Allium Sativum Oil as an Alternative Non-Vital Pulpotomy Medicament in Primary Teeth - A Randomised Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To use Allium sativum oil as non-vital pulpotomy medicament in primary teeth by evaluating its antibacterial effect (Colony-Forming Units/ml- CFU/ml), against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus. STUDY DESIGN: A double-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Paediatric Dentistry Department, de' Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore in collaboration with the Microbiology Department, Lahore General Hospital, from October 2022 to February 2023. METHODOLOGY: Forty patients aged between 4 to 8 years, each containing at least one non-vital primary molar, were randomly divided into Group A (Formocresol) and Group B (Allium sativum oil) using the lottery method. Non-vital pulpotomy (NVP) was performed by removing the coronal necrotic pulp. Sterile paper points were dipped in the root canals and taken to the laboratory. Cotton pellets soaked in the respective medicaments were placed over the root canal orifices and filled temporarily. Patients were recalled after one week. Samples were again taken, and the tooth was restored. Comparison was made between bacterial count at baseline and after one week of treatment, and it was expressed as CFU/ml. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in median Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus bacterial count in each group after one week of treatment (p <0.001). Formocresol showed a higher average reduction (30300 ± 14060) compared to Allium sativum oil (24850 ± 9121). However, statistically, the difference was insignificant (p = 0.314) indicating both the medicaments possessed comparable antibacterial effects. CONCLUSION: Allium sativum oil was found an effective alternative to Formocresol. KEY WORDS: Formocresol, Allium sativum, Non-vital pulpotomy, Primary teeth, Randomised controlled trial.

Acoustic Analysis of Normal Voice Patterns in Pakistani Adults.

This study was designed to find out normative acoustic measures of adults in Pakistan. Age and gender differences in these parameters were also studied. The study variables include fundamental frequency, absolute jitter, relative jitter, relative average perturbation, 5-point period perturbation quotient perturbation quotient, jitter average absolute difference between consecutive periods, divided by the average period, shimmer local, shimmer decibel, three-point amplitude perturbation quotient, five-point amplitude perturbation quotient, average absolute difference of consecutive differences between the consecutive periods' amplitudes, and harmonics-to-noise ratio. Participants (N = 71; men = 34; women = 37) were recruited through two-stage sampling; convenience and purposive sampling. Participants were selected from students, staff, and faculty of the University of the Punjab, caretakers of the clients coming for clinical services, and researchers' friends, family, and acquaintances. Gender groups were further divided into three subgroups based on the age bands of 21-30, 31-40, and 41-50 years. After screening for health issues, the voice samples were recorded in a sound-proof acoustic laboratory by using a stand-held microphone and Praat software. Praat was also used for voice analyses. Means and standard deviations were conducted for the participants. Age and gender differences were investigated by using the two-way analysis of variance. Normative values were also measured for men and women between the age bracket of 21 and 50 years. Age differences were not significant for any variable. Gender differences were significant in fundamental frequency, absolute jitter, relative jitter, jitter period perturbation quotient, shimmer five-point amplitude perturbation quotient, and harmonics-to-noise ratio. The interaction between age and gender was significant in all the jitter measures. The interaction showed an increase in all these measures between the ages of 31 and 40 years and a decrease between the ages of 41 and 50 years in women, whereas men showed a reverse effect both in the age ranges of 31-40 and 41-50 years.