Awareness of undergraduate dental students, interns, and freshly graduated dentists about oral manifestation associated with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: There is growing evidence supporting the presence of oral manifestations associated with COVID-19. The study investigates the knowledge of dental undergraduates and recently graduated dentists concerning oral presentations related to COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study in Saudi Arabia comprised 305 individuals, including undergraduate dental students, interns, and freshly graduated dentists. Data were collected using a questionnaire disseminated to approximately 500 subjects via WhatsApp groups and other applications. The questionnaire was tested in a pilot study for validity, edited, and validated by 2 supervisors at the College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding sociodemographic attributes, the level of expertise of dental practitioners, and their knowledge and perspectives regarding COVID-19 and the implementation of oral lesions interrelated to it. The data was subjected to analysis through the utilization of descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, employing the statistical software SPSS (version 24). RESULTS: About 43.9% of subjects stated that COVID-19 causes oral symptoms. Respondents most frequently reported COVID-19-related dry mouth. Oral ulcers, Candida infection, Hyperpigmentation, tongue coating, atrophy, Petechiae, Herpes, white lesions, Gingivitis, and Periodontitis are further symptoms. COVID-19's oral manifestation was unknown to 41.0% of subjects, and 37.7% of respondents lacked knowledge regarding the most impacted locations of oral manifestations. Oral signs and COVID-19 symptoms are debated and significantly associated with higher educational levels. CONCLUSION: The dental students and freshly graduated dentists in this study have proper knowledge of COVID-19 and its symptoms. Also, most dental students and newly graduated dentists recognize the potential correlation between COVID-19 and oral manifestations with an average to excellent knowledge of the types and sites commonly affected. The level of awareness was associated with higher educational levels.

Knowledge, awareness, and perception of dental students, interns, and freshly graduated dentists regarding dental implant complications in Saudi Arabia: a web-based anonymous survey.

BACKGROUND: It is necessary for dental students and freshly graduated dentists to apply their education and practice to different clinical and preclinical procedures. The implant success rate and durability are high. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the level of knowledge, awareness and perception of dental students, interns and freshly graduated students regarding dental implant complications in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design using a web-based method was conducted at different dental institutions in Saudi Arabia from December 2019 to March 2020. Data were collected from all (n = 288) undergraduate students, interns and freshly graduated dentists using a pretested standardized self-administered web-based questionnaire that was prepared and circulated using a template provided by Google Forms (Google, Inc., USA). Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to analyse the data using SPSS (version 20). RESULTS: A total of 288 participants completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 83.4%. Of the total participants, 37.5% showed a good level of knowledge regarding dental implant procedures, and 38.9% showed the same level of knowledge regarding implant complications. The most important cause of complications associated with dental implants was case selection, which accounted for 54.17%. Most participants (58.33%) chose massive bone loss related to implant failure as the most common late dental complication, while 26.39% chose postoperative infection as the most common early dental complication. In addition, 30.56% of the participants selected screw loosening as the most frequent mechanical complication. However, lack of implant primary stability was the most common hard-tissue implant complication. Based on aesthetic and reversible complications, restorations that were too buccal or too palatal and prosthetic-related, respectively, were the least common dental implant complications. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge among participants regarding dental implant complications differed among the institutions participating in this study. This difference reflects a significant variation that necessitates reviewing and standardizing dental implant curricula among these institutions.

Photobiomodulation Effect of Low-level Laser Therapy as a Palliative Treatment of Symptomatic Geographic Tongue (A Double-blinded Randomized Clinical Trial).

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation (PBM) of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as a palliative treatment of symptomatic geographic tongue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized double-blinded controlled clinical trial was performed on 50 patients with symptomatic geographic tongue (GT). Participants were allocated randomly into study and control groups. A 660-nm diode laser was applied on randomly selected patients of the study group (n = 25) over the complained site for 2 minutes with continuous laser beam application. For the control group (n = 25), no application of 660-nm diode laser was performed. None of the participants were aware if they received the LLLT or placebo treatment. Patients were assessed for the level of pain, burning sensation, and size of the lesion before starting LLLT "T0" and during recall visit "T1, T2, and T3." RESULTS: The study group showed a low level of pain, burning sensation, and better healing with statistically significant differences at T2 and T3 of the follow-up period, with a level of significance was set at p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Low-level laser therapy can be used to adequately relieve significant discomforts associated with GT and accelerate healing and restoring of the patient's quality of life. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: To develop a framework based on the results regarding the photobiomodulation effect of a 660-nm diode laser to relieve pain and burning sensation associated with symptomatic GT, which increases patients' perception toward the services provided to them.

Evaluation of Serum Desmoglein 1 and Desmoglein 3 in Oral Erosive Lichen Planus before and after Topical Application of Tacrolimus.

AIM: The current study will attempt to throw light on the role of desmoglein 1 and desmoglein 3 in the pathogenesis of erosive lichen planus and their response to topical application of tacrolimus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with erosive oral lichen planus received tacrolimus ointment three times daily for eight weeks. Assessments using the clinical score and a visual analog scale were recorded at each visit. Serum concentrations of circulating autoantibodies to desmoglein 1 and desmoglein 3 will be determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline, four weeks and eight weeks after treatment. Statistical software SPSS v.17.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: All patients showed significant improvement in all outcomes within the follow-up periods when compared with the baseline (p < 0.05). The mean value of the visual analog scale were 8.30 ± 1.49, 4.15 ± 1.14, 2.10 ± 0.91, 0.90 ± 0.79, and 0.0 ± 0.0 starting from baseline to the end of follow up period. The mean value of the clinical score were 4.7 ± 0.48, 2.9 ± 1.29, 1.8 ± 1.32, 1.31 ± 0.69, and 0.69 ± 0.09 starting from baseline to the end of follow-up period. There was a significant decrease in the levels of anti-Dsg1 and anti-Dsg3, during the follow-up period (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The concluded data suggest that antibodies against desmoglein 1 and desmoglein 3 seem to play a key role in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus. Also, there is a significant decrease in the level of anti-Dsgl and anti-Dsg3 autoantibodies with topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Monitoring the serum level of antibodies against keratinocyte cadherins Dsg 1 and Dsg 3 can be used to evaluate the effect of topical application of tacrolimus on Erosive Oral lichen planus.

Synergetic and advanced isotherm investigation for the enhancement influence of zeolitization and ß-cyclodextrin hybridization on the retention efficiency of U(vi) ions by diatomite.

In synergetic investigations, the adsorption effectiveness of diatomite-based zeolitic structure (ZD) as well as its ß-cyclodextrin (CD) hybrids (CD/ZD) towards uranium ions (U(vi)) was evaluated to examine the influence of the transformation procedures. The retention behaviors and mechanistic processes have been demonstrated through analyzing the steric and energetic factors employing the modern equilibrium approach (a monolayer model with a single energy level). After the saturation phase, the uptake characteristics of U(vi) were dramatically improved to 297.5 mg g-1 after the CD blending procedure versus ZD (262.3 mg g-1) or 127.8 mg g-1. The steric analysis indicated a notable increase in binding site levels after the zeolitization steps (Nm = 85.7 mg g-1) as well as CD implementation (Nm = 91.2 mg g-1). This finding clarifies the reported improvement in the ability of CD/ZD to effectively retain the U(vi) ions. Furthermore, every single active site of the CD/ZD material has the capacity to adsorb around four ions, which are aligned according to a vertical pattern. The energetic aspects, specifically Gaussian energy (<8 kJ mol-1) along with retention energy (<40 kJ mol-1), validate the regulated influences of the physical mechanistic processes. The physical adsorption of U(vi) seems to depend on various intermolecular forces, such as van der Waals forces, in conjunction with zeolitic ion exchanging pathways (0.6-25 kJ mol-1). The thermodynamic assets have been evaluated to confirm the exothermic together with spontaneous adsorption U(vi) by ZD and its blend with CD (CD/ZD).

LaCo0.2Fe0.8O3 perovskites doped with natural Ca2+ as bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution and reduction reactions.

Perovskite oxides are promising electrocatalysts for various energy applications due to their exceptional catalytic activity, flexible architecture, and low cost. In this study, LCFO was doped with different ratios of Ca2+ from eggshells, resulting in dual-purpose electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution processes. The nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques, including Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis and XRD. Results clarified the relative surface area and roughness, increasing with Ca2+ doping. LCFO also demonstrated highly magnetic properties, improved charge transfer, catalytic activity, and long-term durability. The results demonstrated the perovskite's cost-effectiveness as a bifunctional electrocatalyst, and the role of Ca2+ in enhancing its properties. La0.6Ca0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3(LCCFO-0.4) showed higher magnetic properties (M s = 13.36 emu g-1 and M r = 2.54 emu g-1). The LCFO sample showed a current density of 5.13 mA cm-2 and 3 mA cm-2 for OER and ORR respectively, at E onset 1.7 V and 0.57 V (vs. RHE). The LCFO electrochemical active surface area is 0.033 cm2.

Insight into the synergetic, steric and energetic properties of zeolitization and cellulose fiber functionalization of diatomite during the adsorption of Cd(ii): advanced equilibrium studies.

The adsorption potentiality of zeolitized diatomite (ZD) frustules and their cellulose hybridized (C/ZD) product for Cd(ii) ions was assessed in synergetic studies to investigate the impact of the modification processes. The adsorption properties were illustrated based on the steric and energetic parameters of the applied advanced equilibrium modeling (monolayer model of one energy). The cellulose hybridization process increased the adsorption properties of Cd(ii) significantly to 229.4 mg g-1 as compared to ZD (180.8 mg g-1) and raw diatomite (DA) (127.8 mg g-1) during the saturation state. The steric investigation suggested a notable increase in the quantities of the active sites after the zeolitization (Nm = 62.37 mg g-1) and cellulose functionalization (Nm = 98.46 mg g-1), which illustrates enhancement in the Cd(ii) uptake capacity of C/ZD. Moreover, each active site of C/ZD can absorb about 4 ions of Cd(ii) ZD, which occur in a vertical orientation. The energetic studies, including Gaussian energy (<8 kJ mol-1) and retention energy (<8 kJ mol-1), demonstrate the physical uptake of Cd(ii), which might involve cooperating van der Waals forces (4-10 kJ mol-1), hydrophobic bonds (5 kJ mol-1), dipole forces (2-29 kJ mol-1), and hydrogen bonding (<30 kJ mol-1) in addition to zeolitic ion exchange mechanisms (0.6-25 kJ mol-1). The behaviors and values of entropy, internal energy, and free enthalpy as the assessed thermodynamic functions validate the exothermic and spontaneous properties of the Cd(ii) retention by ZD and the C/ZD composite.

Thymoma associated myasthenia gravis with atypical presentation of lipomatous tongue atrophy: a case report.

A 28-year-old female patient came to the outpatient dental clinic for multiple teeth extractions and full mouth rehabilitation suffer from myasthenia gravis (MG) primary presentation as tongue atrophy and facial muscles weakness and the symptoms became worries, the patient unable to speak as well and change her voice and complaining of dysphagia and dysarthria. Oral symptoms, treatment schedule and protocol, the selection, prescription and impacts of medications, and prevention of myasthenic crisis are all important; aspects should be considered by dentists and oral health care providers. Weakness of facial and oropharyngeal muscle is considered very popular at disease onset and therefore oral health providers are often the first medical professionals to observe these patients. Myasthenic patients seek particular approach and consultation in order to ensure ideal and proper dental management.

Efficient photocatalytic removal of safarnin-O dye pollutants from water under sunlight using synthetic bentonite/polyaniline@Ni2O3 photocatalyst of enhanced properties.

This study involves a synthesis of bentonite/polyaniline composite (BE/PANI) of enhanced physicochemical properties as catalyst support for Ni2O3 photocatalyst. The change in the structural properties, morphological features, and optical behavior was addressed utilizing several analytic techniques. The characterization results reflected considerable enhancement in the specific surface area after the integration between bentonite and polyaniline (127 m2/g) and after loading of the campsite by Ni2O3 forming bentonite/polyaniline@Ni2O3 composite (BE/PANI@Ni2O3) (231 m2/g). Additionally, the band gap energy was reduced to 2.41 eV and 1.61 eV for BE/PANI and BE/PANI@Ni2O3, respectively, as compared to that of 3.4 eV for pure Ni2O3. The photocatalytic removal of safranin-O dye under sunlight exposure using BE/PANI@Ni2O3 as catalyst revealed great enhancement in the removal percentages by 63%, 75%, and 72.35% higher than bentonite, polyaniline, and Ni2O3, respectively. Five milligrams per liter of safranin-O dye can be completely removed from 100 ml water using 0.05 g of the composite after 90 min. The catalyst also was applied effectively in the removal of safranin-O dye from raw water samples as a realistic application of the synthetic composite. Synthetic BE/PANI@Ni2O3 as photocatalyst showed very high stability and can be used seven times as photocatalytic at amazing removal percentages.