Objective: Dental caries in permanent teeth is one of the most common health issues-despite being preventable in early stages-due to inadequate regulation of preventive dental services in many countries. This study evaluates the association between regulation of preventive dental services and oral health outcomes.
Methods: This mixed-method study analysed data from 19 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Oral health outcomes were measured using decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) indexes for children aged 12 to 18 years. Oral health expenditures were measured as a percentage of each country's gross domestic product (GDP). We conducted web-based research and systematically extracted and coded data on dental policy regarding children's preventive dental services. Preventive care was assessed based on legal policy mandating children receive preventive services, availability of free services for children, and regulation of the services provided. We assessed the relationship amongst oral health policy, outcomes, and expenditure using bivariate regression analysis.
Results: The most common preventive policy category is the availability of free dental services for children (78.95%), and the least common is policy mandating dental services for children (26.32%). The oral health expenditure is correlated with DMFT index (-4.42, P < 0.05). The legal policy mandating dental services for children is correlated with DMFT index (-1.32, P < 0.05) and correlated with average oral health expenditure (0.16, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: A percentage increase in oral health expenditure is associated with a 4.42 reduction in DMFT. The existence of legal policy mandating dental care for children is associated with a 1.32 reduction in mean DMFT score and a 0.16% increase in oral health expenditure. These findings highlight the importance of preventive care and may aid policymaking and health system reforms.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10213794 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2023.01.007 | DOI Listing |
J Infect Dev Ctries
December 2024
Department of Radiology, University of Health Sciences, Bursa Faculty of Medicine, City Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
Introduction: We aimed to present the changes that may occur in pulmonary functions in children who experienced more severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during long-term follow-up.
Methodology: A prospective longitudinal observational cohort study was conducted with 34 pediatric patients (7-18 years) who were hospitalized with COVID-19 infection (moderate n = 25, severe n = 9), and followed up at our Pediatric Infection Outpatient Clinic for approximately two years. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed using spirometry.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord
January 2025
Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49. North Garden Street, Hai Dian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
Background: For degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS), prior studies mainly focused on the preoperative relationship between spinopelvic parameters and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), lacking an exhaustive evaluation of the postoperative situation. Therefore, the postoperative parameters most closely bonded with clinical outcomes has not yet been well-defined in DLS patients. The objective of this study was to comprehensively assess the correlation between radiographic parameters and HRQoL before and after surgery, and to identified the most valuable spinopelvic parameters for postoperative curative effect.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLipids Health Dis
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University West China School of Medicine, 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Triglyceride glucose index (Tyg), a convenient evaluation variable for insulin resistance, has shown associations with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, studies on the Tyg index's predictive value for adverse prognosis in patients with AF without diabetes are lacking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Oral Health
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Implant Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic performance of allograft particulate bone and cortical bone blocks combined with xenograft under bovine pericardium membranes, for treating different degrees of labial bone defects in the aesthetic zone.
Materials And Methods: Twenty-four patients with bone defects were divided into two groups based on defect severity (Terheyden 1/4 and 2/4 groups). The Terheyden 1/4 group received granular bone grafts alone, while the Terheyden 2/4 group received cortical bone blocks combined with granular bone grafts.
Sci Rep
January 2025
School of Stomatology, Bengbu Medical University, No. 2600 Donghai Road, Bengbu, 233030, China.
Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a common malignant oral cancer characterized by substantial invasion, a high rate of lymph node and distant metastasis, and a high recurrence rate. This study aims to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of TSCC patients by exploring the related mechanisms that affect the migration and invasion of TSCC and inhibit the migration and spread of cancer cells. The results indicated the rate of high expression of IL-17 in cancer tissues was greater than that in tongue tissues, and the expression of IL-17 was related to the TNM stage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!