Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: Oral Health Management for Special Care Patients

A special issue of Oral (ISSN 2673-6373).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 3052

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
The Center for Visiting Dental Service, Department of General Dentistry, Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka 814-0193, Japan
Interests: oral biology; oral oncology; special needs dentistry; dentistry for medically compromised patients; visiting dental service; perioperative oral management; MRONJ; stomatology

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Guest Editor
Division of Oral Pathogenesis and Disease Control, Department of Dentistry for the Disability and Oral Health, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho 501-0296, Japan
Interests: pediatric dentistry; special care dentistry; dental anesthesiology

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Guest Editor
CureCancer, 15451 Athens, Greece
Interests: osteonecrosis of the jaw in oncology patients; burden of oral mucositis in oncology; oral complications in cancer therapies; oral care in cancer; oral care in hsct recipient; quality of life in cancer; oral lesions in special care patients

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Special care in dentistry, such as dentistry for children in medical care, dentistry for patients with disability, dentistry for medically compromised patients, and dentistry for geriatric patients, is a less-explored topic that has been attracting increased interest from various professionals (e.g., dentists, medical doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, dental hygienists) in recent years. Successfully applied dental techniques and improved oral healthcare for patients who need special care will assist professionals in performing dental care safely and securely.

Dentistry in cancer patients, both those currently undergoing cancer treatment and those in the post-treatment phase, to manage either oral toxicity caused by cancer treatment or dental and periodontal problems, is an increasingly important topic in the field of special care in dentistry.

The aim of this Topical Collection is to provide information about the current status of oral health management for special care patients, including outpatient dental care, dental treatments under general anesthesia and during home visits or visits to facilities such as nursing homes, to professionals who provide oral healthcare for patients needing special care.

Authors conducting studies on these themes are welcome to submit original research articles, reviews, short communications, case series, and case reports..

Prof. Dr. Hiromitsu Morita
Dr. Yoko Iwase
Prof. Dr. Ourania Nicolatou-Galitis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • special care
  • special needs
  • disability
  • children in medical care
  • geriatric
  • medically compromised patients
  • oral healthcare
  • general anesthesia
  • visiting dental care
  • patients with cancer and cancer survivors
  • oral toxicity related to cancer therapies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 1281 KiB  
Editorial
Good Oral Health Can Prevent or Reduce the Severity of Oral Toxicities in Cancer Therapies
by Ourania Nicolatou-Galitis
Oral 2023, 3(4), 487-489; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral3040039 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1181
Abstract
The mouth is an important target of cancer therapies, while oral supportive oncology has emerged as a new field in dentistry [...] Full article
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Research

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8 pages, 1206 KiB  
Article
Advancing Management of Oral Lesion Patients with Epidermolysis Bullosa: In Vivo Evaluation with Optical Coherence Tomography of Ultrastructural Changes after Application of Cord Blood Platelet Gel and Laser Photobiomodulation
by Alessio Gambino, Ezio Sindici, Simona Astesano, Lucia Basiglio, Valeria Vallone and Paolo Giacomo Arduino
Oral 2024, 4(4), 441-448; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral4040035 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 603
Abstract
Background: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of genetic disorders with skin fragility and blistering. The use of Cord Blood Platelet Gel (CBPG) in combination with laser photobiomodulation (PBM) leads to a reduction in lesions. The aim of this study is to [...] Read more.
Background: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of genetic disorders with skin fragility and blistering. The use of Cord Blood Platelet Gel (CBPG) in combination with laser photobiomodulation (PBM) leads to a reduction in lesions. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical and morphometric changes with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) during GPC-PBM therapy. Methods: OCT scanning before the first session (T0), with relative measurement of the thicknesses of the epithelium (EP) and lamina propria (LP), and three consecutive sessions (once daily for 3 days) of CBPG and PBM applications were performed. A new OCT scan at the end of the three sessions (T1) and a week after (T2) were performed. All OCT scans were compared with the values of healthy reference tissues of the same site. Results: A statistically confirmed increase in EP thickness and a decrease in LP thickness with a progressive reduction in inflammatory content were highlighted. This case series did not have recurrences in the treated sites, or adverse reactions to therapy. Conclusions: This study shows the advantages of OCT monitoring in evaluating the effects of therapy at an ultrastructural level with a possibility of obtaining objective, precise, and repeatable measurements with an atraumatic device. Full article
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Review

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23 pages, 644 KiB  
Review
Nonpharmacological Interventions in the Management of Xerostomia: A Review on Topical Treatments, Alternative Medicine, and Innovative Therapies
by Luigi Sardellitti, Enrica Filigheddu, Francesca Serralutzu, Antonella Bortone, Egle Bandiera and Egle Milia
Oral 2024, 4(4), 616-638; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral4040048 - 11 Dec 2024
Viewed by 455
Abstract
Background: Despite incidence rates and complications, the clinical management of xerostomia lacks guidelines. Aim: The aim of this overview is to summarize the clinical experience over the past 10 years of treating xerostomia using non-pharmacological interventions. Materials and Methods: A literature search was [...] Read more.
Background: Despite incidence rates and complications, the clinical management of xerostomia lacks guidelines. Aim: The aim of this overview is to summarize the clinical experience over the past 10 years of treating xerostomia using non-pharmacological interventions. Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases, covering publications from 1 January 2013 to 30 January 2023. Results: Topical therapies are the mainstays in cases of longstanding oral dryness. Their aim is to relieve oral discomfort by retaining mouth moisture. Macro-molecular lubricants were largely used in xerostomia due to radiotherapy for Head and Neck cancer (HNC) and xerostomia due to the chronic use of drugs. However, none of them provided stable relief for dry mouth. Traditional Medicine (TM), through the administration of different medicinal herbs and plants, has recently been evaluated against xerostomia in clinical trials. Matricaria chamomilla L., Linum usitatissimum, and Malva sylvestris L. together with Althea digitata Boiss, Licorice root, and Salvia Officinalis are among the most used compounds. They were formulated as water extracts with health benefits that are attributed to the presence of polyphenols. However, the low number of clinical evaluations represents the greatest limitation for validating the efficacy of TM against xerostomia. Regarding acupuncture, it did not show significant effects in the trials in comparison to the control groups. Further, electrostimulation, photo-biomodulation and hyperbaric therapy need more randomized clinical evaluations to effectively demonstrate their ability to relieve dry mouth. Conclusions: No topical treatment has shown stable relief of xerostomia. Consequently, the management of xerostomia and its devastating complications remain a significant void in daily clinical practice. Full article
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