Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Various Herbal Products Used with Zinc Oxide as an Obturating Material in Primary Teeth: An In Vivo Study.

AIM: To compare the clinical and radiographically mixture of zinc oxide with Aloe vera, Curcumin and neem as an obturating material for pulpectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised of age group 4-8 years children requiring endodontic treatment for at least a single primary molar tooth. Sixty primary molar teeth from 43 children were divided equally and randomly into four study groups. The materials used for obturation were zinc oxide powder (ZnO) and Eugenol (ZOE) (group I), ZnO and Aloe vera Gel (group II), ZnO and Curcumin Powder (group III), ZnO and neem extract (group IV). They were evaluated clinically and radiographically at immediate postoperative and then at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 9-month intervals. RESULTS: At the end of 9 months, the Chi-square test revealed 100% success rate for recovery of pain in group I and III, 66.66% in group II and 93.3% in group IV. The success rates for absence of abscess and for periradicular radiolucency in group I, III, and group IV were 100% and 66.6% for group II. The success rate for periapical radiolucency in group I and group III was 100%, in group II 66.6% and in group IV 93.35%. The success rate for all the groups shows 100% success in terms of pathological root resorption. CONCLUSION: Zinc oxide eugenol has proven to be the best obturating material. ZnO with Aloe vera showed a success rate which is significantly lower than the other medicaments. ZnO with Curcumin and ZnO with neem had shown promising clinical and radiographical results. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: ZnO with Curcumin and ZnO with neem can be used as a root canal filling material in primary teeth with further follow-up studies.

A Comparative Quantitative Assessment of Salivary Iga and Alpha Amylase in Caries Free and Caries Active Children.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the salivary IgA (immunoglobulin A) and alpha amylase levels in the unstimulated whole saliva samples of caries-free and caries-active children and correlate it with the caries status and age. STUDY DESIGN: The salivary IgA and amylase was investigated in 100 children in the range of 8-12 years divided in two groups, control group (DMFT and/or deft = 0) and study group (DMFT/deft score ≥5). The salivary IgA was measured using kit based on two-site sandwich enzyme immunoassay principle and amylase was estimated using the vitro amyl slides. RESULTS: The mean salivary IgA and amylase levels in the saliva of the children in the control group was found to be significantly increased (p=.001 and p=.014 respectively) whereas the relationship between salivary IgA and amylase levels in the saliva of the children was found to be insignificant with the age (p=.392 and p=.306 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that salivary IgA and amylase levels in saliva increased significantly in caries free children and the level of salivary IgA and alpha amylase has no significant relation with the age of the children.

A Quantitative Assessment of Apoptotic Index with Varying Histological Degree of Dysplasia and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Oral Cavity - A Light Microscopic Study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to quantitatively assess the apoptotic index at a light microscopic level in hyperkeratosis with varying histological degrees of dysplasia and different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its correlation with prognostic significance. STUDY DESIGN: The study included the histo-pathologically diagnosed cases of hyperkeratosis with varying degrees of dysplasia and different grades of OSCC, which were retrieved from the archives of the department, and clinical details were retrieved from the case records of the patients. The sample size consisted of 80 biopsied cases, divided into seven groups of 10 experimental cases and one group of 10 cases of normal mucosa as a control group. RESULTS: The age range of 50-59 shows maximum patients of hyperkeratosis with varying degrees of dysplasia and OSCC. Maximum apoptotic bodies were seen in cases of severe dysplasia and well-differentiated cases of OSCC. There was an observational difference noticed in apoptotic bodies between the patients who had less than 1-year disease-free survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: The apoptotic cells are being seen using routine light microscopy techniques with hematoxylin and eosin staining. In different grades of squamous cell carcinoma, a decrease in the apoptotic count was noticed from well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma toward poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma cases. Increased mean apoptotic bodies were observed in patients showing less than 1 year of survival.

Management of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) associated mucormycosis with palatal ulcer, dental pain and anterior maxillary teeth mobility- A clinical dilemma of Covid 19 pandemic in India.

Mucormycosis represents a group of life-threatening infections caused by fungi of the order mucorales of subphylum mucormycotina. Due to high vascularity, the maxilla rarely undergoes necrosis. Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fulminant fungal infection, which mainly infects immune-compromised patients. Due to the inhalation of fungal spores, the infection may begin in the nose and paranasal sinuses. Necrosis of hard and soft tissues is due to thrombosis of arteries, which is caused by the inhalation of fungal spores. We report a case of maxillary necrosis by mucormycosis in a COVID-19-recovered patient to emphasize the early diagnosis of this potentially fatal fungal infection. We reviewed the current concepts in the management of mucormycosis and different diseases that can lead to maxillary necrosis. The mortality and morbidity of this lethal fungal infection can be successfully reduced by early diagnosis and quick treatment by the general primary care provider, family physicians, and dentists.