Quorum-sensing (QS) is a microbial cell-to-cell communication system that utilizes small signaling molecules to mediates interactions between cross-kingdom microorganisms, including Gram-positive a...

Background: Premature delivery is among the leading causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity in developed societies, which is an important obstetrics problem. Maternal periodontitis is a prevalent condition that has been suspected to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as premature birth. However, there are still conflicting results about this possible relationship, therefore this study was designed to test the association between maternal periodontitis and premature birth. This study also provides information about a new screening tool recommended for use by nurses and midwives to screen for periodontal diseases during antenatal consultations in order to improve the health of mothers and children. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at 12 health facilities in the Southern Province of Rwanda from February to August, 2018. A total of 555 women in the postpartum period were enrolled in the study. Cases and controls were enrolled in a ratio of 1:2; each enrolled case of preterm birth was followed by 2 unmatched control subjects that were next on the register and who delivered at term gestation. A total of 185 cases of preterm deliveries and 370 controls of term delivery were enrolled in the study. Multivariate regression analysis was used and the independent variables were hierarchically entered in three groups: The first group involved demographic variables that were put in the regression model as Step 1. The second group was made up of other potential risk factors that were placed in the regression model as the second step. Periodontitis was entered in the final regression step, as it was hypothesized as the main predictor variable. Results: A statistically significant association was found between periodontitis and premature birth. Women who had periodontitis had 6 times the odds of giving birth to premature birth infants compared to women who had no periodontitis (OR: 6.360, 95% CI 3.9, 10.4). Conclusion: The study results indicate that periodontitis is strongly associated with premature birth. Preventive solutions including the use of a periodontitis screening tool for nurses and midwives during antenatal care consultations, are highly recommended.

Introduction: Accidents involving sports or leisure activities, falls, blows from objects, acts of interpersonal violence, and accidents can all result in dental trauma (also known as traumatic dental injuries [TDIs]). School children are one of the population groups that are highly vulnerable to TDIs. Multiple school-based interventions have been conducted around the world on the prevention and management of TDIs; however, no known scoping review has been conducted to map the evidence. Hence, this study aimed to conduct a scoping review of existing school-based interventions on TDIs. Methods: This scoping review adopted the research design presented by Arksey and O’Malley. Eight research databases—PubMed, SCOPUS, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL Ultimate, AMED (The Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and SPORTDiscuss—were searched to retrieve literature relevant to the scoping review question. Some of the retrieved literature existed in duplicate and was deduplicated using Rayyan software. Twenty papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected and reviewed. Results: A total of 526 publications were retrieved from the eight databases searched in this scoping review. Ninety-seven publications were duplicates and were removed. After the two-stage screening of the deduplicated copies, only 20 peer-reviewed journal articles were relevant and included in the review. The selected studies sampled a total of 7152 participants whose ages ranged between 9 and 62 years (mean = 10.56 to 46.5; standard deviation = ±0.97 to ±8.1). The findings obtained from the reviewed journal articles revealed that pupils are at high risk of dental trauma and they are more likely to sustain these injuries during school activities. In addition, inadequate understanding, poor attitudes, and low experiential knowledge of dental trauma were found among educators, parents, and even school pupils. The evidence of long-term knowledge retention and a high knowledge score in the experimental groups buttresses the need for continuous first-aid education on dental trauma. Conclusions: The application of multiple educational approaches or modalities in schools will reinforce and promote good first-aid skills and management practices that are essential for preserving traumatized teeth.

Background The literature has shown the relationship between maternal periodontitis and complications associated with pregnancy. Thus, prevalence estimates and risk factor identification for periodontitis during pregnancy in Rwanda are paramount. Aim The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of periodontitis and identify related risk factors among pregnant women in Rwanda. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of periodontal diseases in a convenience sample of 400 pregnant women in the Southern Province of Rwanda. A logistic regression analysis using a hierarchical approach was performed to assess the risk factors for periodontal disease. Socio demographic factors were put in the regression model first followed by a second step for other potential factors. Results The overall prevalence of periodontitis was 60.5%. Multivariable logistic regression showed that age OR=2.48 (95% CI. 1.18-5.22), education level OR=82.15 (95% CI. 8.21-822.11), socio economic status OR=2.28 (95% CI. 1.49-6.62), employment status OR=7.3 (95% CI. 1.38-38.74, and tobacco use OR=6.89 (95% CI. 1.78-60.65) were significantly associated with periodontitis. Conclusion Periodontitis appears to be a common problem among pregnant women in Rwanda. Risk factor screening could help identify pregnant women at higher risk of periodontal disease. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(1):131-150

Introduction: Oral health is considered an important component of general health; the mouth cannot be considered in isolation from the rest of the body. Studies indicate an association between periodontitis and preterm and lowbirth weight outcomes. One of the opportunities to improve the oral health care of pregnant women during antenatal care consultations is through collaboration with nurses and midwives. It can be of importance if nurses/midwives are equipped with the right knowledge, attitude and practices regarding oral health. Therefore, this study assessed the existing knowledge, attitude and practices of nurse/midwives working in antenatal clinics in 12 selected health facilities in the Southern Province of Rwanda on periodontal diseases. Patients and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 79 nurses and midwives working at antenatal care clinics and maternity wards. An ANOVA test was used to compare knowledge, attitude and practices mean scores of nurses/midwives about periodontal diseases and their management. A correlation test was also used to ascertain the relationship among knowledge, attitude, practices and other continuous variables. Results: The average age of nurses/midwives was M=33.57, SD=6.1. Nurses had limited knowledge about oral health of pregnant women and had some misunderstandings about oral health, although they had good attitudes. Age, length of service as a nurse or midwife and length of service in antenatal care had no effect on the knowledge, practice and attitude scores of the nurses/midwives. The ANOVA test did not find any significant difference in means for knowledge, attitude, practice and education level (p=0.69, 0.93, 0.27), respectively. Conclusion: Although nurses/midwives have good attitude regarding the management of periodontal diseases of pregnant women, their knowledge is insufficient and it is highly recommended that oral diseases can be included in their curriculum so that they can be in the best position to advise/screen for periodontal diseases during pregnancy.

Limited access to oral healthcare and substantial untreated cases raises concerns about the rising burden of oral conditions in East Africa. This scoping review aimed to map the existing evidence on oral health status in relation to oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) across the East African Community (EAC). This scoping review was conducted based on the recommendations of Arksey and O’Malley’s guidelines and reported based on the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Ten electronic databases were searched, using relevant keywords informed by the PCC (Population-Concept-Context) framework. The retrieved articles were deduplicated and screened for eligibility. Twenty-eight eligible articles were finally included in this review. The data charted from the included articles were collated, summarized, and reported thematically. Oral health conditions were highly prevalent in East Africa, ranging from 15.8 to 83.0%, with dental caries being the most common. Prevalence and impact varied across socio-demographic factors, including age, gender, education, and place of residence. Clinical factors such as DMFT/dmft scores and pain levels, and knowledge of preventive practices, also played a crucial role in influencing oral health outcomes. While many reported satisfactions with their oral health, oral conditions significantly impacted their quality of life, disrupting essential activities like eating, sleeping, hygiene, relaxation, and social interaction. Despite the widespread occurrence and associated discomfort, the majority failed to seek dental care, resulting in persistent daily challenges and diminished overall well-being. A high prevalence of oral conditions with serious impacts on quality of life and wellbeing was observed in the EAC. Given the satisfaction with oral health and the poor attitude towards seeking help for oral issues despite experiencing pain, we recommend future research to explore, identify, and implement contextually and culturally relevant interventions that will be tailored to the specific oral health needs of East African populations.