Assessment of prevalence and distribution of congenital missing teeth among patients visiting tertiary care hospital: A radiographic study.

Introduction: Dental Agenesis is the usual developmental dental anomaly involving both primary and permanent dentition but most commonly it affects the permanent teeth. Genetic mutations in genes like MSX, PAX9,TGFA and AXIN2 are the likely primary contributors to tooth agenesis. Identifying the prevalence and distribution of congenital missing teeth allows for early detection and intervention which is crucial for preventing or mitigating potential dental issues that may arise due to missing teeth. Aim & objectives: To assess the prevalence and distribution of congenitally missing teeth across different quadrants of the jaw among patients visiting to the Dental out patient department at Tertiary Care Centre of Lucknow city. Material & method: A Questionnaire and orthopantomogram based cross-sectional study was conducted on both male and female patients aged between 15 and 30 years, coming for evaluation of their dental health problems to the hospital. Written informed consent was obtained. Results: The overall prevalence of CMT was found to be 33.3 %. The significant difference was observed in proportion of CMT between Maxilla and Mandible sites (p = 0.008). Higher prevalence was in females compared to males for both maxillary and mandibular congenital missing teeth. (p = 0.020). Conclusion: The most common CMT were third molars followed by lateral incisors. The insights derived from the study would aid dental professional in gaining a deeper comprehension of tooth agenesis.

Social Media Impact on Self-Perceived Oral Health Practices Among Patients Visiting Tertiary Care Hospital in Lucknow: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Social media is widely used in the medical field, and people often utilize it to learn about their symptoms prior to consulting with a healthcare professional. Hence, the study aims to investigate the influence of social media on self-perceived oral health practices among patients. Methodology A cross-sectional study design was adopted, with a questionnaire comprising 15 closed-ended questions. The sample size was estimated to be 451 participants based on the findings from the pilot study. The face validity of the questionnaire was assessed by a subject matter expert (0.83%), and the reliability was measured using Kappa statistics (0.86). The percentile was determined to assess the overall self-perceived oral health practices of the participants. The data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi-square test, and multivariate regression analysis at statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05). Results The majority of participants belonged to urban areas (66.5%), with an average age of 38.19 ± 6.70. The participants in urban 184 (61.3%) and rural 102 (67.5%) believed that social media provided better knowledge regarding oral health, which was statistically significant (p = 0.046). The majority of the participants, 267 (59.2%), spent more than 30 minutes to three hours per day on social media. It was found that participants who possessed professional occupations had increased odds of having good oral health practices on social media (p = 0.043). Conclusion The participants believed that social media provided better knowledge regarding oral health, and self-perceived practices among the participants were found to be poor. Social media platforms provide new educational possibilities in the dentistry sector, but their potential is neglected and unappreciated.

Oral Hygiene Status, Salivary and Microbiological Parameters Among Visually Impaired and Normal-Sighted Children After Specialized Oral Health Education: An Interventional Study.

Aim and objectives To assess oral hygiene status and salivary and microbiological parameters among 12 to 15-year-old visually impaired and normal-sighted children before and after oral health education (OHE). Methodology An interventional study was conducted among 25 visually impaired children (Group A) and 25 normal-sighted children (Group B) in the age range of 12 to 15 years. Simple random sampling was used to select the study participants. A questionnaire was designed to record socio-demographic data and the dietary habits of the children on pre-decided days. The oral hygiene practices and the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index were recorded, and salivary physicochemical parameters for all the selected children were evaluated, followed by saliva collection for microbial analysis. After baseline assessment, the Audio-Tactile Performance technique for Group A and the animated visual performance technique for Group B children were used to impart OHE. Periodic assessments of salivary parameters were conducted at one-month and three-month intervals. Unpaired T test/Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA)/Friedman test, followed by Bonferroni's post hoc test were carried out to determine the difference between and within groups, respectively. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of 5%. Results Group A demonstrated a greater change in salivary pH (6.20 ± 0.41 to 6.96 ± 0.20), salivary buffering capacity (5.80 ± 0.82 to 7.20 ± 0.65), and Streptococcus mutans count (9.36 ± 0.41 to 8.7 ± 0.45 x 104 CFU/mL) when compared to Group B. Group B demonstrated a greater Lactobacillus acidophilus count reduction (7.96 ± 0.66 to 7.50 ± 0.64 x 104 CFU/mL) when compared to Group A. Conclusion The appropriate use of specialized OHE holds particular significance in the improvement of oral hygiene status and salivary parameters, along with a reduction in the bacterial count in both visually impaired children and normal-sighted children.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Essential Oils and Their Combination Against Microorganisms Associated With Postradiation Therapy in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: An In Vitro Study.

Background Head and neck cancer ranks as the sixth most common cancer globally. Reduced saliva production brought on by postradiation therapy upsets the delicate balance between bacterial load and a weakened immune system. Oral hygiene is commonly neglected in patients who have undergone radiotherapy and they often develop dry mouth, mucositis due to radiation therapy, etc., as side effects. Despite being a part of the current standard, chlorhexidine carries numerous disadvantages such as taste alteration, teeth staining, and dry mouth. An extensive review of the literature demonstrates the antibacterial properties of essential oils (EOs) derived from plant materials, which may be able to prevent the development of such opportunistic microorganisms in the oral cavity. Methodology The cinnamon bark EO and Cajeput EO were procured and checked for their solubility. The final ratio at which the oils were found to be soluble was the 1:1 (w/v) ratio. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cinnamon bark oil (Cinnamomum verum) and Cajeput oil (Melaleuca leucadendron) against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans was determined by serial dilution method using Resazurin dye, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was done by a spread plating method. The polyherbal mouthwash was subjected to cytotoxicity assay against human gingival fibroblasts. All the experiments were performed in triplicates. Results The overall results showed that cinnamon bark EO had the strongest efficacy against S. aureus (0.33 ± 0.14 mg/mL) and E. faecalis (0.41 ± 0.14 mg/mL), but not against C. albicans (2.85 ± 2.11 mg/mL). Cajeput EO showed the least efficacy against all the groups; whereas the combination of EOs proved to be the most efficacious and showed good antimicrobial activity against these most commonly encountered microorganisms in head and neck cancer postradiotherapy. Conclusions Cinnamon and Cajeput EOs in combination proved to be effective in this in vitro study against the most common microorganisms encountered in patients with head and neck cancer postradiotherapy and are comparable to 0.2% chlorhexidine.

Prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status and treatment needs among seafarers and trainee sailors in the state of Goa, India: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The fixed regimen and strict dietary habits of seafarers and trainee sailors, make them susceptible to several oral diseases. The aim of the study was to assess prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene status and treatment needs among seafarers and trainee sailors in the state of Goa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2023 to March 2023. After a pilot study, convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit 261 participants. The investigators were standardized and calibrated to record World Health Organization Oral Health Assessment Form (1997) and Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S) which were instrumented in the study. Intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliability scores were recorded using kappa statistics (0.81, 0.83) and (0.83, 0.85), respectively. The data was analysed using descriptive analysis, chi-square test, Mann- -Whitney U test and multivariate linear regression analysis at statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: The mean ages of seafarers (n = 133) and trainee sailors (n = 128) were 36.41 ± 6.40, and 25.36 ± 7.39, respectively. The prevalence of dental caries among seafarers and trainee sailors was determined to be 59% and 78%, respectively (p = 0.01). The mean OHI-S score of seafarers (1.31 ± 0.68) and trainee sailors (1.53 ± 0.82) was statistically significant (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Seafarers and trainee sailors demonstrated high caries prevalence and poor oral hygiene status due to their distinctive lifestyle, representing a vulnerable community in terms of oral health.

Comparative Efficacy of Different Irrigant Activation Techniques for Irrigant Delivery Up to the Working Length of Mature Permanent Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review aims to establish whether various irrigant activation techniques (IATs) result in greater penetration of irrigant up to the working length. The MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched to determine the difference in irrigant penetration depth in the main canal following the use of manual dynamic activation (MDA), sonic irrigation (SI), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and apical negative pressure irrigation technique (ANP) in comparison with conventional needle irrigation technique (CNI) in mature permanent teeth. Meta-analysis was performed for straight canals as well as curved canals in addition to subgroup analyses for a) Individual IATs in comparison with CNI, b) Comparison of PUI v ANP and SI v ANP in the straight canals, c) comparison of different IATs performed in straight and curved canals. The outcome was presented as effect size: standardized mean difference (SMD) and percentage difference (% diff) of irrigant penetration up to the working length (WL) alongside 95% confidence intervals using chi-square analysis. Of the 840 records screened, 20 studies were included in the systematic review and 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. It revealed IATs had significant improvement in irrigant delivery up to the WL in straight (% diff: 51.94%, 95% CI: 39.20-64.67%) and curved canals (SMD: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.64-1.52) over CNI. The subgroup analysis revealed ANP was the most effective and significant technique followed by PUI, SI and MDA techniques in straight canals (% diff: 91.70%, 95% CI: 75.63-107.77%) and curved canals (SMD: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.77-2.13). IATs improve irrigant penetration when compared to CNI technique. In both straight and curved canals, ANP is the most effective in delivering the irrigant up to the WL followed by PUI, SI and MDA techniques. Hence adaptation of recent IATs in routine endodontic practice is recommended. (EEJ-2022-03-036).

Effectiveness of various irrigant activation techniques on the penetration of sodium hypochlorite into lateral canals of mature permanent teeth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This review aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of various irrigant activation techniques (IATs) on the penetration of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) into the lateral canals of mature permanent teeth. Methods: Electronic databases including MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify laboratory studies evaluating the penetration of NaOCl into lateral canals following the use of apical negative pressure irrigation (ANP), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), sonic irrigation (SI), and/or manual dynamic activation (MDA) techniques. Meta-analysis was performed for individual IATs in comparison with CNI into the lateral canals of both straight and curved root canals. On the basis of the previous literature and parameters, the risk of bias of the selected studies was evaluated with the help of a customized tool. Results: Of the 983 records screened, 12 studies were selected to include in the systematic review, and 10 studies were selected for the meta-analysis. The total quality assessment across the included studies indicated a high quality (83.3%). Overall, the meta-analysis demonstrated IATs had significant improvement in the penetration of NaOCl into the lateral canals of straight canals (34.3%) over CNI. The subgroup analysis of individual IATs demonstrated PUI (60.9%) to be superior in the penetration into lateral canals of straight canals. Conclusions: IATs improved the irrigant penetration into lateral canals and therefore their use during routine endodontic practice is recommended. In straight canals, PUI is the most effective IAT followed by ANP, SI, and MDA techniques.

Evaluation of a "Picture Assisted Illustration Reinforcement" (PAIR) System for Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study evaluated the potential of a novel pre-validated "Picture Assisted Illustration Reinforcement" (PAIR) communication system and conventional verbal techniques for Oral Health Education (OHE) in terms of dentition status, gingival health, oral hygiene status, and practices in 7- to 18-year-old children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A double-blind randomized controlled trial was undertaken in a school for children with autism from July to September 2022. A total of 60 children were randomly assigned into two groups: a PAIR group (n = 30) and a Conventional group (n = 30). Cognition and pre-evaluation of all the children were assessed by standardized scaling measures. A pre-validated closed-ended questionnaire was administered to caregivers of both groups. At a 12-week post-intervention, a clinical examination was performed using the World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Assessment form 2013, gingival and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S). The gingival scores in the PAIR group (0.35 ± 0.12) exhibited a statistically significant decline in scores as compared to Conventional group (0.83 ± 0.37), p = 0.043. Meanwhile, the oral hygiene scores in the PAIR group and Conventional group were 1.22 ± 0.14 and 1.94 ± 0.15, respectively (p < 0.05). A significant improvement in oral hygiene practices was observed in the PAIR group. Incorporating the PAIR technique resulted in significant progress in child cognitive ability and adaptive behavior, which reduced gingival scores and improved oral hygiene scores, consequently improving oral hygiene practices among children with ASD.

Prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease among transgenders in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To assess the oral health practices and the prevalence of dental caries, and periodontal disease among transgenders. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was conducted on a sample of 180 participants from the transgender community in Belagavi district over a course of two months. A trained and calibrated examiners recorded oral health status according to WHO dentition status and treatment needs (1997) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) under the supervision of the subject expert. Chi-square test, spearman's rank correlation coefficient test, multiple linear regression and logistic regression were applied. The statistical significance was set at p ≤ .05 for all the tests. The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease among transgenders was 72.2% and 92.2%, respectively. A positive linear correlation and a significant relationship was found between the oral hygiene practices/deleterious habits and dental caries among the transgenders. Multiple linear regression model revealed that the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease was significantly associated with age and oral hygiene practices. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases among transgenders was high. These results may be of use to promote oral health promotion and establishing a paradigm for dentists to work toward improving oral health.

Remineralising potential of Ocimum basilicum varnish and fluoride varnish on initial enamel caries: An in vitro microscopic study.

Background: The focus of caries research has switched to early identification and non-invasive treatment of carious lesions. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the remineralising potential of Ocimum (O.) basilicum varnish and fluoride varnish on initial enamel caries. Method: The authenticated O. basilicum seeds were procured from a repository, and the extract was prepared using the Soxhlet method, which was vortexed with Indian Pharmaceutical (IP)-graded chemicals to obtain varnish. Extracted premolar tooth samples were divided into three groups of 33 each after demineralisation with a pH of 4.5 for 48 hours at 37°C. Each group was subjected to remineralisation twice daily with respective agents for 4 minutes for 30 consecutive days. Each sample was ground-sectioned through an enamel window. The lesion depth was measured using a light microscope (Leica™ DM2500) and ImageJ software. The data were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc analysis. Results: The mean (± SD) pre-treatment lesion depth across the groups ranged from 242.11 ± 26.144 µm to 352.66 ± 34.531 µm. The highest lesion depth recovery rate of 45.938% was recorded for the fluoride varnish group, followed by 36.015% in the O. basilicum varnish group, which was statistically significant by Tukey's post hoc analysis (p < 0.001). The gingival fibroblast cells were viable by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Conclusion: The O. basilicum varnish demonstrated a homogenous layer of mineral deposition. However, the remineralising efficacy was slightly lesser than that of the fluoride varnish. Hence, the novel O. basilicum-based remineralisation agent appears to have potential as a non-invasive alternative to topical fluorides in the therapy of early caries lesions.

Impact of the Visual Performance Reinforcement Technique on Oral Hygiene Knowledge and Practices, Gingival Health, and Plaque Control in Hearing- and Speech-Impaired Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of oral health education (OHE), incorporating a novel pre-validated visual performance reinforcement (VPR) technique and sign language, on gingival health, plaque control, and oral hygiene knowledge and practices in 12 to 15-year-old hearing- and speech-impaired adolescents. A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in a government school for deaf children in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. A total of 80 adolescents, aged 12-15 years, were randomly assigned, using a computer-generated table of random numbers, into two groups: Group A receiving the VPR technique (n = 40), and Group B receiving sign language (n = 40). A specially designed pre-validated closed-ended questionnaire was administered to both groups, followed by clinical examination to obtain the gingival and plaque index, before intervention and at a 16-week follow-up period. Group A showed a significant increase in the knowledge gained when compared to Group B. Similarly, a significant improvement in oral hygiene practices was also observed in Group A. However, at the 16-week follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in gingival and plaque scores between the groups. OHE using the VPR technique can be as effective and satisfactory as sign language in the reduction of gingival and plaque scores and in the improvement of knowledge and its application in oral hygiene maintenance among hearing- and speech-impaired adolescents.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward tobacco control among rural community health care workers of primary subcenters in Belagavi district, Karnataka.

Context: Tobacco is the common cause to a number of illnesses affecting millions of individuals all over the world. Primary care physicians are the initial point of contact for tobacco users, yet reaching everyone is impossible. Therefore, it is important to understand community health workers attitude to render community services in tobacco cessation counseling. Aim: To assess knowledge, attitude, practices, and occupational barriers toward tobacco control among community health care workers in Belagavi district, Karnataka. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in various subcenters of Belagavi district, Karnataka. Methods and Material: Simple random sampling technique was employed and 220 participants were interviewed using an interviewer administered questionnaire comprising of 22 close ended questions. Reliability of the questionnaire assessed with Cronbach's a value of 0.85, face validity 84%, and content validity ratio 0.78. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, chi square analysis, correlation, and regression. Results: The mean knowledge score among Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers was 4.77 ± 2.11 and it was lower in Anganwadi workers 2.93 ± 2.55. There was a statistically significant difference in the attitude scores (P < 0.05) between the community health workers. The majority of the ASHA workers would spread awareness, on the other hand, Anganwadi workers did not take any specific step which showed statistically significant difference with a P value of 0.018. Conclusion: ASHA workers had been superior to Anganwadi workers with regard to knowledge and attitude toward tobacco control. However, knowledge regarding tobacco and its ill effects was below optimal level among community health workers which desires to thoroughly educate in the aspects of oral health and disorders as part of their training.