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Biomedical subjects

P Piironen

Publications and source records attributed to P Piironen.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Analysis of patients utilizing emergency dental care in two Finnish cities.

The use of emergency dental services was surveyed by interviewing patients seeking treatment during hours of organized emergency service in two large cities in Finland. It was spread rather evenly over all the days of the week. Marked differences were found between the volume of dental emergencies in the two cities. More than 60% of the patients had been in pain for 1 to 3 days and needed immediate help. One-third of the emergency visits were made by 20- to 29-year-olds. No significant differences in use of the services were found between men and women, although a larger proportion of women than men claimed to visit a dentist regularly and to have a dentist of their own. Fourteen per cent had failed to get an appointment with their regular dentist. More than 40% of the patients had used the emergency services previously. These patients, more often than first-time users, visited a dentist irregularly, did not have their own dentist, and were content with the rapid service at the emergency clinic.

Adolescent↗

Free amino-acid content of wax-stimulated human whole saliva as related to periodontal disease.

This content was analysed in patients with chronic periodontitis and in control subjects. In periodontal disease, it was characterized by higher mean concentrations of glycine, proline, tyrosine and delta-aminovaleric acid than in controls (p less than 0.001). However, the range of values varied considerably in the two groups. There were differences between periodontitis and control samples in the proportions of proline to serine (p less than 0.01) and proline to glutamic acid and glutamine (p less than 0.05). Bacterial contamination and decomposition of salivary proteins is responsible for the elevated salivary levels of glycine, proline, tyrosine and delta-aminovaleric acid in the periodontal group.

Adult↗

Free amino-acid composition of wax-stimulated whole saliva in human subjects with healthy periodontium, severe chronic periodontitis and post-juvenile periodontitis.

The free amino-acid composition of wax-stimulated whole saliva of 3 subjects with different periodontal status was determined. The amino acids were analysed by gas chromatographic separation on a packed column and determined as their N-heptafluorobutyrylisobutyl esters. In 2 patients with periodontal diseases, the salivary concentrations of proline and glycine were significantly elevated, suggesting increased collagen and protein degradation and their increased release from the inflamed gingiva. delta-Amino-n-valeric acid is related to bacterial metabolism so that the changes found in its concentrations could suggest an altered plaque metabolism and different bacterial contents in gingival pockets of patients with chronic and post-juvenile periodontitis.

Adult↗

Salivary content of patients with subjective symptoms resembling galvanic pain.

Analyses of whole and parotid saliva were performed in ten patients with subjective symptoms resembling galvanic pain and in their eight asymptomatic counterparts. Salivary flow rates, protein, IgA, lysozyme, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium phosphate, copper, and magnesium contents were measured. The concentrations of protein, sodium, chloride, and phosphate in the whole saliva of the patients with symptoms were significantly higher, but concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and IgA were lower than in the asymptomatic controls. In parotid saliva, too, protein, lysozyme, and calcium concentrations were significantly altered in patients with oral symptoms. The analysis of free amino acids serine, proline, glutamic acid + glutamine, and glycine in the whole saliva did not show any significant differences between the two groups studied. The results suggest the importance of salivary contents in the development of oral soreness. Such changes in the salivary constituents could modulate the amount and character of the salivary macromolecules absorbed onto the teeth. This could lead to passivation or activation of the surfaces in metallic restorations and consequently to the onset of the intraoral electric currents.

Adult↗