Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aims: In modern societies, the incidence of oral cancer is increasing. It may be due to the increased population, life expectancy, and exposure to risk factors. This increase can particularly be seen in women and in our own country, Iran. The aim of the present study was to explore the status of care and treatment of patients with oral cancer referring to Shariati educational hospital in Tehran, during the years 2003-2013.
Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey on oral cancer patients attending the Shariati hospital in Tehran during a ten-year period. Data were collected through patient records and statistically analyzed by SPSS21 software.
Results: Regression analysis was performed in 5 models, where variables such as age, gender, location of the tumor, stage and grade was entered as independent variables and delay in treatment (time interval from diagnosis to treatment) entered as the dependent variable. The analysis showed that the elapsed time from diagnosis to treatment had a positive association with age of the patients. It means that the higher the age, the more delay in treatment (P<0.05). No relationship was found between the treatment delay and gender, tumor location, grade, and stage.
Conclusion: Considering the consequences of oral cancer for patients, there was necessity to formulate plans for preventing, early detection and improving quality of life in oral cancer patients.
 

Background and Aims: Disabled individuals are involved with several oral health problems. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and perspective of dentists towards oral health promotion in disabled individuals.
Materials and Methods: Dentists participating in the fifty-fourth International Congress of Iranian Dental Association in 1392 in Tehran were invited. A valid and reliable questionnaire including the information about age, gender, city of practice, the working experience with the disabled was distributed. There were also 13 questions on knowledge and one question about the importance of training in the field of “oral health promotion of the disabled” in this questionnaire. The data were analyzed by linear regression model by SPSS 18 software.
Results: 117 questionnaires were collected and evaluated. The mean age was 35.5 (10.1) years. Among the participants, 53.8% were male and 46.2% were female. Average score of knowledge was 6.5 of the maximum attainable 13. Among the dentists, 60% believed that receiving education on oral health promotion for the disabled is important. Liner regression model which evaluated the effect of confounding factors showed that aging led to reduction in dentists' knowledge of oral health of the disabled. Furthermore, working experience with the disabled led to the increase in knowledge. Dentists who had previously treated a disable individual were more interested in receiving related training.
Conclusion: Knowledge of dentists in the field of oral health promotion of the disabled is not desirable while most dentists recognize the need for training. This issue emphasizes on the need for a broader educational effort.
 

Background and Aims: Dental caries is a multifactorial and common disease that leads to a decrease in the quality of life of individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between serum vitamin D and dental caries in the third year-to-last year students of dental school of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 123 dental students. Demographic and health information were completed through a checklist. The level of vitamin D in individuals was measured by blood sampling. We recorded caries by ICDAS (international caries detection and assessment system) in two levels of D(1-6)MFT (total of decayed, filled and missing tooth) and D(3-6)MFT (total of progressive decayed, filled and missing tooth). Data analysis was done by the SPSS package version 25 using statistical tests of correlation and regression.
Results: The results showed that the correlation coefficient between vitamin D and caries index D(1-6)MFT was -0.89 with a P-value of 0.3328 which was not statistically significant. Based on the backward logistic regression, there was a positive significant statistical association between the D(3-6)MFT with vitamin D deficiency (P<0.001), weight (P=0.012), dental visit (P=0.023) and frequency of sweet snack consumption (P=0.03). In addition a significant and inverse statistical association was reported between the D(3-6)MFT and milk consumption (P=0.026).
Conclusion: Among dentistry students, no relation between vitamin D deficiency and early stages of decay was seen, however this relation was statistically significant in regard with progressive dental caries.

Background and Aims: The increase in life expectancy and decrease in birth rate enhances the elderly population in different societies and consequently, the demand from the health system for providing the treatment needs has been elevated. It has been proposed that dentists must improve their attitude, knowledge, and practice to meet these needs. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of general dentists regarding geriatric oral health.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study, 150 general dentists participating in the annual congress of the Iranian Dental Association in 2018 were selected and completed a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire including 5 parts about knowledge, attitude and practice regarding old age and oral health of elders. SPSS23 and multiple regression were used for data analysis.
Results: The mean age of dentists was 34.3 (SD: 9.1) and 92 (61.3%) of participants were women. The mean knowledge score about the old age was 16.67 (of maximum: 26, SD: 4.31) and the mean knowledge on the geriatric oral health was 11.01 (of maximum: 18, SD: 2.81). The mean general attitude about elderly was 19.1 (of maximum: 30, SD: 4.26), the mean attitude on geriatric oral health was 13.09 (of maximum: 20, SD: 2.65), and the mean practice about geriatric oral health was 6.5 (of maximum: 10, SD:2.96). Age was significantly associated with knowledge regarding the elderly (P<0.034); i.e. with increase in age lower scores in knowledge were gained.
Conclusion: General dentists participating in the congress of the Iranian Dental Association demonstrated a medium level of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding the oral health of elders. Proper educational programs should be planned in dental schools to improve dental student's knowledge, attitude and practice about geriatric oral health.