Background: The reduction in dental caries seen between Irish national surveys of children’s oral health in 1984 and 2002 was accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of enamel fluorosis. To minimise the risk of enamel fluorosis in Irish children, in 2007, the level of fluoride in drinking water was reduced from 0.8-1.0 ppm to 0.6-0.8 ppm fluoride. Recommendations on the use of fluoride toothpastes in young children were issued in 2002. Fluoride and Caring for Children’s Teeth (FACCT) is a collaborative project between the Oral Health Services Research Centre, University College Cork and the Health Service Executive dental service, with funding from the Health Research Board. Aim: FACCT aims to evaluate the impact and the outcome of the change in community water fluoridation (CWF) policy (2007) on dental caries and enamel fluorosis in Irish schoolchildren, while also considering the change in policy on the use of fluoride toothpastes (2002). Methods/Design: A cross-sectional study with nested longitudinal study will be conducted in school year (SY) 2013-2014 by trained and calibrated dental examiners in primary schools in counties Dublin, Cork and Kerry for a representative sample of children born either prior to or post policy changes; age 12 (born 2001) and age 5, (born 2008). Five-year-olds will be followed-up when they are 8-year-olds (SY 2016-2017). The main explanatory variable will be fluoridation status of the children (lifetime exposure to CWF yes/no). Information about other explanatory variables will be collected via parent (of 5-, 8- and 12-year-olds) and child completed (8- and 12-year-olds only) questionnaires. The main outcomes will be dental caries (dmf/DMF Index), enamel fluorosis (Dean’s Index) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Multivariate regression analyses will be used to determine the impact and outcome of the change in CWF policy on oral health outcomes controlling for other explanatory variables.
Guidance intended to reduce fluoride toothpaste ingestion in early childhood was introduced in Ireland in 2002. In 2007, water fluoride concentration was adjusted from 0.8–1.0 to 0.6–0.8 ppm. The objective of this study was to determine the difference in caries and fluorosis levels following introduction of these 2 policy measures. A before-and-after study compared caries and fluorosis in random samples of 8-y-olds in Dublin ( n = 707) and Cork-Kerry ( n = 1148) in 2017 with 8-y-olds in Dublin ( n = 679) and Cork-Kerry ( n = 565) in 2002. Dentinal caries experience (primary teeth, d3vcmft(cde)) and fluorosis (permanent teeth, Dean’s index of very mild or higher) were clinically measured. Lifetime exposure to community water fluoridation (CWF) was classified as “full CWF”/“no CWF.” Effect of examination year on caries prevalence and severity and fluorosis prevalence was assessed using multivariate regression adjusting for other explanatory variables. There was little change in commencement of fluoride toothpaste use at ≤24 mo following introduction of toothbrushing guidance. Among children with full CWF, there was no statistically significant difference in caries prevalence or severity between 2017 and 2002. In 2017, caries prevalence was 55% in Dublin (full CWF) and 56% in Cork-Kerry (full CWF), and mean d3vcmft(cde) among children with caries was 3.4 and 3.7, respectively. Caries severity was less in 2017 (mean 4.2) than 2002 (mean 4.9) among children with no CWF ( P = 0.039). The difference in caries severity between children with full CWF and no CWF was less in 2017 than in 2002 (interaction P = 0.013), suggesting a reduced benefit for CWF in 2017. In 2017, fluorosis prevalence was 18% in Dublin (full CWF) and 12% in Cork-Kerry (full CWF). Fluorosis was predominantly “very mild” with no statistically significant difference between 2017 and 2002. CWF at 0.6 to 0.8 ppm is an effective caries-preventive measure. Results suggested low uptake of toothbrushing guidance, a reduced caries-preventive effect for CWF in primary teeth, and no reduction in fluorosis following introduction of the policy measures.
Aims This research synthesis protocol addresses the question: what is the evidence concerning measurement properties of dental patient reported outcome measures (dPROMs), and regarding the real-world value of dPROMs, and where are the gaps in this evidence? Evidence mapping will systematically examine reviews of quantitative dPROMs used to assess the impact of oral health on the quality of life of dental patients and research participants. Evidence gaps where future research or systematic reviews are required will be identified. Materials and methods This protocol accords with the PRISMA-P guideline. Open Science Framework Registration 10.17605/OSF.IO/RZD3N. Biomedical and grey literature databases will be searched, adapting the same search strategy. Published or unpublished reviews evaluating any dPROM will be considered for inclusion. There will be no restriction by date, setting, or language. AMSTAR2 and ROBIS will evaluate risk of bias. Psychometric criteria will be adapted from COSMIN. Data will be summarised separately for specific populations and conditions. Discussion The findings will enable clinicians and researchers to identify methodologically robust dPROMs, appropriate for use with relevant populations and conditions. Implications for real-world practice and research will be discussed.
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