A Randomized Clinical Study of the Plaque Removal Efficacy of a Novel Manual Toothbrush With Micro-Pulse Bristles on Fixed Orthodontic Patients.

Background Fixed orthodontic appliances on tooth surfaces, such as brackets and bands, complicate oral hygiene and increase plaque accumulation, contributing to gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth decay. While manual toothbrushes are an essential part of oral hygiene, there is little clinical evidence to demonstrate how effective manual toothbrushes with novel designs are at removing plaque from orthodontic patients. This study aims to evaluate three types of manual toothbrushes (Pulsar, conventional flat trim (C-TB), and orthodontic type (O-TB)) for their efficacy in plaque removal among patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Methodology The study followed the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. It was a three-treatment, three-period, examiner-blinded crossover clinical trial conducted with a single brushing exercise. Twenty-four subjects were randomized to one of three different bristle designs (Pulsar, C-TB, and O-TB). The primary outcome measure was the difference (baseline minus post-brushing) in plaque scores assessed using the Turesky-Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index during each study period. Results Of the 27 subjects enrolled in the study, 24 met the inclusion criteria and completed all three periods of the study. The mean age was 19.58 ± 1.55 years, with a range of 18-23 years. The differences between treatments in plaque score reduction after brushing were statistically significant (p-value <0.001). The treatment differences were statistically significant (p-value <0.001), favoring the C-TB toothbrush and the O-TB over the Pulsar design. On the contrary, the difference between the O-TB and C-TB types was not statistically significant. Conclusions C-TB and O-TB remove significantly more plaque than Pulsar toothbrushes after a single brushing exercise. Nevertheless, the C-TB tested in this study was more effective in removing dental plaque than the O-TB in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. Considering the limitations of this study, additional research is required before evidence-based advice concerning the relative performance of the Pulsar toothbrushes in fixed orthodontic patients can be proven.

The Association Between Periodontitis and Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this study is to investigate the association between periodontitis (PD) and erectile dysfunction (ED).A systematic review and meta-analysis on data was extracted and conducted according to PRISMA. Relevant articles were selected from a literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and CENTRAL from inception until August 2, 2020. Both randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies were included. Case reports, case series, nonsystematic reviews and trials published as abstract were excluded. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between PD and the risk of ED. The meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.3. Methodological quality assessment was carried out using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale and the quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.Six articles (215008 subjects) were included for analysis. Of the participants, 38,675 cases were compared to 1,76,333 healthy controls. Based on the random effects model, periodontitis was associated with an increased risk of ED (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.70-3.85) as compared with the non-periodontitis individuals. The findings were statistically significant with a p < .0001. The statistical heterogeneity was high across all studies (I2 = 98%, p < .00001). Estimates of total effects were generally consistent with the sensitivity and subgroup analyses.Within the limits of the available evidence, our review and meta-analysis showed that a significant association exists between the PD and ED. The results should be interpreted with caution due to high degree of inconsistency across all the studies.

Knowledge and Attitude about Basic Life Support and Emergency Medical Services amongst Healthcare Interns in University Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Road traffic accident and sudden cardiac arrest are one of the most leading causes of death in KSA. Basic life support (BLS) is lifesaving intervention as a premedical facility. Adequate knowledge and awareness about BLS and CPR are mandatory for healthcare students. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to assess the knowledge, awareness and attitude towards BLS among healthcare interns in different university hospitals across Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods. A total of 865 health interns attending the health colleges (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy) in the University Hospitals across KSA participated in the study. A self-explanatory questionnaire, comprising of 15 questions, was designed for the study. All the hypotheses were formulated using two-tailed alternatives against each null hypothesis. RESULT: Out of 865 subjects, 698 completed the survey with a response rate of (80.69%). The male to female sex ratio in the entire group of respondents was 1.44:1.00. Mean score about the awareness and knowledge of BLS and other emergency services among the participants was 2.74±1.02 and 4.02±1.56 respectively. Female participants revealed significantly higher awareness score than male (P-value<0.05). Medical interns showed higher awareness level compared to rest of all the faculty interns (P-value<0.01). There was no significant difference in the attitude of interns among the different faculties. 60 to 70% of interns had recommended to include BLS training in the university curriculum. CONCLUSION: Among the participants of the study, overall awareness score was average, whereas the knowledge score was below average. Further, the participants showed a positive attitude toward BLS training. An optimistic decision should be considered on the inclusion of Basic Life Support procedures in the university curriculum.