A Pilot Study Exploring Caregivers' Experiences Related to the Use of a Smart Toothbrush by Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Research on caregivers for children with intellectual disabilities, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has highlighted several obstacles to achieving better oral health. These include challenges with tolerating oral care, sensory processing differences, uncooperative behaviors, and communication impairments. There is limited understanding of what caregivers would consider "successful assistance" in improving oral health for these children.

Oral health outcomes in an HIV cohort with comorbidities- implementation roadmap for a longitudinal prospective observational study.

Background: Long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) perpetually suppresses HIV load and has dramatically altered the prognosis of HIV infection, such that HIV is now regarded as a chronic disease. Side effects of ART in Patients With HIV (PWH), has introduced new challenges including "metabolic" (systemic) and oral complications. Furthermore, inflammation persists despite great viral load suppression and normal levels of CD4 cell count.

Photobiomodulation therapy in management of cancer therapy-induced side effects: WALT position paper 2022.

Disclaimer: This article is based on recommendations from the 12 WALT Congress, Nice, October 3-6, 2018, and a follow-up review of the existing data and the clinical observations of an international multidisciplinary panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in the area of supportive care in cancer and/or PBM clinical application and dosimetry. This article is informational in nature. As with all clinical materials, this paper should be used with a clear understanding that continued research and practice could result in new insights and recommendations.

Electronic Cigarette Use Promotes a Unique Periodontal Microbiome.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) have become prevalent as an alternative to conventional cigarette smoking, particularly in youth. E-cig aerosols contain unique chemicals which alter the oral microbiome and promote dysbiosis in ways we are just beginning to investigate. We conducted a 6-month longitudinal study involving 84 subjects who were either e-cig users, conventional smokers, or nonsmokers.

Comparative Effects of E-Cigarette Aerosol on Periodontium of Periodontitis Patients.

Tobacco use is one of the main causes of periodontitis. E-cigarette are gaining in popularity, and studies are needed to better understand the impact of e-cigarettes on oral health. To perform a longitudinal study to evaluate the adverse effects of e-cigarettes on periodontal health.

Electronic cigarette use enriches periodontal pathogens.

The effect of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) smoking, especially its long-term impact on oral health, is poorly understood. Here, we conducted a longitudinal clinical study with two study visits, 6 months apart, to investigate the effect of e-cigarette use on the bacterial community structure in the saliva of 101 periodontitis patients. Our data demonstrated that e-cigarette use altered the oral microbiome in periodontitis patients, enriching members of the Filifactor, Treponema, and Fusobacterium taxa.

Femtomolar SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Using the Microbubbling Digital Assay with Smartphone Readout Enables Antigen Burden Quantitation and Tracking.

Background: High-sensitivity severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen assays are desirable to mitigate false negative results. Limited data are available to quantify and track SARS-CoV-2 antigen burden in respiratory samples from different populations.

Methods: We developed the Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay (MSAA) with smartphone readout, with a limit of detection of 0.

Periodontal dysbiosis associates with reduced CSF Aβ42 in cognitively normal elderly.

Introduction: Periodontal disease is a chronic, inflammatory bacterial dysbiosis that is associated with both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome.

Methods: A total of 48 elderly cognitively normal subjects were evaluated for differences in subgingival periodontal bacteria (assayed by 16S rRNA sequencing) between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker groups of amyloid and neurofibrillary pathology. A dysbiotic index (DI) was defined at the genus level as the abundance ratio of known periodontal bacteria to healthy bacteria.

Femtomolar SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Using the Microbubbling Digital Assay with Smartphone Readout Enables Antigen Burden Quantitation and Dynamics Tracking.

Background: Little is known about the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 antigen burden in respiratory samples in different patient populations at different stages of infection. Current rapid antigen tests cannot quantitate and track antigen dynamics with high sensitivity and specificity in respiratory samples.

Methods: We developed and validated an ultra-sensitive SARS-CoV-2 antigen assay with smartphone readout using the Microbubbling Digital Assay previously developed by our group, which is a platform that enables highly sensitive detection and quantitation of protein biomarkers.

The usefulness of the Electronic Patient Visit Assessment (ePVA) as a clinical support tool for real-time interventions in head and neck cancer.

Background: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience painful, debilitating symptoms and functional limitations that can interrupt cancer treatment, and decrease their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Electronic Patient Visit Assessment (ePVA) for head and neck is a web-based mHealth patient-reported measure that asks questions about 21 categories of symptoms and functional limitations common to HNC. This article presents the development and usefulness of the ePVA as a clinical support tool for real-time interventions for patient-reported symptoms and functional limitations in HNC.

'Cytology-on-a-chip' based sensors for monitoring of potentially malignant oral lesions.

Unlabelled: Despite significant advances in surgical procedures and treatment, long-term prognosis for patients with oral cancer remains poor, with survival rates among the lowest of major cancers. Better methods are desperately needed to identify potential malignancies early when treatments are more effective.

Objective: To develop robust classification models from cytology-on-a-chip measurements that mirror diagnostic performance of gold standard approach involving tissue biopsy.

Design aspects of a case-control clinical investigation of the effect of HIV on oral and gastrointestinal soluble innate factors and microbes.

Introduction: The impaired host defense system in HIV infection impacts the oral and gastrointestinal microbiota and associated opportunistic infections. Antiretroviral treatment is predicted to partially restore host defenses and decrease the oral manifestation of HIV/AIDS. Well-designed longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the interactions of soluble host defense proteins with bacteria and virus in HIV/AIDS.

Changes in abundance of oral microbiota associated with oral cancer.

Individual bacteria and shifts in the composition of the microbiome have been associated with human diseases including cancer. To investigate changes in the microbiome associated with oral cancers, we profiled cancers and anatomically matched contralateral normal tissue from the same patient by sequencing 16S rDNA hypervariable region amplicons. In cancer samples from both a discovery and a subsequent confirmation cohort, abundance of Firmicutes (especially Streptococcus) and Actinobacteria (especially Rothia) was significantly decreased relative to contralateral normal samples from the same patient.

HIV infection and microbial diversity in saliva.

Limited information is available about the effects of HIV and subsequent antiretroviral treatment on host-microbe interactions. This study aimed to determine the salivary microbial composition for 10 HIV-seropositive subjects, before and 6 months after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), compared with that for 10 HIV-seronegative subjects. A conventional culture and two culture-independent analyses were used and consistently demonstrated differences in microbial composition among the three sets of samples.

Treatment responses to tooth whitening in twins.

The aim of this study was to determine heritability estimates of treatment responses to a 10% hydrogen peroxide strip-based whitening system in twins. Eighty-five twin pairs were randomly assigned to 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips or placebo strips without peroxide. Both twins (monozygotic or dizygotic) received the same treatment.

An evaluation of 10 percent and 20 percent benzocaine gels in patients with acute toothaches: efficacy, tolerability and compliance with label dose administration directions.

Background: The authors evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of 10 percent and 20 percent benzocaine gels compared with those of a vehicle (placebo) gel for the temporary relief of toothache pain. They also assessed the compliance with the label dose administration directions on the part of participants with toothache pain.

Methods: Under double-masked conditions, 576 participants self-applied study gel to an open tooth cavity and surrounding oral tissues.

Environmental and genetic contributions to indicators of oral malodor in twins.

This study aimed to: (1) determine concordance rates of self-reported and subjectively determined indicators of oral malodor in twins; (2) determine the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to levels of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in intraoral and exhaled breath. Fifty-one twin pairs participated in the study. Measurements of VSCs were obtained by a halimeter.

Identification of microbial and proteomic biomarkers in early childhood caries.

The purpose of this study was to provide a univariate and multivariate analysis of genomic microbial data and salivary mass-spectrometry proteomic profiles for dental caries outcomes. In order to determine potential useful biomarkers for dental caries, a multivariate classification analysis was employed to build predictive models capable of classifying microbial and salivary sample profiles with generalization performance. We used high-throughput methodologies including multiplexed microbial arrays and SELDI-TOF-MS profiling to characterize the oral flora and salivary proteome in 204 children aged 1-8 years (n = 118 caries-free, n = 86 caries-active).

Use of a mucoadhesive disk for relief of dry mouth: a randomized, double-masked, controlled crossover study.

Background: Dry mouth is a frequent complaint of adults worldwide. In those who experience dry mouth, therapeutic options include the use of salivary substitutes and sialogogues.

Methods: The authors compared the efficacy and safety of mucoadhesive disks (OraMoist, Axiomedic, Zurich; distributed by Quantum Health, Eugene, Ore.

Treatment outcomes of dental flossing in twins: molecular analysis of the interproximal microflora.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dental flossing on the microbial composition of interproximal plaque samples in matched twins.

Methods: The study was a two-treatment, examiner-masked, randomized, parallel-group, controlled study. Fifty-one twin pairs between 12 and 21 years of age were randomized to a 2-week supervised and unsupervised treatment regimen consisting of tongue brushing and toothbrushing or tongue brushing and toothbrushing plus flossing.

Heritability of oral microbial species in caries-active and caries-free twins.

Oral microbes that colonize in the mouths of humans contribute to disease susceptibility, but it is unclear if host genetic factors mediate colonization. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the levels at which oral microbes colonize in the mouth are heritable. Dental plaque biofilms were sampled from intact tooth surfaces of 118 caries-free twins.

Child neglect and oral health problems in offspring of substance-abusing fathers.

This study examined (1) orodental (OD) problems in 10-19-year-old children of substance use disorder (SUD) (n = 127) and non-SUD fathers (n = 111) and (2) the moderating effect of child's substance use (SU) involvement in the associations of paternal SUD and neglectful parenting with OD problems in the offspring. The results showed that periodontal problems differentiated between groups and the interactions between child's SU involvement and paternal SUD and neglectful parenting were respectively associated with hard/soft tissue lesions and carious lesions in the offspring, indicating that SU involvement increases risk for OD due to paternal SUD and neglectful parenting.

Heritability estimates for dental caries and sucrose sweetness preference.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine heritability estimates for dental caries traits and sucrose sweetness preference.

Design: Participants included 115 pairs of twins 4-7-years-old. Caries exams followed NIDCR criteria where the severity of the lesion was also determined.

On the Acquisition of Periodontopathic Bacteria by Children from Mothers: A Randomized Double-Masked Placebo-Controlled Trial in Bauru, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the effects of mechanical and chemical modalities treatments on periodontal clinical and microbiological parameters of mothers; and 2) to determine the subsequent colonization of periodontal pathogens in tongue samples from their infants. DESIGN: A total of 168 mothers met inclusion criteria to participate in a randomized double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial. Of those, 121 mothers (and their infants) of 158 seen at baseline provided complete data during study protocols from when their infants were 3 months old until the infants were about 2 years old.

Compliance with Xylitol and Sorbitol Chewing Gum Regimens in Clinical Trials.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate compliance of long-term xylitol and sorbitol chewing gum regimens in adult women participating in a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. DESIGN: The participants included 122 mothers (age range: 16-35 years) residing in the city of Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. Compliance with the xylitol and sorbitol chewing gum regimens was assessed by weighing, with a precision balance, all used gums returned in zip-lock bags during the study period of 33 months.