Anton Rahardjo

Fluoride concentration in urine after silver diamine fluoride application on tooth enamel

Silver Diammine Fluoride (SDF), which contains fluoride, is known to inhibit tooth enamel demineralization and increase fluoride concentrations in saliva and urine. The aim of this study is to analyze the fluoride concentration in urine after application of SDF on tooth enamel. Urine from four subjects was collected prior to, 30 minutes after, and two and three hours after the application of SDF, and an ion-selective electrode was used to measure the fluoride concentrations. There was no significant difference between time 1 and time 2, time 1 and time 3, time 1 and time 4, time 2 and 3 (p > 0.05), and there was a significant difference between time 2 and time 4 as well as time 3 and time 4 (p < 0.05). There was a decrease in the concentration of fluoride ions in urine from the baseline to 30 minutes after application, and an increase from baseline to two and three hours after the application of SDF.

Oral health condition and endemic goitre, in an iodine-deficient area in Bali, Indonesia.

Iodine deficiency is a major determinant of endemic goiter which affects bone growth. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between iodine deficiency and oral health. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 181 inhabitants aged 17 to 40 years in two villages in an iodine-deficient area in Bali, Indonesia. Thyroid swelling, serum level of thyroid-stimulating hormone, DMFT index, plaque index, gingival index, dietary habits and socioeconomic status were examined. Thirty two subjects (21%) had thyroid swelling considered to be endemic goiter, with the highest prevalence in females aged 21 to 30 years (40-41%). The DMFT, food habits, and socioeconomic status were different between both villages. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and location (village) did not detect any association between DMFT and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level or thyroid swelling. Further studies will be required to confirm these findings. Asia Pac J Public Health 2001;13(1):45-48

Efficacy of Essential Oil Strips Containing Thymol, Eucalyptol, Menthol, Methyl Salicylate, and Peppermint Against Dental Caries

Background : Strips containing essential oils are commonly used as an alternative treatment for dental caries prevention. However, their efficacy is unknown. This study aimed to test the efficacy of oral strips containing essential oils on caries prevention. Methods : This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 15 subjects divided into two groups: A and B. In the first week, group A (N = 8) was given strips containing thymol, eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate, and peppermint (TEMMP) three times in 24 hours while group B (N = 7) was given placebo strips. In the second week, after a one-week washout period, each group was given the other product. Pre- and post-treatment evaluation was performed by measuring plaque acidity using a pH plaque indicator and determining the number of S.mutans colonies using a hand counter. Results : There was no significant difference between plaque pH and S.mutans count in subjects given TEMMP strips compared to placebo. Conclusions : The use of TEMMP essential oil strips does not significantly inhibit the growth of S.mutans or the production of plaque.

Relationship between oral health status and masticatory performance with nutritional status in the elderly

The greatest component in the decay–missing–filled teeth index is tooth loss, which occurs mostly in the elderly. Tooth loss can affect the ability to chew food, resulting in a lack of nutritional intake. A cross-sectional study was performed at four community health centers in Central, South, and East Jakarta of 93 elderly (age ≥60) subjects who underwent intraoral examination, anthropometric measurement (body mass index [BMI]) and interview using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Of the subjects, 53.8% had ≥20 natural teeth and 55.9% were at risk for malnutrition. Correlation testing showed that the total number of natural, decayed, missing, and filled teeth and masticatory performance (p > 0.05) were not significantly correlated with nutritional status (BMI and MNA). There is no relationship between oral health status, masticatory performance, and nutritional status in the elderly.

Effect and impact of silver diamine fluoride application in primary teeth caries on children’s quality of life

Caries is the greatest oral health problem in children aged 3–5 years in Indonesia. Early caries treatment can heal toothache and increase quality of life. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is used to treat primary teeth caries. Herein, we evaluated the quality of life of 59 children aged 3–5 years 3 months after SDF application. Mothers were given a quality of life questionnaire before and after application. After SDF application, 89.36% of caries were arrested and the quality of life of the children had significantly increased (p < 0.05). SDF was effective in treating primary teeth caries and increasing childrens quality of life.

Dental erosion in 12-year-old school children living in Jakarta

This study assesses the dental erosion status of 12-year-old Indonesian children and studies the determinants of dental erosion of these children. The survey was performed in 2016 with ethics approval. A multistage cluster proportional to size random sampling method was adopted to select 12-year-old children in 24 primary schools in Jakarta. The parents were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire concerning their childrens diet and oral health habits. The children were examined by a single calibrated examiner. Detection of dental erosion followed basic erosive wear examination (BEWE) criteria. A total of 487 children participated in the survey. Most children (88%) had at least some signs of erosion (BEWE > 0), with dentin being involved in 50% of the cases (BEWE = 2). Dental erosion was significantly related to gender, the frequencies of citric tea consumption, parents dental knowledge, fathers education, and dental caries (OR = 3.148). The 12-year-old Indonesian school children who lived in Jakarta had signs of erosion, although severe erosion was not found. Screening programs should be provided to identify risk groups so early preventive measures can be taken.

Efficacy test of a toothpaste in reducing extrinsic dental stain

This clinical trial compared the external dental stain reduction achieved by tested toothpaste versus placebo in adult patients. In this double-blind, parallel, randomised clinical trial, 45 female volunteers with a mean age of 20 years old were included. All study subjects front teeth were topically applicated with Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) to create external dental stains. Subjects were randomized into test (n=22) and control (n=23) groups. Toothpastes were used for two days to analyse the effects of removing external stains on the labial surfaces of all anterior teeth. VITA Easyshade Advance 4.0 was used to measure dental extrinsic stains changes. The analysis showed statistically significant efficacy of the tested toothpaste in reducing external dental stain caused by SDF, comparing to the placebo toothpaste, after one and two days of usage. The tested toothpaste was effective in reducing dental stain.