Effect of a Video-Based Case Presentation Educational Intervention Anchored on the Theory of Planned Behavior on Adoption of Oral Health Behaviors Among Dental Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Objective: The integration of video technology in case-based presentations are useful approaches in teaching real-world problems that ultimately improves an individual’s ability to reflect, analyze, and decide regarding any circumstance leading to change in behavior. Anchored on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study aims to determine the effectiveness of an online case-based video patient education tool on the adoption of oral health behaviors by patients in the dental setting. Materials and Methods: The study was carried on 74 dental patients who were selected using simple sampling (37 patients each in Groups I and II). The two groups differed in presence (Group I-Control) or absence (Group II–Experimental) of prior exposure to professional oral care before Patient Educational Intervention through video-based case presentation was performed in the control and experimental groups. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 18 software at 0.05 significance level. Results: A total of 37 participants per group in Groups I and II (N=74) responded to the pre-test phase and post-test phase. The pre-test mean scores of Groups I and II were 11.43 and 15.05, respectively. The post-test mean score of Groups I and II were 10.81 and 12.76, respectively. There is no statistical significance seen in the pre-test mean score and the post-test mean score of the patients who experienced professional oral health care (Group I) (p=0.113). However, there is a statistical significance in the mean pre-test score and the mean post-test score among patients who never experienced professional oral health care (Group II) (p=0.032). Conclusion: The study revealed that the video-based case presentations is an effective patient education strategy for dental patients who have never experienced professional oral health care manifested as a decline in the degree of dental neglect.

Predictors of early postoperative pneumonia after oncologic surgery with the patients receiving professional oral health care: A prospective, multicentre, cohort study

This study was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study on 685 patients who had undergone oncologic surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of postoperative pneumonia. The two groups were compared with respect to their background, index operation, food eaten, oral condition, contents of oral care and dental treatment, laboratory data, and bacterial flora. All postoperative pneumonias occurred in six cases within four days postoperatively. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative serum C-reactive protein was the strongest predictor of postoperative pneumonia. In addition, decreased postoperative Candida albicans colonies was an effective predictor of postoperative pneumonia. For patients with predictors of postoperative pneumonia, perioperative strategies for its prevention should be considered in addition to professional oral health care. This study was approved by the National Hospital Organization’s Central Ethics Review Board and was also approved by the directors of the participating institutions.

Continuous Professional Oral Health Care Intervention Improves Severe Aspiration Pneumonia

Professional oral health care (POHC) is known to prevent aspiration pneumonia in patients with dysphagia and/or those at the perioperative stage of surgery. However, the effect of POHC on patients suffering from aspiration pneumonia remains unknown. Here, we report a case where continual POHC intervention improved severe aspiration pneumonia. A 74-year-old male patient with a brain infarction suffered from severe aspiration pneumonia (PSI: IV, A-DROP: 3) complicated by vascular dementia and severe dysphagia. Because an antimicrobial approach following the treatment guidelines for pneumonia was not effective, we started a POHC intervention to improve his poor oral condition at the request of the attending doctor and the patient’s family. The severe pneumonia markedly improved after continual POHC by the dental team. This case suggests that continual POHC intervention by a dental hygienist may improve severe aspiration pneumonia.

Self-reported oral health in the Dutch 100-plus Study of cognitively healthy centenarians: an observational cohort study

Background Due to improved healthcare, more people reach extreme ages. Oral health in the oldest-old has thus far been poorly described. Here, we investigated self-reported oral health factors, use of professional oral health care, and associations with clinical measures in centenarians considered cognitively healthy. Methods In this observational cohort study, we included 162 (74% female) centenarians from the Dutch 100-plus Study cohort who self-reported to be cognitively healthy, as confirmed by a proxy. Centenarians were questioned about their physical well-being including medication use and their cognitive functioning was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Questions regarding oral health included preservation of teeth, oral pain or discomfort, chewing ability, xerostomia, and time since last visit to an oral health care provider. Associations between oral health and clinical measures were investigated with ordinal logistic or linear regression analyses, adjusted for gender, age, and education. Results The majority of the centenarians indicated to have good oral health: 76% felt no oral pain/discomfort, 65% indicated to chew well; while only 18% had symptoms of xerostomia. Of all centenarians, 83% were edentulous and were wearing removable complete maxillary and mandibular dental prostheses, 1% was edentulous with no dental prosthesis, while 16% was dentate with or without removable partial dental prostheses (10 and 6% respectively). Dentate and edentulous centenarians experienced similar levels of oral pain and/or discomfort, chewing ability, xerostomia, and their cognitive functioning was similar. No relationship between cognitive functioning and chewing ability was found. Xerostomia was associated with medication use (p = .001), which mostly regarded medications for cardiovascular diseases, diuretics, anti-coagulants, and antacids. Only 18% of the centenarians visited an oral health care provider during the year prior to the interview, of whom 48% were dentate centenarians. Notably, 49% of the centenarians had not visited an oral health care provider for ≥10 years. Conclusions Most centenarians were edentulous and did not report oral complaints. Less than one-fifth of the centenarians continued to seek regular professional oral health care. Since the proportion of dentates in the oldest-old will increase in the near future, a proactive attitude toward this group is necessary.