Case-control Study To Promote Oral Health In Asthmatic Children:Natural Dietary Strategies To Conserve Teeth Erosion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$112,500.00
Summary
Asthmatic children are at risk of dental corrosion, from medications that shut off saliva. Saliva protects teeth from acids in soft drinks and stomach-acid reflux. Dentist, William George Young and Nutritionist, Peter Davies, at the University of Queensland study children’s teeth, diet and lifestyles for the best natural methods to promote oral health. They will counsel parents and children on diets that conserve the teeth from dental erosion and decay by salivary stimulation. Patients need to s ....Asthmatic children are at risk of dental corrosion, from medications that shut off saliva. Saliva protects teeth from acids in soft drinks and stomach-acid reflux. Dentist, William George Young and Nutritionist, Peter Davies, at the University of Queensland study children’s teeth, diet and lifestyles for the best natural methods to promote oral health. They will counsel parents and children on diets that conserve the teeth from dental erosion and decay by salivary stimulation. Patients need to self-manage their asthma and diets to avoid negative outcomes and costs in acute medical and dental therapy for these two chronic conditions.Read moreRead less
A significant proportion of Australian children are at health risk due to environmental metal exposure. It is suspected that exposure to metals during the prenatal period can result in permanent impairment. Human studies are, however, limited by lack of biomarkers that accurately measure exposure at specific times of intrauterine development. We are proposing to develop a novel method that utilizes human primary teeth to provide a direct measure of metal exposure during foetal development.
Reflex Control Of Human Jaw Muscles By Periodontal Mechanoreceptors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,173.00
Summary
An understanding of the functional connection between the jaw muscles and various receptor organs in and around the mouth is necessary to elucidate the process of chewing and its underlying rules. Unless the details of this functional connection in health and disease are thoroughly understood, the diagnosis and treatment of chewing related disorders will remain at the present state. For example: a We still do not know why chewing in edentulous subjects is less efficient and why the bite forces i ....An understanding of the functional connection between the jaw muscles and various receptor organs in and around the mouth is necessary to elucidate the process of chewing and its underlying rules. Unless the details of this functional connection in health and disease are thoroughly understood, the diagnosis and treatment of chewing related disorders will remain at the present state. For example: a We still do not know why chewing in edentulous subjects is less efficient and why the bite forces in these individuals immediately fall to about 20 % of the teethed value. Do jaw muscles in these subjects get weak because they get less support from the receptor organs around the teeth? a We still do not understand the cause-causes of the temporomandibular dysfunction (a painful disease involving jaw muscles) which forms 18.7 % of total dental patients consulted per week in South Australia. This South Australian study indicated that the current treatments (such as pain killers, night plates, massage) Ocures? only about the half of all patients. We cannot increase the success of the treatment if we do not fully understand the control mechanisms of chewing? It is expected that the results of this study will establish the functional connection between one of the most important receptor organs in the mouth (periodontal mechanoreceptors) to the jaw muscle motoneurons in subjects with healthy teeth and gums and will illustrate the importance of keeping the periodontium healthy for developing strong and smooth masticatory forces. This knowledge can also allow us to treat jaw related disorders by approaches that bring back normal operation of the system. For example, this knowledge may help us design active dentures that replace the missing support.Read moreRead less