Comparison of information provided by pediatricians regarding tooth eruption and the information available on the internet.

BACKGROUND: Most parents believe that teething is associated with some symptoms and commonly use Internet to gain more information about the health of their children. Pediatricians can also serve as a source of information for health-related requirements of parents. This study aimed to compare the information provided by pediatricians regarding tooth eruption and the information available in Persian-language websites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was performed in two phases. In the first phase, the questionnaire was designed by 85 pediatric pediatricians in Isfahan about children's dental eruption and internet resources. The second phase was the study of 22 Persian websites about children's tooth eruption using Google search engine and the keywords "tooth eruption," "tooth eruption symptoms." Then a checklist was prepared to evaluate the quality and completeness of the content. Data were analyzed by the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test using SPSS (P < 0.05). RESULTS: None of the retrieved websites had the health on the net code of conduct. The most common symptoms of teething reported by both pediatricians and websites included irritability, drooling, gingival tenderness, chewing tendency, decreased appetite and sleep disturbances. In non-pharmacological methods to control the symptoms related to tooth eruption in both groups, embracing the baby (P < 0.001), using soft tooth ring (P = 0.049) and chewing hard foods (0.016 P = significant. Use of oral pain medication (P = 0.01) and sedatives and medications (P = 0.04) were significant in the medication method. CONCLUSION: None of the websites reviewed had a valid source code and author. Although websites cannot replace the instructions of pediatricians regarding growth and development of children and their teething, supplementary information can be acquired from high-quality websites because there seems to be no significant difference between these two information sources regarding tooth eruption symptoms and their management.

The antibacterial effects of coffee extract, chlorhexidine, and fluoride against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus plantarum: An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare the antibacterial effects of coffee extract with those of 0.2% sodium fluoride and chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthrinses on Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus plantarum in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental in vitro study, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and disk diffusion method were determined for different concentrations of coffee extract, 0.2% CHX, and 0.2% fluoride against S. mutans and L. plantrum. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis analysis. Statistical significance level was established at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The MIC of coffee was achieved at 62.5 and 500 mg/mL against S. mutans and L. plantarum, respectively. The MBC against S. mutans was 125 mg/mL. The diameter of the zone of inhibition around S. mutans for pure coffee extract (100%), CHX (0.2%), and fluoride was 19.8 mm, 9.92 mm, and 0, respectively. At a concentration of 6.25%-100%, coffee had a significantly larger zone of inhibition compared to CHX and fluoride) P = 0.01). The MBC of coffee and fluoride was 0 against L. plantarum. The lowest inhibitory concentration belongs to CHX (MIC: 0.624 mg/ml for L. plantarum and 0.125 mg/ml for S. mutans). CONCLUSION: The coffee had an antibacterial effect against S. mutans on 62.5-1000 mg/ml concentrations. The zone of inhibition around S. mutans for higher concentrations of coffee (6.25%-100%) was significantly higher than that of CHX and fluoride 0.2%. Bacteriostatic effect of coffee against L. plantarum was obtained at 500-1000 mg/ml. However, coffee and fluoride did not show any bactericidal effects against L. plantarum.

Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Green Tea Mouth Rinse and Green Tea Gel on the Salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus Colony Count in 12-18-year-old Teenagers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

AIMS: Green tea is an antibacterial agent with no significant side effect. This feature makes green tea safe for children to use. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of green tea gel and mouth rinse on salivary level of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus of teenagers aged 12-18 years. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this randomized controlled clinical trial study, 30 children aged 12-18 years were included in the study according to the inclusion criteria and were randomly divided into two groups. Participants in mouth rinse group were asked to rinse their mouth with 0.5% green tea mouthwash twice a day for 2 weeks. In the gel group, participants were requested to brush their teeth with 0.5% green tea gel twice a day for 2 weeks. After 4 weeks of washout period, mouthwash group applied the gel and the gel group rinsed the mouthwash for 2 weeks and with the same instruction as mentioned. Colony count of S. mutans and Lactobacillus was determined before and after intervention and data were analyzed using t-test. RESULTS: According to the independent t-test, there was no significant difference in the salivary levels of S. mutans before and after intervention regarding age and gender (P = 0.33). Results from paired t-test showed significant decrease in the mean count of S. mutans and Lactobacillus colonies in both groups before and after intervention (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Green tea gel and mouthwash contribute to a significant reduction of salivary levels of S. mutans and Lactobacillus colonies, with a greater effect of mouthwash than the green tea gel, which was not statistically significant.

Does learning style preferences influence academic performance among dental students in Isfahan, Iran?

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to identify the learning preferences of dental students and to characterize their relationship with academic performance at a dental school in Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 200 undergraduate dental students from October to November 2016. Data were collected using a 2-part questionnaire. The first part included demographic data, and the second part was a Persian-language version of the visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with the chi-square test, 1-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 86.6%. Approximately half of the students (51.5%) had multimodal learning preferences. Among the unimodal group (48.5%), the most common mode was aural (24.0%), followed by kinesthetic (15.5%), reading-writing (8.0%), and visual (1.0%). There was a significant association between academic performance and the reading/writing learning style preference (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: Multimodal learning styles were the most preferred. Among single-mode learning styles, the aural style was most common, followed by the kinesthetic style. Students with a reading/writing preference had better academic performance. The results of this study provide useful information for preparing a more problem-based curriculum with active learning strategies.

Attitudes of Parents and Children toward Primary Molars Restoration with Stainless Steel Crown.

CONTEXT: Today, attention has increasingly been focused on the studies which include patient-centered consequences. AIMS: The study aims to investigate the attitude of parents and children toward the application of stainless steel crown (SSC) on primary molars. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional descriptive study included eighty 4-6-year-old children having treated with SSC over the past 3-6 months. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eventually, a validated child- and parent-centered self-report questionnaire was filled, having 14 questions about demographic information, six questions about childrens' attitude, and eight questions about parents' attitude. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data analysis was conducted using t-test and one-way ANOVA at significant level P < 0.05. RESULTS: In general, the score of children's attitude was positive, and the mean of attitude scores was obtained to be 9.9 ± 2.6; attitudes of 82.43% of children were good. Parents had neutral attitude; the mean of their attitude was obtained to be 20.2 ± 4.8. Only 53% of the parents scored good attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: The attitude score of children toward SSC was good and independent of age, gender, career, and education of the parents. Although the parents were not satisfied with how it appeared, the majority of them reported that their child had well accepted the crown.

Toothbrushing frequency among 4-6-year-old Iranian children and associated maternal attitude and sociobehavioral factors.

BACKGROUND: Toothbrushing is an important aspect of children's oral health self-care. This study aimed to explore toothbrushing frequency among 4-6-year-old Iranian children and associated maternal attitude and sociobehavioral factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 407 mother-child (aged 4-6 years) pairs through stratified random sampling in Tabriz, Iran. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires including demographic characteristic, maternal attitude, and toothbrushing frequency of both mothers and children. Logistic regression was used to determine the predicators of children's toothbrushing. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 for all tests. RESULTS: The mean ages were 32.6 ± 4.8 and 5.3 ± 1.1 years for mothers and children respectively. Twice-daily toothbrushing was observed at a relative frequency of 12.8% in children and 18.4% in mothers. About 43.7% of children brushed their teeth once daily. Nearly 38.7% of children started toothbrushing behavior regularly at 4 years of age, and 41% had dental visits. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that children's toothbrushing (once daily or more) was associated with maternal brushing frequency (odds ratio [OR] =2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.53-2.86), maternal attitude toward oral health (OR = 1.15, CI = 1.08-1.22), and children's age (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.02-1.77). CONCLUSION: The descriptive results indicated that maternal and children toothbrushing behaviors are unfavorable. Furthermore, maternal toothbrushing behavior is a strong predicator of children's brushing behavior. Health promotional activities seem necessary for mothers to enhance oral health behavior of their children.

Effects of probiotic drop containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Lactobacillus reuteri on salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus levels.

AIMS: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a probiotic drop containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Lactobacillus reuteri on salivary counts of Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacillus (LB) in children 3-6 years of age. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Sixty-one healthy children were randomly allocated into two parallel blocks in this double-blind, randomized controlled trial (IRCT2014120320202N1) from May to June 2015. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Finally 53 participants consumed five drops of placebo (n = 23) or probiotic (n = 30) every night for 2 weeks. Before intervention and 1 day after completion of the intervention, unstimulated salivary samples were collected, and microbiologic evaluations were carried out. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed with descriptive statistical methods Wilcoxon signed ranks, Mann-Whitney, and logistic regression. RESULTS: SM level decreased significantly in probiotic group after intervention (P = 0.045), and there were significant differences in salivary SM counts after intervention between two groups (P = 0.04). In probiotic group, LB counts decreased significantly after intervention (P = 0.048); however, there were no significant differences between two groups (P = 0.216). CONCLUSIONS: Use of this probiotic drop decreased salivary counts of SM; however, LB counts did not change. In addition, use of the drop in children with higher salivary counts appeared to be more effective.

Dental Management of a Child with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta: A Case Report.

Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI) is a hereditary dentin defect caused by an autosomal dominant mutation in dentin sialophosphoprotein gene. Defective dentin development results in discolored teeth that are prone to wear and fracture. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are necessary to achieve better functional and esthetic results and minimize nutritional deficiencies and psychosocial distress. In order to prevent excessive loss of tooth structure, placement of stainless steel crowns (SSCs) on deciduous and young permanent posterior teeth is recommended as soon as such teeth erupt. This clinical report presents the clinical manifestations and management of a 3.5-year-old child diagnosed with DI type II.

Comparative evaluation of bispectral index system after sedation with midazolam and propofol combined with remifentanil versus ketamine in uncooperative during dental procedures.

BACKGROUND: Proper analgesic agents should be used in combination with sedative agents. Remifentanil is a synthetic narcotic/analgesic agent with a short duration effect and decreases the risk of apnea during recovery. Bispectral index system (BIS) is a new noninvasive technique for the evaluation of the depth of sedation. The aim of present clinical trial was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of intravenous sedation with propofol/midazolam/remifentanil (PMR) in comparison to propofol/midazolam/ketamine (PMK) for dental procedures in children 3-7 years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this clinical trial, 32 healthy uncooperative children who were candidates for dental treatments under sedation were randomly divided into two groups. Intravenous sedation was induced with PMR in one group and with PMK in the other group. After injection and during procedure BIS index, heart rate and respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation was evaluated every 5 min. After the procedure, recovery time was measured. Data were analyzed with ANOVA, Friedman, Wilcoxon, and t-test. RESULTS: The BIS value was significantly low in ketamin group (P = 0.003) but respiratory rates and heart rates were same in both groups with no statistical difference (P = 0.884, P = 0.775). The recovery time was significantly shorter in remifentanil group (P = 0.008 and P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that intravenous sedation technique with PMR combination induces effective and safe sedation, with less pain and more forgetfulness and a shorter recovery time for children 3-7 years of age during dental procedures.

Outcomes of vital pulp therapy in permanent teeth with different medicaments based on review of the literature.

Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is a biologic and conservative treatment modality to preserve the vitality and function of the coronal or remaining radicular pulp tissue in vital permanent teeth. A search was conducted via the Cochrane database, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Ovid for any articles with the criteria for "pulp-capping," or "pulp-capping materials" and "VPT outcomes" from 1978 to mid 2014. All articles were evaluated and the valid papers were selected. The outcomes of various VPT techniques, including indirect pulp treatment, direct pulp treatment, partial pulpotomy, and complete pulpotomy in vital permanent teeth were extracted. Although various studies have different research approach, most studies noted a favorable treatment outcome. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) appears to be more effective than calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) for maintaining long-term pulp vitality after indirect and direct pulp-capping. However, it seems that the success rate for partial pulpotomy and pulpotomy with Ca(OH)2 is similar to MTA.

General Dental Practitioners' Knowledge about the Emergency Management of Dental Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to assess the general dental practitioners (GDPs)'s knowledge regarding the emergency management of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in Isfahan, Iran. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this study a two-part questionnaire consisting of 14 questions was distributed among 241 GDPs. Part 1 included seven questions focusing on personal and professional information and part 2 asked questions about seven given cases of dental traumas. One score was dedicated to each correct answer; the total score of 0 to 4 was considered as poor knowledge, while scores 5-8, 9-11 and 12-14 were assigned as moderate, good and excellent knowledge, respectively. The data were analyzed using the Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA. Spearman's and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to determine the associations between the emergency treatment knowledge and dentists' professional information. RESULTS: With regards to the level of GDP's knowledge, the mean score was 7.61±2.68 suggesting a moderate score; a total of 177 (73.2%) of the dentists showed a moderate level of knowledge. A significant association was found between the frequency of dental trauma cases that were encountered and treated by GDPs in their daily practice (P=0.004, r=0.2). CONCLUSION: The overall knowledge of GDPs about the emergency management of TDI in the selected community was moderate.