Oral, Dental and Periodontal Manifestations of Infectious Diseases in Children

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Dentistry & Oral Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 February 2025) | Viewed by 7813

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, 84126 Salerno, Italy
Interests: oral medicine and interconnected systemic disorders; oral microbiome, dysbiosis and interconnected systemic disorders; periodontology and implantology; applied technologies (disease prevention, teledentistry)
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Children are susceptible to bacterial, mycotic, and viral infections in the orofacial area that primarily affect the mucous membranes, dental tissues, and periodontal structures or are secondary manifestations of systemic infectious diseases.

Mucosal infections, especially mycotic ones such as thrush, and viral ones, including herpes simplex and zoster, herpangina, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and HPV-related lesions, are common clinical findings.

Nonetheless, similar to adults, most orofacial infections in the pediatric population are bacterial in origin. Among these, the most commonly diagnosed are odontogenic infections, including dental caries and associated complications (i.e., pulp necrosis, apical periodontitis, and periapical abscesses). The necrotizing form of periodontal disease and the pathological condition formerly known as juvenile periodontitis are also found in children and adolescents, as is pericoronitis.

Although these infections are secondary to bacterial pathogens, few cases of therapeutic antibiotics need to be prescribed for pediatric dental patients as most of these infections respond very well to surgical treatment to remove the source of infection.

However, antibiotics remain the most commonly prescribed medications in pedodontic patients, exacerbating antimicrobial resistance, as also evidenced by multidrug-resistant bacteria detected in oral cavities in children.

Case reports, reviews, and original research manuscripts addressing oral, dental, and periodontal infections and related treatments are welcome for submission to this Special Issue. Manuscripts examining antibiotic prescribing for therapy and prophylaxis and antimicrobial awareness in pediatric dentistry are also of interest to this collection.

Dr. Federica Di Spirito
Dr. Alessandra Amato
Dr. Francesco D’Ambrosio
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • oral
  • dental
  • periodontal
  • systemic
  • infections
  • infectious disease
  • lesions
  • manifestations
  • antibiotic
  • antibiotics
  • diagnosis
  • treatment
  • therapy
  • prophylaxis
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • multi-drug bacteria

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 210 KiB  
Editorial
Viral Infections of the Oral Cavity in Children
by Alessandra Amato
Children 2023, 10(8), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081325 - 31 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2517
Abstract
Various viral infections can affect the oral cavities of pediatric patients [...] Full article

Research

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13 pages, 833 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Trends in Non-Restorative and Preventative Dental Treatment Pre- and Post-COVID-19: A Health Informatics Pilot Study
by Tanner Gamble, Carter Wilkerson, Cindy Kim, Karl Kingsley and Victoria Sullivan
Children 2025, 12(3), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030357 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 405
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The implementation of preventive treatments in pediatric dental care has been a priority in recent years. Understanding the factors that influence the timing and frequency of childhood preventive treatments, such as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, are the focus of many [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The implementation of preventive treatments in pediatric dental care has been a priority in recent years. Understanding the factors that influence the timing and frequency of childhood preventive treatments, such as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, are the focus of many health informatics researchers. Methods: A retrospective study was approved to assess changes in specific preventive treatments at a pediatric dental school clinic (sealants, fluoride varnish, and silver diamine fluoride) in the three years prior to (2017–2019) and following the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Results: A detailed analysis of these data revealed significant and unexpected shifts in these preventive services, with significant increases in dental sealants from pre- to post-pandemic (35.1%, p = 0.012), but corresponding decreases in other preventive treatments, such as the number of fluoride varnish (−37.6%, p = 0.011) and SDF treatments (−24.0%, p = 0.032), among this patient population. Conclusions: These data suggest that the selective pursuit of particular preventive dental services and treatments rather than others and understanding these shifts might help health informatics and dental public health researchers understand which factors influenced these decisions and behaviors, such as long-term durability and efficacy (sealants) or changing public perceptions of safety (fluoride and SDF). Full article
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Review

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30 pages, 3002 KiB  
Review
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Oral Implications, and Oral Microbiota
by Emiliana D’Angelo, Fausto Fiori, Giuseppe A. Ferraro, Assunta Tessitore, Luca Nazzaro, Rosario Serpico and Maria Contaldo
Children 2025, 12(3), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030368 - 15 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1209
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Recent evidence indicates a significant relationship between ASD and imbalances in microbiota, particularly in the oral and gastrointestinal areas. This review examines [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Recent evidence indicates a significant relationship between ASD and imbalances in microbiota, particularly in the oral and gastrointestinal areas. This review examines the impact of oral microbiota, self-injurious behaviors (SIB), sensory sensitivity, and dietary choices on the comorbidities associated with ASD. Methods: An extensive literature review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus. The focus was on human studies with full-text availability, utilizing search terms related to ASD, oral health, oral microbiota, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The research was evaluated for methodological quality and its relevance to the connections between microbiota, oral health, and ASD. Results: Individuals with ASD face unique oral health challenges, including injuries from self-injurious behaviors and increased sensory sensitivity, which complicate oral hygiene and care. Selective eating can lead to nutritional deficiencies and worsen oral health issues. Dysbiosis in oral and gut microbiota, marked by altered levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate, interferes with gut-brain and oral-brain connections, contributing to behavioral and neurological symptoms. Treatment options such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transfer, and sensory integration therapies can potentially alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. Conclusions: The relationship between ASD, oral health, and microbiota suggests a bidirectional influence through neuroinflammatory mechanisms and metabolic disturbances. Proactive strategies focusing on microbiota and dental health may help reduce comorbidities and enhance the overall management of ASD, underscoring the need for further research into microbiota–host interactions and their therapeutic potential. Full article
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21 pages, 1315 KiB  
Review
The Use of Audiovisual Distraction Tools in the Dental Setting for Pediatric Subjects with Special Healthcare Needs: A Review and Proposal of a Multi-Session Model for Behavioral Management
by Massimo Pisano, Alessia Bramanti, Giuseppina De Benedetto, Carmen Martin Carreras-Presas and Federica Di Spirito
Children 2024, 11(9), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11091077 - 2 Sep 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Background: A Special Health Care Need (SHCN) is characterized by any type of physical, mental, sensorial, cognitive, emotional, or developmental condition that requires medical treatment, specialized services, or healthcare interventions. These conditions can negatively impact oral health as SHCN children can hardly cooperate [...] Read more.
Background: A Special Health Care Need (SHCN) is characterized by any type of physical, mental, sensorial, cognitive, emotional, or developmental condition that requires medical treatment, specialized services, or healthcare interventions. These conditions can negatively impact oral health as SHCN children can hardly cooperate or communicate and experience higher levels of dental fear/anxiety, which interfere with regular appointments. The present narrative review aims to analyze the use of audiovisual (AV) tools in dental setting for the management of SHCN children during dental treatment and to evaluate their effectiveness in anxiety/behavior control from the child, dentist, and care-giver perspectives. This analysis leads to the proposal of a new multi-session model for the behavioral management of SHCN pediatric subjects. Methods: An electronic search on the MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was carried out and through this analysis, a new model was proposed, the “UNISA-Virtual Stepwise Distraction model”, a multi-session workflow combining traditional behavior management and the progressive introduction of AV media to familiarize the SHCN child with dental setting and manage behavior. Results: AV tools helped in most cases to manage SHCN behavior and decreased stress in both the dentist and child during dental treatments. Care-givers also welcomed AV distractors, reporting positive feedback in using them during future treatments. Conclusions: The present narrative review found increasing evidence of the use of AV media for SHCN pediatric subjects as distraction tools during dental treatment. In the majority of the studies, AV tools proved to be effective for the management of anxiety, dental fear, and behavior in dental setting. Full article
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