[Effects of tobacco use on systemic health: relevant information for dentistry (II)--part 2: cardiovascular diseases and public health issues].

This is the sixth and concluding part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking - Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". The focus of this review is the effects of smoking for the development of atherosclerosis as pathohistological correlate for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), arterial occlusive disease, and cerebrovascular diseases (stroke). Additionally, a causal relationship between tobacco use and an increased rate for complications during pregnancy and child birth will be discussed.

[Effects of tobacco use on general health: relevant information for dentistry (I)--part 1: pulmonary diseases and other malignancies].

This fifth part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking--Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine" focuses on the effects of tobacco use on general health. A significant increase of tobacco use associated morbidity and mortality for many cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases has been well documented in the literature. In this review, the epidemiologic background as well as the pathophysiological fundamentals for tobacco-mediated pulmonary diseases is presented, focusing especially on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

[Acceptance of the meridol toothbrush by dental hygienists. A questionnaire study].

Two manual toothbrushes were tested in a questionnaire study by 171 dental hygienists in a crossover design: a new toothbrush with conical filaments (meridol toothbrush, GABA International AG) and a reference toothbrush with end-rounded filaments (ADA toothbrush, American Dental Association). Each trial subject tested the two manual toothbrushes in two consecutive periods. Not only was the immediate impression of interest but also the impression after a period of three weeks.

[Tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice].

This is the fourth part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking--intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". It presents the implementation of tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice. Next to the optimal performance of plaque control, tobacco use cessation has become the most important measure for the treatment of periodontal diseases.