Background: Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) is recognized as a significant chronic disease which affects the quality of life starting at very young ages and has a very rapid evolution towards pulp complication and loss of dental tissue. Children with a high caries index DMFT are more likely to develop high levels of dental anxiety, which will influence the degree of cooperation during dental procedures. Emotions play an important role in the psychosomatic development of children, and all the factors that contribute to the modeling of these emotional states must be known and taken into consideration. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the association between dental anxiety in children with S-ECC and the color preferences for the components of the dental environment to reduce the levels of dental anxiety during medical visits. Material and Method: For this study, 91 children between 3 and 6 years of age diagnosed with S-ECC were selected from the Pediatric Dentistry Department of UMFST from Targu Mures and from a private dental office. The level of dental anxiety was determined by measuring the pulse rate, and a questionnaire was completed to establish the color preferences for the dental office environment and the dentist’s attire. For this purpose, six different colors and their variants with three shades less intensity were chosen by using RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) identification codes for each color. Result: The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the age of the subjects and dental anxiety levels, but there was no significant correlation between the DMFT score and dental anxiety. Also, the results showed that there was no significant difference between girls and boys when choosing the colors preferred by them for the dental office, but when comparing the colors that represented happiness, significant statistical difference was found between the girls’ and boys’ groups (p = 0.0039). For all the subjects, the colors associated with happiness were light yellow and pink, while the colors associated with anxiety were red and dark blue. Conclusion: The data obtained showed that dental anxiety is strongly influenced by age, and an important role in inducing positive emotions is played by the dental environment if dressed in specific colors in order to reduce dental anxiety and create familiar conditions, especially for young children with S-ECC.

Background: The present study investigated the relation between dental inclination, colorimetric variation, and aesthetic perception according to the modification of incisor inclination. Smile aesthetics, shaped by morphological factors and patient perception, are vital for social attractiveness and treatment success. This study aimed to assess the effect of varying head tilt on the perceived colour of upper central incisors by simulating changes in torque of the tooth, as well as evaluate factors influencing the perception of an aesthetic smile, including morphological characteristics and gingival aesthetic parameters. Methods: The study was comprised of three stages: colour analysis, evaluation of micro- and mini-aesthetic smile features, and an image-based assessment to determine evaluator perceptions and overall smile attractiveness. A sample of 50 students with complete, lesion-free anterior dentition was analysed. To simulate the effect of orthodontic torque changes during colour analysis, subjects tilted their heads downward and upward, representing palatal and buccal crown torque, respectively. Standardized macro-intraoral photographs were captured under controlled lighting conditions using a DSLR camera stabilized on a tripod in the different positions: the neutral head position (p0), 15° upward (p + 15), and 15° downward (p − 15). Digital colour analysis was conducted in the CIELAB colour space (L*, a*, b*). In the next stage, focusing on micro- and mini-aesthetic evaluation, an additional 50 smiles were generated using artificial intelligence via the SmileCloud program—one digitally enhanced smile per subject—complementing the initial set of 50 spontaneous smiles. These 100 smile images were evaluated by 50 laypersons and 50 dentists using a visual analogue scale via an online questionnaire, in order to assess perceptions, determine smile attractiveness, and quantify gingival aesthetic parameters. Results: The statistically significant regression results are as follows: those for the L* values in all three head inclinations: downward (−15 degrees), upward (+15 degrees), and total tilting (−15 to +15 degrees), as well as for the a* values for downward tilting and the b* values for total tilting. When the head is tilted downwards, the central incisors are positioned retrusively, and the L* b* values reveal a darker and more yellowish appearance, whereas, with the head tilted upwards, the central incisors protrude, and L* a* values indicate a brighter and more greenish appear. In the evaluation stage of the smile aesthetics study, no significant differences were observed in the judgments between laypersons and dentists or between males and females. Smiles with a high or average anterior line, parallel arc, upward lip curvature, visible first/second premolars, a smile index of 5.08–5.87, and symmetry score of 1.04 were rated as more attractive. Significant asymmetries were observed between upper dental hemi-quadrants in gingival contour and interdental papilla height, highlighting subtle morphological variations relevant to smile aesthetics. Conclusions: Aesthetic assessment revealed that the findings suggest a measurable impact of head position on dental colour perception and aesthetic evaluation. Evaluator variables including profession and gender exerted negligible effects on aesthetic perception, whereas smile attractiveness features and gingival aesthetic parameters demonstrate significant clinical applicability in patient management.

Background and Objectives: The therapeutic management of carious lesions remains a significant focus for researchers, given their persistently high prevalence despite being largely preventable. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a composite resin-based sealant material in halting extended non-cavitated dentin carious lesions when used therapeutically versus preventively on caries-free teeth over a period of twelve months. Materials and Methods: out of the 236 children examined, 45 were excluded from the study due to non-compliance with the inclusion criteria. Thus, the study included 191 children aged 10–12 years, and 764 molars in total. Results: among these molars, 171 were caries-free (ICDAS II code 0), forming the Control group, while 180 molars were classified with an ICDAS II score of 3, forming the Study group. All molars were sealed and evaluated at 6- and 12-month follow-up intervals. Both intervals revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in sealant retention and carious lesion development between sound (ICDAS code 0) and decayed (ICDAS code 3) teeth. Conclusions: the findings did not support the effectiveness of sealants in halting non-cavitated dentin carious lesions classified as ICDAS II with code 3 compared to their preventive application in sound teeth classified as ICDAS II with code 0.

Water quality, especially drinking water quality, is one of the most essential requirements for the survival of not only mankind but all terrestrial life on Earth. As a determining factor of health, the quality of drinking water must correspond to sanitary regulations, and the violation of the water protection regime results in pollution. Water pollution is one of the major threats to public health in the Republic of Moldova. According to data compiled by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, globally, the Republic of Moldova was placed 83rd out of 180 countries in terms of drinking water quality, the first place being occupied by the countries with the highest drinking water quality. The „age-standardized life-years lost per 100,000 people due to exposure to unsafe drinking water (Daily rate)” is a measure used to evaluate the quality of water. The Daly score for the Republic of Moldova in 2022 was 50.0. The Republic of Moldova is considered a biogeochemical zone with regard to some chemical elements in the environment, including the content of fluorine in groundwater, soil, and subsequently in food products. The analysis of water samples taken by the National Public Health Center of the Republic of Moldova demonstrated that in 90% of cases, water sources subjected to laboratory investigations for microbiological and chemical parameters (boron, fluorine, and nitrates) do not meet the requirements. The present study was a prospective, observational one, the main objective of which was to evaluate the epidemiological dental characteristics of children from the fluorosis-endemic area of the Republic of Moldova. The study targeted 520 12- and 15-year-old children from Fălești district, where the fluoride concentration in drinking water exceeds 16 times the permissible norm of 16.2 ppm/l. Thus, the prevalence of dental fluorosis in this locality (Dean index ≥1) was 98.7 for 12-year-old children and 100% for 15-year-old adolescents. The prevalence of dental caries was 51.2% with an intensity of 2.1 for 12-year-old children, and for 15-year-old children, the prevalence was 67.1% with an intensity of 3.5. Children’s age and severity of dental fluorosis were independent predictors of dental caries intensity. Thus, a positive correlation was established between the severity of dental fluorosis and the intensity of dental caries in both study groups and in all groups of teeth. The percentage of children with a COAD index (decayed, filled, or absent teeth) ≥1 was higher in those whose Dean index was ≥ 5 in the second molar compared to other groups of teeth. Conclusion. Dental fluorosis remains the most common dental disease in fluorosis-endemic areas, and the severity of fluorosis increases with increasing fluoride concentrations in drinking water. Contrary to the previously established opinion, tooth decay also develops in children from endemic areas of fluorosis, and its frequency and intensity are directly correlated with the concentration of fluoride in drinking water. The higher the concentration of fluoride, the higher the values of the prevalence indices and intensity of dental caries. Republic of Moldova performs suboptimally in the prevention of oral diseases in the pediatric population, and the implementation of dental disease prevention programs would have major implications for improving dental morbidity.

Background/Objectives: Young adulthood is a transitional period associated with changes in lifestyle and preventive dental attendance, which may influence caries risk. In routine practice, the use of comprehensive caries risk assessment systems is often limited by time and diagnostic requirements, highlighting the need for simplified diagnostic screening tools. This study aimed to develop and clinically validate a simplified, questionnaire-based caries risk assessment tool derived from the CAMBRA framework for use in young adults. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 246 Romanian young adults aged 18–25 years. The instrument was designed to enable rapid caries risk stratification based exclusively on questionnaire data, without radiographic or laboratory investigations. Internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and construct validity were evaluated by comparison with clinically recorded indicators, including DMFT values, early enamel changes, visible dental plaque, and active carious lesions. Results: The questionnaire showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71) and good temporal stability (ICC = 0.82). Higher caries risk categories were consistently associated with unfavorable clinical findings, including increased DMFT values, a higher prevalence of early enamel changes, greater plaque accumulation, and more frequent active caries (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The simplified CAMBRA-based questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory reliability and clinical relevance in young adults. It may serve as a practical diagnostic screening and decision-support tool for risk-based caries prevention in routine and community dental settings.