maltreatment.

Blood lead levels and associated sociodemographic factors among preschool children in the South Eastern region of China.

Children are especially vulnerable to lead toxicity, and exposure to lead has been linked to poor school performance and delinquency in children and adolescents. Even low-level lead exposure [blood lead level (BLL) <10 µg/dL] can cause intellectual deficit. In China, BLLs in children decreased slightly after the phasing out of lead in gasoline, but few studies have examined the sociodemographic factors associated with BLL above 10 µg/dL.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to study children's health in China: experiences and reflections.

Background: Community-based participatory research principles have been successfully applied to public health research in U.S. settings.

The art and science of managing traumatic injuries to primary teeth.

The selection of an appropriate treatment protocol and the rendering of treatment to children with traumatic injuries of their primary teeth are often more challenging than doing so for the permanent teeth of older individuals. This article discusses general considerations involving patient, parent, dentist, dental anatomy and occlusion that are responsible for the differences between the treatment protocols for the management of traumatic dental injuries to primary teeth and those for permanent teeth.

Regular breakfast and blood lead levels among preschool children.

Background: Previous studies have shown that fasting increases lead absorption in the gastrointestinal tract of adults. Regular meals/snacks are recommended as a nutritional intervention for lead poisoning in children, but epidemiological evidence of links between fasting and blood lead levels (B-Pb) is rare. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between eating a regular breakfast and B-Pb among children using data from the China Jintan Child Cohort Study.

Low-level environmental lead exposure in childhood and adult intellectual function: a follow-up study.

Background: Early life lead exposure might be a risk factor for neurocognitive impairment in adulthood.

Objectives: We sought to assess the relationship between early life environmental lead exposure and intellectual function in adulthood. We also attempted to identify which time period blood-lead concentrations are most predictive of adult outcome.

Personality types of pediatric dentists: comparative analysis and associated factors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the personality types of pediatric dentists and associated variables.

Methods: A survey containing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and demographic and practice questions was mailed to 500 pediatric dentists.

Results: The responding 214 pediatric dentists preferred sensing over intuition, feeling over thinking and judging over perceiving.

Low level lead exposure: history and discovery.

The history of lead toxicity spans 2 millennnia. With increasingly sensitive methods, deficits due to lead exposure have been demonstrated at lower and lower doses. Persuasive evidence suggests that no threshold for lead toxicity exists.

Association of cumulative lead and neurocognitive function in an occupational cohort.

Lead is a neurotoxicant that accumulates in bone with a half life of 25-30 years. To evaluate the association of lead biomarkers and cognitive function, a cohort of exposed and nonexposed workers who had been previously assessed in 1982 was retested approximately 22 years later. For the current assessment, both blood lead and tibia bone lead levels were determined.

Postoperative pain and other sequelae of dental rehabilitations performed on children under general anesthesia.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity and variables influencing postoperative pain and other sequelae in children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia.

Methods: Healthy children scheduled for dental rehabilitation having treatment on only primary teeth were included in the study. General anesthesia protocol was standardized, and patients did not receive local anesthesia intraoperatively.

The case of Deborah Rice: who is the Environmental Protection Agency protecting?

Why did the EPA dismiss a highly respected neurotoxicologist as chair of its external review panel on the fire retardant deca? Pioneering lead researcher Herbert Needleman, MD, argues that the answer has little to do with science.

Past occupational exposure to lead: association between current blood lead and bone lead.

Mobilization of lead from bone is known to increase with age. The authors performed the current study to determine whether there was an association between current blood lead and bone lead in workers with no current exposure but with significant past workplace exposure. The authors assessed 58 men, aged 40 to 76 years, who had earlier exposure to lead and determined both current blood lead levels and bone lead levels.