Acute and Chronic Infections Affecting the Oral Cavity: Orthodontic Implications

Introduction. An important role in the appearance of acute or chronic infections is played by bacterial biofilms that contain several bacterial species and that develop preferentially on inert surfaces, dead tissues and medical devices. Purpose. In this material we tried to make an interesting study, regarding the adhesion capacity of microbial biofilms characteristic of the oral cavity of human subjects on the surface of materials used for industrial scale manufacturing of dental implants: titanium and zirconium dioxide (Zirconia). Material and methods. For this study were used plates of Ti4 and zirconia, on which adhesion of different bacterial strains belonging to the species Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumonia were tested. Results and discussions. A rather high microbial load was observed on both types of materials for all types of bacterial strains studied. For certain types of strains, a lower colonization was noted in the case of zirconium dioxide compared to Ti4 surfaces. Conclusions. Although Zirconia has been reported to have a lower susceptibility to bacterial adhesion, our study contradicts this aspect specified in the literature. Both titanium and zirconium dioxide are promptly colonized by existing bacteria on the teeth left in the oral cavity

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Relation between Chronic Periodontitis and Prevalence of Head-Neck Carcinoma in Association with Quality of Life

Balkan Journal of Dental Medicine ◽

10.1515/bjdm-2015-0050 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 145-149

Author(s):

Diana-Cristala Nitescu ◽

Sorina Solomon ◽

Irina Ursarescu ◽

Ioana Martu ◽

Cristian Martu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Chronic Periodontitis ◽

Alveolar Bone ◽

Control Group ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Tooth Mobility ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Periodontal Index

SummaryBackground and Aim: Substantial evidence supports an association between chronic infections/inflammation, and cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of chronic periodontitis on head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC).Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 46 patients, divided into two groups. Cases were patients diagnosed with primary HNSCC (n=26). Controls were all patients seen during the same period of time but negative for malignancy (n=20). The severity of periodontitis was assessed through clinical determination of the bleeding index, periodontal index, tooth mobility degree and alveolar bone loss (ABL) on standardized panoramic radiographs. All patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding aspects of quality of life before the diagnostic was established.Results: Each millimetre of ABL was associated with >4-fold increased risk for HNSCC. The strength of the association was greatest in the oral cavity, followed by the oropharynx and larynx. The association persisted in subjects who never used tobacco and alcohol. Patients with periodontitis, whose bleeding and periodontal indices and tooth mobility values were higher, were more likely to have poorly differentiated oral cavity SCC than those without periodontitis (32.8% versus 11.5%; P = 0.038). The patients in the study group had higher values regarding the questionnaire points compared to those in the control group.Conclusions: This study suggests that chronic periodontitis is a risk factor for the development of HNSCC. These results have implications for practical and improved strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HNSCC.

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Oral and Oropharyngeal Sensory Function in Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00095 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 864-872

Author(s):

Fernanda Borowsky da Rosa ◽

Adriane Schmidt Pasqualoto ◽

Catriona M. Steele ◽

Renata Mancopes

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Thermal Sensation ◽

Sensory Function ◽

Control Group ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Age Related ◽

Copd Patients

Introduction The oral cavity and pharynx have a rich sensory system composed of specialized receptors. The integrity of oropharyngeal sensation is thought to be fundamental for safe and efficient swallowing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are at risk for oropharyngeal sensory impairment due to frequent use of inhaled medications and comorbidities including gastroesophageal reflux disease. Objective This study aimed to describe and compare oral and oropharyngeal sensory function measured using noninstrumental clinical methods in adults with COPD and healthy controls. Method Participants included 27 adults (18 men, nine women) with a diagnosis of COPD and a mean age of 66.56 years ( SD = 8.68). The control group comprised 11 healthy adults (five men, six women) with a mean age of 60.09 years ( SD = 11.57). Spirometry measures confirmed reduced functional expiratory volumes (% predicted) in the COPD patients compared to the control participants. All participants completed a case history interview and underwent clinical evaluation of oral and oropharyngeal sensation by a speech-language pathologist. The sensory evaluation explored the detection of tactile and temperature stimuli delivered by cotton swab to six locations in the oral cavity and two in the oropharynx as well as identification of the taste of stimuli administered in 5-ml boluses to the mouth. Analyses explored the frequencies of accurate responses regarding stimulus location, temperature and taste between groups, and between age groups (“≤ 65 years” and “> 65 years”) within the COPD cohort. Results We found significantly higher frequencies of reported use of inhaled medications ( p < .001) and xerostomia ( p = .003) in the COPD cohort. Oral cavity thermal sensation ( p = .009) was reduced in the COPD participants, and a significant age-related decline in gustatory sensation was found in the COPD group ( p = .018). Conclusion This study found that most of the measures of oral and oropharyngeal sensation remained intact in the COPD group. Oral thermal sensation was impaired in individuals with COPD, and reduced gustatory sensation was observed in the older COPD participants. Possible links between these results and the use of inhaled medication by individuals with COPD are discussed.

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