Sep 1, 2022
Evaluating hop extract concentrations found in commercial beer to inhibit Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation
Publication: Journal of Applied Microbiology
(Delta Dental Foundation)
(2022-2023)
Role: Principal Investigator
The overall aim of this study is to leverage clinical research methods to determine screening denture patients’ risk for malnutrition in dental practices and further to guide its implementation in dental settings. The study’s research methods and data analysis are organized to focus on the potential implementation of an MS tool in a dental practice workflow for denture wearers. Achieving this goal will improve older adults’ oral health and dental care, as well as promote general health by applying informatics approaches that would help to monitor and integrate care between dental and medical care providers. As the first step in our long-term goal, the aims of this study are to determine screening denture patients’ malnutrition risk using three pre-selected validated malnutrition screening (MS) tools and to compare with the patients’ 24-hour dietary intake and serological tests. The results will validate the use of these screening tools in dental clinic settings and also correlate the screening tool results with the dietary intake and serology test results. A cohort of denture-wearing patients will complete three validated MS tools and provide blood samples for correlating their risk for malnutrition with the pre-selected serological tests for nutritional markers. Results will be compared with two 24-hour dietary intake recalls, considered the gold standard for measuring dietary intake.