Mean Distance of Mental Foramen from Inferior Border of Mandible among Patients Visiting the Outpatient Dental Department in a Tertiary Care Centre.

Introduction: Among many anatomical landmarks in the human skull, the mental foramen is a stable landmark on the mandible. The diverse morphology of the mandible indicates the specific characteristics of such anatomical structures in each individual. The aim of this study was to find out the mean distance of mental foramen from the inferior border of the mandible visiting the Outpatient Dental Department in a tertiary care centre. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients undergoing orthopantomogram in the Outpatient Dental Department of a tertiary care centre from 3 February 2022 to 31 July 2022. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee. The patients with complete denture in the region of measurements were included in the study. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 207 patients, the mean distance from the inferior border of the mandible to the lower border of the mental foramen was 11.83±1.83 mm (11.58-12.07, 95% Confidence Interval). Conclusions: The mean distance of mental foramen from the inferior border of the mandible was found to be similar to other studies done in similar settings. Keywords: gender; mandible; mental foramen.

Fear of death in the shadow of COVID-19: The mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between neuroticism and death anxiety.

The present study examined the fear of death among young adults in the wake of the COVID-19. It explored the association between neuroticism and death anxiety during this pandemic crisis, and it also examined the mediating role of perceived stress in this relationship. An online survey of 200 participants, including both students and employed young adults, aged between 18 and 30 years, was conducted. Results showed that neuroticism was positively correlated to death anxiety; however, the relationship was completely mediated by perceived stress. The results and implications are discussed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tooth Wear and Associated Factors in School Children with Primary Dentition in Kathmandu Valley.

BACKGROUND: Tooth wear is the loss of tooth structure from physical or chemical attack of nonbacterial origin. Predominant causative factor for tooth wear in primary dentition is erosion. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of tooth wear and its associated factors in primary dentition. METHODS: Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted after obtaining ethical approval among 425 children aged two to 12 years, enrolled in different preschools/schools located in Kathmandu valley. Informed consent from parents as well as assent from children were obtained. Oral examination for assessing tooth wear was done using Smith and Knight Tooth Wear Index. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to parents for considering the factors associated with tooth wear. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel Sheet and analysed in Statistical Package of Social Sciences. The chi-square/fisher's exact test was done to establish the association between tooth wear and various factors. RESULTS: Among total participants, 295 (69.4%) had tooth wear in at least one or more teeth. Tooth wear was seen significantly higher in children with increasing age (p<0.001). It was significantly associated with brushing technique (p=0.022), type of toothbrush (p=0.005), increasing duration of bottle feeding (p=0.003), in children frequently taking sour food stuffs (p=0.019) and soft drinks/juices (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of tooth wear was high in primary dentition that increased with age. The condition was significantly associated with type of brushing technique, brushing frequency, materials used and type of diet. Tooth wear is a major problem in young age group having multifactorial etiology. It may lead to dental hypersensitivity and pulpal involvement if not followed up in early stages.