Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-13eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1517210
Barbod Aliaghazadeh, Marina Pascual-Ortiz, Alba Martínez, Veronica Veses, Chirag C Sheth
{"title":"Unveiling the synergistic effect of icariin and azole drugs on <i>Candida albicans</i>.","authors":"Barbod Aliaghazadeh, Marina Pascual-Ortiz, Alba Martínez, Veronica Veses, Chirag C Sheth","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1517210","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1517210","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction and method: </strong>The current study explores the synergistic effects of icariin, a flavonoid found in plants of the genus <i>Epimedium</i>, in ombination with selected antifungal agents, against <i>Candida albicans in vitro</i>.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This flavonoid significantly enhanced the <i>in vitro</i> effect of fluconazole, by decreasing the minimum inhibitory concentration against <i>C. albicans</i>. This effect was also observed when combining icariin with ketoconazole and itraconazole of the azole family respectively. Interestingly, no activity-enhancing effect was observed when icariin was combined with other classes of antifungals, such as amphotericin B or caspofungin.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>We conclude that icariin may increase the sensitivity of <i>C. albicans</i> to azoles via a cell membrane mediated mechanism, based on our results from FUN-1 microscopy and coincubation with cell wall and cell membrane stressors. Further research is required to explore these effects in clinical isolates, particularly fluconazole-resistant <i>C. albicans</i>, with a view towards the clinical application of icariin as a co-adjuvant in antifungal azole therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1517210"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11866482/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-13eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1543667
Torsten P M Scheithauer, Isabela M Fernandes de Oliveira, Michel Ossendrijver, Elodie Dehay, Michelle van der Wurff, Hakim Rahaoui, Nathalie Ballet, Bart J F Keijser
{"title":"Yeast cell wall derivatives as a potential strategy for modulating oral microbiota and dental plaque biofilm.","authors":"Torsten P M Scheithauer, Isabela M Fernandes de Oliveira, Michel Ossendrijver, Elodie Dehay, Michelle van der Wurff, Hakim Rahaoui, Nathalie Ballet, Bart J F Keijser","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1543667","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1543667","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Derivatives from <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> yeast including yeast extracts and yeast cell walls are sustainable sources of valuable nutrients, including dietary fibers and proteins. Previous studies have shown that certain components from these yeast derivatives can inhibit the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. However, the effects of yeast derivatives on oral health have not yet been investigated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An <i>in vitro</i> oral biofilm model was employed to examine the impacts of yeast derivatives on the oral microbiota and their potential benefits for maintaining oral homeostasis. The model incorporated dental plaque donor material from both healthy and periodontitis diagnosed individuals. Biofilm formation, density, and microbial composition were quantified. Additionally, the production of short-chain fatty acids in the biofilm supernatants was measured.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Yeast extracts had only minor effects on oral biofilm formation. In contrast, yeast cell wall derivatives, which are rich in polysaccharides such as beta-glucans and mannans, significantly reduced the density of the oral biofilms <i>in vitro</i>. This reduction in biofilm density was associated with an overall shift in the bacterial community composition, including an increase in beneficial bacteria and a decrease in the abundance of <i>Tannerella forsythia</i>, an important species involved in bacterial coaggregation and the development and maturation of the oral biofilm. Furthermore, the yeast cell wall derivatives decreased the production of short-chain fatty acids, including acetic and butyric acid. These findings were consistent across both healthy and periodontitis microbiomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study has demonstrated the potential of yeast cell wall derivatives to positively impact oral health by significantly reducing biofilm density, modulating the oral microbial composition, and decreasing the production of short-chain fatty acids. The observed effects highlight the promising applications of these yeast-based compounds as an approach to managing oral diseases. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action and explore the clinical potential of yeast cell wall derivatives in promoting and maintaining oral health.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1543667"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865069/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Oral health disorders among visually impaired children in South Asian countries: a systematic review.","authors":"Vini Mehta, Siddharthan Selvaraj, Snehasish Tripathy, Neeta Mishra, Sapna Negi, Ankita Mathur, Abedelmalek Kalefh Tabnjh","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1501120","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1501120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aim: </strong>Despite the convergence of visual impairment and poor oral health among children, there is a scarcity of data on the common oral health disorders and their prevalence among children with visual impairments in South Asia. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize the existing literature on oral health diseases in visually impaired children in South Asia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An exhaustive literature search was carried out in PubMed-MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar from inception till 31st December, 2024. We included studies if they fulfilled the following criteria: visually impaired children (aged <18 years); assessment using dental examination; children with no other impairment from South Asian regions. Due to the high variability across age groups within the target population, we have synthesized and presented the data in a narrative format.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The search across databases yielded a total of 1,681 studies, out of which 9 studies were included. The prevalence of dental caries was reported ranging from 40% to 98.5%, and dental trauma ranged from 4.62% to 44.28%. High prevalence of malocclusion and gingivitis has also been reported. Quality assessment showed that three studies had medium risk of bias and remaining had a low risk of bias.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the South Asian region, it is crucial to make special needs dentistry widely accessible, provide caregivers with sufficient dental health information, and ensure dentists receive specialized training to enhance the effectiveness, comfort, and satisfaction of treatment.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=582083, PROSPERO (CRD42024582083).</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1501120"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865079/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-13eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1514050
Adi Rachmiel, Dekel Shilo, Ahmad Hija, Tal Capucha, Nidal Zeineh, Omri Emodi, Andrei Krasovsky
{"title":"Using in-house 3D technology for optimal spatial positioning of elongation devices for distraction osteogenesis-a cost-effective alternative.","authors":"Adi Rachmiel, Dekel Shilo, Ahmad Hija, Tal Capucha, Nidal Zeineh, Omri Emodi, Andrei Krasovsky","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1514050","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1514050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Mandibular distraction osteogenesis is globally accepted as the gold-standard surgical solution for various craniofacial deformities and syndromes. Stock device evolution has advanced into complex designs to achieve the most accurate three-dimensional distraction vector of elongation. Today's cutting-edge solution is patient-specific distractors designed by virtual surgical planning (VSP) to facilitate surgical performance and ensure the most predictable clinical results. However, tailoring patient-specific distractors comes with a significant price tag.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using VSP technology, we developed an inexpensive stepwise method of precisely directing the distraction vector by adapting off-the-shelf distractors for the individual contour of the patients' mandibles based on the in-house designed and printed cutting guides.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The virtual planning sequence and clinical application are described in detail. The final results are assessed by 3D analysis to confirm the method's precision and predictability.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The final positions of the adapted off-the-shelf distractors were found to match the pre-operative virtual planning precisely, resulting in excellent clinical results. This method can be easily reproduced in similar clinical cases with reduced cost.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1514050"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11865230/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-12eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1508614
Yifei Wang, Xiaowei Li, Chunfang Yao, Yi Wu, Hengli Ni
{"title":"Intraductal papilloma of minor salivary gland: a case report and literature review.","authors":"Yifei Wang, Xiaowei Li, Chunfang Yao, Yi Wu, Hengli Ni","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1508614","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1508614","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intraductal papilloma is a rare benign neoplasm arising from the secretory ducts of the salivary glands. A 79-year-old man with an intraductal papilloma located in the minor salivary gland of sublingual mucosa was reported. The lesion, characterized by extensive internal papillomatous hyperplasia, was confirmed through histopathology and immunohistochemistry. We conducted a literature review to clarify intraductal papilloma and differences between inverted ductal papilloma, highlighting the significance of CK7 and MUC-1 immunohistochemical staining in diagnosing intraductal papilloma.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1508614"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11861374/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143517633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-12eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1541976
Kaiyuan Ji, Zhihan Wu, Jing Han, Guangtao Zhai, Jiannan Liu
{"title":"Evaluating ChatGPT-4's performance on oral and maxillofacial queries: Chain of Thought and standard method.","authors":"Kaiyuan Ji, Zhihan Wu, Jing Han, Guangtao Zhai, Jiannan Liu","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1541976","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1541976","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Oral and maxillofacial diseases affect approximately 3.5 billion people worldwide. With the continuous advancement of Artificial Intelligence technologies, particularly the application of generative pre-trained transformers like ChatGPT-4, there is potential to enhance public awareness of the prevention and early detection of these diseases. This study evaluated the performance of ChatGPT-4 in addressing oral and maxillofacial disease questions using standard approaches and the Chain of Thought (CoT) method, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of its capabilities, potential, and limitations.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Three experts, drawing from their extensive experience and the most common questions in clinical settings, selected 130 open-ended questions and 1,805 multiple-choice questions from the national dental licensing examination. These questions encompass 12 areas of oral and maxillofacial surgery, including Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Maxillofacial Tumors and Salivary Gland Diseases, and maxillofacial Infections.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Using CoT approach, ChatGPT-4 exhibited marked enhancements in accuracy, structure, completeness, professionalism, and overall impression for open-ended questions, revealing statistically significant differences compared to its performance on general oral and maxillofacial inquiries. In the realm of multiple-choice questions, the application of CoT method boosted ChatGPT-4's accuracy across all major subjects, achieving an overall accuracy increase of 3.1%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>When employing ChatGPT-4 to address questions in oral and maxillofacial surgery, incorporating CoT as a querying method can enhance its performance and help the public improve their understanding and awareness of such issues. However, it is not advisable to consider it a substitute for doctors.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1541976"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11860867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143517616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-11eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1556733
Takayuki Suga, Akira Toyofuku
{"title":"Commentary: The immediate pain relief of low-level laser therapy for burning mouth syndrome: a retrospective study of 94 cases.","authors":"Takayuki Suga, Akira Toyofuku","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1556733","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1556733","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1556733"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11850541/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143506653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-11eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1516025
Carolina Robertsson, Julia Davies, Gunnel Svensäter, Anders Bay Nord, Niclas Norrström, Claes Wickström
{"title":"MUC5B modulation of early oral biofilm glucose metabolism.","authors":"Carolina Robertsson, Julia Davies, Gunnel Svensäter, Anders Bay Nord, Niclas Norrström, Claes Wickström","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1516025","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1516025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Salivary mucin MUC5B has been suggested to support eubiosis in early oral biofilms by regulating the attachment of commensals, while downregulating dysbiotic activities related to dental caries development, such as microbial carbohydrate transport and metabolism.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To investigate how the metabolism of glucose, a potential driver for dental caries, in early mono- and dual-species biofilms of oral <i>Actinomyces naeslundii</i> and <i>Streptococcus gordonii</i> clinical isolates was affected by the presence of the complex salivary mucin MUC5B, this study employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics with the interpretation of network integration.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>MUC5B reduced early attachment in the presence of glucose compared with uncoated surfaces but maintained even species distribution. This suggests that MUC5B may represent an innate mechanism to regulate biofilm eubiosis by supporting early coadhesion while regulating total biomass. All annotated metabolites were intermediates in either carbohydrate metabolism, pyruvate conversion, or amino acid metabolism, which was not unexpected in biofilm glucose metabolomes from two saccharolytic species since pyruvate conversion represents a junction point between glycolysis and amino acid metabolic chains. The 10 metabolites present in all early biofilms represent a core metabolome shared by <i>A. naeslundii</i> and <i>S. gordonii</i>. Such core metabolomes can be used to detect deviations in future studies. Significant differences in metabolite abundance elicited by the presence of MUC5B were also detected. In early biofilms where they were each present, pyruvate, ethanol, and metabolite 134 were present in significantly higher abundance in the presence of 25% MUC5B with 20 mM glucose (MUC5B + G) compared with a physiologic buffer with 20 mM glucose (PBS + G), while metabolites 84, 97, and sarcosine were present at significantly lower abundance. Metabolite 72 was unique to biofilms grown in MUC5B + G, and eight unannotated metabolites were unique to biofilms grown in PBS + G. A pathway enrichment analysis of the metabolites that were differently expressed in early <i>A. naeslundii</i>, <i>S. gordonii</i>, and dual-species biofilms grown with 20 mM glucose with or without MUC5B showed that pyruvate metabolism was significantly over-represented. Studying the metabolic interactions between commensal members of oral biofilms and modulatory effects of host factors such as glycoproteins in saliva during the metabolism of substrates that are potential drivers of dysbiosis, such as glucose, is essential to understand the roles of oral microbial ecosystems in oral health and disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1516025"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11850524/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143506654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-10eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1488941
Ana Molina, Nagore Ambrosio, María Molina, Eduardo Montero, Leire Virto, David Herrera, Elena Figuero, Mariano Sanz
{"title":"Effect of periodontal therapy on endothelial function and serum biomarkers in patients with periodontitis and established cardiovascular disease: a pilot study.","authors":"Ana Molina, Nagore Ambrosio, María Molina, Eduardo Montero, Leire Virto, David Herrera, Elena Figuero, Mariano Sanz","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1488941","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1488941","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>To investigate the effect of periodontal therapy on endothelial function of subjects with periodontitis in stages III or IV and established cardiovascular disease.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A triple-blinded, parallel groups, randomized clinical trial of 6 months duration, on patients with history of coronary heart disease and periodontitis in stages III or IV was performed. Intervention consisted of steps 1 (oral hygiene instructions and professional mechanical plaque removal) and 2 (subgingival instrumentation) of periodontal therapy, including an antiseptic mouth rinse for 7 days. Patients in the control group received only step 1, with the adjunctive use of a fluoride-containing mouth rinse. Endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) at baseline, 3 and 6 months, and serum markers of inflammation and cell adhesion at 3 days, 10 days, 3 and 6 months after therapy, were evaluated. Demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, history of cardiovascular diseases, medication intake, lipids profile, blood pressure, and periodontal outcomes were also evaluated. Student T, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square and Fisher-exact tests were performed along with repeated measures ANOVA with <i>post hoc</i> Bonferroni's corrections.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-five patients were included. In the test group, improvements in pocket depth, bleeding on probing and suppuration at 6 months were significantly better than in control patients. Reductions in mean FMD [<i>test group</i> -3.43%; 95% confidence interval-CI [-2.68; 9.54], <i>p</i> = 0.487; <i>control group</i> -6.75%; 95% CI [1.29; 12.22], <i>p</i> = 0.012] and cIMT (<i>test group</i> -0.05 mm; 95% CI [0.01; 0.10], <i>p</i> = 0.014; <i>control group</i> -0.01 mm; 95% CI [-0.03; 0.05], <i>p</i> = 1.000) were observed in both groups from baseline to 6 months, without significant intergroup differences at any time-point. Differences between groups in serum inflammatory markers were detected at baseline and 3 days for interleukin (IL)-18, and at 10 days for IL-8.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Preliminary results from the present pilot study showed that steps 1 and 2 of periodontal treatment in subjects with periodontitis in stages III-IV and established cardiovascular disease induced improvements in cIMT and periodontal outcomes, although changes in FMD were not observed.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier, database (NCT02716259).</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1488941"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11847872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143495036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frontiers in oral healthPub Date : 2025-02-07eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3389/froh.2025.1540944
Moréniké Oluwátóyìn Foláyan, Ahmed Bhayat, Sara S Mikhail, Nicaise Ndembi, Maha El Tantawi
{"title":"Resources for oral health in Africa.","authors":"Moréniké Oluwátóyìn Foláyan, Ahmed Bhayat, Sara S Mikhail, Nicaise Ndembi, Maha El Tantawi","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1540944","DOIUrl":"10.3389/froh.2025.1540944","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oral health in Africa is often overlooked despite its substantial impact on overall health and well-being. Currently, Africa has a very high prevalence of dental diseases, including untreated dental caries in permanent teeth, severe periodontal disease and oral cancer. Dental human resources are also very low, with dentists ranging from 1.77 to 0.03 per 10,000 population across the continent. The number of technicians also varies across the continent from 0.17 to.0.1 per 10,000 population. Southern Africa has the highest median dental assistants and therapists per 10,000 population ratio (0.2), whereas Northern Africa has no dental assistants or therapists. In addition, limited infrastructure and funding have resulted in significant oral health disparities, leaving large portions of the population without adequate access to oral health services. Only 57% of African countries have developed an oral health policy that sets targets and implementation strategies. African countries have also been shown to spend a fraction of their health budget on oral health care, albeit that dentistry is one of the most expensive medical services. Addressing these gaps requires addressing the oral health workforce needs, facilitating the development of oral health policies built on context-specific evidence, and guiding practice and policy. In addition, partnerships are needed to support innovation, sustainability and monitoring of the instituted oral health programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1540944"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11842384/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}