Association of dental practice as a risk factor in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome

Statement of Problem: Carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS] is an important cause of work disability. There is controversy over the relation between carpal tunnel syndrome and occupation. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the time-span of practicing dentistry and the role of dominant hands in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome

Materials and Method: In this descriptive cross sectional study, 40 dentists and dental students [15 women and 25 men] undertook the electroneuro-diagnostic test in both hands by an electromyogram [EMG] and they were also evaluated in terms of self- reported clinical symptoms

Results: 17.5% of participants were diagnosed to have decreased nerve conduction velocity while10% had reported clinical symptoms of CTS. Both dominant and nondominant hands were involved. Within cases who were diagnosed as having median nerve neuropathy, 87.5% worked more than 20 hours per week. 57% had 17-23 years of dental practice experience and 14.2% of cases had10-16 years of practice in dentistry

Conclusion: The high rate of CTS symptoms, in both dominant and non-dominant hand among dental practitioners with more years of dental practice, indicates a prequisite for particular attention, then sufficient education on the major risk factors causing this problem. Early diagnosis of these symptoms may improve the future management of the disease

clinical effectiveness of subgingival irrigation with povidone-iodine and hydrogen peroxide in treatment of moderate to severe chronic periodontitis

Statement of Problem: Although mechanical debridement is considered as the conventional technique in the management of chronic periodontitis, the locally delivered antiseptic agents have also been investigated as an adjunctive therapy

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of subgingival irrigation with polyvinylpyrrolidone-Iodine [PVP-I] 10%, H[2]O[2] 3%, and the combination of both in the measurement of probing depth and plaque and gingival indices of patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis

Materials and Method: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 16 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis were selected using the simple random sampling method. They had at least one tooth with a probing depth >/= 5 mm in each quadrant and had undergone phase I of periodontal therapy one month after dental scaling, The initial probing depth, plaque, and gingival indices were recorded and the selected teeth were randomly irrigated with PVP-I 10%, H[2]O[2] 3%, H[2]O[2] 3% + PVP-I 10%, or normal saline. The measurements were repeated five weeks after the procedure. The data were analyzed through running paired-samples t-test, analysis of variance [ANOVA], Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, and Kruskal-Wallis Test

Results: The mean differences in probing depth before and after subgingival irrigation in patients who were treated with normal saline, H[2]O[2], PVP-I, and PVP + H[2]O[2] were 1.29 mm, 1.35 mm, 1.47 mm, and 1.71 mm, respectively. This indicated a significant difference among all the groups [ p <05]. Furthermore, PVP-I had a positive effect on the gingival index but it had no significant effect on the plaque index

Conclusion: Subgingival irrigation is an effective adjunctive therapy to mechanical debridement in treating moderate to severe chronic periodontitis

[Effect of methanolic and n-hexanic extracts of allium porrum L. on some human coagulation tests in vitro]

Allium porrum L. is a plant from the Liliaceae family and has been used in Iranian foods as flavor. It has been used in traditional medicine in different ways. In the western parts of Iran, people believe that the fresh Allium juice can inhibit epistaxis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of methanolic and n-hexanic extracts of Allium porrum L. on coagulation tests in human beings in vitro. The methanolic and n-hexanic extracts of Allium porrum L. were prepared using continuous extraction method. Effect of different concentrations of extracts on prothrombin time [PT], partial thromboplastin time [PTT] and clotting time [CT] was evaluated. The result was analyzed by analysis of variance. The results of the present study showed that the methanolic extract of Allium porrum increased PT and PTT but failed to change the clotting time. In the presence of N-hexanic extract, clotting time increased but PT decreased. The results of this study indicated that Allium porrum extracts had a significant anti-coagulatory effect. However, some of the findings of this study are controversial, and further studies on animal models are needed in order to clarify the possible mechanisms

Relationship between periodontal disease and acute myocardial infarction

Conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction do not explain all of the clinical and epidemiological features of the disease. Periodontal disease is a common bacterial and destructive disorder of oral tissues. Many studies demonstrate close association between chronic periodontitis and development of generalized inflammation, vascular endothelial injury, and atherosclesis. Periodontal disease has been convincingly emerging as an important independent risk factor for ischemic heart disease. A case - control study was carried out to assess the prevalence of periodontitis in patients with Acute myocardial Infarction [AMI] and evaluate the possible relationship between AMI and chronic periodontitis. A number of 160 patients, aged 35 to 70 years old, enrolled in the study. Eighty patients [43 men, 37 women] were examined four days after hospitalization due to AMI. Control group consisted of 80 persons [38 men, 42 women] with normal coronary angiography. The following periodontal parameters were examined: Plaque index [PI], gingiral index [GI], bleeding on probing [BOP], probing depth [PD], clinical attachment loss [CAL] and number of sites with CAL. The case, compared to control showed significantly worse results for some periodontal variables studied: The mean of PD and PD > 3 mm, CAL, and number of sites with CAL, had worse results compared to control despite similar oral hygiene and frequency of brushing. The confounding factors for the present study were found to be hypertension and diabetes. The association between periodontitis and acute myocardial infarction was significant after adjusting for conventional risk factors for AMI