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Background/Aim. Identification of caries risk indicators involved in the disease development is of great importance. The aim of this study was to assess the association between distinctive risk indicators and different stages of caries disease process in children. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample (n = 327) of school children ages 7-11. A questionnaire submitted to parents was used to record the data regarding demographic characteristics, children's dietary habits, oral hygiene habits and oral health behaviors. Caries was assessed using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II and subjects were stratified according to the highest and most prevalent caries lesion stage. The data obtained were analyzed using the χ2 or Fisher's exact test and multinomial logistic regression. Results. Caries lesions were detected in 56.6% of examinees observed in the study. Compared to cariesfree subjects, appearance of initial caries lesions was statistically significantly influenced by maternal education level (p = 0.021), paternal occupational status (p = 0.023), toothbrushing frequency (p < 0.001), and caries status of deciduous teeth (p = 0.027). Maternal educational level (p = 0.026), paternal occupational status (p = 0.003), sweets and snacks taking frequency (p = 0.005), toothbrushing frequency (p < 0.001), and fluoridate dentifrice usage (p = 0.027) were associated with moderate caries lesions. Maternal educational level (p < 0.001), sweets and snacks taking frequency (p = 0.022) and toothbrushing frequency (p < 0.001) were associated with extensive caries lesions. Maternal educational level (p = 0.02) and brushing frequency (p < 0.001) were statistically significantly associated with the highest prevalence of initial caries lesions. Maternal educational level (p = 0.025), toothbrushing frequency (p < 0.001) and frequency of dental check-ups (p = 0.016) were statistically significantly associated with the highest prevalence of moderate caries lesions. Conclusion. Parental socioeconomic indicators and children's behavior related to oral health were involved in the changes from caries-free status to different caries stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Periodontal disease is the second most common diseases after dental decay. The aim of the study was to determine frequency and seriousness of the periodontal disease, and periodontal treatment needs among the participants of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF). Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study carried out on 1,411 military personnel aged 19-64 years (mean age: 35.20 ± 8.46 years). Periodontal health was recorded following the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) of Treatment Needs (CPITN). The frequency distributions were studied with regard to age groups, gender and military rank. The mean number of sextants affected per person was assessed. Results. Only 3 % of the total SAF population had healthy periodontal tissue. The highest percentage of the studied population had the presence of calculus (42.7%), and the mean value of sextants with calculus was 1.77 per person. 35.8% of participants had the CPI score 3 (4-5 mm), and 5.4% of participants had the CPI score 4 (≥ 6 mm). Periodontal pockets (CPI score 3 and 4) were mostly present in the upper right (32%) and left (26%) sextant. Almost every subject needed better oral hygiene maintenance, but 41.2% of our participants required complex periodontal treatment. Conclusion. On the basis of all data, the treatment needs of SAF participants are big and vary in relation to the age, gender and military rank. Unfortunately, a dramatically small number of participants in the study had a completely healthy periodontium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. The assessment of the impact of oral health on the quality of life presents the increasing need in testing oral health of an individual and of the entire population. The aim of the study was to translate the index of "Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults" of the World Health Organization into the Serbian language and to check its reliability in the Serbian Armed Forces professional staff. Methods. This study was designed as an observational, epidemiological study. The "Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults" was translated into the Serbian language. The classical test theory was used in the data analysis. The assessed characteristics included internal consistency and construct validity. Results. A total of 1,741 participants were included in this analysis. The mean age of the study group was 32.4 ± 9.7 years. In the last 12 months, problems which occurred frequently or very often regarding teeth and mouth were as follows: difficult biting of food (6.2%), difficult chewing (5.1%), difficult speech or difficult pronunciation of certain words (1.9%), dryness of the mouth (2.9%), the feeling of discomfort due to the esthetic appearance of teeth (6.8%). The reliability of the "Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults" (items considering Oral Health Self-Assessment) had high internal consistency (the Cronbach's coefficient was 0.879). The Principal component analysis and Promax rotation revealed 1 factor with Eigenvalue exceeding 1, accounting for 54.3% of the total variance. Conclusion. The Serbian version of the „Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults" provides very useful and reliable information on the condition of oral health of the Serbian Armed Forces professional members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. A period of adolescence is characterized by turbulent emotional, physical and physiological changes. There are numerous risk factors that may endanger the oral health of adolescents as the influence of parents reduces, while the influence of the environment and peers increases. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine the behavior of adolescents concerning oral health, using a new statistical method - artificial intelligence algorithms. Methods. In the first part of the survey, data on the behavior of adolescents related to oral health were collected. Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU DBI) questionnaire was used, and additionally expanded with three questions. The second part of the study included clinical examination. The research was conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry in Pančevo, Serbia. The first and second grade high school students were selected for the observation unit. The total sample consisted of 374 students (128 males and 246 females). We applied a special programming language called Python for parsing data, creating a database in digital form, processing data by standard statistical methods and through the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) method. Results. The artificial intelligence algorithms clustered the respondents into two groups, based on their responses from the HU DBI questionnaire. Thus, the quality of the method and the need for analysis of this type in dental studies are demonstrated and proven. Conclusion. Based on the results obtained through artificial intelligence algorithms, we could conclude that respondents should rather be clustered into characteristic groups and analyzed than divided and observed according to sex, as it is the intuitive division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. The number of children with diabetes is constantly increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate oral health in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to healthy children. Methods. The study included 177 patients aged 10-15 years, divided into two groups. The group T1DM included children with type I diabetes mellitus, and healthy children were in the control group. Dental health was assessed using the decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) index. The Plaque Index (PI), according to Silness-Löe, and the Calculus Index (CI) by Green, were used to determine oral hygiene. Salivary status involved determining the amount of secreted stimulated saliva and buffer capacity of the same patient. Results. In terms of average values of the DMFT index of permanent teeth, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. A significant difference (p = 0.001) was found in the PI value between the T1DM group (1.29 ± 0.56) and the control group (1.01 ± 0.50). Also, a significant difference was found in the CI value between the T1DM group (0.09 ± 0.23) and the control group (0.03 ± 0.14) (p = 0.047). The average amount of secreted stimulated saliva for diabetic children was significantly lower (0.99 ± 0.14 mL/min) compared to healthy children (1.06 ± 0.20 mL/min) (p = 0.020). Conclusion. Children with T1DM do not have more diseased teeth; however, they have more dental plaque, dental calculus, and lower salivation than the children in the control group. Also, our results point to the absence of preventive measures and programs in maintaining dental health in Montenegro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Many studies on oral health of psychiatric inpatients reported schizophrenia as the most common psychiatric disorder among their sample population. The available evidence suggests the higher prevalence and severity of periodontal disease among the psychiatric inpatients. The aim of this study was to evaluate periodontal health among the inpatients with schizophrenia and to consider possible risk factors for their current periodontal diseases. Methods. This cross-sectional study comprised 190 inpatients with schizophrenia at the Clinic for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic" in Belgrade, and 190 mentally healthy patients at the Clinic for Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University in Belgrade. The Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Needs (CPITN) and sociodemographic characteristics were registered in both groups as well as the characteristics of the primary disease among the inpatients with schizophrenia. Results. The patients in the study group had significantly higher scores of the CPITN (2.24 ± 0.98) than the patients in the control group (1.21 ± 1.10). Most of the patients in the study group had supra-, or subgingival calculi (46.8%), in contrast to the control group patients, who had in most cases gingival bleeding (45.8%). The periodontal pockets where detected in 35.8% of schizophrenic inpatients. The linear regression analysis showed that the gender and age were statistically significant predictors of the CPITN value among the inpatients with schizophrenia. Conclusion. The results of this study generally indicate the need for continuous research of psychiatric patients' oral health, in order to determine the modes of its improvement. Similar studies should elucidate significance of psychiatric patients' periodontal health and sensitize psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses to the oral problems of their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Due to their primary medical condition, children with special needs often display lower levels of oral hygiene, larger prevalence of caries and other oral diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of dental caries, oral cleanliness and presence of malocclusion in children with disabilities, as well as to evaluate eruption time of the permanent molars. Methods. Case-control study was carried out on a group of 107 children with disabilities at the Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. The control group comprised of 104 healthy school children. Results. Children with disabilities had statistically higher mean [decayed missing and filled teeth - dmft for primary DMF for permanent dentition (dmft DMFT)] values in both dentitions than children from the control group (p < 0.05). Oral cleanliness level was much lower in children with disabilities. A significantly higher percentage of Class II malocclusions and a higher tendency to have a delayed time of eruption of permanent molars were observed in the test group in permanent dentition. Conclusion. Considering poor oral health status and higher tendency for development of malloclusions and delayed eruption, it is necessary to develop preventive dental programmes for children with special needs, as well as improve public awareness about these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of rare, genetic connective tissue diseases that cause blisters in the skin and mucosal membranes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status of patients with epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica and level of knowledge and opinion of parents about the implementation of preventive measaures and quality of dental care of affected children. Methods. This study included a group of 17 patients from Serbia suffering from dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and matched control group. Dental caries status was assessed using the Klein-Palmer index. Oral hygiene status was verified with oral hygiene indices, simplified plaque index, and calculus index as described by Green and Vermillion. The gingiva was assessed as healthy or inflamed (gingivitis) on the basis of any changes in color, shape, size and surface texture. The condition of oral mucosa has been registered on the basis of inspection of the lips, tongue, a floor of the mouth, mouth vestibule and palate. The level of knowledge and the impressions of parents about the application of preventive measures were investigated through two questionnaires specifically designed for this study. Results. In both dentitions, there was the highest percentage of caries teeth. In primary dentition average value of the modified plaque index was 1.4 ± 1.14 and modified calculus was 0.7 ± 1. On permanent teeth average plaque index was 2 ± 0.4, and average calculus 1.6 ± 0.6. Statistically, significant higher values were found in permanent dentition in percentage distribution of decayed, missing, filled teeth and also for plaque and calculus indices between affected children and the control group. Most common findings on mucosa were microstomia (76.5%) and ankyloglossia (88.2%). Conclusion. The absence of protocol between the treating physician and the dentist and not sufficiently informed parents are leading to inadequate dental care. The implementation of preventive measures is of most importance to decrease the risk of severe complications that are difficult to be managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Health education plays a very important role in maintaining health of individuals. Good oral health, as a part of general health, is largely dependent on the level of knowledge, attitudes and habits that children already have. The aim of this study is to examine the level of knowledge and habits in children regarding oral hygiene, diet and bad habits. Methods. The study included 506 school children aged 12 and 15 years in three towns (Foča, Čajniče, Kalinovik, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The survey was conducted in order to assess knowledge, attitudes and habits that children have in relation to their own oral health. Results. Most respondents stated that they began to brush their teeth at the age of 4, while a smaller number linked beginning of tooth brushing to the start of school. The parents more often help the boys during tooth brushing. A total of 54.9% of children brush their teeth after every meal, while 40.1% of them brush teeth only once during the day. Twelve year olds brush their teeth more often, especially after a meal. A total of 92.5% of children had never used fluoride tablets nor are the tablets recommended to them by anyone. More than half of the children (61.7%) visited the dentist for the first time before starting school that is on the regular examination that is performed upon enrollment to school. A pain as a reason for dental visits was present in 43.9%, while the preventive check in only 31.4% of the children. Conclusion. Children included in this study, particularly 15-year-olds, are quite well informed about teeth brushing frequency and proper selection of tools for hygiene maintenance, but this knowledge is not applied. Girls are more responsible for their own health, and come regularly to the preventive dental checkups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) is a well-known psychometric test used internationally to assess the oral health-related quality of life. The interview and self-administrated questionnaire both assess the degree to which oral health problems have affected the life of the participants over the previous 6 months. The aim of this study was to translate the OIDP index into Serbian and to assess its reliability in practice as its initial verification in the Serbian speaking area. Methods. Following an internationally established methods, the OIDP scale was translated using standardized methodology that consisted of forward translation, pilot study and backward translation. Results. A pilot study was carried out with 44 respondents (24 males i 20 females) using a preliminary Serbian version of the OIDP index. All patients were aged over 65 years. A total of 68.2% of the participants replied that they had at least one OIDP impact on daily life in the past 6 months. These troubles were most prominent during eating (47.7%) and speaking (36.4%), but there is a little impact of troubles in the domain of psychosocial sphere. The corrected item-total correlation coefficients for all items were above the minimum recommended level of 0.20 for including an item in a scale. The standardized Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.75. Conclusion. Based on these results, we can conclude that this index is suitable for use in everyday practice in Serbian speaking area providing useful information required to assess oral health-related quality of life [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]