Uptake of the Interim Canada Dental Benefit: an investigation of data from the first 18 months of the program.

Introduction: In 2022, the Government of Canada introduced the Interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB) to support Canadian families with children <12 years of age. This program operated from October 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, with two application periods. The purpose of this study was to analyze data on applications accepted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) during the first 18 months of the program.

An open-label, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial of different silver diamine fluoride application intervals to arrest dental caries.

Background: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an antimicrobial agent and alternative treatment option that can be used to arrest dental decay. While there is optimism with SDF with regard to caries management, there is no true consensus on the number and frequency of applications for children. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of 38% SDF to arrest early childhood caries (ECC) at three different application regimen intervals.

Role of socioeconomic factors and interkingdom crosstalk in the dental plaque microbiome in early childhood caries.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is influenced by microbial and host factors, including social, behavioral, and oral health. In this cross-sectional study, we analyze interkingdom dynamics in the dental plaque microbiome and its association with host variables. We use 16S rRNA and ITS1 amplicon sequencing on samples collected from preschool children and analyze questionnaire data to examine the social determinants of oral health.

Canadian dentists' awareness and views on early childhood caries and its prevention and management.

Introduction: The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends children visit a dentist within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth or by 12 months of age. The aim of this study was to investigate Canadian dentists' awareness and views on early childhood caries (ECC) and its prevention and management.

Methods: This study analyzed a subset of questions relating to dentists' knowledge of ECC and prevention strategies, from a national survey of general and pediatric dentists, commissioned by the CDA in 2013.

An investigation of data from the first year of the interim Canada Dental Benefit for children <12 years of age.

Introduction: In 2022, the federal government announced a commitment of $5.3B to provide dental care for the uninsured, beginning with children <12 years of age. Now referred to as the Interim Canada Dental Benefit (CDB), the program targets those <12 years of age from families with annual incomes <$90,000 without private dental insurance.

A systematic review of caries risk in children <6 years of age.

Background: For caries risk assessment (CRA) tools for young children to be evidence-based, it is important to systematically review the literature to identify factors associated with the onset of early childhood caries (ECC).

Aim: This updated systematic review aimed to identify current evidence on caries risk in young children.

Design: A comprehensive and systematic literature search of relevant databases was conducted to update a previous systematic review and identify risk factors associated with ECC.

Children's Oral Health Initiative: workers' perspectives on its impact in First Nations communities.

Introduction: Since 2004, the Children's Oral Health Initiative (COHI) has been working in many First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada to address oral health disparities, specifically early childhood caries (ECC). The COHI community-based approach improves early childhood oral health (ECOH) by balancing prevention with minimally invasive dentistry. The goal is to reduce the burden of oral disease, mainly by minimizing the need for surgery.

Association between Downstream Taste Signaling Genes, Oral Microbiome, and Severe Early Childhood Caries.

Polymorphisms in taste receptor genes have been shown to play a role in early childhood caries (ECC), a multifactorial, biofilm-mediated disease. This study aimed to evaluate associations between severe-ECC (S-ECC), the oral microbiome, and variants in genes that encode components of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling cascade involved in taste sensation. A total of 176 children (88 caries-free; 88 with S-ECC) were recruited.

Genetic variants in taste genes play a role in oral microbial composition and severe early childhood caries.

Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) is a multifactorial disease with strong evidence of genetic inheritance. Previous studies suggest that variants in taste genes are associated with dental caries due to the role of taste proteins in mediating taste preferences, oral innate immunity, and important host-microbial interactions. However, few taste genes have been investigated in caries studies.

Extraoral expression and characterization of bitter taste receptors in (Mexican tetra fish).

The chemical senses of olfaction and taste are well developed in fish and play a vital role in its various activities such as navigation, mate recognition, and food detection. The small teleost fish consists of interfertile river-dwelling and cave-dwelling populations, referred to as "surface fish" and "cavefish" respectively. An important anatomical feature of cavefish is the lack of eyes leading them to be referred to as blind fish and suggesting an enhanced functional role for other senses such as taste.

Role of Maternal Infections and Inflammatory Responses on Craniofacial Development.

Pregnancy is a tightly regulated immunological state. Mild environmental perturbations can affect the developing fetus significantly. Infections can elicit severe immunological cascades in the mother's body as well as the developing fetus.

Association of Bitter Taste Receptor T2R38 Polymorphisms, Oral Microbiota, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The association of taste genetics and the oral microbiome in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been reported. We explored a novel oral mucosal innate immune pathway involving the bitter taste G protein-coupled receptor T2R38. This case-control study aimed to evaluate whether T2R38 polymorphisms associate with the buccal microbial composition in RA.

Characterization of Supragingival Plaque and Oral Swab Microbiomes in Children With Severe Early Childhood Caries.

The human oral cavity harbors one of the most diverse microbial communities with different oral microenvironments allowing the colonization of unique microbial species. This study aimed to determine which of two commonly used sampling sites (dental plaque vs. oral swab) would provide a better prediction model for caries-free vs.

The Burden of Early Childhood Caries in Canadian Children and Associated Risk Factors.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is any caries in the primary dentition occurring in children under the age of six. ECC is common in many population groups in Canada. The purpose of this review was to describe the burden of ECC in Canada, the prevalence and associated risk factors for ECC, and its impact on childhood health based on the existing published literature.

Chemosensory bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are activated by multiple antibiotics.

Many medications including antibiotics taste bitter. The potency of these antibiotics on the 25 bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) in humans remains poorly understood. Here we characterize by sensory and structure-function analyses how antibiotics frequently used to treat airway infections in cystic fibrosis activate multiple human T2Rs.

Characterization of the Binding Sites for Bacterial Acyl Homoserine Lactones (AHLs) on Human Bitter Taste Receptors (T2Rs).

The 25 bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) in humans are novel players in mediating host-pathogen responses in the airways and innate immunity. The chemosensory T2Rs are expressed in different extraoral tissues and perform diverse pathophysiological roles from mediating bronchodilation to detecting bacterial infection in the airways. T2Rs were suggested to be activated by multiple bacterial quorum sensing molecules (QSMs).