Evaluation of awareness regarding pictorial warning on tobacco packets and its effect on cessation among tobacco users in Lucknow.

Introduction: Tobacco use has been identified as the leading cause of the preventable death worldwide and estimates that it currently causes 5.4 million deaths/year. In fact, India is suffering a phase of tobacco epidemic. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the awareness regarding pictorial warning on tobacco packets and its effect on cessation among tobacco users. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted among 200 patients having tobacco habit, attending the outpatient department of Public Health Dentistry, KGMU, Lucknow. A self-structured questionnaire was made in English and Hindi language, pertaining to demographic details, type of tobacco products used, frequency, duration of tobacco habits, and awareness regarding pictorial warning. Results: Use of multiple tobacco habits was most prevalent 61 (30.5%) across all age groups, majority 185 (92.5%) of subjects had seen the tobacco warnings, and 113 (56.5%) participants had seen both types of warning (pictorial and written warning). One hundred and ten (55%) of subjects said that warning should be on both sides. Eighty-two (41%) study participants had never tried to quit tobacco habits, 43 (21.5%) of participants tried to quit tobacco habits because of peer pressure and 75 (37.5%) subjects said that after seeing a warning on tobacco packets, they will think to quit tobacco habit. Conclusion: Majority of study participants have observed the warnings on tobacco packets and most of them believe that they could recognize and understand warnings. The study participants believe that warnings on tobacco packets create alertness about various deleterious effects of all tobacco habits and help in dropping or give up these habits. Pictographic warnings were more effective than text warnings.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Contemporary Obturating Materials used in Primary Teeth- An In-vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Preservation of primary tooth with non-vital pulp has been a major problem for pediatric dentist. In such cases, the preferred treatment modality is pulpectomy. The objective of pulpectomy is complete removal of necrotic and irreversibly infected pulp of an affected tooth but, in spite of chemomechanical preparation and copious irrigation of canal, there are chances of failure of pulp therapy due to the entrapped micro organisms in the canal space owing to the tortuous and complex nature of the root canal system and change in their morphology with root resorption. Thus, for optimal success of endodontic treatment, obturating material with antimicrobial properties is advocated in deciduous teeth. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of different obturating materials used in pediatric dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present study, antimicrobial efficacy of endoflas, Zinc Oxide Eugenol (ZOE), calcium hydroxide with chlorhexidine, calcium hydroxide with iodoform and distilled water, metapex and saline as control were assessed and compared with each other. The antimicrobial efficacy of obturating materials was evaluated against E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) by agar diffusion method. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS Version 15.0. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Post-Hoc Tests (Tukey-HSD) were performed to reveal the statistical significance. RESULTS: Intergroup comparison at 24 hours (Tukey's test) revealed significant difference amongst all the groups. Endoflas had significantly higher zone of inhibition as compared to all the other groups except group treated with ZOE (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSION: The antimicrobial activity of obturating materials according to results obtained from the present study can be summarized as follows: Endoflas > ZOE >Calcium hydroxide + Chlorhexidine > Calcium hydroxide + Iodoform +Distilled water ~ Metapex > Saline.

The Influence of Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus on Dental Caries and Salivary Flow.

Objective. To assess whether or not there was any change in the dental caries and rate of salivary flow of patients with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and the contribution of salivary flow to caries risk in IDDM. Setting. Department of Endocrinology, MS Ramaiah Hospital, Bangalore, India. Design. A comparative cross-sectional descriptive type. Materials and Methods. The sample consisted of two groups: 140 diabetic group (mean age 14.8 yr) and 140 nondiabetic group (mean age 13.7 yr). Dental caries by dmf(t) and dmf(s) indices for primary dentition and DMF(T) and DMF(S) indices was used in permanent dentition to assess the dental caries experience. Both stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow rate were assessed after collection of saliva. Results. In diabetic group 76% had carious lesion and in nondiabetic group 85.3% had carious lesion. Diabetics have lower mean DMFT, DMFS, dmft, and dmfs compared to the nondiabetic group. Diminished unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate in diabetic than nondiabetic group. Conclusions. The findings obtained conclude that even though there was reduced salivary flow rate in diabetic group the caries prevalence was low.

Non-syndromic multiple supernumerary teeth: report of a case with 13 supplemental teeth.

The presence of supernumerary teeth (STs) may give rise to a variety of clinical problems. These include failure of a tooth to erupt, delayed eruption, ectopic eruption, diastema, rotation of adjacent teeth, displacement of teeth and crowding. This case describes a 14-year-old male patient who presented with the complaint of pain in the left mandibular posterior region. Intraoral examination revealed the presence of carious retained deciduous second molar in this region. An orthopantomogram was advised which 'initially' revealed 11 STs, positioned in all four quadrants in posterior regions. Two more STs were detected in the following investigations totalling 13. Dental literature rarely reports presence of STs in such a large number. The objective of this case is to report detection of STs, radiographic examination, extraction of the retained deciduous molars and STs in the mandible to facilitate eruption of mandibular premolars.

Pharmacological attribute of Aloe vera: Revalidation through experimental and clinical studies.

Aloe vera has long been used as a traditional medicine for inducing wound healing. It is a natural product that now a days is used in cosmetic industry. Benefits associated with Aloe vera have been attributed to the polysaccharides contained in the gel of the leaves though there are various indications for its use. Biological activities include promotion of wound healing, antifungal activity, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and immunomodulatory. Gingival fibroblasts play an important role in oral wound healing. Double blind-controlled trials are needed to determine its real efficacy in oral health.