Assessment of plasma and salivary antioxidant status in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant levels in plasma and saliva of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and healthy controls. Material and methods: Forty patients with RAS and 40 health controls were included into the study. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activities and uric acid (UA) levels were measured in plasma and saliva. Chi-square and Student's t-test was used to estimate the significance between parameters. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Plasma analysis showed significantly decreased SOD and CAT activities, and UA level in RAS patients compared to control group. Plasma GSHPx activity was significantly higher in RAS patients. In saliva, SOD and CAT activities, and UA levels were significantly higher in RAS patients, while GSHPx activity was lower compared to control. Conclusion: Plasma and saliva antioxidant system is affected in RAS patients and both may be considered as an appropriate indicator of antioxidant status of body.

Age estimation of indian adults from orthopantomographs

The aim of this study was to develop a method for estimating the chronological age of Indian adults based on the relationship between age and various morphological variables of canine teeth, obtained using orthopantomographs. Orthopantomographs of 120 selected patients were digitized, and radiographic images of the right maxillary canine in each case were processed using a computer aided drafting program. Pulp/tooth area ratio, pulp/root length ratio, pulp/tooth length ratio, pulp/root width ratio at the cemento-enamel junction level, pulp/root width ratio at midroot level, and pulp/root width ratio at the midpoint between the cemento-enamel junction and the midroot of the canine were calculated by measuring various features on the images. Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression, one way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Student's t-test were used for statistical analysis. Regression equations were developed to estimate age from morphological variables. The observed minus the estimated age in the total study sample ranged from -2.2 to +1.5 years, in males from -0.9 to +0.8 years, while in females it was from -1 to +0.8 years. Differences between observed and estimated ages of subjects were not statistically significant. In conclusion there is a linear relationship of pulp/root width ratio at mid-root level and pulp/tooth area ratio of the right maxillary canine with chronological age in the Indian population. Age of subjects can therefore be estimated with a good degree of accuracy using regression equations.

Tobacco cessation and counseling: A dentists' perspective in Bhopal city, Madhya Pradesh.

Introduction: Dental team has high potential to help smokers to better oral/general health but to achieve this; they need to be clear about their role. Considering the importance of tobacco cessation, the authors carried out this study aimed at assessing the role, knowledge, current practices, different barriers, and tools to overcome the same as perceived by dentists in Bhopal city. Materials and Methods: A self-administered structured, coded questionnaire was distributed to 200 private practitioners and the teaching staff in all the dental colleges in Bhopal city. Results: Out of 200 dentists to whom questionnaire was administered, 168 responded within a week's time resulting in a high response rate of 84%. A total of 97% of the dentists agreed that it is the duty of every dentist to advice patients about tobacco cessation. A total of 58% strongly agree that formal training will be an effective tool to provide the guidelines to dentists in tobacco cessation and counseling. Conclusion: Monitoring of effective planning and execution of these programs by appropriate authorities at regular intervals is vital for successful achievement of the goal of "Tobacco Free Society."

Laboratorial evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy of herbal dentifrices commercialized in India / Avaliação laboratorial da eficácia antimicrobiana de dentifrícios herbais comercializados na Índia

Objective: The purpose of this in vitro study to evaluate antimicrobial efficacy of commercially available herbal dentifrices in comparison with conventional dentifrices against seven oral microbes, namely, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus salivarius, Actinomyces viscosus, Candida albicans, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Materials and methods: Antimicrobial properties of dentifrices were evaluated by measuring zone of inhibition at 48h on blood agar plates inoculated with microbial strains, using disc diffusion method. Each dentifrice was tested in 100% and 50% concentration. Sterile distilled water was used as control. One way Analysis of Variance followed by Tukey post hoc was used for multiple group comparisons. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In both, 100% and 50% concentrations maximum zone of inhibition was observed with Smyle™ herbal toothpaste followed by Himalaya herbals™ dental cream. Conclusion: Antimicrobial activity of Smyle™ herbal toothpaste is the best against microorganisms tested in present study.

Objetivo: O propósito deste estudo foi avaliar e comparar a eficácia antimicrobiana de dentifrícios herbaiscomerciais e convencionais contra sete micro-organismos: Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus salivarius, Actinomyces viscosus, Candida albicans, and Lactobacillusacidophilus. Materiais e métodos: Propriedades antimicrobianas dos dentifrícios foram avaliadas a partir damedição da zona de inibição utilizando o método de difusão em disco após 48h em placas de ágar sangue inoculadascom as cepas microbianas. Cada dentifrício foi testado nas concentrações de 100% e 50%. O controleconsistiu em água destilada estéril. As comparações entre grupos foram realizadas por ANOVA a um critério eteste de Tukey post hoc, ambos com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Em ambas as concentrações de100% e 50%, a zona de inibição máxima foi observada para o dentifrício herbal Smyle® seguido do dentifrícioherbal Himalaya herbals®. Conclusões: O dentifrício herbal Smyle® apresentou o melhor resultado contra osmicro-organismos avaliados no presente estudo.

Effect of fresh fruit juices on pH of dental plaque.

Background: The concept of health has prevailed for centuries and the dietary habits are changing with modernization. “Healthy eating” is perceived to be important and fruit juices are promoted aggressively as a “Health drink”. Objectives: 1. To estimate endogenous pH and titratable acidity of four freshly prepared fruit juices. 2. To assess the effect of fruit juices on plaque pH in two groups. (DMFT=0 and DMFT≥1) Material and Methods: Forty Volunteers were divided into two groups based on caries experience. Endogenous pH and titratable acidity of fruit juices; pH of plaque samples collected at different time interval was assessed. Statistical analysis was done by using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc. Result: Endogenous pH of all fruit juices was acidic. Titratable acidity was maximum for sweet lime. In group B for Mango and Sweet lime plaque pH was below critical value till 30 minutes. Conclusion: All the fruit juices tested in present study were acidic in nature and reduced plaque pH below critical pH in caries group.

Brief intervention for smokeless tobacco users by dentist.

The dental team has an important role to play in tobacco cessation and counselling. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the brief intervention for smokeless tobacco users as a longitudinal study. Ninty patients who were assessed to be in the Pre contemplation phase based on the Transtheoretical model, were included in the study. The nicotine dependence was graded according to Talwar et al (2004). Their follow up was done for 1 year. During the inception of the study all the participants showed heavy nicotine dependence. By the end of one year 10 males and 19 females became light nicotine dependent. Our study showed a reduction of 32% in the prevalence of tobacco use after the implementation of the programme using the “5 A” model.

Child, hypertension and oral health.

Hypertension is a major public health issue in industrialized nations. Many efforts have focused on the primary prevention and control of hypertension in adults. Nevertheless, the increasing incidence of hypertension in younger age groups has drawn attention to the severity and complications of the disease in children and adolescents. Public health implications of hypertension in children are overwhelming because many of these individuals will eventually face medical squeal into adulthood. Reproducibility of blood pressure in children can be challenging, especially in younger individuals, and the practitioner should be alert for shallow reading ranges in young children. Safe provision of dental care to hypertensive children requires knowledge about the aetiology of the elevation in blood pressure, oral manifestations, target organ damage, and possible drug interactions. This article provides an overview of hypertensive children and their oral health management. The recommendations presented in this article have been formulated using the available data regarding hypertension in children.

Prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs among hemophilic children of kota city, rajasthan.

Background: Hemophilic children must be thought of as special patients. Although there have been number of studies regarding with oral surgical, periodontal management of hemophilia there is paucity for the dental caries and its severity in hemophiliac children. The objective of this study is to assess prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs among hemophilic children attending Rajasthan hemophilia society, Kota City, Rajasthan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of children suffering from haemophilia with age ranging from 0 to 15 years. Dentition Status and Treatment Needs Index (WHO 1997) was used to record dental caries. A total of 164 subjects of both the sexes were examined. Over all prevalence of dental caries was 87.19%. The present study showed dental caries prevalence and treatment needs was high among hemophilic patients indicating need for dental services at the earliest as a preventive measure for these patients.