BACKGROUND: Genetic factors significantly influence caries development and the colonization of oral bacteria, which could explain why some individuals are more prone or resistant to caries. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II is a component in the adaptive immune system that has been associated with the colonization of oral bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans. This study aimed to investigate the association between specific alleles and genotypes of HLA-DRB1 on subgroup level and the colonization of S. mutans in a group of Swedish children.

METHODS: Blood samples from 357 children were analyzed for HLA using next generation sequencing. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed for S. mutans, after which the subjects were divided into three groups: low, moderate, and high levels of colony forming units (CFU). The frequency of DRB1 alleles and genotypes was compared between the three groups. In addition, colonization levels, including the extremely high and low S. mutans CFU in individuals with alleles DRB1*0401, *0404, and *0301 were compared to the rest of the material.

RESULTS: Individuals with DRB1*0401 were significantly associated with the extremely high CFU levels, since CFU levels > 100 were observed in 4.3% of individuals with DRB1*0401, compared to none among those without the allele (p = 0.009, Fisher's exact test). No statistical association was noted between the low, moderate, and high S. mutans groups and specific alleles or genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a potential relation between HLA class II alleles and the colonization of S. mutans. Specifically, carrying the DRB1*0401 allele may be a predisposing factor for higher levels of colonization.

More than 2.8 billion individuals worldwide suffer from untreated caries. Over ninety-five percent of all 50-year-olds in Sweden have caries experience. Caries is the most common cause of dental restorations and tooth loss. Tooth loss is associated with cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and death. Periapical tooth infections caused by caries can spread and cause severe infection, however rarely with lethal outcome. Sugars are a common risk factor for caries and other noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity.  Caries is a consequence of sugar-provoked acid production and dysbiosis in the tooth biofilm (dental plaque). There are several conditions which may increase the risk for dental caries, such as different medical conditions and medications which may cause dry mouth. Treatment costs for caries are high.

The association between dental caries experience and socioeconomic status, as reflected in income and educational level, is well known. However, some individuals maintain good health despite socioeconomic disadvantage. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore salutogenic (health-promoting) factors among healthy caries-free young adults of low socioeconomic status. Seventeen participants (11 women), 19–23 years of age, who were caries-free and of low socioeconomic status were interviewed in-depth. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The theme revealed was ‘Building trust and shifting responsibility from parent to child throughout children's development lays the salutogenic foundation for oral health’, comprising three categories: (i) a basis for health; (ii) creating one's own path by testing wings; and (iii) developing resources for health. A feeling of trust was expressed, participants were confident in the unconditional support of their caregivers, and caregivers were trusting participants to be able to take control over their own oral health. Health-promotive factors were established not only by instilling healthy habits during childhood, but also by parental guidance through adolescence, enabling young adults to develop resources and assets to take control over their own health independently.

Objective: To identify common resilience factors against non-communicable diseases (dental caries, diabetes type II, obesity and cardiovascular disease) among healthy individuals exposed to chronic adversity.

Materials and methods: The databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus and CINAHL were searched. Observational studies in English assessing resilience factors among populations living in chronic adversity were included. Intervention studies, systematic reviews, non-original articles and qualitative studies were excluded. There were no restrictions regarding publication year or age. No meta-analysis could be done. Quality assessments were made with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS).

Results: A final total of 41 studies were included in this systematic review. The investigated health resilience factors were divided into the following domains: environmental (community and family) and individual (behavioural and psychosocial). A narrative synthesis of the results was made according to the domains.

Conclusions: Individual psychosocial, family and environmental factors play a role as health resilience factors in populations living in chronic adversity. However, the inconclusive results suggest that these factors do not act in isolation but interplay in a complex manner and that their interaction may vary during the life course, in different contexts, and over time.

Objective

To explore dental professionals’ perceptions of their role in the practice of oral health promotion.

Material and method

In-depth interviews were conducted with three dentists, one specialist dentist and seven dental hygienists. All were employed in the public dental service in Kalmar County, Sweden and had at least two years’ work experience. The interview questions addressed the experience and views of dental professionals with reference to their role in the practice of health promotion. The interview data were subjected to qualitative content analysis.

Results

Analysis revealed two themes which capture the essence of the dental professionals’ perception of their role in the practice of oral health promotion. One theme, having person-focused approach, comprised four categories: ‘considering the patient’s life situation’, ‘establishing a trusting relationship with patients’, ’strengthening patients’ commitment to oral health’ and ‘health education’. The other theme, perceiving social responsibility for oral health, comprised three categories: ‘dissemination of oral health knowledge’, ‘interprofessional collaboration’ and ‘equality in oral health care’.

Conclusion

Dental professionals perceived promotion of oral health to be an important aspect of their professional role. They aspired to patient participation in the decisionmaking process and educational activities, as well as practising and evaluating skills development. Although the dental professionals perceived that they undertook health promotion activities, they did not clearly distinguish between oral health promotion and disease prevention. There was intra- and interprofessional agreement among the dentists and dental hygienists with respect to expected outcomes for health promotion activities.

Objective: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has been shown to be highly effective against caries, in particular for arresting root surface caries and for dentine caries in primary teeth. SDF may complement fluoride varnish routines for treatment of root caries in nursing home residents. The aim of this randomised, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate the additive effect of a single annual application of SDF for prevention and treatment of incipient root caries in older adult nursing home residents.

Method: Four hundred older adult nursing home residents (≥70 years old) with at least one exposed root surface (on teeth 15, 14, 13, 23, 24, or 25) were identified during routine dental examination visits in the domiciliary dental care setting. Eligible patients, who were able to understand the implication of consenting to the study, were invited to participate. Their cleaned root surfaces were randomly allocated to treatment with SDF (Advantage Arrest Silver Diamine Fluoride 38%, Advantage Arrest, LLC, Redmond, OR 97756, USA, Lot 16 152) or with placebo (tap water), each for 1 minute.

Results: Of the 400 eligible individuals, 42 declined to participate and two forms were destroyed. The remaining 356 participants (89.0%; mean age 87.7 years) were randomly allocated, with 174 going to the SDF group and 182 to the placebo group. At 1 year, 273 participants (76.7%) were available for assessment: 135 in the SDF group and 138 in the placebo group. By that time, 109 individuals (39.9%) demonstrated root caries progression or regression. Among those 118 (16.7%) of the 708 included root surfaces had developed caries There were no statistically significant differences in the primary outcome related to treatment with SDF or placebo, at either patient or root surface level.

Conclusion: Based on the finding of this clinical trial, it is concluded that a single SDF application to complement a risk-based preventive programme including fluoride varnish applications did not have a statistically significant additional preventive effect on root caries development in a group of older adult nursing home residents with limited caries activity and cognitive capacity to cooperate in oral care activities.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota have been implicated in atherosclerotic disease, but their relation with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is unclear. This study aimed to identify associations between the gut microbiome and computed tomography–based measures of coronary atherosclerosis and to explore relevant clinical correlates.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 8973 participants (50 to 65 years of age) without overt atherosclerotic disease from the population-based SCAPIS (Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). Coronary atherosclerosis was measured using coronary artery calcium score and coronary computed tomography angiography. Gut microbiota species abundance and functional potential were assessed with shotgun metagenomics sequencing of fecal samples, and associations with coronary atherosclerosis were evaluated with multivariable regression models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Associated species were evaluated for association with inflammatory markers, metabolites, and corresponding species in saliva.

RESULTS: The mean age of the study sample was 57.4 years, and 53.7% were female. Coronary artery calcification was detected in 40.3%, and 5.4% had at least 1 stenosis with >50% occlusion. Sixty-four species were associated with coronary artery calcium score independent of cardiovascular risk factors, with the strongest associations observed for Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus oralis subsp oralis (P<1×10–5). Associations were largely similar across coronary computed tomography angiography–based measurements. Out of the 64 species, 19 species, including streptococci and other species commonly found in the oral cavity, were associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma concentrations, and 16 with neutrophil counts. Gut microbial species that are commonly found in the oral cavity were negatively associated with plasma indole propionate and positively associated with plasma secondary bile acids and imidazole propionate. Five species, including 3 streptococci, correlated with the same species in saliva and were associated with worse dental health in the Malmö Offspring Dental Study. Microbial functional potential of dissimilatory nitrate reduction, anaerobic fatty acid β-oxidation, and amino acid degradation were associated with coronary artery calcium score.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of an association of a gut microbiota composition characterized by increased abundance of Streptococcus spp and other species commonly found in the oral cavity with coronary atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation markers. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are warranted to explore the potential implications of a bacterial component in atherogenesis.

Aim To explore associations between salutogenic factors and selected clinical outcome variables of oral health in the elderly, combining Antonovsky's salutogenic theory and the Lalonde Health Field concept. Methods The subjects comprised 146 individuals, aged 60 years and older, who had participated in a population-based epidemiological study in Sweden, 2011-2012, using questionnaire and oral examination data. A cross-sectional analysis used the selected outcome variables, such as number of remaining teeth, DMFT-index and risk assessment, and salutogenic factors from the questionnaire, clustered into domains and health fields, as artifactual-material, cognitive-emotional and valuative-attitudinal. This selection was based on findings from our previous analysis using a framework cross-tabulating two health models. The purpose was to facilitate analysis of associations not previously addressed in the literature on oral health. Bivariate and Multiple Linear Regression analyses were used. Results Numerous salutogenic factors were identified. Significant associations between outcome variables and salutogenic factors previously unreported could be added. Regression analysis identified three contributing independent factors for 'low DMFT'. Conclusions This study supports the usefulness of a salutogenic approach for analysing oral health outcomes, identifying university education, the importance of dental health organization recall system and close social network, as important salutogenic factors. The large number of salutogenic factors found supporting oral health among the elderly indicates the complexity of salutogenesis and the need for robust analysing tools. Combining two current health models was considered useful for exploring these covariations. These findings have implications for future investigations, identifying important research questions to be explored in qualitative analyses.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of obesity by bariatric surgery has increased in recent years. Reported side effects that may predispose to dental erosion include reflux, vomiting, and an increased frequency of intake of food and drink.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate long-term dietary behaviour and experiences related to symptoms of dental erosion at least 5 years after bariatric surgery.

METHODS: An online questionnaire study was conducted amongst 250 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery at King Saud Medical City in Saudi Arabia 5 years ago or more. It comprised 36 questions on demographic data, dietary habits, general health, dental health, and oral symptoms. The data were analysed using Chi-square and sign tests (significance level P < .05).

RESULTS: A significant increase in acidic reflux and vomiting was found after bariatric surgery and appeared to increase with time after surgery. Also, a significant association between presence of acidic reflux and symptoms of dental erosion was found. However, 68.5% reported improved overall well-being after surgery. The response rate was 21.6% (most were female, aged 30-59 years). Respondents were generally not advised to visit a dentist in connection with bariatric surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: This long-term cross-sectional study suggests a time-dependent, increasing occurrence of vomiting and acidic reflux after bariatric surgery. Vomiting and reflux became even more common after 5 to 10 years. A significant relationship emerged between a high frequency of acidic reflux and a high frequency of oral symptoms related to dental erosion. Daily occurrence of general symptoms related to dumping syndrome were reported by the majority. However, in a 5- to 10-year perspective, general symptoms related to dumping syndrome and symptoms from dental erosion did not seem to detract from the respondents' overall satisfaction with daily living. Oral health problems might be reduced if patients who had bariatric surgery were referred to a dentist for prevention and monitoring.