38 research outputs found
The dental hygienist in Europe and in Italy: survey on future expectations of the profession
No full textThe dental hygienist in Europe and in Italy: survey on future expectations of the profession
I. Casula, C. Manenti, L. Bonfanti, A. Ganda, E. Marchesini, T. Anzaldi, M. Bianchi
Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health (DSMC) – University of Brescia
Aim The purpose of this study is to learn about training, skills and regulation of the dental hygienist profession in the European Union/ European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries and at the same time to highlight the skills that the Italian dental hygienists believe can improve their professional practice.
Materials This work is split into two parts: the first one consists of a review of literature and legislation regarding the current status of dental hygienist in the EU/EEA countries; information was also found on the main dental hygienist institutions websites (IFDH, EDHF, CECDO) and on the official websites of training schools in Europe. The second part consists of a questionnaire, which was provided to graduated Italian dental hygienists to evaluate their professional status. The questionnaire is divided into three parts: biographical data, current skills, desirable skills.
Results The dental hygienist profession is regulated in two thirds of EU/EEA countries. In Austria, Belgium and Germany is not yet recognized, but the situation seems to be evolving. Northern Europe has the highest level of dental hygiene education. The harmonization of dental hygiene profession has not been achieved yet. At the same time, the range of professional responsibilities today is not the same for each country.
Instead, the survey included a total of 601 participants, 77% females and 23% males. 52% of the sample is between 20 and 30 years old and 31% comes from Lombardy.
According to the questionnaire results, 71% of dental hygienists are satisfied with their current skills, but the main competencies that they consider to improve are the ability to take X-rays (62%), to make diagnosis (56%) and to administer topical anesthetic under the dentist supervision (41%) or autonomously (39%). These skills would be able to put him in better professional conditions, improving his cultural and professional autonomy. The need is to expand the range of professional skills.
Conclusion The dental hygienist has made a lot of progress since birth, but today is not recognized and educated in the same way in all countries. The goal is to reach a more common identity at European level. Even if the Italian dental hygienist performs less skills than the European one, his training is often better. So the profession needs to expand beyond traditional roles. The invitation is to prosper and grow to face future challenges with competence and professionalism
Management of the pacifier and infant oral health: epidemiological survey in adults
No full textAim The positive and negative effects associated to pacifier are controversial. Many studies try to investigate, in some situation, if the use of pacifiers could be a protective or a risk factor. The aim of this study was to investigate the adults level of knowledge about the use of pacifier and the prevention of oral diseases related to it.
Materials A literature review about the use of the pacifier correlated to breastfeeding, oral infection (oral candidiasis and tooth decay), Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and malocclusion was conducted. The study was carried out by using key words such as infant oral health, pacifiers, breastfeeding, oral candidiasis, thrush, tooth decay, early childhood caries, malocclusion of teeth, and SIDS on specific database searches (Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Istat, Ministero della Salute, American Academy of Pediatrics). Then an anonymous questionnaires, which includes 20 items, have been carried out in a group of adults, from April to July 2017. The questionnaire was made up of questions concerning various topics:
· Adult habits about oral health care;
· Child common oral infections and their prevention (candidiasis and tooth decay);
· Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS);
· Breastfeeding;
· Management of the use of pacifiers.
The data have been analyzed with a descriptive statistical analysis.
Results It has been shown that adults knowledge about oral candidiasis, SIDS and the management of pacifier is superficial and incomplete. In particular, the 69% of adults know oral candidiasi, but the 51% don't know if it could be prevent. The 84% of them are learn about SIDS, but only the 30% believe it preventable. Instead, they are well informed about caries and breastfeeding, actually the 91% know that caries is preventable and the most of women (56%) breastfeeding for 6 month or more.
Conclusion. Most of the people who filled the questionnaire need to be informed and trained about the use of the pacifier.
Therefore here is a guideline about the correct use of it:
· keep all the removable protections away from children, in order to avoid the risk of choking;
· check the integrity of the pacifier every time before using it; stretch and twist it. Substitute it immediately if it is damaged or broken;
· don’t tie ribbons or free thread on it: child could strangle himself. If you want to avoid the pacifier from falling down, please use the appropriate tools;
· if the pacifier completely got into the mouth, please do not panic. Thanks to its shape, it cannot be swollen. Just pull and take it off the mouth, being careful.
· don’t leave the pacifier right under the direct sun light or close to heat sources. Live it in the disinfecting solutions just for the time it needs otherwise it can be damaged;
· don’t put sugar or honey on it because they damage babies’ teeth;
· nobody should suck the pacifier before it gets into the child mouth;
· clean the pacifier every time it is used.
· in order to insure the correct hygiene before using the pacifier for the first time, put it in boiling water, and then dry it off. In alternative, you can use disinfectant solutions.
· the pacifier should be substituted every one or two months;
· if you don’t use it for a long time, put it in its box after disinfection
Health education intervention in a health residence for disabled: socio-sanitary operator training
No full textHEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION IN A HEALTH RESIDENCE FOR DISABLED: SOCIO-SANITARY OPERATOR TRAINING
I. Casula, L. Giroletti, T. Anzaldi, E. Marchesini, A. Ganda, L. Bonfanti, M. Bianchi
Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health (DSMC), University of Brescia
Aim Patients with disabilities can’t take care of themselves. Socio-sanitary operators have to help them managing daily routine and, sometimes, oral care is underestimate. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral hygiene training program to socio-sanitary operators for people with disabilities in a nursing home.
Materials The Dental Hygiene Course of the University of Brescia and the Social Cooperative Nikolajewka Onlus created a collaboration in 2008, 2012, 2016 to monitor and control oral care in patients with disabilities. A correct and complete hygiene for these individuals can only be achieved through constant training and motivation; therefore in 2017 a new health education program began. The project consisted of theoretical and practical lessons, based on the knowledge level of the socio-sanitary operator involved. To simplify the healthcare assistant work, poster showing the correct oral hygiene procedures have been created. The lessons were performed in six meetings about two hours long (four theoretical and two practical) and were addressed to 52 healthcare workers.
The theoretical and practical lessons had the following purpose:
· To choose the correct oral hygiene techniques and instruments for specific type of patient disability;
· To prevent the need of urgent dental and periodontal treatments;
· To contribute to the entire patient’s health, with oral health being an integral part of it;
· To help improving the aesthetics look for a better social acceptance.
The research has included three stages:
1° stage: administration of a survey with specific questions about knowledge and attitude towards oral hygiene of the socio-sanitary operator.
2° stage: theoretical and practical lessons based on different topics of oral hygiene.
3° stage: practical verification of the theoretical and practical lessons and compilation of an evaluation questionnaire by the dental hygienist.
In the practical part, these aspects have been verified:
✓ The correct position of the healthcare workers;
✓ The correct application of the provided protocol for the patient's specific physical or mental condition;
✓ The accuracy of the brushing technique;
✓ The duration of the brushing;
✓ The hygiene of the prosthesis;
✓ The condition of the toothbrush;
✓ The availability of all materials needed for daily oral hygiene.
The results obtained from this new educational project were then compared with those obtained from the previous studies in 2008, 2012 and 2016 in order to verify the evolution of theoretical and practical knowledge of healthcare workers.
Results After comparing the results obtained from this study with those obtained from the previous projects, it is possible to notice significant changes. Today we can affirm that healthcare workers are well informed about the etiology and the prevention of dental and periodontal diseases. In the practical part, the healthcare workers were able to apply the correct brushing technique and to choose the correct position. However the brushing time for patient’s teeth could be improved. Conclusion The dental hygienist plays an essential role in the health department thanks to a constant updating in oral hygiene. Motivation and instruction are the fundamental reference point to promote oral health. So the dental hygienist has to motivate and teach all those involved in the care and treatment of other people, especially patient with disabilities, in order to avoid pathological diseases
L’accoglienza dei minori non accompagnati in Italia alla luce degli obblighi internazionali
No full textL'indagine è volta a verificare la compatibilità del sistema italiano di accoglienza dei minori non accompagnati con le norme ricavabili dai trattati internazionali (in particolare dalla Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sui diritti del fanciullo e dalla CEDU) e dal diritto dell'Unione europea (in particolare dall'acquis sull'asilo)
Long term evaluation of oral health indices in patients who undergone head and neck radia-tion therapy in association with vitamin E (case-control group)
No full textBACKGROUND: Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that develop in the upper aerodigestive epithelium (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx) after exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco, alcohol, or to some virus (HPV, Epstein Barr). Treatments for this kind of cancer are: surgery,
radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which are often combined. Many are the complications associated with radiotherapy such as xerostomia, mucositis, caries, trismus, candidiasis, dysgeusia, dysphagia and osteoradionecrosis. Management of oral health is especially important in order to limit side effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate, in the long term, the maintenance of oral health indices in patients who had undergone head and neck radiation therapy,
in association with vitamin E (case-control group). METHODS: An observational study was conducted to evaluate, in the long term, the oro-dental characteristics of patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy, in association with vitamin E. This study is the forth stage of work which started in April 2013. It includes an oro-dental assessment in 41 months. 17 patients with cancer (4 f., and 13 m.), aged between 48 and 72, were selected, then divided into a case group (7 patient) which received products containing vitamin E, and a control group which didn’t receive products containing vitamin E. Each patient was informed about the protocol approved by the ethical Committee of our Institution . They sign an informed consent and have been evaluated by a single dental hygienist.
During each visit (T0, T1,T2) the patients received a questionnaire, then the dental hygienist performed an extra-oral examination, an intra-oral examination, a detection of oral health indices through the use of a plaque index and a bleeding index (Ainamo & Bay 1975), motivation and home oral hygiene
education, professional cleaning. Professional cleaning was performed using an ultrasonic scaler above and below the gum, soft non-abrasive cups, prophylaxis paste (RDA <40). RESULTS: To manage the side effects a good oral health is necessary, which can be reached by a perfect plaque control (patient compliance). The effectiveness of our protocol of study is evident, as both indices (plaque and bleeding) were significantly reduced from T0 to T11. Plaque index average:
T0: 79%, T11: 5%. Bleeding index average: T0: 69%,T11: 3%. The vitamin E reduced pain and burning sensation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergone radio-therapy, are special needs patient. The role of a dental hygienist is essential in following up oral hygiene and food habits, in short, medium and long term. Also vitamin E, can give a good relief from pain and burning sensation (although more clinical evaluation need to be done)
Eating and oral hygiene habits in a population of young adults: An observational study
No full textAim: Eating Disorders (ED) are a group of psychological disorders affecting patients’ relationship with food and their own body. In particular, they have an impact on teeth and oral mucosa and may cause dental caries, erosions, xerostomia, salivary glands modifications and perioral tissue metabolic impairment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the risk factors associated with ED in a population of young adults by considering the impact such disorders have on oral health, particularly in view of the increased rate of tooth erosion recorded in recent years. Materials and methods: An observational study was conducted by submitting, to a population
of young adults in the Brescia area, an anonymous questionnaire (39 questions) to reveal their behaviours regarding their eating habits and lifestyles. The areas investigated were oral hygiene and eating habits. Results: A total of 212 young people were interviewed (M/F 18-25 in Brescia and its province)
and the sample is at risk of developing ED in general owing to their eating habits and lifestyles: 65% of the respondents think diligently about food, and 57% of them worry about putting on weight, both these characteristics are typical to all EDs; 14% of the sample stated not eating in the company of family and friends in the way they would like out of embarrassment and shame. After eating, 8% of them “nearly always” feel remorse, and 41% “only on some occasions”. After having ‘transgressed’, 22% will fast or go on a diet to compensate for their excesses. Conclusions: EDs are a continually growing and evolving pathological problem. Informing and training healthcare professionals and citizens about the damage caused by EDs to the entire body could help to understand the importance of making a multidisciplinary evaluation from the outset of the problem and right from the first contact with the patient. To this end, dentists and dental hygienists are in the delicate situation of being among the first health professionals able to see early signs and symptoms of ED in the mouth and elsewhere
La prevenzione delle malattie del cavo orale in età evolutiva: studio osservazionale trasversale nella popolazione generale e nei pazienti portatori di ortodonzia fissa.
No full textSebbene tutti i soggetti in età pediatrica debbano essere considerati ad elevato rischio per lo sviluppo di carie e gengivite placca-correlata, un gruppo particolarmente fragile, da questo punto di vista, è rappresentato dai portatori di apparecchio ortodontico fisso; parte del progetto focalizzerà la propria attenzione su questo gruppo di pazienti, che devono essere necessariamente inseriti in un programma di prevenzione e trattamento personalizzato, in grado di accompagnare tutte le fasi del trattamento ortodontico. La carie dentale e le malattie parodontali (in particolare la gengivite marginale) sono infatti riconosciute come probabili sequele negative del trattamento ortodontico, conseguenti ad una inadeguata igiene orale durante il corso della terapia
State of the art on correlations between periodontal disease and systemic pathologies. A critical review of the literature of periomedicine associated with a survey in adult population.
No full textPeriodont disease represents the first cause of tooth loss in the adult population of industrialized countries, resulting in a serious impairment linked to the consequent loss of chewing and phonation. It also leads to a serious problem in relationships and in the aesthetics of the smile. In addition, for years now, it has been known that periodontitis can cause changes in the whole organism. Numerous clinical and experimental studies have in fact highlighted the presence of a strong association between this pathology and some systemic diseases, in particular, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, respiratory diseases and complications during pregnancy. The aim of this work is to evaluate the knowledge of the correlation between periodontal disease and systemic diseases in the population, by submitting a questionnaire. Results: This study confirmed the existence of a correlation between periodontal disease and the onset of the previously mentioned systemic pathologies. In particular, there are two mechanisms mostly involved in the pathogenesis of these associations: the passage of periodontal pathogens in the systemic circulation and the systemic production of inflammatory mediators. In the first case samples of periodontal pathogens were indeed found inside the atherosclerotic plaques of patients with cardiovascular pathologies, inside the amniotic fluid and the placenta and in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of patients affected by Alzheimer's disease. Also pulmonary translocation of oral pathogens has been shown to cause bacterial pneumonia. Instead in the second case it has been shown that the constant presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines can cause further vascular and brain damage. In addition, some of these cytokines can induce premature birth and increase insulin resistance in diabetic subjects. Furthermore, the survey has shown that, although most of the respondents knows about periodontal disease and its possibilities for prevention and treatment, knowledge of its correlation with the development of systemic diseases is still not very widespread. In fact, only a third of the sample is aware of these correlations and with regards to Alzheimer's disease, this percentage reaches 5%. Conclusions: In the future further studies will have to be conducted to determine the mechanisms involved in the correlation between periodontal and systemic diseases, especially with regard to Alzheimer and some respiratory diseases. Finally, the dental hygienist appears to be extremely important in informing patients that the maintenance of correct oral hygiene can also bring benefits at a systemic level
Synthesis and hybridization properties of the conjugates of oligonucleotides and stabilization agents. Part 3
No full textNew compds. having tri- or penta-methylenamine linker functions were synthesized. These derivs. were covalently attached through the 5'-phosphoramide linkage to heptanucleotide pd(CCAAACA). Complementary complexes of the octa-nucleotide pd(TGTTTGGC) and above oligonucleotide conjugates were tested for their thermodn. response. The Tm data and thermodn. parameters for complex formation confirmed the ability of chromone (γ-pyrone) derivs. to stabilize strongly the 7-mer/8-mer complementary complex. Moreover, benzochromone (naphthopyrane) and, surprisingly, tetrahydropyrimidinethanone derivs. showed the capacity of stabilizing this 7-mer/8-mer complementary complex. The effect of all these compds. on the stability of the oligonucleotide complexes (ΔΔG at 37 °C ranged from -1.2 to -2.0 kcal/mol) was shown to be comparable to the effect of one nucleotide base pair and similar to the effect (ΔΔG at 37 °C ranged from -1.5 to -2.0 kcal/mol) found for acridine-oligonucleotide conjugates, which served as a ref. in this study
Phenylhydrazones as Correctors of a Mutant Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator
No full textThe phenylhydrazone RDR-1 is endowed with moderate activity as F508del-CFTR corrector; nevertheless, its simple structure enables stimulating developments in this class of correctors. Therefore, we synthesized a number of phenylhydrazones 3 by reacting phenylhydrazine derivatives 1 with furfural derivatives 2. By the same reaction, also the pyridine derivatives 4, the thiophene derivatives 5, and the hydrazides 6 and 7 were prepared. All compounds were tested as F508del-CFTR correctors in the cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchial epithelial cell line CFBE41o-, using corr-4a and VX-809 as controls. Some of the tested compounds emerged as interesting F508del-CFTR correctors at 20 μM (3c) and 2 μM (5d). 3c and 5d administered together with VX-809 produced a satisfactory additivity of action. When the structure of 5d was overlapped with RDR-1 and five other established correctors, a shared central design was clearly visible. This fact may be of interest in the search for new F508del-CFTR correctors
