Impact of Early Childhood Caries on Oral Health-related Quality of Life Among 4-6-year-old Children Attending Delhi Schools: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Oral diseases like early childhood caries (ECC), trauma, teething pain, and eruption disturbances are widely prevalent among the 4-6-year subgroup of population and are considered a public health problem worldwide. AIM: To assess the impact of ECC on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 4-6-year-old children attending schools in Delhi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out to assess the impact of ECC on OHRQoL among 4-6-year old children. Data were collected by a combination of the structured questionnaire of sociodemographic details and early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS). The clinical examination was conducted for the assessment of dentition status and pufa index according to WHO criteria 2013. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The prevalence of ECC was found to be 20% among preschoolers which was lower among younger children and increased with age. The ECOHIS responses reported that items related to pain, irritation, difficulty in eating some foods, and difficulty to drink hot or cold beverages, felt guilty, feeling of frustration, and been upset were the most frequent on the child impact section (CIS). HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Jaggi A, Marya CM, et al. Impact of Early Childhood Caries on Oral Health-related Quality of Life Among 4-6-year-old Children Attending Delhi Schools: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(3):215-221.

A Cross-sectional Study for Assessment of Untreated Dental Caries and Its Consequences among Slum-dwelling Children.

INTRODUCTION: Dental caries affects humans of all ages throughout the world and remains the major dental public health problem among children globally. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the cluster sampling technique to obtain the required sample size of 400 children from urban slum population of Faridabad, Haryana, India. Data were collected using World Health Organization dentition status 1997 criteria and PUFA/pufa index. TYPE OF STUDY: Cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Among 6- to 12-year-age group, 68.5% subjects had one or more decayed deciduous teeth, of which 65.3% subjects had one or more pufa score, and 26.4% subjects were having one or more decayed permanent teeth, of which 16.7% subjects were having one or more PUFA score. The overall caries prevalence was 79.64% and overall prevalence of one or more than one PUFA+pufa was reported in 69.2% subjects. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study showed the relevance of PUFA/pufa index to address the neglected problem of untreated caries and its consequences. The study also suggests the importance for implementation of the primary oral care programs for this deprived population. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Marya C, Kataria S, Nagpal R, Oberoi SS, Dhingra C, Arora D. A Cross-sectional Study for Assessment of Untreated Dental Caries and Its Consequences among Slum-dwelling Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(1):29-33.

Antibiotics in dental practice: how justified are we.

Antibiotics are prescribed by dentists in dental practice, during dental treatment as well as for prevention of infection. Indications for the use of systemic antibiotics in dentistry are limited because most dental and periodontal diseases are best managed by operative intervention and oral hygiene measures. The use of antibiotics in dental practice is characterised by empirical prescription based on clinical and bacteriological epidemiological factors, resulting in the use of a very narrow range of broad-spectrum antibiotics for short periods of time. This has led to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a wide range of microbes and to the consequent inefficacy of commonly used antibiotics. Dentists can make a difference by the judicious use of antimicrobials--prescribing the correct drug, at the standard dosage and appropriate regimen--only when systemic spread of infection is evident. The increasing resistance problems of recent years are probably related to the over- or misuse of broad-spectrum agents. There is a clear need for the development of prescribing guidelines and educational initiatives to encourage the rational and appropriate use of drugs in dentistry. This paper highlights the need for dentists to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in an attempt to curb the increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance and other side effects of antibiotic abuse. The literature provides evidence of inadequate prescribing practices by dentists for a number of factors, ranging from inadequate knowledge to social factors.