Browsing by Author "Vaz, Ana"
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- Ansiedade e medos face ao COVID-19 em estudantes do ensino superiorPublication . Pereira, Anabela; Duque, Vitor; Santos, Blezi; Gomes, Rosa; Batista, Patrícia; Fagulha, Marta; Vaz, Ana
- Dental caries: a reviewPublication . Veiga, Nélio Jorge; Aires, Daniela; Douglas, Filipa; Pereira, Margarida; Vaz, Ana; Rama, Liliana; Silva, Mariana; Miranda, Vanessa; Pereira, Francisco; Vidal, Beatriz; Plaza, João; Bexiga, Filipantroduction: Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic disease worldwide. It’s an infectious disease characterized by a multifactorial etiology and slow evolution that leads to the destruction of dental hard tissues. The implementation of preventive measures, the need of investing in education for the correct maintenance measures of oral health, associated with preventive and continuos medical and dental care, are key to the awareness of populations of its existence and to the decline of its prevalence. Throughout this article we intend to review some important aspects about dental caries and the main etiological factors envolved so that health professionals can intervene in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Materials and Methods: To carry out this review article the search strategies included electronic databases, such as Pubmed, Cochrane Library and Science Direct, reference lists of articles, and selected textbooks. Articles and textbooks used in this study were mainly reached by using the following keywords: “oral health”, “dental caries”, “etiological factors”, “risk factors”, “primary dental prevention”. Selection criteria included articles published from 1990 to the present year of 2016 that described the definition, etiology and other characteristics associated with the disease dental caries. At the end of the search, 16 scientific articles were selected. Results: Dental caries is a disease that develops through gradual complex biological interactions of acidogenic bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates and host factors such as the teeth and saliva, during time. The disease developes due to multifactorial aspects, since biological to social aspects that the oral health professional should be aware of. Discussion: The implementation of preventive measures, the need of investing in education for the correct maintenance measures of oral health, associated with preventive and continuos medical and dental care, are key for the awareness of populations of its existence and contribute for the decrease of the prevalence of oral diseases. Conclusions: Dental caries should be seen as a fairly common condition that can greatly affect the health and quality of life of patients, so it is extremely important to increase the knowledge towards their mechanisms, focusing on prevention and the correct therapeutic approach. However, it is necessary to be aware of the hard work ahead in the future related with education and oral health promotion.
- The influence of chronic diseases in the oral health of the elderlyPublication . Veiga, Nelio Jorge; Domingues, Adeline; Douglas, Filipa; Rios, Sara; Vaz, Ana; Coelho, Carina; Bexiga, Filipa; Coelho, InêsIntroduction: Aging is a natural and progressive process that produces limitations and changes in the functioning of the human body, making the individual more vulnerable and susceptible to chronic disease development. The most affected systems in the elderly are the neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine and muscularskeletel. Overall, all they affect a special system: the oral cavity. The objective of this review article consists in characterizing the influence of the major chronic diseases on the oral health of the elderly and define how the oral health professional can diagnose the oral manifestations of a chronic disease. Material and Methods: To carry out this review article the search strategies included electronic databases, reference lists of articles, and selected textbooks. Articles and textbooks used in this study were mainly reached by using the following keywords: “oral health”, “elderly”, “chronic diseases”, “cardiovascular disease”, “Parkinson’s disease”, “kidney dysfunction”, “metabolic disorders”, “quality of life”. By the end of the research, 34 scientific articles were selected. Results: An inflammation in the oral cavity can trigger a cell and immune response, which will be transmitted by the blood stream to the other components of the individual systems. Parkinson’s disease has repercussions in the oral cavity, not only by motor dysfunction, but also by administered drugs that can lead to xerostomia. Regarding renal impairment, the dental professional must pay special attention primarily to the medication prescribed to the patient, in order not to increase the risk of nephrotoxicity. Apart from this fact, scientific studies indicate a strong association between metabolic disorders and the development of oral diseases Discussion: The weakening of oral health in the elderly mainly occurs when there is a frequent decrease in medical and dental care, neglection of oral hygiene and when there is a systemic pathology responsible for the development of poor oral health conditions. Conclusions: As a result of the heterogeneity of the elderly population, the improvement of oral health should be given according to the diversity of needs required. The frequent presence of systemic diseases and polypharmacy among the elderly, in addition to the possible coexistence of various risk factors, contribute significantly to the development of oral diseases. Thus, in order to enable healthy aging, the dental professional has a key importance in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases among the elderly.