Journal of Dental Medicine

Statement of Problem: Menopause can exert extensive somatic and psychological effects on women at this stage including: oral complaints such as dry mouth, glossodynia, viscous saliva, although these findings should be studied further.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the stimulated salivary flow rate of 158 menopause and post menopause women.
Material and Methods: In this cross- sectional and analytic- descriptive study, 158 women, at post menopause stage, were selected as case group. The controls consisted of 83 same aged men. None of the subjects had any systemic disease and did not use any drugs. Age range, in both groups, was 50-69 years old. Psychical condition of two groups, were compared by HADSCALE test. Oral symptoms were also compared and evaluated. In order to analyze the results, "t" and "Mann- Whitney" tests were used.

Results: No significant difference was found between two groups regarding the quantity of stimulated saliva and psychological condition, but the incidence of oral symptoms in case group was significantly higher than the control group (P=0.002).
Conclusion: Based on this study, although oral symptoms have a significant relation with menopause, can not be attributed to the quantity of saliva or psychical condition. In order to find the underlying reasons, more investigations should be performed on quality changes of saliva or other factors.

Background and Aim: Lead is one of the most dangerous metallic poisons which can lead to acute and chronic poisoning with a broad range of systemic and oral signs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the prevalence of oral complications and blood lead level in workers employed in Koushk lead mines, Yazd province.

Materials and Methods: This analytical study was conducted on 70 subjects employed in Koushk lead mines and 70 workers in Yazdbaf textile factory as control group. A questionnaire including demographic information and medical questions was completed for each case and oral manifestations were recorded, as well. Blood samples were taken from subjects and blood lead level was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using t, Chi-Square and Mann Whitney tests with p<0.05 as the limit of significance.

Results: The mean lead level was 7.06 µg/dl in case group and 4.97µg/dl in control group (P= 0.039). In case group, 3 subjects had blood lead level more than 20µg/dl. Statistical analysis showed significant differences regarding neurologic disorder, chronic fatigue, existence of lead line, mucous pigmentation, gingivitis, tongue burning, taste sense reduction and DMF between case and control groups (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, since the mean blood lead level in mine workers was in normal limits, the observed symptoms were not related to systemic poisoning. Direct contact of the oral mucosa with the lead in breathing air or other factors related to overall health problems in mine workers may be responsible for the present findings. Further studies are recommended on similar subjects working in different conditions.

Background and Aims: Candida species are opportunistic pathogens which live as benign commensal organisms in the oral cavities. The infants are more susceptible to opportunistic microorganism colonization. This study was design to evaluate the presence and quantity of Candida colonies in infants' oral cavities and its relation with age, gender, and type of diet and mothers' education level.
Materials and Methods: This historical cohort study was performed on two groups of infants 1) infants predominantly on breastfeeding (n=45) and 2) infants on bottle feeding (n=45). Oral samples were collected with swab technique and Candida species were identified using germ-tube test. The data were analyzed by using SPSS software, chi-square, logistic regression and Mann-Whitney tests.
Result: The Candida colony was seen in 53.3% of infants. The difference in oral Candida carriage and mean numbers of Candida colonies, according to the mothers' education level, was statistically significant (P=0.0001, P=0.000, P=0.0001) however, the mentioned two groups were not significantly different in terms of the presence of Candida and non Candida species (P=0.45). Candida colonization was not statistically related to the age and sex (P=0.48, P=0.4). By logistic regression test, it was found that type of diet and mother's education level affected oral Candida colonization (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The oral Candida colonization in breast-feeding infants is less than the bottle-feeding ones that might be attributed to the antifungal effects of mother's milk and the role of bottles in transferring the Candida species. Also increase in mother's education level leads to reduction in oral Candida colonization, which may be the result of improved hygiene. But no relation was seen between oral Candida carriage and age or gender of infants.