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Biomedical subjects

H Panagopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to H Panagopoulos.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Sociodemographic and dietary factors in relation to dental health among Greek adolescents.

In the context of a project aiming to assess risk factors affecting health status of Greek adolescents, 380 adolescents aged 12-17 years were randomly selected from two rural high schools of similar socioeconomic status, and from two urban schools of different socioeconomic level, namely urban/lower and urban/ higher. Dental examinations were carried out according to WHO diagnostic criteria; oral hygiene habits were recorded through personal interviews; and diet was assessed through interviewer-administered, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. The percentage of caries-free adolescents varied from 24.3 in the age group of 12-13 years to 13.2 in the age group 16-17 years; mean (SE) DMFT values were 3.7 (0.3) in the younger age group and 5.9 (0.4) in the older age group whereas mean (SE) DMFS values were respectively 5.6 (0.5) and 9.9 (0.9). Multiple regression analysis-derived results showed that dental health, measured through either DMFT or DMFS indices, was significantly better among younger and male adolescents; among higher socioeconomic class urban residents; among those brushing their teeth at least once per day; and among those who had better school performance. There was evidence that intake of vegetables and milk products was associated with lower DMFS and DMFT indices, whereas there was a non-significant tendency for sugar intake to be associated with higher values of these indices. In contemporary Greek society there are substantial social inequalities with respect to dental health; these are due, in part, to differences in oral hygiene habits and patterns of dietary intakes. High risk groups should be identified among the underprivileged for targeted health education efforts and delivery of more intensive dental care services.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Dental caries changes between 1982 and 1991 in children aged 6-12 in Athens, Greece.

The aim of this study was to compare dental caries and oral hygiene status in children aged 6-12 years in the Athens area between 1982 and 1991. Dental examinations were carried out by the same examiners in 773 children attending the same randomly selected schools sited in areas of different socioeconomic levels. The findings concerning the deciduous dention showed that the percentage of caries-free children increased in 1991 compared to 1982 by 38%. The mean deft scores were reduced by an amount ranging from 21 to 34%. Changes in caries prevalence were also observed in the permanent dention. The percentage of caries-free children for the total examined population increased by 94% while the reduction in DMFT index ranged between 38 and 70%. Treatment need was significantly lower in 1991 compared to 1982 in both dentitions. Debris index scores were similar while oral hygiene habits had slightly improved by 1991. The decline in caries levels may be attributed to the increased use of various forms of fluoride. Furthermore, dental health awareness of the population has improved.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Oral health status of adult population in Athens, Greece.

An epidemiological study of dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral hygiene status in 736 employed adults aged 19-64 yr, was conducted in Athens, Greece. Dental caries was found to be prevalent, affecting almost the entire population examined. The mean DMFT values varied from 8.99 +/- 5.98 to 17.05 +/- 6.58 in different age groups. No difference was found in the mean DMFT values between sexes. Periodontal disease affected the 92.7% of the examined sample. The PI scores increased with age from 1.08 +/- 0.84 in the age group 19-24 yr to 3.7 +/- 1.84 in the age group 55-64 yr. Women showed lower PI index values than men but this difference was not statistically significant. The mean values of oral hygiene index varied from 1.60 +/- 1.05 to 1.97 +/- 1.42 in different age groups. Women presented better oral hygiene status than men and this difference was statistically significant for the younger age groups. Data concerning the toothbrushing frequency of the examined population are also presented. The results of this baseline study indicate that effective dental care is needed for the improvement of oral health status of the adult population.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Patterns of fluoride distribution on the surface of a tooth fragment after clinical treatment with fluoride gel.

This paper describes site-to-site variations in fluoride concentration in the surface region of a tooth fragment sent from a patient who, following radiation therapy, had been repeatedly treated with fluoride gel. The fluoride content of the tooth surface was determined with the intention of establishing the extent to which the treatment had enhanced the fluoride content of the tooth surface. The work illustrates the difficulties in the choice of a suitable sampling site and the importance of adopting a suitable sampling technique. It highlights, once again, some of the problems encountered in attempting to interpret analytical data about fluoride levels in tooth surfaces.

Dental Enamel↗