Caries Initiation Across Childhood To Adulthood By Exposure To Water Fluoridation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$198,297.00
Summary
This research program is expected to contribute to filling significant gaps in the understanding of factors determining the oral health of Australian children and young adults. The purpose of the project is to develop a better understanding of the outcome of long-term exposure to fluoridated water among young adults.
The South Australian Dental Longitudinal Study has been the first comprehensive dental longitudinal study of older adults to be conducted in Australia. Participants were aged 60+ years at the 1991 baseline data collection, and were a random sample of community-dwelling older adults in urban Adelaide and rural Mount Gambier. The 11-year follow-up data collection will build upon the previous study findings to provide important and new information about the onset and progression of oral diseases in ....The South Australian Dental Longitudinal Study has been the first comprehensive dental longitudinal study of older adults to be conducted in Australia. Participants were aged 60+ years at the 1991 baseline data collection, and were a random sample of community-dwelling older adults in urban Adelaide and rural Mount Gambier. The 11-year follow-up data collection will build upon the previous study findings to provide important and new information about the onset and progression of oral diseases in older Australians. It will also assist with the identification of general health and other characteristics (socio-demographic, medical, functional, cognitive, nutritional, swallowing, dental history, oral hygiene care, financial, social support and oral disorder social impact characteristics) that are associated with oral diseases in various groups of older adults. Groups of older adults within the study include those who are healthy and living in the community, those who are frail and use support services, and those who have moved into residential care. This information will assist both private and public health sectors, dental professionals and other health professionals with the identification of those older adults who are at high risk for developing oral diseases, such as those with dementia, those with physical disabilities, and those living in residential care. This 11-year data collection will be one of only 4 similar international studies currently being conducted, and will provide important comparison data for future studies of older Australians.Read moreRead less
Squamous Cell Carcinomas Of The Head And Neck: Exploring The Role Of Human Papillomavirus Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$217,213.00
Summary
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major cause of cervical cancer and the cause of 5% of all human cancers. HPV has recently also been associated with oral cancer, especially in patients younger than 50 years of age. In this project we will investigate how common HPV infection is in oral cancers in Australia. In these patients we will also investigate mutations in genes that have been found to play a critical role to clear persistent HPV infections and how cells respond to HPV infection.
Tooth Emergence And Oral Streptococci Colonisation: A Longitudinal Study Of Australian Twins
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$521,600.00
Summary
We plan to include over 500 Australian families of twins in this 5-year study and to collect records of tooth emergence, cheek cells for DNA analysis, dental plaque samples for microbiological analysis, as well as other information from questionnaires. Firstly, we want to learn how genetic and non-genetic factors influence the timing and sequence of emergence of primary (baby) teeth. Most children get their baby teeth between the ages of 6 months and 2.5 years, but sometimes they appear earlier, ....We plan to include over 500 Australian families of twins in this 5-year study and to collect records of tooth emergence, cheek cells for DNA analysis, dental plaque samples for microbiological analysis, as well as other information from questionnaires. Firstly, we want to learn how genetic and non-genetic factors influence the timing and sequence of emergence of primary (baby) teeth. Most children get their baby teeth between the ages of 6 months and 2.5 years, but sometimes they appear earlier, even at birth, and some children don't get all their baby teeth until about 4 years. By studying identical twins and non-identical twins we will be able to work out whether genetic factors are most important in determining this variation or whether other factors such as diet or illness also play a significant role. Secondly, we want to find out whether there is a relationship between the timing of emergence of the primary teeth and the growth of bacteria in the mouth that may lead to dental decay. It seems that the most likely source of the bacteria that can cause dental decay is a baby's mother and that children infected before three years of age are more likely to get dental decay subsequently. We will determine when decay-producing bacteria first appear in the mouth and check whether the same types of bacteria are present in twins and their mothers. This information will enable us to sort out whether the process that allows bacteria to become established around the teeth has a strong genetic basis or not. If we can gain a better understanding of how genetic and environmental factors influence dental development, we will be in a better position to manage individuals with altered tooth emergence that can lead to crowded teeth. Furthermore, if we can demonstrate a link between tooth emergence, growth of oral bacteria, and development of dental decay, we should be able to determine the most effective time to introduce preventive measures to control dental disease.Read moreRead less