Young people, young adults and binge drinking

Alcohol and Periodontal Disease: A Narrative Review

The scientific literature dealing with alcohol and alcoholic beverages revealed that these drinks possess an adverse impact on periodontal tissues. Additionally, other principal risk factors include tobacco, smoking, poor oral hygiene, etc. It has been observed that among chronic alcoholics, there are further issues, such as mental, social, and physical effects, that promote alcoholism. These people may have weak immunity for defense against pathogenic organisms and bacteria. Thus, chances of gingival bleeding, swollen gums, bad breath, and increased bone loss are there. Different alcoholic beverages in the market cause less salivation; these beverages contain sugars that promote acid production in the oral cavity by pathogens that demineralize the enamel and damage gum and teeth. This chronic alcohol consumption can progress into different types of oral disorders, including cancer, halitosis, and caries, and is also associated with tobacco and smoking. Chronic alcohol consumption can cause alteration of the oral microbiome and increase oral pathogens, which lead to periodontal disease and an environment of inflammation created in the body due to malnutrition, diminished immunity, altered liver condition, brain damage, and gut microbiota alteration. Heavily colored alcoholic beverages produce staining on teeth and, due to less saliva, may cause other toxic effects on the periodontium. Over-dependency on alcohol leads to necrotizing lesions such as necrotizing gingivitis, necrotizing periodontitis, and necrotizing stomatitis. These pathological impairments instigate severe damage to oral structures. Therefore, proper counseling by the attending dental surgeon and related health professionals is urgently required for the patient on the basis that the individual case needs to go away from the regular heavy consumption of alcohol.

Is Binge Drinking Associated With Specific Types of Exercise and Free Time Sports? A Pooled Analysis With 718,147 Adults

OBJECTIVE

To verify the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking in a large sample of adults.

METHODS

Data of 718,147 adults from the "Surveillance of Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey" were used. We described the demographic and behavioral variables, and negative binomial regression analyzed the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking adjusted by demographics variables, body mass index status, and television time.

RESULTS

Outdoor walking/running was the most common exercise reported (20.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 19.8%-20.2%), followed by team sports (8.1%; 95% CI, 8.0%-8.2%) and strengthening (8.0%; 95% CI, 7.9%-8.1%). The prevalence of binge drinking for each exercise and free time sport type ranged from 6.9% (water aerobics) to 31.9% (team sports). Participants engaging in strengthening (prevalence ratio = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.21, P = .002) and team sports (prevalence ratio = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.17, P < .001) were more likely to binge drink more frequently in the past 30 days than inactive participants.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that the participants' profile plays an important role in the underlying social context of this association. Participants with more frequent strengthening and less frequent team sports practice, who were primarily younger and single, were more likely to binge drink frequently.

Health literacy in Mediterranean general population

Introduction

Health literacy refers to "the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and access health services in order to make informed choices." In essence, being able to acquire, understand, and use information for one's own health.

Methods

Observational study through the administration of a face-to-face questionnaire conducted between July and September 2020 on 260 individuals residing between Calabria and Sicily, aged between 18 and 89 years. Questions related to education, lifestyle (alcohol, smoking, and physical activity). Multiple-choice questions to assess health literacy and conceptual skills, ability to find information on health topics and services, use of preventive medicine especially vaccinations, and ability to make decisions about one's own health.

Results

Of 260, 43% were male and 57% female. The most represented age group is between 50 and 59 years. Forty-eight percent of respondents had a high school diploma. 39% smoke and 32% habitually consume alcoholic beverages; only 40% engage in physical activity. Ten percent had a low level of health literacy, average 55%, and adequate 35%.

Conclusions

Given the importance of adequate HL on health choices and on individual and public wellbeing, it is essential to expand the knowledge of the individual, through public and private information campaigns and with an increasing involvement of family physicians, who are fundamental in training and informing their patients.

Relationship between meteorological factors and mortality from respiratory diseases in a subtropical humid region along the Yangtze River in China

As the health impacts of climate change take on a more serious form, this study for the first time investigates the effect of meteorological factors on the risk of death from respiratory diseases (RD) in Wuhu, a representative city along the Yangtze River in subtropical humid region. Daily meteorological element data and RD deaths in Wuhu City were collected from 2014 to 2020. Time series analysis was conducted using distributed lagged nonlinear model (DLNM) combined with generalized additive model (GAM), and stratified by age and gender. In 7 years, a total of 8016 RD death cases were collected in Wuhu, China. The results demonstrated that the maximum impacts of short-term exposure to exceedingly low temperatures mean (Tmean) were at lag 9, with the maximum relative risk (RR) of 1.044 (lag 1, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.098). The risk of exceedingly high Tmean reached its maximum at lag 0 (RR = 1.070, 95% CI: 1.018, 1.125). Low relative humidity (RH) was negatively associated with the risk of RD death, with the lowest RR values occurring at lag 12 (RR = 0.987, 95% CI: 0.975, 0.999). No significant correlation was found for diurnal temperature range (DTR). Stratified analysis showed that Tmean exposure remained statistically significant for male, female and elderly, while RH and DTR only seemed to increase the mortality risk in the young. In a word, short-term exposure to extreme temperatures may increase the RD mortality risk in the population, and young people needed to be aware that exposure to exceedingly high RH and DTR also increased the risk.

Socioeconomic disparities between oral cavity cancer patients in Germany

Objective

In many countries the access to high quality medical service depends on socioeconomic factors. Therefore, these factors are associated with the treatment and prognosis of many diseases. In Germany health care is claimed to be independent from such factors due to obligatory health insurance and a well-developed medical infrastructure. Thus, socioeconomically caused health disparities should be absent. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between socioeconomic factors and the survival of oral cavity cancer in Germany.

Patients and methods

In this descriptive cohort study socioeconomic status related factors as well as demographic, tumor-specific, and comorbidity factors of 500 patients treated for oral cavity cancer were obtained in the university hospital of Dresden. Pearson correlation was used to describe associations between continuous variables. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test. Overall and recurrence-free survival were studied using the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was carried out to test between-group differences. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the risk of death and the risk of recurrence.

Results

Significant differences in overall survival were found between the different educational levels and sex. Seventy-nine percent of the patients did not have a university degree or master craftsman/craftswoman. Less discrepancy was observed according to the marital status (49.4% married/engaged vs. 47.8% single, divorced, or widowed). In the multivariable analysis only sex, age at diagnosis, the Charlson score, the number of positive lymph nodes, and the nodal status were identified as independent predictors for overall survival whereas sex and the age at diagnosis were identified as independent predictors for recurrence-free survival.

Conclusion

Despite the equitable health system in Germany, significant associations between overall survival of oral cavity cancer and different socioeconomic factors could be found. For elimination of these disparities, health education programs should be established in socially deprived areas. Furthermore, clinicians should keep these factors in mind when determining recall periods for dental check-ups.

The Influence of Cannabis and Alcohol Use on Sexuality: An Observational Study in Young People (18–30 Years)

The consumption of cannabis and alcohol results in a variety of effects on the psychic functions of young users. Notwithstanding their widespread and prevalent use, the impact of these drugs on sexual health remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse the influence of alcohol and cannabis consumption on sexual function in young people. An observational study was conducted in 274 participants aged 18–30 years. The following selection tools were used: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), and Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire Short-Form. Participants who were at high risk of having cannabis-related problems performed better on the CAST concerning sexual function, arousal, and orgasm. Participants at high risk had higher arousal and orgasm scores than those who were not at risk for cannabis problems. Improvements in sexual function were found between people who were at high risk of having alcohol problems and those who were not at risk. Sexual function in young people who use cannabis and alcohol more frequently was shown to be better than in those who do not use either, highlighting the need for more information aimed at the young population.

Alcohol binge-drinking damage on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex

PURPOSE

Binge drinking is associated with several adverse effects in multiple organs. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a binge-like-drinking on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex (VOR) using the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and the functional Head Impulse Test (fHIT).

METHODS

Eleven healthy men (age range 32-35 years) with moderate drinking habits and no history of vestibular dysfunction were enrolled. A preliminary assessment of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) to check for zero alcohol value and a pre-intake evaluation of VOR using the vHIT and the fHIT were carried on. Then, the subjects were asked to take drinks with different alcohol content (8-40% ethanol by volume) according to their choice, consuming at least 5 standard drinks. Volunteers stopped drinking after 3 h. After a further 30 min, post-intake BrAC measurements and VOR analysis were repeated.

RESULTS

After alcohol intake, vHIT recorded an overall significant reduction of VOR gain (0.82 ± 0.07 on both sides) although the outcomes were below the normal range only in the four subjects with the highest blood alcohol levels. The post-intake fHIT outcomes were substandard in 9 participants, with a significant deterioration in performance (% of exact answers = 84.54 ± 11.05% on the left, 83.18 ± 14.53 on the right).

CONCLUSIONS

Binge drinking severely affects VOR; fHIT seems more sensitive than vHIT in the assessment of VOR function for complex vestibular lesions, such as those determined by ethanol, suggesting that fHIT could support vHIT in vestibular dysfunction assessment.