Assessing the frequency of dental pain and its associated factors in 11-14 years old children

Objective: the purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, characteristics and other factors affecting dental pain in 11-14 years old school children in Islamabad, Pakistan

Methods: a cross sectional survey was carried out in May 2015 to assess the frequency of dental pain in 11-14 years old school children attending government and private schools in Islamabad, Pakistan. Total samples consisted of 526 school children from 9 randomly selected government and 9 from private schools. Two hundred and seventy three children from government schools and 253 children from private schools participated in the study. Response rate was 83.65%. A standardised questionnaire comprised of 15 questions related to demographics and pain experience was completed by the children

Results: the frequency of dental pain in 11-14 years old school children was 29.1% in Islamabad, Pakistan. The frequency of dental pain in males was 30.2% and in females it was 27.6%. In this study, dental pain in the last six months was not significantly associated with gender in children [p=0.618]. Similarly dental pain was not statistically significantly associated with the type of school in which the child was studying [p=0.302]. However dental pain was significantly related to occupation of father [p=0.027]. The children, whose fathers had jobs as labourers, had a higher frequency of dental pain than fathers with white-collar jobs. Almost 36.7% of the children reporting dental pain described the intensity of pain as discomforting and 28.1% of children had mild pain. The pain did not radiate to the surrounding area in 36.7% of the children. The pain radiated to surrounding area to mild and moderate extent in 41.4% and 13.3% of children respectively. It was found that eating from the side of mouth with dental pain had no effect on the severity of pain in 15.6% of children. Almost 13.3% of children claimed that eating made the pain moderately more severe

Conclusion: overall the frequency of dental pain in children was 29%. Dental pain was not associated with gender of the school child. Efforts should be directed to determine the cause of dental pain in school children. Prevention of dental pain can be done by promoting oral health in children to reduce the impact of dental pain on quality of life

Prevalence and type of oral mucosal lesions in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances

Objective: Specific objective of this study was to determine the Prevalence and type of oral mucosal lesions in subjects with orthodontic appliances during first month of treatment

Study Design: Observation / Descriptive / Cross sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Islam Dental College Sialkot for a period of 8 months

Materials and Methods: Oral lesions can develop as a result of irritation due to intra oral orthodontic appliances but their prevalence is unknown

This study comprised of 200 subjects wearers of orthodontic appliances [age between 10 and 25 years]

The presence and types of intra oral mucosal lesions were determined by using different clinical indices

Results: Oral mucosal lesions such as desquamations, erosion, ulceration, and contusion were present in subjects with orthodontic appliances

Conclusion: Fixed orthodontic appliance treatment had a higher risk of soft tissue lesions in oral cavity

Thus gentle instrumentation, vigilant banding, bonding and manipulation of the appliances needed to keep away from traumatic lesions

The careful handling is important in patient's motivation, successful treatment planning and outcome

Comparison of endodontic sealers in terms of their sealing ability

The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the apical sealing ability of mineral trioxide aggregate and glass ionomer cement by a dye penetration test. It was carried out at Queen Marry and Westfield College, University of London during 2010-2011 session. Time duration was 6 months. A total of 16 samples of elephant tusk dentine [ivory] were prepared and finished for dye penetration test. Mineral trioxide aggregate and glass ionomer cement were mixed and placed in the prepared samples and were left overnight to set. Then two coats of nail varnish was applied onto the set material and allowed to dry. The samples were then suspended in methylene blue dye for 72 hours. Once dyed the samples were sectioned longitudinally and assessed microscopically with a stereomicro-scope. The dye penetration in the samples was assessed for two endodontic sealers. It was found that mineral trioxide aggregate showed a mean dye penetration value of 7.625mm as compared to mean dye penetration value of glass ionomer cement 3.875mm

Soluble inter-cellular adhesion molecules - 1 and T- helper and suppressor subsets in chronic hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus [HCV], is a major cause of post transfusion hepatitis worldwide, leading to chronic liver disease. This work aimed at studying the influence of chronic hepatitis C infection on the serum level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-l [sICAM-1], and to study the pattern of two lymphocyte subsets, the helper I inducer [CD4.+] and the cytotoxic I suppressor [CD8+] T cells, in those patients. The study comprised 35 subjects classified into two groups: group I: included 20 patients with chronic HCV infection [15 males and 5 females], their ages ranged from 26 to 45 years. Group II: included 15 healthy controls age and sex matched with the patients group [Diagnosis of HCV infection was done by detection of HCV antibodies by 2[nd] generation ELISA and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]]. All patients and controls were subjected to the following. investigations: Measurement of serum level of slCAM-1 by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay [ELISA technique], immunophenotyping of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes by two colour immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibodies using flowcytometric analysis, C.B.C. and liver function tests.The mean serum level of slCAM-1 was significantly higher in chronic HCV patients than in normal subjects, with a significant positive correlation between serum level of sICAM-1 correlated to AST and ALT liver enzymes and percentage of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between percentage of CD4+ T helper cells and sICAM-1 serum level. The absolute lymphocyte count was significantly lower in the patients group than in the control group. The mean percentage of CD4+ T helper cells and the CD4+ T CD8+ ratio were lower in the patient group compared to the control group while the mean percentage of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells was significantly increased in the patient group than the healthy controls.From this study we can conclude that chronic HCV infection is accompanied by increased serum level of slCAM-1, increased number of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in peripheral blood together with a decrease in CD4+ T helper cells and CD4+ T CD8+ ratio. This altered pattern in patients with chronic HCV infection could be an explanation for defective immune mechanism responsible for the chronicity of the disease, in chronic HCV patients. The results of this study suggests also that increased levels of slCAM-1 may be a valuable clinical tool in chronic hepatitis C, monitoring the severity of inflammation of liver cells and as an early detector of relapse of viral hepatitis in those patients, which deserves prospective studies