ReviewCureus2024
Smile Beyond the Stars: A Narrative Review Exploring the Challenges for Dentistry in Space.
Review in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Submarine medicine as an analog for spaceflight: a review of acute medical care.NPJ microgravity · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Space dentistry addresses the unique challenges of providing dental care in space, where zero gravity, limited resources, and the vast distance from Earth complicate the maintenance of oral health. Ensuring astronauts' dental health is crucial, as dental issues can adversely affect their overall health and mission performance. Microgravity exacerbates risks for dental problems such as periodontitis, dental caries, bone loss, and potentially, neoplasms. Traditional dental care methods become less effective in microgravity, leading to increased plaque accumulation and worsening of dental diseases. As space missions venture further and last longer, maintaining oral hygiene presents unique challenges that necessitate innovative solutions. These include specialized tools like ergonomic toothbrushes and 3D-printed dental prostheses designed to function effectively in a zero-gravity environment. Preventive measures, such as comprehensive astronaut training programs focusing on oral health, are vital. These programs educate astronauts on maintaining oral hygiene and managing potential dental issues using available resources. Collaborative efforts among dental professionals, engineers, and space agencies are essential to developing comprehensive strategies for space dentistry. Such interdisciplinary collaboration leads to the advancement of dental care technologies and methodologies that can address the unique needs of astronauts. Despite the formidable challenges, these innovative solutions and collaborative efforts offer promising avenues for ensuring the dental health of astronauts during long-duration missions. This review aims to examine the detrimental effects of microgravity on the oral cavity and explore potential solutions to these issues, ensuring that humanity can continue to push the boundaries of space exploration while safeguarding the well-being of those who venture into the cosmos.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.