Orofacial trauma awareness among sports teachers in Southern Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Dental trauma is a major public oral health problem owing to its high prevalence. The school sports teachers who observe children when they participate in sports have a key role in the prevention and management of traumatic injuries. The present study aims to determine the awareness of sports teachers on the occurrence and prevention of oral-facial trauma in southern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional study design among sports teachers in a southern subpopulation of Saudi Arabia. A draft questionnaire with 11 items was constructed under three domains: occurrence pattern, prevention, and management of dental trauma. RESULTS: A total of 191 sports teachers from various schools participated in the survey. The majority (88%) of the teachers had encountered orofacial trauma among children during sporting activity in schools. The most common orofacial structure involved in injury was the teeth (33.5%) and lips (25.2%). Only 50.8% of subjects knew stock tray as a type of mouthguard and 27.7% of teachers responded that they do not recommend mouthguards for children during sporting activities. Nearly 80.6% teachers were aware of the possibility of reimplanting an avulsed tooth. About 72.8% teachers had poor knowledge of immediate action necessary for successful outcomes of reimplanted teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Orofacial trauma was commonly encountered by sports teachers among children during sporting activities in the school. There was poor awareness regarding types of mouth guards and its significance among the sports school teachers. The knowledge related to the management of emergency oral injuries was inadequate.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (light source; methylene blue; titanium dioxide): Bactericidal effects analysis on oral plaque bacteria: An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete eradication of plaque bacteria from the plaque retentive sites and the emerging problem of antibiotic resistance led the scientific community to explore new antimicrobial strategies for improved results and shun antibiotic resistance. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of a novel light based therapy and to assess the susceptibility of oral plaque bacteria to light based technologies with and without photosensitizers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four oral plaque bacterial strains were isolated from the dental plaque sample collected from the patients and exposed to various light based technologies and photodynamic therapy (PDT) with and without photosensitizers. The cultures were analysed for viable colony forming unit (CFU) counts. One-way analysis of variance was used to statistically analyse differences and the Student-Newman-Keuls method to perform multiple comparison procedures. RESULTS: All groups showed remarkable reduction in the CFUs as compared to control group with use of light based technologies and PDT in this study. The difference of antimicrobial effect between all tested groups either with light based technologies and PDT with control group showed significant reduction in CFUs. CONCLUSIONS: From the results of this study, we concluded that light based technologies and PDT could be a valuable alternative therapy to mechanical debridement in the prevention of growth and recolonisation of oral plaque bacteria.

A novel perspective for predicting gingival biotype via dentopapillary measurements on study models in the Saudi population: Cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Gingival biotype (GB) is a crucial factor in predicting the success of soft tissue periodontal and peri-implant surgical interventions. Consequently, contemplating noninvasive, less time-consuming procedure to anticipate it has become a part and parcel of the current practice. This article presents a novel algorithm to detect GB in the Saudi population based on the dentopapillary measurements taken on laboratory models. In addition, it targets to allocate a range of values for thick and thin biotypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Model analysis was done on 160 patients to measure eight gingival parameters, and an algorithm was developed according to the results of multiple and linear regression analyses. Applying the dentopapillary parameters to the algorithm revealed a prediction of the biotype. Finally, the resultant values and the exact thickness were reassessed directly in a sample of patients using a modified caliper. RESULTS: The regression analysis revealed an algorithm predicting biotypes among patients based on their measured dentopapillary values. Discriminant analysis was used to allocate the values to thin and thick biotypes to further demystify that they coincide with <0.7 mm and >1.5 mm, respectively. However, gingival thickness between 0.7 and 1.5 mm was considered intermediate biotype. CONCLUSION: GB could be predicted based on the dentopapillary measurements taken on laboratory models, which may further reduce the chairside time and increase the success rate of the surgical procedures. Significant variations in the range of values of the thick and thin biotype were detected in the Saudi population compared to other races. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The escalating invasion of interventional procedures in the dental practice necessitates measuring the GB as a predictor of procedure success. This study introduces an algorithm for detecting the GB and updates the range of values for thick and thin biotypes in the Saudi population that would consequently reduce chairside time.