Suchergebnisse

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of an electric toothbrush for oral care in patients with neuromuscular disability.MethodsIn this randomized observer‐blind crossover trial, 30 patients with neuromuscular disease performed either electric or manual toothbrushing each for 4 weeks. Plaque status (plaque control record), periodontal pocket depth, oral status (oral assessment guide), salivary bacterial count, and toothbrushing time were assessed after each period and compared between the two groups by Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.ResultsTwenty‐eight patients completed the study, including 18 communicative patients. Periodontal pockets were significantly shallower and toothbrushing time was significantly shorter with electric toothbrush use than with manual toothbrush use. No significant differences in oral status and salivary bacterial counts were noted between the approaches, but plaque status significantly improved after electric toothbrushing in communicative patients.ConclusionsElectric toothbrushing is beneficial for maintaining oral health in patients with neuromuscular disability and reducing the caregivers' oral care burden.

Abstract Background A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off eastern Japan in March 2011. Many survivors have been living in temporary houses provided by the local government since they lost their houses as a result of the great tsunami (tsunami group) or the expected high-dose radiation resulting from the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (radiation group). The tsunami was more than 9 m high in Soma, Fukushima, which is located 30 km north of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and adjacent to the mandatory evacuation area. A health screening program was held for the evacuees in Soma in September 2011. The aim of this study was to compare the metabolic profiles of the evacuees before and after the disaster. We hypothesized that the evacuees would experience deteriorated metabolic status based on previous reports of natural disasters. Methods Data on 200 subjects who attended a health screening program in September or October of 2010 (pre-quake) and 2011 (post-quake) were retrospectively reviewed and included in this study. Pre-quake and post-quake results of physical examinations and laboratory tests were compared in the tsunami and radiation groups. A multivariate regression model was used to determine pre-quake predictive factors for elevation of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in the tsunami group. Results Significantly higher values of body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and HbA1c and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were found at the post-quake screening when compared with the pre-quake levels (p = 0.004, p = 0.03, p = 0.008, p < 0.001, and p = 0.03, respectively). A significantly higher proportion of subjects in the tsunami group with high HbA1c, defined as ≥5.7%, was observed after the quake (34.3%) than before the quake (14.8%) (p < 0.001). Regional factors, periodic clinic visits, and waist circumference before the quake were identified as predictive factors on multivariate analysis for the deterioration of HbA1c. Conclusions Post-quake metabolic variables were impaired compared with pre-quake baseline levels in survivors who were living in temporary houses. A natural disaster could affect metabolic profiles, and careful follow-up for survivors should be planned.