Effect of acquired knowledge on the status of caries in dental undergraduate students

The aim of this research was to study the evolution of dental health of dental students during their academic training and to assess the extent to which the knowledge acquired was reflected in their own dental care. A cross sectional survey was carried out in a Dental College of Lahore. The sample was selected randomly choosing 40 students from each year with an age range between 18 and 24 years. The data for this study were collected using a pre-tested self- administered questionnaire and was considered mandatory for all participants to fill out. All participants were clinically examined. Their oral cavity was thoroughly checked for any ongoing disease process and a DMFT chart was filled accordingly. Data entry and analysis was done using the IBM SPSS version 20. Final sample size was 160 [Females: 75.6% / males: 24.4%]. The highest frequency of females and males was observed in 3rd year and 1st year respectively Frequency distribution and Chi-Square tests of significance were performed. High levels of DMF were not that evident. Almost 30% [48] students had .00 DMF and 23% [37] had 1.00 DMF [p<0.05]. Only a small number of students were found using non-fluoridated toothpaste [p< 0.01]. Chi-square Analysis revealed a significant relations between the year of study and DMFT of the students [p<0.05] along with Gender and age as well as year of study and age [p<0.01]

Attitudes, practice and addiction towards water-pipe/ shisha smoking in Lahore city

This study was aimed at assessing the various factors associated with shisha smoking such as attitudes, practice and addiction among the adult population aged 15 - 44 years in Lahore city. A cross-sectional survey was held in Shisha bars, tobacco shops and Shisha cafes along with some major undergraduate colleges and Universities of Lahore in summer of 2013. All adults aged between 15 and 44 years of age who consumed Shisha were included in the sample. All other age groups and people not smoking were excluded. The data for this study were collected with the participants using an approved self- administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS version 20. The final sample size was 300 [male 194 and female 106]. The largest group was of young adults aged 21-25 years. Out of all the participants, 65% of the sample was smoking shisha for over a year. It was noteworthy that encouragement for shisha smoking was brought on more by friends [61%] as compared to colleagues [9%] and the money spent on such activities was utilized from their own pocket money [70.3%]. It was also observed that 42.3% of the sample recognized water-pipe/shisha as being a stress reliever and 68.7% admitted it to be a status symbol. Hence, 77.7% of the sample smoked shisha in the company of friends with 11.3% claiming to be completely addicted to it. In addition, 72.3% of the participants of this study refused to quit water-pipe/shisha smoking. Significance was found in Pearson's correlation between gender and duration, expenditure and frequency of consumption, addiction and duration, status symbol and stress reliever, company and status symbol and addiction with duration and wanting to quit [p < 0.05]. A high significance was observed in age with duration, expenditures, company, stress reliever and status symbol [p < 0.01]. Frequency of consumption with addiction, and stress reliever [p < 0.01]; stress reliever with age [p < 0.01]; addiction with stress reliever and status symbol [p < 0.01]; wanting to quit with gender and duration [p < 0.01]; and lastly expenditures with encouragement, addiction, status symbol and stress reliever [p < 0.01] were also observed in 2-tailed significance of Pearson's correlation. This study concludes that shisha smoking is responsible for a lot of ill-effects in the oral cavity apart from the body itself. This habit should be minimized and the misconceptions related to it should be made clear to all young population to avoid further harm to their health

Oral hygiene practice and awareness in rural areas of Lahore

This study was aimed at assessing the dental hygiene practice among the population of a rural area of Lahore aged 20-79 years. The survey was conducted in an Oral Health Awareness camp held at a private Dental college in Lahore. A cross-sectional survey was held in the Oral Diagnostics Department in early 2012. All new patients aged between 20 and 79 years of age, who came for the Oral health Awareness camp [held for three days], were included in the sample. All other age groups and patients who were undergoing treatment in the hospital previously were excluded. The data for this study was collected by carrying out an interview with the patients using a pre-tested questionnaire. Following the interview patients also underwent an oral examination. Data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS version 20. The results showed the nature of dental hygiene as practiced by all patients. The final sample size was 250 male 131 and female 119. Chi-Square analysis identified gender to be significantly associated to tooth brushing [p=0.002]. Tooth brushing was significant with age and flossing and highly significant with mouthwash and miswak use in 2-tailed significance of Pearson's correlation. Mouthwash with flossing and age with miswak were also highly significant alongside gender with toot brushing. It is necessary to bring changes in the dental hygiene knowledge and practices of the far flung and rural population so as to establish a difference in the improvement of their oral health

Comparison of oral hygiene practice and awareness in rural Lahore

This study was aimed at assessing the improvement in the dental hygiene practice and subsequently the oral health among the population in outskirts of Lahore aged 12 - 79 years following the changes made in educating the population regarding oral health and its diseases, a year ago. The survey was conducted on World Oral Health Day at a Camp held in a private Dental college OPD in Lahore. A cross-sectional survey was held in the Oral Diagnostics Department in September 2012. All new patients aged between 12 and 79 years of age, who came for the World Oral Health Day Camp were included in the sample. All other age groups and patients who were undergoing treatment in the hospital previously were excluded. The data for this study were collected by carrying out an interview with the patients using a pre-tested questionnaire. Following the interview patients also underwent an oral examination. The disease status of the patient was recorded which included oral disease and conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, attrition, TDI, oral lesions and all combinations. Data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS version 20. The results showed the nature of dental hygiene as practiced by all patients and their current oral health status. The final sample size was 185 [male 89 and female 96]. The largest group was of 30-39 years. It was observed that 93% of the sample practiced daily tooth brushing and 46% had an intake of one teaspoonful of sugar in their regular tea. It was established that despite following regular regime of tooth brushing, regular dental checkups and reduced sugar consumption, the level of caries was the highest [36.2%] in all oral conditions observed. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association between gender and sugar consumption [p=0.001] and also between Tooth brushing and education [p=0.001]. There was significance between education and gender and disease and tooth brushing while a high significance in gender and sugar, age and education, education and tooth brushing, and age and tooth brushing / was observed in 2 -tailed significance of Pear son's correlation. It can be understood that positive changes brought in the dental hygiene knowledge and practices of the far flung and rural population can establish a marked difference in the improvement of their oral health and subsequently impact the disease trends overtime

Oral health related quality of life [OHRQoL] in dental undergraduates

The objectives of this study were to assess the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life [OHRQoL] among students in a private Dental Undergraduate School in Lahore. A cross sectional study design was used. One hundred and twenty dental students of years 2 and 3 returned completed forms containing the 14 item Oral Health Impact Profile [OHIP-14]. Old and new batch students of both years were included giving a sum to four batches of students. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 19. The results showed the perceived OHRQoL among students studying in two different stages [year 2 and 3] of the dental course. Age was found to be significant [P < 0.05] with the OHRQoL dimension of 'Physical pain: discomfort eating food' [p=0.043] and highly significant [P < 0.01] with the dimensions of 'Physical discomfort: poor diet' [p=0.007], 'Psychological Discomfort: Selfconsciousness'[p=0.004], 'Functional Limitation: worsened taste'[p=0.007], 'Handicap'[p=0.001] and 'Psychological disability: embarrassment'[p=0.001]. Gender was found to be significant with 'Psychological disability: embarrassment' [p=0.046] and 'Social disability: difficulty in doing job' [p=0.040] and was highly significant with 'Psychological Discomfort: Self-consciousness' [p=0.001], 'Functional Limitation: trouble pronouncing words' [p=0.002] and 'Social disability: irritability' [p=0.010]. Year of study showed high significance with Psychological discomfort: self-consciousness [p=0.002]. The results of this study underscored the relationship between the OHRQoL and age, gender and study year and their impact on OHRQoL among the dental student community. It is essential that students are enlightened with oral health problems and how to overcome them, so that subsequent years of study in a Dental School and the OHRQoL are least affected

Dental health awareness amongst school children aged 5-10 years in Lahore sample

An investigation was carried out to assess the dental health awareness amongst school children aged 5 to 10 years in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. This cross-sectional survey included nine different schools of Lahore City having a total sample size of573. The assessment of the children's level of awareness was done by clinical examination of their teeth followed by an interview. One dentist carried out all dental examinations. The examiner recorded caries incidence in all erupted teeth. Following the clinical examination, children participated in an interview using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included information about gender, age, family structure, and information regarding tooth brushing habits, routine, knowledge about brushing, amount of tooth paste used, who taught them about brushing and visits to the dentist. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 19.0 and included descriptive statistics which was frequency distribution and cross-tabulation. It was found that teachers had played a very little role in educating the children about tooth brushing and providing dental awareness [6.8%]. It was the parents, however, who brought about more dental awareness in their children and gave them the necessary knowledge about oral hygiene [36.1%] especially male children. This association was highly statistically significant [p= 0.001]. Majority of the children used half-length of toothpaste for tooth brushing and this frequency increased 2 in 8 year olds therefore reducing their decayed missing filled teeth index score to a 0.31 as compared to 9 year olds [0.71]. A statistically significant association was also seen between age and toothpaste size [p= 0.003]

Oral health related quality of life [OHRQoL] in 40 to 70 years

This study was aimed to assess the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life [OHRQoL] among aged 40-70 years. The survey was conducted in Prosthodontics department of a private Dental College in Lahore, Pakistan. A cross sectional survey was carried out over a period of three months [August-October 2010]. New male and female patients aged between 40 and 70 years, who came to the department of Prosthodontics for partial and complete denture problems were included in the sample. All other age groups and old [who were undergoing treatment in the department] patients were excluded. Data for this study was collected by carrying out an interview using the Oral Health Impact Profile 14 which is the shorter version of OHIP 49. Two hundred and ten patients completed the questionnaire forms containing the 14 item Oral Health Impact Profile [OHIP-14]. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 19. The results showed the perceived OHRQoL among adults ranging from 40-70 years in age. Age was found to be highly significant [p < 0.01] with the OHRQoL dimension of 'psychological discomfort: feeling tense' [p=0.002] and 'physical disability: interrupted meals' [p=0.006] and significant [p < 0.05] with the dimensions of 'functional limitation: worsened taste' [p=0.04] Gender was found to be significant with 'psychological disability: difficulty relaxing' [p=0.04] and highly significant with 'social disability: irritability' [p=0.003], 'handicap: life less satisfying' [p=0.002], 'physical disability: poor diet' [p=0.01], 'handicap: inability to function' [p=0.002] and 'handicap: inability to function' [p=0.002]. Complete and partial denture appliances showed significance with the dimensions of 'functional limitation: worsened taste' [p=0.02] and portrayed high significance with 'physical pain: aching in mouth' [p=0.01] and 'physical pain: discomfort eating food' [p=0.001]

concept of health promoting school in relation to oral health in East London, UK

An ecological study design was adopted for this study to assess whether the health promoting school concept in state secondary schools of three boroughs of East London [Tower Hamlets, Newham and City and Hackney] was related to good oral health. Representative data from secondary schools to compare disease frequencies between different groups during the same period of time [2005] were used. Association between health promoting schools and measure of dental caries was assessed. All schools in the three boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham and City and Hackney were included in the sample. Non-parametric statistical test such as Mann-Whitney test was used to test statistical significance of associations. Analysis was done using SPSS package [version 13.0]. The results showed that the median DMFT of second molars was not associated with healthy schools [P=0.280]. On the other hand, the association between the median DMFT of mouth and healthy schools was statistically significant [P=0. 036]. The study shows that health promoting school is not related to good oral health. There is a need for further research in this subject as well as development of appropriate instruments for the measurement of healthy school status. Oral health policies should also be incorporated with general health policies for achieving good oral health in healthy schools