Presence of heavy metals in over the counter teeth whitening products- An evaluative study.

Background: Dentistry plays a crucial role in shaping the facial aesthetics of a person and thus boosts self-esteem. Tooth discolouration is one of the significant cosmetic problems and hence, many teeth whitening products are widely used for discolouration. However, these products may have heavy metals or chemicals that can affect the tooth and other organs. Aim: The aim is to estimate the amount of heavy metals present in teeth whitening products available for purchase over-the-counter in the pharmacies. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study of teeth whitening products available Over the Counter (OTC) in pharmacies in Chennai and adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu was conducted during the period from December 2019 to February 2020. The Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) method was used to measure the heavy metals such as inorganic lead, chromium, cobalt, arsenic, cadmium, nickel and mercury in the products. Results: We collected 39 products and finalized nine for analysis. These products were available as tablet (n = 1), liquids (n = 2) and powders (n = 6). All products were mentioned as herbal or natural. Three products contained inorganic lead levels in parts per million (ppm) of 759 (product 2); 39.4 (product 3) and 28.1 (product 7), way above the permitted levels. None of the other heavy metals were detected from these products. Conclusion: After analysis with the FAAS method, inorganic lead over and above the permissible levels was observed. Dental professionals and community need to be aware of the availability of such products and its detrimental effects on oral and general health.

Prevalence of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Among Dental Students in Chennai.

The objective was to understand the prevalence of temporomandibular joint disorder among dental students. The study was conducted in Tagore Dental College, Chennai. The questionnaire study included a total of 371 students from years I to V, under the age group of 18-30, who had a history of temporomandibular joint disorders on the day of the survey. Each student was given a semi-structured study questionnaire related to assessing possible causes, assessment of habits, assessment of subjective symptoms, and evaluation of pain. It was analysed using an anamnestic scale as 0: no symptoms; I: mild symptoms; II: severe symptoms. An independent t-test was used to compare the variables. The significance level set at 0.05 (p < 0.05) showed that the prevalence of Temporomandibular disorders was insignificant in the study population due to various contributing factors. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12663-023-01866-y.

Management of Mandibular Body Fracture in an Eighteen-Month Old Child - A Case Report

@#With the advancement of the transportation system and improvement in road conditions, the number of high-velocity accidents has also increased. Almost all of these reported cases involve individuals who had travelled in vehicles without adhering to personal protection standards and with rash driving. Injuries to the facial region can be profoundly disturbing and particularly in children. Parents find it very distressing to see their child in pain with a disfigured or injured face. It is difficult to manage such crying & sometimes uncontrollable children. The most commonlyinjuredfacialbonesareNasal,Zygomaticandthe Mandible. The incidence of facial bone fracture in children is uncommon, and we present a case report of an18-month old child with a history of road traffic accident and swelling on the right side of the face. Intraoral examination shows limited mouth opening with submucosal ecchymosis in the right buccal mucosa and based on clinical and computed tomographic scan working diagnosis of fracture in the right body of the mandible was arrived. The child was treated with the circum-mandibular wiring to stabilize the mandibular fracture under general anaesthesia. After three weeks the splint was removed. The injury healed without complications in the post-operativeperiod.

Teeth in the line of fracture: to retain or remove?

The purpose of this study was to analyze mandibular fracture site, relationship of the fracture line to the periodontium, vitality of teeth, displacement of the fracture segments and their implications, and determine whether to retain or remove the teeth in the fracture line. Fifty patients with 62 fractures were involved in this study. An electric pulp tester was used to measure the pulpal response. The degree of fracture displacement and the relationship of the fracture line to the periodontium were evaluated using panoramic radiographs. Fractures of the parasymphysis region constituted a majority of 60.87% in the gross displacement category. Four of 50 patients showed no response presurgically and minimal response postoperatively on pulp vitality testing. Patients with teeth in the fracture line showing no response on pulp vitality testing should be advised extraction to avoid further complications.