The Journal of the American Dental Association
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Review Case Reports
Garlic burn of the oral mucosa: A case report and review of self-treatment chemical burns.
Inappropriate self-treatment with topically applied therapeutic or nontherapeutic agents frequently results in mucosal burns. Although such chemical burns typically are associated with misuse of analgesics, investigators also have reported them in conjunction with topical application of a variety of other agents. ⋯ Dentists should consider the possibility of an oral chemical burn when a patient has a destructive or necrotic mucosal lesion located near a painful tooth. In this report, the authors highlight the importance of obtaining a detailed clinical history to establish a proper diagnosis and proper patient education to prevent future mucosal injury from inappropriate self-treatment. Awareness and early recognition of this condition also will help diminish the probability of overtreatment.
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The authors examined the factors associated with sex differences in earnings for 3 professional occupations. ⋯ Policy makers must use care in efforts to alleviate earnings differences for men and women because measures could make matters worse without a clear understanding of the nature of the factors driving the differences.
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Review Meta Analysis
Botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of head and neck chronic myofascial pain syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The authors conducted a systematic review to study the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BoTN-A) in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome. ⋯ Pain was reduced significantly in the group that received BoTN-A compared with the placebo group at 2 to 6 months but not at 4 to 6 weeks (with moderate quality of the evidence). Additional studies with larger numbers of participants are needed to confirm these results.
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National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 data indicated that, in the United States, nearly one-fourth of children and over one-half of adolescents experienced dental caries in their permanent teeth. The purpose of this review was to summarize the available clinical evidence regarding the effect of dental sealants for the prevention and management of pit-and-fissure occlusal carious lesions in primary and permanent molars, compared with a control without sealants, with fluoride varnishes, or with other head-to head comparisons. ⋯ Available evidence suggests that sealants are effective and safe to prevent or arrest the progression of noncavitated carious lesions compared with a control without sealants or fluoride varnishes. Further research is needed to provide information about the relative merits of the different types of sealant materials.
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Despite increased attention to dentists' roles in curbing opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion, information regarding prescribing practices and the frequency of multiple concurrent opioid prescriptions among dental patients is limited. ⋯ Use of a prescription drug monitoring program before prescribing provides a record of controlled substances dispensed to a patient and may inform prescribing, coordination of care, and addiction screening or referral. Patients should receive information regarding misuse behaviors and their risks, as well as the importance of secure storage and disposal of leftover opioid medications.