Background: In the literature, among oral health prevention programs dedicated to cancer patients, a wide heterogeneity is evident. The purpose of this work is to analyze the available scientific evidence for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing resective surgery and radiotherapy and to draw up a diversified oral hygiene protocol during oncological therapy. Methods: PubMed was used as database. Studies published from 2017 to September 2022 were analyzed. Studies investigating the effectiveness of the preventive procedures carried out by the dental professionals in HNC patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant therapy have been taken into account. Results: The application of the search string on PubMed allowed the selection of 7184 articles. The systematic selection of articles led to the inclusion of 26 articles in this review, including 22 RCTs, 3 observational studies, and 1 controlled clinical study. Articles were divided according to the debated topic: the management of radiation-induced mucositis, xerostomia, the efficacy of an oral infection prevention protocol, and the prevention of radiation-induced caries. Conclusions: Dental hygienists are fundamental figures in the management of patients undergoing oncological surgery of the maxillofacial district. They help the patient prevent and manage the sequelae of oncological therapy, obtaining a clear improvement in the quality of life.

Background: The recent publication of the new classification of periodontal and peri-implant disease has given clear indications on the parameters to be taken into consideration to correctly diagnose the different phases of these diseases. To date, however, there are no equally clear indications on the treatments to be implemented to solve these diseases. The objective of this Consensus Report is to provide guidance for the non-surgical management of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. For the drafting of the consensus, the most recent scientific literature was analysed. Materials and Methods: A group of 15 expert Italian dental hygienists were selected by the Italian technical-scientific societies (AIDI, UNID and ATASIO) and, starting from the literature review, they formulated indications according to the GRADE method (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, a tool for rating the quality of evidence, used to draw up systematic reviews and clinical guidelines) on the treatment of peri-implant mucositis, peri-implantitis and on management of the various implanting surfaces. Conclusions: in accordance with the international literature, non-surgical therapy alone can resolve peri-implant mucositis, but not peri-implantitis. Several adjunctive therapies have been considered and some appear to be helpful in managing inflammation.

Objectives: Orthodontic patients are prone to developing gingivitis and require additional tools for maintaining oral hygiene and ensuring plaque control. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subs. lactis HN019 on plaque accumulation and gingival bleeding in orthodontic patients. Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized, single-blind controlled trial. Orthodontic patients were grouped into two groups: subjects undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment and subjects undergoing treatment with a clear aligner. For each group, patients were divided into a test group (probiotic intake) and a control group (no probiotic intake). Patients took the probiotic for one month following a professional oral hygiene session, suspended its intake for 30 days, and then resumed it for another month. Full Mouth Plaque Score (FMPS) and Full Mouth Bleeding Score (FMBS) were collected at all timesteps. Results: In fixed orthodontics patients, the results show that the average FMPS improved at every timestep in both groups, especially for the test group, decreasing from 56.20 ± 27.7 to 36.47 ± 23.90. The data show a worsening FMBS during the period when patients do not take the probiotic, from 3.13 ± 3.50 to 6.53 ± 7.42. For the clear aligner patients, the comparison between groups suggests that the plaque index particularly improves for the test group during the period when patients are taking the probiotic, from 43.45 ± 19.52 to 25.93 ± 15.67 and from 26.60 ± 15.79 to 18.93 ± 17.99, respectively. For the bleeding index, data analysis shows a progressive improvement in FMBS at all timesteps in the test group, from 6.93 ± 7.00 to 2.60 ± 2.75. Conclusions: The intake of probiotics is useful in decreasing bacterial plaque accumulation and gingival bleeding in orthodontic patients.

Article: Comparison of two electric toothbrushes: evaluation on orthodontic patients - Minerva Dental and Oral Science 2023 June;72(3):125-30 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental erosion in competitive swimmers using teledentistry and artificial intelligence.Materials and Methods: An opportunistic sample of 20 competitive swimmers was recruited. The participants reported that they carried out an average of 2.40 h of training per day, 4.45 days per week. Data gathering was carried out remotely. The subjects completed a digital questionnaire and uploaded three photos of their mouth. Intraoral photographs were analyzed using the “Intact‐Tooth” application to assess dental erosion. A statistical analysis was carried out to verify a possible correlation between the collected data.Results: The average calculated Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) index was 13.95, and 11 subjects (55%) had a severe BEWE (≥ 14). More than 40% of the participants disagreed about having social issues related to tooth hypersensitivity. Considering only subjects with a severe total BEWE value, we have observed an indirect correlation between the degree of dental erosion and diet (Pearson coefficient r = −0.57), whereas a direct correlation was observed between dental erosion and age (r = 0.493) and between BEWE and weekly training hours (r = 0.217).Conclusions: Because of their lifestyle, competitive swimmers can be considered at a higher risk of developing dental erosion. In this context, teledentistry and AI tools can be effectively used to intercept those at the highest risk and prevent the occurrence of conditions.Summary: Dental erosion assessment in competitive swimmers using teledentistry and AI.

The interaction between antiresorptive medication and dental implant procedures remains a subject of concern complicating the decision-making process for clinicians. The aim of the study is to conduct a literature review on the relationship between dental implant placement and the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in patients receiving antiresorptive drugs. The systematic review relied on the PRISMA statement using the PICO tool. The literature search was performed using PubMed, EBSCOhost and Scopus for RCTs, controlled clinical trials and cohort studies. The choice of reference studies was made in a blind process with a 100% agreement rate. For all included studies, quality assessment was performed. The research led to the selection of 608 results. Only five studies were included in the review. Three of the included studies were judged as having a low risk of bias. Dental implants may not be linked to a higher risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients taking low-dose bone-modifying agents. The long-term survival of implants in osteoporotic patients taking oral antiresorptive medication was similar to that in a healthy population and significantly higher than in untreated controls.