Guest Editorial on the Festschrift “Challenges in population oral health for the 21st Century”

Behavioral Sciences in the Promotion of Oral Health

The importance and value of behavioral sciences in dentistry have long been recognized, and their contribution to dental education, research, clinical practice, and oral health policy has been significant over the past half century. Over time behavioral sciences have expanded our understanding of oral health beyond "disease" to a broader biopsychosocial concept of oral health. This in turn has led dentistry away from a focus of "treatment" to oral health "care," notably in the new millennium. Key oral health behaviors have been identified for more than half a century: the importance of diet, oral hygiene, dental services, and other factors. Various behavioral models and theories have been proposed, particularly since the 1970s, providing useful frameworks with sound psychological basis to help understand the paths of oral health behaviors. These models draw on theories of self-efficacy, motivation, counseling, and "behavior change." Since the 1980s, there has been a greater understanding that these behaviors often share a common pathway with the etiology of other diseases (common risk factors). Furthermore, the relationship between individual factors and the broader environmental factors has been increasingly emphasized since the 1990s, leading to a united call for action in addressing oral health inequalities. Within the past decade, there are useful examples of models, frameworks, and techniques of behavior change with respect to oral health, involving planning, prompting, encouraging, goal setting, and/or motivating. In particular, there is a growing interest and use of motivational interviewing. Likewise, behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, are increasingly being employed in dental practice in the management of dental anxiety, pain, and psychosomatic dental and oral problems, with promising results. Recommendations are outlined for future directions for behavioral sciences in the promotion of oral health.

Efficacy of Brief Lifestyle Change in conjunction with Dental Care (Brief-LCDC) Programs on glycemic and periodontal status among DM patients

Purpose

A global trend of type 2 diabetes prevalence is rising. Preventing and managing of systemic and dental complications is crucial to decrease negative effects on glycemic control. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the efficacy of Brief Lifestyle Change in conjunction with Dental Care (Brief-LCDC) Programs to decrease glycemic level and improve periodontal status in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Design/methodology/approach

Health Center 54 conducted randomized controlled trial among 192 patients (96 intervention and 96 control) from February to August 2018. Group education for lifestyle modification, individual oral hygiene instruction and lifestyle counseling by motivational interviewing was provided to the intervention group at baseline. Motivation of lifestyle modification every month by multimedia was also provided to the intervention group. The usual program was provided to the control group. At baseline and a six-month follow-up, glycemic level and periodontal status were assessed from participants. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistic, t-test, χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, Repeated measure ANOVA and multiple linear regression.

Findings

Glycemic level and periodontal status were lower in the intervention group than the control group at the sixth-month followed up with statistical significances. Glycemic level and periodontal status had negatively correlated to intervention group with statistically significant.

Originality/value

Brief-LCDC Program which incorporated lifestyle modification and oral health care had efficacious to decrease glycemic level and improve periodontal status in patients with type 2 diabetes. Early prevention program by Brief-LCDC Program is crucial to prevent dental complications.

Prospective cohort of adult oral health in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

Objective

To describe the methodological aspects of a Prospective Cohort Study of adult oral health in Piracicaba, Brazil.

Results

This Prospective Cohort Study evaluated adults (20–64 years old) between the years of 2011 and 2015, in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The main objective was to evaluate the risk factors for tooth loss in adults. Data were collected at households and selected via probabilistic sampling, through clinical examination of caries, considering as variables the decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth index, need for caries treatment, periodontal disease (Community Periodontal Index and Periodontal Attachment Loss), use and need for dental prosthesis, and presence of visible biofilm. A questionnaire about demographic, socioeconomic and health habits, use of dental services, self-perceived quality of life (Oral Health Impact Profile-14) and health literacy (14-item Health Literacy Scale) was also employed. In 2011, 248 adults participated, and in 2015, 143 (follow-up rate = 57.7%). Despite the follow-up sample loss, most sociodemographic characteristics remained in the participant sample: for example, women (72.0%) (p = 0.534), family income between R$545,00 and R$1090,00 (63.9%) (p = 0.920), above 11 years of education (53.1%) (p = 0.200) and belonging to middle class (67.1%) (p = 0.909).

[Tooth loss classification: factors associated with a new classification in an adult population group]

This study evaluated tooth loss and factors associated with a new classification, which considers not only the number of teeth lost, but also the number and position that they occupied in the mouth. In Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, Brazil, 248 adults (20-64 year-olds) were examined using a household probability sample. The oral examinations followed the WHO criteria for caries and periodontal disease. Socioeconomic, demographic and dental service use data were collected. The tooth loss outcome, based on tooth position and number of missing teeth, was analyzed by hierarchical multinomial logistic regression using a conceptual model. The mean number of missing teeth was 8.52 (DP = 9.24). For those who had lost up to 12 posterior teeth, age (PR = 1.1) and low social class (PR = 2.6) were significant; for those who lost up to 12 including anterior teeth, age (PR = 1.1) and clinical attachment loss>4mm (PR = 2.9); and for tooth loss in excess of 13 teeth, age (PR = 1.3), low social class (PR = 3.8), and visiting a dentist due to emergency (PR = 9.4) were significant. Age was associated with tooth loss. The classification made it possible to differentiate variables in accordance with position or the number of teeth lost.

Effectiveness of lifestyle change plus dental care program in improving glycemic and periodontal status in aging patients with diabetes: a cluster, randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is an increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the aging adult population. To minimize adverse effects on glycemic control, prevention and management of general and oral complications in patients with diabetes are essential. The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the lifestyle change plus dental care (LCDC) program to improve glycemic and periodontal status in aging patients with diabetes.

METHODS

A cluster, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in Health Centers 54 (intervention) and 59 (control) from October 2013 to April 2014. Sixty-six patients with diabetes per health center were included. At baseline, the intervention group attended 20-minute lifestyle and oral health education, individual lifestyle counseling, application of a self-regulation manual, and individual oral hygiene instruction. At month 3, the intervention group received individual lifestyle counseling and oral hygiene instruction. The intervention group received booster education every visit by viewing a 15-minute educational video. The control group received a routine program. Participants were assessed at baseline and 3- and 6-month follow-up for glycemic and periodontal status. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistic, χ(2) test, Fisher exact test, t test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance.

RESULTS

After the 6-month follow-up, participants in the intervention group had significantly lower glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, and attachment loss when compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

The combination of lifestyle change and dental care in one program improved both glycemic and periodontal status in older patients with diabetes.