A comparative rugoscopic study of the dentate and edentulous individuals in the South Indian population.

UNLABELLED: This study analyzes the rugae pattern in dentulous and edentulous patients and also evaluates the association of rugae pattern between males and females. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate rugae patterns in dentulous and edentulous patients of both sexes in South Indian population and to find whether palatoscopy is a useful tool in human identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred outpatients from Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, were included in the study. The study group was equally divided between the sexes, which was further categorized into 100 dentulous and edentulous patients, respectively. RESULTS: The edentulous male showed the highest mean of wavy pattern and total absence of circular pattern while the edentulous female group showed the highest mean of curved pattern and total absence of nonspecific pattern, while dentate population showed similar value as that of the overall population such as straight, wavy, and curved patterns. CONCLUSION: The present study concludes that there is similar rugae pattern of distribution between male and female dentate population while there is varied pattern between the sexes of edentulous population. However, the most predominant patterns were straight, wavy, and circular patterns.

Habit-associated salivary pH changes in oral submucous fibrosis: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Salivary pH plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of various oral diseases and conditions. Chewing of areca nut and various tobacco products changes salivary pH. AIM: The aim of the study was to measure the effect of habitual chewing of areca nut and various tobacco products on salivary pH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included 360 individuals (chewers and nonchewers) of age group between 20 and 30 years who visited the Outpatient Department of Hi-Tech Dental College and Hospital. The patient's salivary pH was measured with the help of a digital pH meter before and after chewing areca nut and various tobacco products. RESULTS: It was observed that, in all the groups of chewers, pH decreased after chewing except in the gutkha and lime chewing group, where pH increased (pH before chewing was 7.43 ± 0.41 and after chewing was 7.51 ± 0.399), the difference was strongly significant (P < 0.001). pH was found to be less in lime and tobacco chewers (6.83 ± 0.33) and more in tobacco, betel nut, and lime chewers (7.50 ± 0.41) in comparison to other groups before chewing; the difference was strongly significant (P < 0.001). In the mean ± standard deviation, increase in pH was found among chewers (7.32 ± 0.49) as compared to nonchewers (6.99 ± 0.14), which is the control group, and the data were statically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: pH is altered in areca nut and various tobacco chewers, rendering the oral mucosa vulnerable to the toxic effects of areca nut and various tobacco products.