Quantitative and qualitative analysis of relative saliva viscosity among carious and non-carious young adults

Objective: To determine relative saliva viscosity (RSV) among carious and non-carious young adult Nigerians. Methods: Participants included in this study were young adults of both sexes aged 11-40 years recruited and categorized as non-carious individuals as those with Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) of 0 and carious individual as those with DMFT of ≥1. The collection of unstimulated saliva samples was done using disposable cups and aspirated into 10 mls syringe. RSV was determined by allowing saliva to flow through a 10 mls syringe and measuring the rate of flow from 2 mls to 0 mls. The timing was done by means of a stopwatch and recorded in seconds. The plunger of the disposable syringe is carefully removed to allow the saliva to flow through the adaptor without the needle. The start off for the flow is usually above 2 mls but timing start off timing is at 2 mls as a precautionary measure. This is a simple and accurate model for measuring the viscousity of liquid (Figure 1). Statistical tests used in this study were independent t-test and one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was at P <0.05. Results: The participants in this study were between 17 and 40 years with a mean age of 27.81±6.56 years. The overall mean relative saliva viscosity among the participants was 1.93±0.26. The mean relative saliva viscosity was 2.39±0.65 among participants aged 31-40years old. Female participants had mean relative saliva viscosity of 2.09±0.40. Participants with dental caries had mean relative saliva viscosity of 2.41±0.44. Conclusion: Relative saliva viscosity measured with a 10 disposable syringe was found to be higher in participants with dental caries than those without. Strategies to prevent dental caries should include efforts to increase the viscosity of saliva. Salivary viscosity of 1.16-1.66 P oise (P) (which is the CGS unit of viscosity) signifies oral cavity without dental caries. The SI Unit of viscosity is pascal second (Pa s). Ten poise equal one pascal second making the centipoise (cP) and millipascal second (mPa s) identical. Further studies on salivary viscosity and severity of dental caries is recommended

Oral health status and treatment needs of in-patients of a Nigerian psychiatric hospital

Objective: Mental disorders have been reported to increase the risk to neglect of oral care. The objective of this study was to determine the oral health and treatment needs of psychiatric in-patients and compare with non-psychiatric patients.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, Lagos. A structured questionnaire was administered by investigators to the two groups of participants case group (psychiatric patient) and the control group (dental patient with no psychiatric history). This included mini international neuropsychiatry interview (M.IN.I)questionnaire to ascertain the diagnoses. Other information sought included missing teeth, retained teeth, carious teeth and tooth wear lesions were noted during oral examination. Results: A total of 167 participants were seen (81 were in the control group and 86 in the case group). Age range was from 18-90 years. The mean age was 41.44±14.98 years. All the participants (2.99%) with retained root were in case group. The majority (52.3%) of the participants in case group were dentate (p=0.001). The control group had the highest proportion of participants with good oral hygiene (p= 0.09). Carious teeth (p =0.33) and the number of teeth affected by tooth wear lesion were found to more in the case group (p= 0.02).Conclusion: Psychiatric patients had poor oral health compared to non-psychiatric patients. There was also a higher restorative and surgical treatment need in psychiatric patients

Clinical Anxiety among Final Year Dental Students: The Trainers and Students Perspectives

Background: The dental clinical setting; which is a significant learning environment for undergraduate dental students; may induce anxiety; which may adversely affect the clinical performance. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the factors provoking clinical anxiety in dental students from the trainers and students perspectives. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 6 th (final) year dental students of University of Benin and their clinical trainers between January and March 2012 using the 38-item modified Moss and McManus clinical anxiety questionnaire. Results: Of the 67 participants; 32 (47.8) were 6 th year dental students while 35 (52.2) were clinical trainers. According to the students; the top clinical anxiety provoking situations were inability to meet requirements before exams; inability to pass the final exams; dealing with psychiatric patients; coping with uncooperative children; getting infected by patients; fracturing a tooth during extraction; extracting the wrong tooth; discovering calculus by the supervisor after scaling; accidental pulp exposure; inadvertently hurting patients and using the high speed hand piece. There existed concordance on the top two clinical anxiety provoking situations reported by the students and their clinical trainers. However; measuring blood pressure; taking pulse; presenting in the clinic; handling a syncopal attack; and accidental pulp exposure were statistically significant contrasting clinical anxiety provoking situations from dental students and trainers perspectives. Conclusion: Data from this study revealed that clinical trainers share largely the same perspectives with the dental students on the clinical anxiety provoking situations with slight variations. Fostering a supportive learning environment conducive to dental student learning by strengthen efforts to minimize clinical anxiety is a necessity

Does any Relationship Exist between Self Reported Gingival Bleeding; Oral Health Perception; Practices and Concerns?

Background: The objective was to determine the relationship between self-reported gingival bleeding; oral health perception; practices and concerns. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey among undergraduates of University of Benin; Benin City; Nigeria was conducted between April and May; 2011 using a self-administered 21-item structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences and P0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of the 400 questionnaires that were distributed; 338 were returned filled giving a retrieval rate of 84.5 . About three-quarters (71.3) of the respondents were younger than 22 years. Males constituted 65.1 while the remaining 34.9 were females. The prevalence of self-reported gingival bleeding among respondents in this study was 12.7 . Individuals with gingival bleeding were significantly more likely to rate their dental and gingival health as fair/poor; use strong brushing stroke during tooth brushing and report worsening condition of teeth despite daily tooth brushing; express worry about the gingival color and less likely to be satisfied about the appearance of their teeth and to have received professional instruction on tooth brushing. Conclusion: Data from this survey revealed an established relationship between gingival bleeding; perceived dental and gingival health; tooth brushing force; professional instruction on tooth brushing; perception of the condition of teeth in relation to daily tooth brushing; worry about the color of gingiva; and satisfaction with the appearance of the teeth

Perceived Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs of Dental Auxiliaries

Objective: To determine the perceived oral health status and treatment needs of Nigerian dental therapists in training and dental technology students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of students from Federal School of Dental Therapy and Technology Enugu; Nigeria was conducted using self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on demography; self-reported oral health status; knowledge of impact of oral health on daily life activity; dental attendance and perceived dental need. Results: The perception of oral health status and treatment need of the two groups of dental auxiliaries was the same. Fewer respondents (27.3) rated their oral health as excellent; while 50.4rated their oral health as good. Majority (95.5) agreed that oral health is a part of general health and 94.6agreed that oral health has a role in daily life. Out of 81.4that had previous dental treatment; scaling and polishing accounted for 66.1. Presently; 48.8think they need dental treatment ranging from scaling and polishing (33.9); tooth restoration (10.3); to extraction (1.2). Conclusion: This survey revealed that most of the students are aware that oral health is a component of general health and that it has an impact on an individual's daily life. More than half of the students perceived their oral health as good; but only a few knew that there is a need for a preventive approach to oral health as evident by the percentage that perceived scaling and polishing as a treatment need