Subject: Use of the Internet to access oral health-related information by patients
Volume 3 Issue 2 Page 70 - May 2005
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
International Journal of Dental Hygiene
CE Harris and IG Chestnutt
Background: The degree to which patients access the Internet
for oral
health-related information is unknown.
Objectives: This study was designed to determine if patients
attending student dental hygiene clinics had: (1) accessed
the
Internet, (2) used the Internet as
a source of information
on both
general health and oral health, (3) bought oral health care
products
on-line, and (4) were interested in being directed to appropriate
on-
line oral health resources by dental professionals.
Methods: A self-complete questionnaire was administered to
a quota
sample of 280 new and returning patients attending the student
dental
hygiene clinic at either the Cardiff Dental Hospital or a nearby
Primary Dental Care Unit.
Results: A total of 269 (96%) patients consented to participate
in
the study. Of these, 147 (54.6%) had accessed the Internet,
the
majority (61.2%) from home. Internet use was significantly
related to
both patient age and level of education (P < 0.001). In
total, 59
patients claimed accessing the Internet for information on
general
health topics. Only eight respondents had used the Internet
for
information on oral health/dental topics, with seven reporting
that
they found the information useful. On-line purchase of oral
health
products was reported by seven patients. However, 117 (43.5%
of all
respondents) patients indicated that they would be interested
in the
Internet as a future source of oral health information and
112
(41.6%) would appreciate being directed to appropriate sites
by their
dentist or dental hygienist.
Conclusions: Patients attending student dental hygiene clinics
make
little use of the Internet for oral health information. However,
reported interest in future access is such that dental professionals
should develop and harness the potential of the Internet as
an
educational resource.
There are 3 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Effectiveness of a toothpaste containing triclosan
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>
2. Use of the Internet to access oral health-related information by patients
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>
3. Oral lycopene - An efficacious treatment for oral leukoplakia?
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 23:42:33 -0000
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Effectiveness of a toothpaste containing triclosan
Summary Review/Oral Health Promotion
Evidence-Based Dentistry (2005) 6, 33. doi: 10.1038/sj.ebd.6400318
Richard Niederman1 Davies RM, Ellwood RP, Davies GM. The
effectiveness of a toothpaste containing triclosan and polyvinyl-
methyl ether maleic acid copolymer in improving plaque control and
gingival health: a systematic review. J Clin Periodontol 2004;
31:1029−1033
Data sourcesSources of studies were the Cochrane Controlled Trials
Register, Medline and Embase. Personal files and the reference lists
of all articles were checked for further studies.
Study selectionTrials were selected if they met the following
criteria: there had been random allocation of participants;
participants were adults with plaque and gingivitis; there was
unsupervised use of dentifrices for at least 6 months; and primary
outcomes were plaque and gingivitis after 6 months.
Data extraction and synthesisData were extracted by two reviewers
independently. For each plaque and gingivitis index, the mean
differences for each study were pooled as weighted mean differences
(WMD) with the appropriate 95% confidence intervals (CI) using the
random effects model.
ResultsSixteen trials provided data for the meta-analysis. The
triclosan/copolymer dentifrice significantly improved plaque control
compared with a fluoride dentifrice, with a WMD of -0.48 (95% CI, -
0.64 to -0.32) for the Quigley-Hein index and WMD of-0.15 (95% CI,-
0.20 to -0.09) for the plaque severity index. When compared with a
fluoride dentifrice, the triclosan/copolymer dentifrice significantly
reduced gingivitis with WMD of -0.26 (95% CI, -0.34 to -0.18) and -
0.12 (95% CI, -0.17 to -0.08) for the Loe and Silness index and for
gingivitis.
ConclusionsThis systematic review indicates that a dentifrice that
contains triclosan/copolymer provides a more effective level of
plaque control and periodontal health than a conventional fluoride
dentifrice.
Summary Review/Dental Caries
Evidence-Based Dentistry (2005) 6, 34. doi: 10.1038/sj.ebd.6400322
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 03:30:25 -0000
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Use of the Internet to access oral health-related information by patients
The use of the Internet to access oral health-related information by
patients attending dental hygiene clinics
Volume 3 Issue 2 Page 70 - May 2005
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
International Journal of Dental Hygiene
CE Harris and IG Chestnutt
Background: The degree to which patients access the Internet for oral
health-related information is unknown.
Objectives: This study was designed to determine if patients
attending student dental hygiene clinics had: (1) accessed the
Internet, (2) used the Internet as a source of information on both
general health and oral health, (3) bought oral health care products
on-line, and (4) were interested in being directed to appropriate on-
line oral health resources by dental professionals.
Methods: A self-complete questionnaire was administered to a quota
sample of 280 new and returning patients attending the student dental
hygiene clinic at either the Cardiff Dental Hospital or a nearby
Primary Dental Care Unit.
Results: A total of 269 (96%) patients consented to participate in
the study. Of these, 147 (54.6%) had accessed the Internet, the
majority (61.2%) from home. Internet use was significantly related to
both patient age and level of education (P < 0.001). In total, 59
patients claimed accessing the Internet for information on general
health topics. Only eight respondents had used the Internet for
information on oral health/dental topics, with seven reporting that
they found the information useful. On-line purchase of oral health
products was reported by seven patients. However, 117 (43.5% of all
respondents) patients indicated that they would be interested in the
Internet as a future source of oral health information and 112
(41.6%) would appreciate being directed to appropriate sites by their
dentist or dental hygienist.
Conclusions: Patients attending student dental hygiene clinics make
little use of the Internet for oral health information. However,
reported interest in future access is such that dental professionals
should develop and harness the potential of the Internet as an
educational resource.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 03:23:55 -0000
From: "mmfrguson" <mmfrguson@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Oral lycopene - An efficacious treatment for oral leukoplakia?
Oral lycopene — an efficacious treatment for oral leukoplakia?
Joanna M Zakrzewska1
Singh M, Krishanappa R, Bagewadi A, Keluskar V. Efficacy of oral
lycopene in the treatment of oral leukoplakia. Oral Oncol 2004;
40:591−596.
This was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the treatment of oral
leukoplakia with the carotenoid lycopene.
Intervention- A total of 58 patients received either 8 mg oral
lycopene in two doses daily (n=20), 4 mg oral lycopene in two doses
daily (n=18) or placebo capsules (n=18), for a 3-month period.
Progress of patients was followed for a further 2 months.
An objective clinical response, evaluated by bidimensional
measurement of the lesion and colour photography, was classified as
complete, partial, stable or progression. Histological status was
categorised and ranked as normal (0), atypical hyperplasia (1), mild
dysplasia (2), moderate dysplasia (3) or severe dysplasia (4).
Histological response was then described by the change in rank, for
example, from moderate dysplasia (3) to atypical hyperplasia (1)
would indicate an improvement of 2 units.
Results- There was no significant difference in the clinical response
of people who took 8 mg lycopene compared with those taking 4 mg
lycopene. The clinical responses measured in both these groups were
significantly greater, however, than those in the control group
(P<0.01). The response, assessed histologically, after the 8-mg
lycopene treatment was significantly better than that from 4 mg
lycopene (P<0.05) and than the response seen in the control group
(P<0.001). Patients taking 4 mg lycopene also responded significantly
better than those in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusions- Oral lycopene appears, from this small RCT conducted
over 5 months, to be effective in the treatment and management of
oral leukoplakia.
