Characterization of physiochemical parameters & their effect on microbial content of smokeless tobacco products marketed in north India.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) product consumption has profound public health implications for its users. The p H and moisture of SLTs determine the bioavailability of nicotine, the microbial structure dynamics and the amount of microbial conversion of tobacco alkaloids to carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines. This study aimed to characterize and compare the p H, moisture and alkaloid content of various SLT products. METHODS: Thirty-seven SLT samples including khaini , snus, moist snuff, gul , pan masala , zarda , Mainpuri kapoori and qiwam were collected from the retail market around the National Capital Region in north India and their p H, moisture, nicotine and alkaloid content were measured. The p H and total nicotine were used to calculate the amount of free nicotine, the readily absorbed form, for each product by applying the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. RESULTS: The investigation showed that the SLTs varied drastically in their p H (5.36 to 10.27), moisture content (4.7 to 51.7%) and alkaloid content (0.82 to 35.87 mg/g). The p H and free nicotine levels of a product were found to be positively correlated, and the highest free nicotine content was reported in snus samples. Further, the moisture content was seen to impact the bacterial and fungal diversity in these samples. INTERPRETATION CONCLUSIONS: Studies to detect the presence of pathogenic microbiological genera as well as potentially toxic constituents are warranted. The use of SLTs as an alternative to cigarette smoking should be discouraged, and cessation programmes must call attention to their detrimental effects and emphasize on benefits of quitting SLT consumption.

An Unusual Case of Maxillary Sinus Odontogenic Keratocyst: An Insightful Report With Review of the Literature.

Maxillary sinus odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is very rare and occupies less than 1% of the total OKC cases reported in the literature. OKCs have characteristic features that are unique compared to other cysts of the maxillofacial region. Considering their peculiar behaviour, varied origin, debated development, discourse treatment modalities, and high recurrence rate, OKCs have been a subject of interest for various oral surgeons and pathologists globally. This case report presents an unusual case of invasive maxillary sinus OKC into the orbital floor, pterygoid plates, and hard palate in a 30-year-old female. The case report confers that cystic maxillary sinus lesions should always be treated very extensively irrespective of the nature of the lesion as the site makes it highly susceptible to secondary infection and recurrence. The case also establishes a set of imaging modalities and specific treatment approaches to be followed for maxillary sinus OKC based on the literature of all the previous cases reported.

Management of Radix Paramolaris With a Distal Canal in the Mandibular First Molar: A Case Report.

Mandibular first molars, also called six-year molars as they appear at around six years of age, are the first permanent teeth to erupt in the oral cavity. They are the teeth most commonly affected by dental caries. Anatomically, the tooth presents with two roots and three canals. In very rare cases, presence of an extra root or a supernumerary root has been associated with the tooth. When this root is present lingual to the distal root, it is called radix entomolaris whereas when it is present buccal to the mesial root, it is called radix paramolaris. The presence of veiled canals is possible due to variation in the anatomy of the tooth. It is therefore necessary to locate, prepare and obturate these hidden canals in order to achieve success in endodontic treatment.

Perception of facial esthetics in young North Indian population.

INTRODUCTION: A person's ability to recognize a beautiful face is innate, but translating this into defined treatment goals is a challenge for clinicians. AIM: To determine if faces considered esthetic and pleasing in the young North Indian population (both males and females) exhibit similar cephalometric measurements as used for ideal treatment and successful results. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A panel of five judges evaluated a set of one frontal, one frontal during smiling, and one profile extra-oral photograph of 160 students (80 females and 80 males) on a five-point attractiveness scale. For each photographic set, the mean and final scores were calculated. Once the sample was assessed, 60 subjects (30 females and 30 males) with the highest final facial aesthetic score were selected and cephalometric analysis was performed. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 20 software. RESULTS: Both males and females with class I skeletal jaw bases were found to be attractive. The females with short faces; mild facial convexity and lower lip closer to the esthetic line were found to be attractive. The males with a prominent chin, straight profile, prominent nose, increased upper lip thickness, upper lip length, and lower lip length were found to be attractive. CONCLUSION: The faces considered attractive in this study fulfilled most of the cephalometric norms commonly used for the diagnosis and treatment planning except for a few inconsistencies which may be attributed to the gender and demographic origin.