Maternal perceptions of assisting preschool-aged children with toothbrushing.

Background: Parent-led toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste is part of an evidence-based strategy to prevent caries in children. There is a gap in the literature regarding perceptions of how and when to assist a child with toothbrushing from the maternal perspective.

Methods: A qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted with participants in North and North Central Appalachia to examine maternal perceptions of when and how to assist with toothbrushing.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of self-assembling peptide P-4 on arrest, cavitation, and progression of initial caries lesions.

Background: Simple noninvasive evidence-based interventions for caries are needed to overcome limitations in the restorative paradigm. The self-assembling peptide P-4 is a noninvasive intervention that regenerates enamel in initial caries lesions.

Studies Reviewed: The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of the P-4 products Curodont Repair (Credentis; now manufactured by vVARDIS) (CR) and Curodont Repair Fluoride Plus (Credentis; now manufactured by vVARDIS) on initial caries lesions.

Temporomandibular disorders: current status of research, education, policies, and its impact on clinicians in the United States of America.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) encompass a number of different musculoskeletal disorders often accompanied by pain and dysfunction. Most TMDs are acute, but can become chronic leading to disability and quality of life issues. There is wide variation in treatment of TMDs, including both conservative/reversible therapies as well as invasive/irreversible treatments, which present difficulties for clinicians, patients, and third-party payers as to what constitutes appropriate care.

Association of Early Childhood Caries with Bitter Taste Receptors: A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies and Transcriptome-Wide Association Study.

Although genetics affects early childhood caries (ECC) risk, few studies have focused on finding its specific genetic determinants. Here, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in five cohorts of children (aged up to 5 years, total N = 2974, cohorts: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia cohorts one and two [COHRA1, COHRA2], Iowa Fluoride Study, Iowa Head Start, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children [ALSPAC]) aiming to identify genes with potential roles in ECC biology. We meta-analyzed the GWASs testing ~3.

The Relationship of Oral Health with Progression of Physical Frailty among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Composed of Two Cohorts of Older Adults from the United Kingdom and United States.

Objective: To investigate the prospective associations between oral health and progression of physical frailty in older adults.

Design: Prospective analysis.

Setting And Participants: Data are from the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) comprising 2137 men aged 71 to 92 years from 24 British towns and the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (HABC) Study of 3075 men and women aged 70 to 79 years.

Factors affecting maternal decision making about grandparents' cariogenic dietary choices for children: A qualitative study.

Background: Added sugar in children's diets puts them at higher risk of developing caries. Researchers have reported that grandparents frequently give their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages (for example, those with added sugars) and disagreements between grandparents and parents can ensue over this issue. This study's objective was to examine factors that influence whether mothers address grandparents about giving their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages.

Association between oral health markers and decline in muscle strength and physical performance in later life: longitudinal analyses of two prospective cohorts from the UK and the USA.

Background: Poor oral health could be associated with changes in musculoskeletal health over time. This aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between oral health and decline in physical function in later life.

Methods: We did a prospective analysis of two cohorts of older adults (aged 70 years or older) including men from the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS; n=612), and men and women from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study (n=1572), followed up for about 8 years.

Mother's Experience of Conflict Within Their Family Social Network when Advocating for Children's oral Health.

Objectives: Examine whether mothers perceived that child oral health was a source of conflict in family relationships.

Methods: This cross-sectional qualitative study consisted of 126 semi-structured interviews with mothers of 3-5 year-old children from West Virginia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Interviews consisted of open-ended questions on the mother's social relationships that affected child dental visits, oral hygiene, and diet.

Oral health in America 2021: Making a case for curricular change.

Background: The NIH Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges report is the most recent evidence-based review of the status of oral health in North America since Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General, which was published in 2000. This article aims to synthesize and discuss information from the report pertinent to improving dental education to positively impact oral health. Calls for action and suggestions for implementation are presented.

Oral health problems and risk of incident disability in two studies of older adults in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Background: Preventing oral health problems can be crucial for maintaining physical independence in older adults. We aimed to examine the associations of a range of oral health problems with incidence of disability in older adults.

Methods: We used prospective data from the British Regional Health Study (BRHS) (N = 2147, 71-92 years), and the Health, Aging and Body Composition (HABC) study (USA) (N = 3075, 71-80 years).

Exploring Mothers' Perspectives About Why Grandparents in Appalachia Give Their Grandchildren Cariogenic Foods and Beverages: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Dental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease. Past studies revealed that grandparents provide their grandchildren with cariogenic foods and beverages (eg, those with free sugars and/or modified starches). Qualitative research can help identify what drives this phenomenon.

Mothers' Sources of Child Fluoride Information and Misinformation From Social Connections.

Importance: Fluoride delivered either topically (eg, fluoride varnish) or systemically (eg, water fluoridation, prescription fluoride supplements) is widely used as a caries preventive agent in children. The widespread existence of misinformation, including inaccurate information that attaches negative values or suspicion to fluoride treatments, raises concerns that misinformation will lead to underutilization of fluoride and contribute to avoidable increases in caries prevalence.

Objective: To describe the social relationships from which mothers obtain child fluoride information and misinformation.

Initial opioid prescribing and subsequent opioid use after dental procedures among opioid-naive patients in Pennsylvania Medicaid, 2012 through 2017.

Background: Little is known about how opioid prescribing differs for dental procedures with low, moderate, or high pain or whether that prescribing is associated with continued opioid use.

Methods: The authors used Pennsylvania Medicaid claims data from 2012 through 2017. They categorized dental procedures into 3 groups of pain (low, moderate, high).

Oral health and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory mortality in older people in the UK and USA.

Preventing deterioration of oral health in older age can be crucial for survival. We aimed to examine associations of oral health problems with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and respiratory mortality in older people. We used cohort data from the British Regional Health Study (BRHS) (N = 2147, 71-92 years), and the Health, Aging and Body Composition (HABC) Study (USA) (N = 3075, 71-80 years).

What is the association between income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and children's dental care?

Background: The degree to which children experience unmet need for dental care during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with pandemic-related household job or income loss are unknown.

Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional household survey of 348 families in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from June 25 through July 2, 2020. Unmet need for child dental care and pandemic-related household job or income loss were assessed using caregiver self-report.

Poor oral health and the association with diet quality and intake in older people in two studies in the UK and USA.

We aimed to investigate the associations of poor oral health cross-sectionally with diet quality and intake in older people. We also examined whether change in diet quality is associated with oral health problems. Data from the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) comprising British males aged 71-92 years and the Health, Aging and Body Composition (HABC) Study comprising American males and females aged 71-80 years were used.

Implementation science and periodontal practice: Translation of evidence into periodontology.

The advent of evidence-based practice in the 1990s led to the development of processes and resources to support the use of high-quality research in the provision of health care. As the evidence-based approach to health care continues to evolve, it has become apparent that mere creation and access to scientific knowledge is not sufficient to facilitate its routine adoption in health care. Throughout any health care system, there are inherent barriers preventing the adoption and routine use of new evidence in patient care.

Poor Oral Health and Inflammatory, Hemostatic, and Cardiac Biomarkers in Older Age: Results From Two Studies in the UK and USA.

Background: We examined the association of objective and subjective oral health markers with inflammatory, hemostatic, and cardiac biomarkers in older age.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were based on the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) comprising British men aged 71-92 years (n = 2,147), and the Health, Aging and Body Composition (HABC) Study comprising American men and women aged 71-80 years (n = 3,075). Oral health markers included periodontal disease, tooth count, dry mouth.

Oral Health, Disability and Physical Function: Results From Studies of Older People in the United Kingdom and United States of America.

Objectives: Studies examining the associations between oral health and disability have limited oral health measures. We investigated the association of a range of objectively and subjectively assessed oral health markers with disability and physical function in older age.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Cross-sectional analyses were based on the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) comprising men aged 71 to 92 years (n = 2147) from 24 British towns, and the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (HABC) Study comprising men and women aged 71 to 80 years (n = 3075) from the United States.