Verzameling van gegevens over mondgezondheid gedurende een marinemissie van vier maanden.

Rationale: Oral health problems are a major concern for military personnel, especially when deployed in remote regions of the world. Prior to taking part in a mission, military personnel is required to meet certain standards in oral health status, as outlined in the NATO issued dental fitness protocol. Nevertheless, military dentists frequently report mucosal inflammation (oral ulcers), fungal oral infections and gingival bleeding among personnel during a mission. In scientific literature, also reports can be found of non-military expeditions, reporting increased gingival bleeding, and oral ulcers. It has been suggested that stress, changes in diet and lifestyle along with reduced levels of personal care during mission can lead to deterioration of oral health status, but scientific data about the causes are largely lacking. In addition, it has also been reported that the composition of the oral microbial community is predictive for the development of oral disease under stress.



Objective: The primary objective of this study is to monitor changes in oral health during a 4-month naval mission and once approxemately one month thereafter. The secondary objectives are to correlate possible changes compared to the baseline measurements to lifestyle, diet and stress. Finally, to assess whether microbiome composition can predict changes in oral health or general health.



Study design: prospective observational cohort study



Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: the burden exists of seven site visits of about 30 minutes. Examinations are non-invasive and do not cause physical discomfort. The subjects will complete one questionnaire per visit, with questions regarding general health, sleep, stress, physical activity, food intake and disorders of the temporomandibular joint. Participation does not benefit the subjects. The risks are negligible. The study is group-related because the research questions can only be answered in a cohort where food, circadian rhythm and stress from the mission assignment are controlled.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate changes in oral health during a 4-month naval mission and once one month thereafter.

Visit 1 – within the first two weeks of the mission (baseline)

Visit 2 to 4 – every 2 to 3 weeks (average 2.5 weeks) during the mission

Visit 5 – within the last two weeks of the mission (end of mission visit)

Visit 6 – within 9 weeks (± 3 weeks) after the end of the mission

This is an observational study, without any interventions.