Personalised caries prevention (PCP) programmes – dental caries prevention programmes which are based on caries risk assessments (CRAs) – are still a new service among the Japanese people. According to Rogers’ diffusion theory of innovation, key persons at this early phase of diffusion have greater knowledge of innovations. We hypothesised that difficulty accessing PCP programmes is hampering their widespread diffusion. The aim of this study is to investigate this hypothesis by: (1) estimating the percentage of PCP adopters, (2) summarising reasons for patients not receiving PCP programmes, and (3) determining if knowledge of caries risk is linked to access to PCP, among an adult group (aged 20+) sampled through a non-profit organisation (PSAP) whose purpose is promoting risk assessment of caries and periodontal disease. This study uses questionnaires with: patients of previously-enrolled PSAP dental members (group A: N=389), patients of newly-enrolled PSAP dental members (group B: N=78), and newly-enrolled PSAP public members (group C: N=68). The main outcome variables are PCP adoption by patients, reasons for not receiving PCP programmes, percentage of respondents choosing eight caries risk factors/indicators, and the total number of chosen risk factors/indicators. The application rate of PCP programmes was significantly lower in group C, at 27.9% (99% CI=13.4–42.5), than in group A, at 83.0% (99% CI=71.4–94.7). The principal reason given by Non-PCP adopters in group C for not receiving PCP programmes was that this service was not provided by their dentist, although they showed better results regarding knowledge of caries risk than Non-PCP adopters in group AB (combined groups A and B). Accessing a PCP programme was determined based on the services dentists provide; patients’ knowledge of caries risk was not linked to PCP access. Further efforts are necessary to increase the availability of PCP programmes.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between chewing behavior and oral conditions in elementary school children based on an intervention study. The subjects were allocated into an intervention group (5th grade students, n=81) and a control group (5th grade students, n=39) in 2 elementary schools in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Eating habits were self-reported using a questionnaire in both groups. The PMA index (Schour-Massler index) of each subject in the intervention group was assessed. The school lunch program “Chewing 30” was performed 5 times per year using a chewing counter. After the completion of the program, a significant difference in behavior change regarding “sufficient chewing” was observed between the intervention and control groups (p<0.01). The participants in the intervention group were sub-divided into 2 groups based on the change of “sufficient chewing”. The PMA index of the non-improved group significantly increased (p<0.05), while that of the improved group showed no significant difference. These results suggest an association between insufficient chewing behavior and gingival inflammation in elementary school children. The program “Chewing 30” might be effective to prevent gingival inflammation in addition to promoting sufficient chewing.
Objective: To develop a locus of control scale for oral health behavior (LOCOH) that could be used to evaluate changes in both patients’ behavior and consciousness regarding oral health, and to examine its reliability and validity. Method: First, an original scale comprising 38 items was designed and applied to 185 students. Next, by item analysis, we developed an original LOCOH comprising 16 items. The LOCOH score of each student was evaluated on the basis of the sum of all scores. The relationship between the LOCOH score and observed values on the self-efficacy scale for oral health was examined using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: As a result of factor analysis, two factors were extracted: “external control for oral health” and “internal control for oral health”. High-level reliability of the LOCOH was verified through sufficient internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.77–0.83). The LOCOH score showed a significant correlation with the generalized locus of control, suggesting its validity. The self-efficacy scales showed significant correlations with total, internal, and external scales of the LOCOH. Conclusion: High-level reliability and validity of the LOCOH indicate that it may be useful for the prediction and improvement of oral health behavior.
In accordance with recent views, it is necessary to thoroughly reevaluate biological apatite/calcium phosphate solubility. Dissolved [Ca] and [Pi] in aqueous lactic acid/dissolution media, from extracted first premolars, were measured with dissolution times of 5 and 10 min by ICP-MS or ICP-AES/OES. Despite the complex dissolution phenomena that should include dissolution and recrystallization on the enamel surface, (1) 52-276 ppb [Ca] and 11-278 ppb [Pi] per crown were dissolved in 10 mL aqueous lactic acid at pH 5.2 for 5–10 min, rate-decreased compared with earlier works, (2) the dissolution rates decreased at pH 5.7/6.5 within 5-10 min when compared to pH 5.2, (3) the dissolution rate mostly increased within 5–10 min but leveled out or decreased in some teeth, inferring several subpatterns of solubility and the possible simultaneous progression of dissolution and recrystallization, (4) when 100-200 ppb [Ca] was added as HAP-200, it increased within 5–10 min but at a decreased rate.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of chewing gum containing phosphoryl oligosaccharides of calcium (POs-Ca) and green tea extract fluoride on the activity of early caries lesions in 6〜7-year-old children. Subjects were 92 elementary school students. Chewing gum containing POs-Ca was given to 50 subjects (control group), and chewing gum containing POs-Ca and green tea extract fluoride was given to 42 subjects (F group). All subjects chewed two tablets of gum for 5 minutes once a day after lunch. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) images of the occlusal surface of the 1st permanent molars were acquired using QLF equipment. QLF images were then examined to detect early caries lesions. The detected early caries lesions were analyzed in order to determine the volume of demineralization. The activity of early caries lesions was classified as progressing, arrested, or recovering based on changes in the results of QLF analysis over time. Chewing gum use was continued for one year, and examinations were repeated at 6-month intervals. QLF analysis of the activity of early caries showed that 32% of early caries lesions recovered in the control group, whereas 46% of lesions recovered in the F group (p<0.05). This suggests that chewing gum containing POs-Ca and green tea extract fluoride recovers early caries lesions on the occlusal surface of 1st molars in 6〜7-year-old children more effectively than chewing gum containing POs-Ca.
The objective of this study was to analyze various factors related to dental caries in Japanese infants. Subjects study comprised infants living in a rural area of the northern part of Honshu Island (n=162). They received dental check-ups provided by the local government when they were 18 months, 2 years, and 3 years old. In the follow-up studies, intraoral examinations, interviews, and mutans scores were recorded using the DentocultSMTM at dental check-ups, performed to identify factors affecting the number of decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) at the age of 11 years. Contingency table and logistic regression analyses revealed that DMFT scores at 11 years of age were closely associated with the caries incidence in 2 and 3 year olds, brushing teeth by a carer, eating snacks, having a mentor during the daytime, and Dentocult-SMTM scores. Risk factors for developing dental caries were suggested, and their screening in infants is essential to prevent permanent tooth caries.
