[ survey on the correlation between deaf and hard- of- hearing and oral health status and behavior]

Hearing loss [deafness] is a disability that is often over looked because it is not obvious. This study investigates oral health care status and behaviors between two groups of hearing and deaf and hard-of-hearing [D and HH] adolescents in Tehran in 1385. A hundred and ninety two [D and HH] students [87 females, 105 males] attending special nonresidential public schools and 193 hearing students [87 females, 106 males] attending regular public schools from all areas of Tehran, ages 12-16 years answered a written questionnaire about frequency of dental visits, reason and time of last dental visit, frequency and time of brushing. Information about DMFT was obtained through oral examination. Chi-square and T tests were used for statistical analysis and p=0.001 was considered significant. Significant differences existed between hearing and D and HH group from different states. The hearing group had more dental visits and frequency of tooth brushing than D and HH group [P=0] and [P=0.002] respectively. Mean DMFT score in hearing and D and HH adolescents was 3.13 [SD=2.852] and 3.37 [SD=3.034] respectively. The MT score in D and HH and hearing adolescents was 0.16 [SD=0.474] and 0.04 [SD=0.273] respectively which was significantly higher than hearing group [P=0/006]. There was no significant difference between mean DMFT score of the two groups [P=0.116]. Three findings of concern are the higher rate of Extracted teeth, less dental visits and tendency of tooth brushing by D and HH adolescents. The oral health care knowledge and practices of D and HH adolescents will improve through a controlled school-based oral health education program

Association of alopecia universalis, generalized vitiligo, and Graves'diseases

We present a 21-years old woman with alopecia universalis, generalized vitiligo, and Graves' disease. She had had thyroidectomy in early childhood and was receiving replacement therapy with levothyroxine. The patient was treated with systemic PUVA and glucocorticoid in combination with topical treatment for alopecia. After 6 months of treatment, alopecia was reversed but vitiligo was unchanged