Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Chromium Mine Workers in India.

Background: Several diseases are related to occupation. The workers in chromium mines may be exposed to hazardous environments. The objective of this research was to evaluate the oral health condition and treatment needs of chromium mine workers. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on workers in the chromium mines located in the Jajpur district, Odisha. The study included a total of 453 mine workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) oral health assessment proforma (1997) was used to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of the workers. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to acquire information on socio-demographic data, along with clinical examinations of type III. Frequency distribution analysis and independent-sample t-test were performed. Results: The majority of mineworkers demonstrated poor oral health status with high caries experience (Decayed Missing and Filled Tooth (DMFT) = 3.13 ± 1.82). The prevalence of tobacco consumption was very prevalent among them (74.8%). Leukoplakia (13.2%) was the most commonly noted oromucosal lesions. The buccal mucosa (16.8%) and commissures of the lips (3.3%) were the most common affected sites. Most workers demonstrated poor periodontal conditions. More than half of the mine workers (53.6%) showed malocclusion. Restoration, extraction, and pulp care were needed in most of the workers. Conclusion: A critical intervention should be provided to promote oral hygiene among Indian chromium mine workers. Dental health education and tobacco cessation programs are of utmost importance to improve the health conditions of these workers.

Oral health impact, dental caries experience, and associated factors in 12-15-year-old school children in India.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries affects quality of life and has a negative impact on daily performance. OBJECTIVE: The study was conducted to assess the impact of oral health and its associated factors in schoolchildren in the age group 12-15 years in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in schoolchildren in the age group 12-15 years. Sociodemographic and oral health related behaviors of schoolchildren were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Child oral impact on daily performance (OIDP) questionnaire was used to assess the oral impacts. Oral examination was performed to check the presence of caries using decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index. RESULTS: A total of 690 schoolchildren participated in the survey. The mean age of the children was 13.58 years. The overall prevalence of dental caries was found to be 47.2%. The prevalence of one or more impact in the study population was 36.5%. The most prevalent impact was difficulty in eating and cleaning of teeth and the least prevalent impact were emotion and studying. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that the type of school that a child goes to, socioeconomic status, material used, dental visit, and dental caries were significantly associated with the Child-OIDP affected score. CONCLUSION: Oral health had a significant effect on the quality of life of schoolchildren. The prevalence of dental caries was found to be high. Effective policies need to be drafted for oral health promotion in this age group.

Occupational Hepatitis B Exposure: A Peek into Indian Dental Students' Knowledge, Opinion, and Preventive Practices.

Objective. To determine the level of knowledge, opinions, and preventive practices followed by dental students against Hepatitis B. The study also explored if any correlation existed between knowledge, opinion, and preventive practices score. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a dental teaching institution. The subjects comprised 216 dental students. The study was conducted using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was prepared to assess knowledge, opinion, and preventive practices against Hepatitis B. Kruskal-Wallis and Kendall Tau test were performed. Results. The study found that only 44.4% of the students were vaccinated with Hepatitis B vaccine. 59.3% of the students reported washing their hands after contact with patient's body fluids. 63.9% used personal protective measures like facemask, aprons, head cap, eye shields, and so forth, while treating patients. Median knowledge, opinion, and practice scores were found to be 5.00, 3.00, and 3.00, respectively. Significant correlation was obtained between knowledge and preventive practices score (r = 0.385, p value <0.0001). Conclusion. Effective measures need to be taken to improve preventive practices of the students to prevent them from risk of Hepatitis transmission. Mandatory vaccination against Hepatitis B needs to be implemented.

Prevalence and risk factors for non-carious cervical lesions in children attending special needs schools in India.

We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for development of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) in children attending special needs schools in India. The participants were 395 children aged 12-15 years with disabilities in learning, communication, physical function, and/or development. A questionnaire was designed in order to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices, dietary habits, and risk factors for NCCLs. The chi-square test, bivariate analysis, and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Presence of NCCLs was associated with use of toothpowder or other materials for teeth cleaning, use of harder toothbrushes, use of a horizontal scrub technique for toothbrushing, consumption of a vegetarian diet, and greater consumption of lemon. The overall prevalence of NCCLs was 22.7%. Most lesions involved minimal loss of contour or defects <1 mm in depth. The prevalence of non-carious cervical lesions was slightly higher than the global average. Effective policies should be developed for oral health care among children attending special needs schools.