Cristina Florentina Pîrvu

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study is to examine the association between self-reported physical activity and mental well-being. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2023 and 2025. The participants were second-year dental students. Data collected included general demographic characteristics, assessment of mental well-being by the WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5), level of physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and type of physical activity. Results: Three hundred seventy-two second-year dental students were included in the study. The median WHO-5 percentage score was 56. From the study sample, 42.2% (n = 157) of dental students had a WHO-5 percentage score below 50, indicating a poor mental well-being. The majority of students had a high level of physical activity (n = 206; 55.4%). By linear regression analysis adjusted for sex, age, smoking status, academic cohort year and BMI (Body Mass Index), it was observed that sitting time and female sex were significant negative predictors of WHO-5 score, whereas moderate-intensity physical activity (registered by moderate MET score of IPAQ) was a significant positive predictor of it. Also, students who regularly practiced sports had higher WHO-5 scores (median 60 vs. 52, p = 0.002). Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that mental well-being is positively associated with moderate physical activity and negatively associated with sitting time. Prospective studies are recommended to increase knowledge of physical activity as an intervention for increasing the level of mental well-being in this population.

Background: In Romania, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) were first acknowledged in 1989. Getting older with HIV/AIDS is now possible due to antiretroviral treatment, but it can bring dental problems due to HIV itself or to the reluctance of dental professionals to treat dental problems. Our study aims to assess the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of Romanian dental professionals regarding aging PLWHA. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional observational survey based on a self-administered questionnaire was conducted for Romanian dental professionals from October 2022 to January 2023. Results: The responders’ group profile was as follows: a mean age of 39.09 ± 0.36 years (limit: 19–75), a majority of 991 (90.01%) from urban dental offices, and 364 (33.06%) with more than twenty years’ experience. A total of 517 (46.95%) responders had an unprofessional attitude and declared that, if possible, they would avoid taking part in performing dental treatments for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There were 89 (8.08%) dental professionals that refused to work with PLWHA. Only 363 (32.97%) had worked with one previously. The dental professionals in rural areas refused PLWHA more frequently: 20% (N = 22) of rural dental professionals vs. 6.76% (N = 67) of urban dental professionals refused to work with PLWHA (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.16-.56). The logistic regression applied for the 1101 responders revealed after stepwise selection that the most influential factor for their refusal to work with PLWHA in our study group was being previously exposed to HIV during dental practice (OR = 14.45; 95% CI: 8.55- 24.42; p = 0.000). Conclusions: Dental educators and health care planners should promote the knowledge of prophylaxis and positive attitudes towards the treatment of PLWHA. Successful resolution of these concerns is time consuming and expensive but necessary if dentists are to satisfy their professional obligations to HIV/AIDS patients.

Background: A rapid bacterial diagnostic is needed more and more in the treatment of patients, because of the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The cumulative antibiogram, an annual report that monitors antimicrobial resistance trends in health care facilities, may provide a profile of empirical therapy useful in diverse emergency situations, such as transmission of resistant bacteria to oral cavity of newborn babies. We aimed to draw a profile of antibiotic resistance encountered. Methods: We assessed the antibiotic resistance (ABR) profile in childbearing women and newborn babies in Ploiesti Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital by the disk diffusion method characterizing the multidrug-resistant organisms after isolation and identification by phenotypic tests. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Group B Streptococcus (VR-GBS) were detected. Results: The prevalence of antibiotic resistance was 11.32% (53/468), while the prevalence of the ESBL-E, MRSA, VRE and VR-GBS strains was 8.34% (39/468). Within the bacteria isolated from fifty-three childbearing women, the prevalence of ESBL-E, MRSA, VRE and VR-GBS was 22.64% (12/53), 32.08% (17/53), 11.32% (6/53) and 7.55% (4/53). In the whole studied group, the prevalence was 2.56% (12/468), 3.63% (17/468), 1.28% (6/468) and 0.86% (4/468). Resistant bacteria were detected at birth in the oral cavity of the newborn babies in all cases. Maternal and neonatal isolates shared similar characteristics. Conclusions: Cumulative antibiogram is useful in case of empiric treatment needed in diverse emergencies, such as transmission of resistant bacteria to oral cavity of newborn babies.

The article entitled "Knowledge and behaviors regarding cariogenic nutrition in a group of adolescents from Bucharest", published in no. 4 of Medicine in evolution Journal, in 2021, has the following group of authors: Sfeatcu R.1, Radu A.C.2, Pîrvu C.3, Oancea R.4, Bucur MV. 5, Ilinca R.6. (The name of the last author has been corrected, instead of Radu I., Ilinca R. is correct).

The study aims to assess the level of knowledge and behavior regarding eating habits of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old. In this cross-sectional study were included 111 adolescents, with mean age 16.91 years old (SD ± 0.44), from Bucharest. Subjects completed a questionnaire about their food preferences, sweets consumption and knowledge related to the impact of cariogenic diet on the oral cavity. Results: Most teenagers (93.7%) consume sweets between and after meals, and 22.5% consume sweets every day. Among the respondents, 62.1% know that sugars affect tooth enamel and can cause dental decay. Conclusion: it was identified the need to promote oral health education on cariogenic diet in schools and dental offices.

The comprehension of the risk of doctor-patient microbial contamination has led to the use of protective gloves at the standard level of precautions. Their widespread use has required increased attention to different types of gloves and their correct use. This article is an overview of the main types of gloves and the implications of their use in daily practice. Considering the attributes of the gloves used by dental practitioners, we presented and detailed three major aspects: the level of protection offered by gloves as a physical barrier, the ergonomic aspects of their use and the risk of complications associated with their use. Finally, it is important to choose the right type of gloves in accordance to criteria related to the medical procedure and the aseptic conditions required, the estimated duration of the procedure, the various dental materials used, as well as in accordance to the possible irritations or allergies caused by wearing gloves.

Dentistry is a field that involves working on small structures, difficult to access and visualize. In order to perceive the details of finesse, it is necessary to enlarge the image with the help of specially designed systems, of which a first option are the loupes. The dentist who engages in the search for loupes suitable for his practical needs must know a specific optical terminology and deepen a series of technical details that characterize the different types of loupes on the market. Each of them has different degrees of magnification, possibilities of adaptation during work, different advantages and optical disadvantages, which can make the choice difficult. This article summarizes this information. In conclusion, it follows that currently available loupes are complex optical systems that can be of great help to the dentist, provided they are thoroughly known and assimilate a correct way of use.