Preschoolers' dental caries experience and its trend over 20 years in a North-East Italian Health District

AIM

To describe dental caries occurrence among preschool children in a Health District in the North-East of Italy by age, gender and immigrant background; 2) to plot a trend of primary dentition dental caries over a 20 year time span.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

41 out of 88 kindergartens were randomly selected, originating a sample of 3470 preschoolers out of 7,061 overall school attenders. Dentinal caries occurrence was evaluated by 2 calibrated examiners at school on 2,524 3-5-year-olds from October 2004 to June 2005. The participants were divided into 2 subgroups depending on the country of origin of their mothers: non-western (IG or immigrant group) and western (WG). Two previous surveys performed in the same area were used to plot a trend over a 20 year period.

STATISTICS

Comparisons between groups were made using the Pearson chi-squared test and caries risk estimation was established by logistic regression analysis to assess the influence of sex, age and ethnicity (independent variables) on caries experience (dependent variable). Risk was summarised as odds ratio plus 95% CI.

RESULTS

Prevalence (%) and severity (mean dmft +/- SD) increased by age (15% - 0.6 +/- 1.9 at 3 years of age; 25% - 1.1 +/- 2.6 at 4; 32% - 1.3 +/- 2.7 at 5) and were significantly different (p<0.01) between the two groups: 23% (WG) vs 54% (IG) and 0.9 +/- 2.2. (WG) vs 3.4 +/- 4.3. The level of untreated caries was high: 88.9% in WG vs 97.1% in IG. From 1984 to 2004 prevalence and severity of dental caries declined at all examined ages.

CONCLUSION

The current dental scores in preschoolers are low and similar to those reported in other Western European countries. These good scores have been achieved through a strong decline occurred over the last two decades. As regards the Italian recent social phenomenon of immigration, nowadays being an immigrant child is a strong determinant of dental caries.

National Italian Guidelines for caries prevention in 0 to 12 years-old children

AIM

Oral and dental health improved tremendously over the last fifty years in Italy but still prevalence of dental caries in children remains a significant clinical problem. This report describes the National Italian Guidelines for caries prevention.

METHODOLOGY

A panel of experts coordinated by the Italian Society of Paediatric Dentistry (SIOI) planned to elaborate the national Italian guidelines for caries prevention in children. The structure of the guidelines has been planned to follow the principles of modern caries treatment and management as well as science based dentistry. The main procedure was based on a hierarchic evaluation of literature.

CONCLUSION

The guidelines are planned for dentist working in primary dental care, however, they are also designed to be of interest for other care professionals such as paediatricians, gynecologists, pharmacists and general medical practitioners and also for parents and/or guardians of the children.

Comparative evaluation of different techniques of surface preparation for occlusal sealing

AIM

Aim of this experiment is the efficacy evaluation of three different types of surface preparation techniques by microleakage assessment of two different sealing materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty teeth were used for the experiment: half were treated with Admira seal (Voco) and the remaining half with Delton FS+ (Dentsply). Each group was then divided into three subgroups, which underwent three different preparation techniques before sealant placement: mechanical brushing, air abrasion and Intensive bur FG 40D4, respectively. After immersion of the specimens in methylene blue solution, the degree of microleakage was assessed by mean of optic microscope.

RESULTS

Results show no microleakage in samples treated with air abrasion, followed by the samples treated with mechanical brushing. The teeth prepared by bur treatment before sealant application show a significant number and degree of marginal infiltration.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that air abrasion technique is able to guarantee a reliable seal of occlusal surfaces.

Prevalence and severity of dental caries in 5- and 12-year old children in the Veneto Region (Italy)

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the occurrence of dental caries among 5- and 12-year-old children in Northeastern Italy and to compare dental status between immigrants and native-born children.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional survey of 260 5-year-olds and 862 12-year-olds was carried out between October 2003 and May 2004. Dental caries were diagnosed at the caries into dentine (D3) threshold. Differences in dental health status were compared between immigrant and native-born children for both age groups.

RESULTS

Among 5-year-old children, mean dmft was 1.45 (SD=2.69), SiC=4.31, 65.8% had no caries. Immigrant 5-year-olds (6.2%) scored more poorly than their Italian counterparts: mean dmft was 5.12 (vs. 1.21; p<0.001) and only 25.0% were caries free (vs. 68.4%; p<0.001). Among 12-year-olds, mean DMFT was 1.44 (SD=2.00), SiC=3.88, 55.1% had DMFT=0: 5.6% also had poorer dental status: mean DMFT was 3.23 (vs. 1.33; p<0.001), SiC=6.69 (vs. 3.66), and only 17.1% had DMFT 0 (vs. 56.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of dental caries and care obtained for both age groups are similar to those of other industrialised countries. When our results for 12-year-olds were compared with those of two previous surveys (1984 and 1994), a major decline in the prevalence of dental caries was observed. Being immigrant was a strong determinant in caries occurrence.

Oral health inequalities in preschool children in North-Eastern Italy as reflected by caries prevalence

AIM

To investigate dental caries experience among preschool children aged 3-5 years living in 2 Health Districts in North- Eastern Italy and to compare caries experience between indigenous and immigrant children.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational survey. METHODS AND STATISTICS: In this study 4,198, 3-5-year-old children, drawn from a total population of 9,829 were asked to participate. The examinations were performed at school between October 2004 and June 2005 and only lesions that penetrate the dentine were recorded (according to the BASCD criteria, 1997), by 2 calibrated examiners using artificial light, mouth mirrors and dental probes. The participants were categorised into 2 subgroups according to the country of origin of their mothers: indigenous mothers, almost all born in Italy, plus a very small number of mothers born in other highly developed western countries--"western origin"--(Nordic countries, Western Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia), and immigrant mothers from Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Turkey, South and Central America, "non-western origin". Comparisons between groups were made using Pearson chi-squared test. Caries risk estimation was established by logistic regression analysis to assess the influence of gender, age and ethnicity on caries experience. Risk was summarised as odds ratio plus 95% CI.

RESULTS

A total of 3,401 pre-school children were examined. The overall prevalence of dentinal caries was: 15.4% in 3-year-olds, 24.2% in 4-year-olds and 31.1% in 5-year-olds. At the same ages, children of immigrant mothers ("non-western origin") showed a significantly higher prevalence of caries compared with their counterparts of "western origin". As expected, older children had more caries. "Non-western origin" had a negative effect on caries experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Inequalities associated with mothers with an immigrant background were observed in the distribution of caries experience among the children. These children represent the first generation settling in and growing up in Italy, and their dental status-related data are comparable to those observed at the same ages in first generation "non-western" children living in other industrialised countries.

Dental caries experience in preschool children in Veneto region (Italy)

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the dental caries experience in deciduous dentition among preschool children attending nursery-schools in the area of Ulss n.15 of Veneto Region (Italy).

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross sectional survey in maternal schools in an area of North-East of Italy was carried out between October 2002 to May 2003 enrolling 1,006 2-6 year-old children randomly selected. WHO diagnostic criteria for dental caries were adopted; dmft and SiC indices were used to measure the severity of the disease. In this paper the "umbrella" term ECC to define caries in primary dentition prior to eruption of permanent teeth (Horowitz, 1998) was used as well.

RESULTS

ECC prevalence and mean dmft by age were: 3 years: 13.28% and 0.53 (SD +/- 1.83); 4 years: 18.95 % and 0.83 (SD +/- 2.24) ; 5 years: 26.9% and 1.34 ( SD +/- 2.8). SIC index values were 1.6 at 3 years, 2.4 at 4 years and 4 at 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of dental caries increased with age: the mean dmft increased 2 1/2 times (0.53 to 1.34) and the percentage of children affected by caries doubled (13.28% to 26.9%) between ages 3 and 5 years. Comparing the data for 4 year-old children with those of two surveys carried out in the same area in the last two decades, it is concluded that as in the other industrialised countries, dental caries in preschool children of this area of North-East of Italy has declined.

Weed control in rice with metham-sodium

Metam-sodium is a soil fumigant with herbicidal properties. A field experiment was conducted in 2000 at Copiano (Pavia, Italy) to determine the efficacy of three rates of metam-sodium (300, 450 and 600 l/ha) at three different planting times (5, 12 and 18 days after chemical treatments) for the control of weeds in rice cultivation. The study mainly focused on the control of red rice (Oryza sativa var. selvatica), a weed which is worldwide distributed in rice fields and difficult to eradicate Test design was a split-plot with four replications. The main plot size was 13, 5 by 15 m and the subplot size was 13, 5 by 5 m. The chemical treatments were carried out as pre-sowing. Two days after chemical treatments, all field plots were flooded with 10 cm of water as practiced locally. An early variety of rice (Loto) was sown at 150 kg/ha. Weed control was visually evaluated as a percentage of ground covering by all weeds and by each weed individually at three, four and five weeks after treatments. Observations were made also on rice selectivity, and rice grain yield was assessed at the end. Metam-sodium did not injure the rice plants. Metam-sodium at 450 l/ha controlled 100%, 97% and 92% of red rice at the first, second and third observations, respectively. Good results were also obtained with metam-sodium at 300 and 600 l/ha, which controlled 94 to 82% of red rice during the season. Echinochloa crus-galli was better controlled with the higher rates of metam-sodium, particularly in the early part of the season. Metam-sodium did not show enough efficacy in this study against Heteranthera reniformis, Bulboschoenus maritimus and Lindernia spp. The best rice grain yield was obtained with all rates of metam-sodium, when rice was sown 5 days after treatment.

Vitamin E in early stages of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) development

This study reports titration of vitamin E levels in the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using high-pressure liquid chromatography. The first part of the work is devoted to vitamin E detection in: (1) plasma of maturing females and males characterized by different body sizes; (2) seminal fluid and eggs; and (3) developing embryos of sea bass fed with vitamin E. In the second part of the study, variations of vitamin E levels during larval development are analyzed. The results show a direct correlation between plasma vitamin E content and body size for both adult male and female sea bass. High vitamin E levels were found in seminal fluid, in eggs before and after fertilization, and in embryos during development and at hatching, whereas vitamin E level was low in dead embryos and in embryos with limited survival. During larval development, the vitamin E content decreased slowly but steadily during the first four days of larval growth; subsequently, it progressively increased from day 9 to day 40. In teratogenic larvae, vitamin E content was significantly higher than in normal larvae. This study provides evidence on how vitamin E exerts an antioxidant defense in sea bass reproduction.

A comparison of a reformulated potassium citrate desensitising toothpaste with the original proprietary product

OBJECTIVES

The recent tendency for toothpaste manufacturers to combine active ingredients for benefits to a number of oral problems requires that such combinations do not vitiate the action of any one agent. The aim of this study was to compare the desensitising effects of a modified formulation with the established product.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was a randomised, double blind, two treatment parallel design comparing an existing potassium citrate toothpaste product (Positive Control) with the same formulation to which triclosan and zinc citrate had been added (Test). A total of 56 subjects with dentine hypersensitivity (DH) completed the 8 week study period. At baseline, days 14 and 56 visual analogue scale scores were recorded by the subjects in response to air evaporative and cold water stimuli.

RESULTS

Both groups showed improvements, mostly statistically significant, from baseline to day 14 and through to day 56. Most data favoured the Test paste but differences were, for the most part, not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that the addition of known anti-plaque agents to an established potassium salt based desensitising toothpaste did not adversely affect the activity of the product in the treatment of DH.

Comparison of data on Early Childhood Caries (ECC) with previous data for Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) in an Italian kindergarten population

AIM

This was to assess the prevalence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) among preschool children attending nursery schools and to compare the results with those of a previous survey where the investigators used the term and diagnosis for Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) syndrome.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 1006 children aged 1-6 years was carried out. WHO recommendations for oral health surveys were used for caries diagnosis (non cavitated lesions were excluded). In addition, a comparison was made for prevalence of ECC between immigrant and native born children. Data were compared for ECC in the present survey with BBTD data in a previous study (1994) in the same area with a sample of 401 children aged 4 years. All examinations were by one examiner (Cohen's Kappa=0.96).

RESULTS

Of the 1006 children originally selected 52 children aged more than 71 months were excluded according to published ECC definition and diagnostic criteria. The overall sample was 29 children aged <36 months; 271 aged 3 years; 364 aged 4 years and 290 aged 5 years. ECC was diagnosed in 19.7% of the overall sample. The prevalence of ECC (and S-ECC) were respectively by age: <36 months S-ECC=17.2%; at 3 years: 13.28% (6.64%); at 4 years: 18.95% (9.34%); at 5 years: 26.9% (12.75%). In the native born children (916) the ECC was 18.34%, while in immigrants (38) it was 52.63% (p<0.001). In 1994 the prevalence of BBTD syndrome was 11.9% and in the present study 6.5%.

CONCLUSION

The ECC prevalence, as, ECC and severe (S-ECC),increased with age. In immigrant children ECC was 3 times (S-ECC 6 times) more frequent than in native born. Using the BBTD diagnosis the prevalence had dropped from 11.9% in 1994 to 6.5% in the present survey.

Effects of water management and herbicide treatments on red rice control

Two field experiments were conducted in 1999 and 2000 at Zeme (Pavia, Italy) to determine the effects of water managements and herbicide treatments on red rice control. In the first experiment, all plots were flooded 10-13 cm deep from April 1 to May 17 in 1999 and from April 3 to May 6 in 2000. At the same time, in the second experiment, the plots were alternately drained-flooded. At the end of water management, all plots of both experiments were drained and sprayed with herbicides to control the emerged red rice plants. In both years were applied: Propaquizafop 78 g a.i.ha-1, Cycloxydim at 300 and 400 g a.i. ha-1; Dalapon at 15.300 Kg a.i. ha-1; Quizalofop-ethyl at 100 g a.i. ha-1. Six days after the chemical treatments, all field plots were flooded 10 cm deep and three days later, an early variety of rice (Loto) was sown at 150 Kg ha-1. Seedling emergence was reduced by lack of oxygen (especially from seeds covered with soil in flooded condition). In alternately drained-flooded soil, the red rice emerged and developed from seeds located in the top 4-5 cm. In flooded condition, no red rice plants emerged from seeds at more than 1 cm depth. In both experiments, the density of red rice plants increased during the season in the untreated check and in the plots where treatments were ineffective or performed poorly. The best red rice control, both in submerged and in alternately drained-flooded soil, was obtained with Quizalofop-ethyl (100 g a.i./ha), Cycloxydim (300 and 400 g a.i.ha-1) and Propaquizafop (78 g a.i.ha-1). These herbicides controlled 90-99% of red rice. Partial control of red rice resulted with the other chemical treatments. The shattered grains of red rice were reduced in both experiments by the herbicide treatments. Grain yield reflected the level of red rice control. In fact, the highest commercial grain yields were obtained with Quizalofop-ethyl, Propaquizafop, and Cycloxydim (400 g a.i.ha-1), in both years and experiments. The red rice percentages of the total yields resulted about 3.6-5.7% with all chemical treatments except Dalapon, which was not much effective.

The effect of distension of the uterus on plasma renin activity (PRA) in anaesthetized pigs

It has recently been shown that distension of the uterus in anaesthetized pigs causes reflex haemodynamic responses through efferent sympathetic mechanisms. The present study was undertaken to determine whether these mechanisms include activation of the renin-angiotensin system. The same methods were used in 14 pigs which were anaesthetized with alpha-chloralose and artificially ventilated. Balloons positioned within the uterus were distended for periods of 30 min by injecting 20 ml of warm Ringer solution. The responses of arterial blood pressure and heart rate were respectively prevented by blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors with phentolamine and atrial pacing. Changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) were assessed during the last minute of distension by radioimmunoassay of angiotensin I. In each of 10 pigs, distension of the uterus (mean uterine transmural pressure of 17 mmHg) caused an increase in PRA in the absence of changes of interfering haemodynamic variables. In the remaining four pigs, this response was graded by step increments of the distension. The increase in PRA caused by uterine distension was abolished by bilateral section of the renal nerves (five pigs) or by blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors with propranolol. The present study showed that distension of the uterus in anaesthetized pigs primarily caused a reflex increase in PRA. This reflex response was mediated by renal nerves and involved beta-adrenergic receptors.