The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease.
33 longitudinal studies were included in this review of the impact of the frequency toothbrushing on dental caries. Frequent brushers had fewer new cavities.
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26 studies were included in this review of the association between common psychological disorders and poor oral health. Dental decay and tooth loss were significantly higher in those with common psychological disorders
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For this review of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) 28 low quality studies were identified. The available evidence suggest that prenatal and perinatal factors are infrequently associated with MIH but that early childhood illness (in particular fever) may be associated.
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This review included 31 data sets from 24 papers and indicates that ‘self-efficacy’, ‘intention’, ‘social influences’, ‘coping planning’ and ‘action planning’ are potential psychosocial determinants of oral health behaviour.
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This review of the effectiveness of neem-based mouthwash for improving plaque control and gingival health only identified 3 low quality RCTs of short duration providing little evidence to assess its effectiveness.
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44 studies were included in the review of oral health promotion in dental practice that was undertaken to the recent NICE guidance on this topic. The results of this review suggest that the psychology of behaviour change is the key to oral health promotion and greater emphasis on teaching oral health professionals about health psychology would make oral health promotion in the dental surgery more effective.
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This review of psychological interventions to improve oral health identified 9 RCTs reported in 11 papers. A small statistically significant improvement in plaque index was noted but the quality of the available evidence is low. More higher quality studies are needed.
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Derek Richards presents the top Dental Elf Blogs of 2015. Highlights include eating disorders and oral health, the long awaited Cochrane Review of water fluoridation and the update of the NICE guidance on infective endocarditis.
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Dominic Hurst looks at the recent Cochrane review of interventions to help smokeless tobacco (ST) users quit. ST use is linked to oral cancer, precancer and periodontal disease, so dentists have an important role in encouraging users to quit.
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Only 18 studies were identified for this review of caries risk assessment models. Previous caries experience and salivary mutans streptococci levels were the only two methods with more than 3 studies and the quality of evidence for these two approaches was low.
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