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Biomedical subjects

N Tinanoff

Publications and source records attributed to N Tinanoff.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Epithelial cells associated with the development of dental plaque.

Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were used to study desquamated epithelial cells in the developing and mature dental plaque. Epithelial cells were found attached to enamel as early as one hour after clean enamel cylinders were placed in the mouth, and they were seen in great numbers after two days. These cells generally had bacteria attached to their surfaces. Epithelial cells adsorbed to the surface of the enamel appeared to alter their morphology, and mineralization of these structures was also observed. Desquamated epithelial cells could play a role in the initial bacterial colonization of tooth enamel since it is known that bacteria selectively adsorb onto their surfaces. Hydroxyapatite may affect the morphologic alteration of epithelial cells adsorbed to tooth enamel. From the observation of developing and mature plaque samples, it seems that certain suprasurface pelliclelike structures might be epithelial cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Failure of intense preventive efforts to arrest early childhood and rampant caries: three case reports.

This report presents the first three children who developed dental caries despite being enrolled in a randomized, control trial to test methods to prevent early childhood caries. The children's caretakers received education on decreasing frequent and prolonged feeding with a nursing bottle and other sugar containing foods, as well as brushing the children's teeth daily with 0.4% SnF2 gel. One of the child's caretaker additionally received training sessions to improve confidence in eliminating the child's nursing bottle habit and in performing daily tooth brushing. The two other children received monthly topical fluoride treatments with 2% NaF. Despite these intensive preventive efforts, these three children developed dental caries. Two of the children had mutans streptococci colonization at the time of initial visit, (12 and 14 months of age, respectively). All had high mutans streptococci levels at the time that caries was detected. Incorrigible, high-frequency sugar consumption from a bottle or from solid foods was suggested in all three cases. In one case, dental caries was associated with defects of the tooth enamel. Conceivably, the cariogenic challenge and harmful behaviors in certain children may be so extreme that they can overwhelm even extraordinary preventive efforts.

Bottle Feeding↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microbiological screening for cariogenic bacteria in children 9 to 36 months of age.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate sampling methods for recovery of mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli (LB) in children 9 to 36 months of age. METHODS: Tongue and plaque specimens collected on cotton swabs and stimulated saliva were diluted and plated on selective and nonselective media. Tongue specimens on a swab and mouth mirror were inoculated directly on selective agar media (MS only). Sampling methods were compared by frequency of recovery of MS or LB, correlation of microbial counts with dmfs scores, and potential of specific microbial counts to predict caries presence or absence. RESULTS: The mean dmfs score of 87 subjects was 6.3; 48 subjects were caries free. Levels of MS and LB were consistently higher in plaque than in other sampling techniques (P<.001), and frequencies of recovery of MS were highest in plaque (P<.041) and tongue (P<.006). Frequency of LB recovery did not differ significantly between sampling methods. Counts of MS or LB in total subjects and subjects aged 9 to 24 months correlated positively with dmfs scores (P<.028). Threshold levels of MS which were predictive of presence of caries were: (1) plaque=>2x10(5); (2) tongue=>10(4); (3) saliva=>10(5); (4) mirror=>50; and (5) swab=>50. Comparable levels of LB were: plaque, >10(3); tongue, >10(2) and saliva, >10(3). Specificities associated with these predictions were higher than sensitivities for all sampling methods. CONCLUSIONS: (1) All sampling methods were adequate for microbial risk assessment tests in children under 3 years of age; (2) MS was a stronger indicator of caries status than LB.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of chairside microbiological screening systems and conventional selective media in children with and without visible dental caries.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of commercial chairside microbial tests (CT) and conventional selective media (GS, gold standards) for mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli (LB) using oral specimens from young children with and without visible dental caries. METHODS: Using cotton swabs to collect oral microbial specimens from children 10 to 36 months old, microbial counts of CT and GS were compared with caries experience of the subjects. Contamination levels by non-MS or non-LB isolates on CT and GS were also determined. The CT employed were: (1) CRT bacteria for MS and LB; (2) CarioCheck Plus for MS and LB; and (3) Dentocult SM and Mucount for MS. RESULTS: All CT and GS for MS represented caries status of the participants (P<.001, Fisher exact test; P<.015 linear regression), whereas only GS for LB showed significant association with caries status (P<.001, Fisher exact test; P<.001, linear regression). Non-MS or non-LB isolates were observed on most media, and CT usually exhibited higher contaminant levels than GS. Dentocult SM and Mucount did not harbor contaminants. CONCLUSIONS: Despite contamination, CT and GS for MS and GS for LB exhibited satisfactory outcomes based on cross-sectional caries experience of infants and toddlers.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The etiology, prevalence, and sequelae of infraclusion of primary molars.

Dental infraclusion, teeth below the occlusal plane, is a common condition, especially in mandibular primary molars, with more than seventy references in the literature. Most claim infracluded molars do not exfoliate within normal time limits and must be extracted to prevent detrimental sequelae. The few documented studies on this topic suggest, however, that most infracluded teeth exfoliate normally; however, there is a tendency toward a delay of six months. The degree of infraclusion does not appear to correspond with exfoliation time. The frequent sequelae of severely infracluded teeth, space loss and molar tipping, may be prevented by either restoring the height of the affected tooth or by using space maintainers without extraction. The successors of infracluded molars reportedly develop normally and have few occlusal abnormalities.

Ankylosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship of microbiological, social, and environmental variables to caries status in young children.

This study was undertaken to investigate the significance of social, environmental, and biological variables in relation to caries status in a group of young children, and to determine whether incorporating data on social and environmental variables into a multivariate model could improve the accuracy of a screening approach that relies solely on quantifying levels of salivary Streptococcus mutans. Data regarding fluoride status and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from the dental records of 89 children who ranged in age from 10-71 months, and who had been screened previously for S. mutans. Multivariate analyses (logit) revealed that the probability of having clinically or radiographically detectable caries was associated with 1) higher levels of salivary S. mutans, 2) residing in a single-parent household, 3) having suboptimal levels of fluoride in the drinking water and 4) not being covered by a dental insurance plan. The findings attest to the importance of considering social and environmental factors, in addition to biological variables, when evaluating caries status in young children.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Management of dental caries as an infectious disease.

Dental caries is an infectious disease that demineralizes tooth structure as a consequence of bacterial metabolism. Chemical suppression of bacteria, especially using stannous fluoride, is gaining popularity because of its practicality and clinical efficacy.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of fluoridation in a private pedodontic practice: thirty years later.

For years, dental practitioners, educators, and researchers have sought to reduce the incidence of dental caries and periodontal disease. The efforts to prevent dental caries have focused on the promotion of community water fluoridation, school fluoride-rinse-programs, topical fluoride treatments, fluoridated toothpastes, and plaque-and-diet control. It is not until recently that the striking results of these efforts have become evident. Surveys such as this one, showing the diminished severity of caries in the child population, confirm the impression of many private practitioners. The dental profession should not be surprised by the effectiveness of our preventive programs, nor be unprepared for the future needs of our patients. We should accelerate our preventive efforts, while at the same time anticipating the future with appropriate adjustments in dental curricula, manpower, and practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multidimensional causal model of dental caries development in low-income preschool children.

Despite the decline in the incidence of dental caries in the United States over the past several years, the condition remains a significant problem for the nation's poor children. Efforts to identify the factors responsible for caries development in samples of children of low socioeconomic status have primarily focused on a limited number of variables, and those have been predominantly biological (mutans streptococci, for example). Resulting models of caries development have usually shown good sensitivity but poor specificity. They have had limited implications for treatment. In an effort to produce a comprehensive model of caries development, 184 low-income preschool children were clinically assessed for mutans streptococci and for decayed, missing, or filled surfaces of deciduous teeth twice, first at age 4 years (baseline) and again a year later (year 1 assessment). As the clinical assessments were being done, caretakers were being interviewed to obtain data from five domains: demographics, social status, dental health behaviors, cognitive factors such as self-efficacy (self-confidence) and controllability, and perceived life stress. Data were analyzed using a structural equations modeling approach in which variables from all domains, plus baseline decayed missing and filled surfaces and baseline mutants, were used together to create a model of caries development in the year 1 assessment. Results confirmed earlier work that suggested that caries development at a 1-year followup was strongly dependent on earlier caries development. Early caries development in this sample was determined in part by mutans levels and by dental health behaviors. These behaviors themselves were accounted for partly by a cognitive factor. The results support the advantages of employing multidimensional models and provide some direction for intervention to reduce caries incidence.

Causality↗