Pinelopi Petropoulou

Background: Severe oral complications during and after antineoplastic therapies, such as mucositis, fungal, viral, and bacterial infections, xerostomia, dysphagia, and jaw osteonecrosis, significantly impair oral health and quality of life in oncology patients. Dentist involvement throughout oncology care is essential to reduce complications and support patient well-being. Telemedicine and e-health tools offer effective approaches for oral-health monitoring during treatment. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive dental intervention for the assessment and management of oral health in patients with solid tumors during cancer therapy using e-health applications, compared with standard oncology-based oral care. Methods: This prospective randomized interventional study was conducted at an Oncology Hospital in Athens (March 2022–November 2023), including 105 patients with breast, lung, or colon cancer initiating chemotherapy or combined therapy. Three clinical and radiographic oral-health and quality-of-life assessments were performed. The control group received standard recommendations to visit a dentist, while the intervention group followed a structured, individualized oral health - management protocol via telemedicine and clinical monitoring. Results: Telemedicine significantly improved oral-health outcomes and oral-care behaviors compared with controls. At mid-treatment and treatment completion, the intervention group showed statistically significant lower rates of mucosal lesions, gingival bleeding, gingivitis, dental caries, periodontitis, and higher tooth-brushing frequency. These results indicate that Telemedicine and e-health enable effective monitoring, early-stage detection, and oral self-care guidance, improving oral health and well-being during and after treatment. Conclusion: Integration of structured teledentistry monitoring into oncology care was associated with improved oral health outcomes in patients undergoing antineoplastic therapy, compared with usual practice.

Diabetes is known as a “silent epidemic” and is a public health problem that accounts for 9% of all deaths worldwide. The prevention of diabetes is a significant challenge, as its prevalence and incidence are both increasing rapidly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), education is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment. Since the severity of oral diseases is significantly higher in diabetic patients, this systematic review aims to highlight the oral care of diabetic patients as a priority for glycemic control and the importance of education for diabetic patients’ oral health. We evaluated 20 clinical studies and 15 meta-analyses from PubMed and Google Scholar over the last five years. Their main themes are the direct relationship between diabetes and oral health, especially periodontitis, and the necessity of education and behaviors that can lead to a better quality of life. Our analysis indicated that good oral health is a critical factor of glycemic control in diabetic patients and can be enhanced by targeted educational programs, backed by long-term medical and dental follow-up. Healthcare personnel should be encouraged to develop their knowledge of oral health in relation to the disease so that behaviors can be adopted to improve patients’ quality of life. Telemedicine could also contribute to patient education and self-management of the disease.

Air pollution is a major environmental risk to human health and wellbeing, and a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Particularly affected are the vulnerable populations of women, pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly, who make up the majority of the world’s poor. In this work, we present a series of pieces of evidence linking the main air pollutants to chronic diseases in adults and children. The WHO has concluded that air pollution affects children’s neurodevelopmental and cognitive abilities, and can cause chronic diseases, such as childhood asthma and cancer. Epidemiological studies have shown significant effects caused by PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles toward mortality from different types of cancer. Finally, household air pollution increases the risk for a wide range of adverse cardiorespiratory, pediatric, and maternal health outcomes, particularly in poorer low- and middle-income countries.