The normal range of maximal incisal opening in pediatric population and its association with physical variables

Background: Restricted mouth opening is a common complaint in patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders, ankylosis, impaired masticatory muscle function, rheumatic disease, infection, or malignancy. As with any disease, the aim of treatment of disorders affecting mouth opening is to restore the mouth opening to its normal value. It is thus of paramount importance to determine the normal value. Objective: To establish the normal range of maximal incisal opening (MIO) in children aged 4 to 15 years and to investigate the correlation between MIO and age, gender, height, and body weight. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and two children from various schools in Bengaluru, India, participated in the study. The children were divided into the following age groups: 4­5, 6­7, 8­9, 10­11, 12­13, and 14­15 years. MIO for the children was recorded using Therabite® scale. The measurements of MIO were then correlated with gender, body weight, and height of the children in different age groups. Results: It was observed that MIO gradually increased with age with a mean MIO of 41.34 mm at 4­5 years to a mean MIO of 51.73 mm at 14­15 years. The mean MIO value for males (48.90 ± 6.49 mm) was found to be higher when compared to that of females (46.17 ± 5.58 mm). The results indicated a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight. Conclusion: MIO gradually increased with age in both the genders, and a strong positive correlation of MIO with height and weight was observed

The promotion of oral health within Health Promoting Schools in KwaZulu-Natal

Background. Oral health promotion is a cost-effective strategy that can be implemented at schools for the prevention of oral diseases. The importance and value of school-based interventions in children has been identified in South Africa (SA). Although oral health strategies include integrated school-based interventions, there is a lack of published evidence on whether these strategies have been translated into practice and whether these programmes have been evaluated.Objective. To assess the efficiency and sustainability of the toothbrushing programme implemented at health-promoting schools in KwaZulu-Natal Province, SA.Methods. A mixed-methods approach was used for this study, conducted at 23 health-promoting schools in KwaZulu-Natal using focus group discussions. Triangulation was used for evaluation.Results. The intervention implemented had created awareness of oral health for learners, educators and parents. Findings in this study indicate that although there were benefits obtained from this school-based intervention, many challenges, such as time constraints, large classes and a lack of adequate resources and funding, affected the sustainability of the programme.Conclusion.The school setting has the potential to deliver integrated preventive and promotive programmes provided they are supportedby adequate funding and resources

Les manifestations buccales du SIDA

Au moment ou il devient de plus en plus difficile pour les patients d'acceder aux tests de diagnostic a cause du cout eleve; il est important que le chirurgien-dentiste puisse mieux maitriser la connaissance des manifestations buccales du SIDA afin de pouvoir les convaincre et de se confier a d'autres professionnels de la sante rodes dans la prise en chargede l'infection au VIH

Oral Health Status in Southern Malawian School Children : Part 1

This survey is set to determine the oral health status inselected schools in the southern region of Malawi