Frequency of addictive habits and its association with oral diseases among a cross section of Indian police personnel connotation

Objective: To assess the frequency of adverse addictive habits, specially alcohol and tobacco usage, among police personnel of Bhopal City, Central India and its association with the frequency of oral mucosal lesions and periodontal diseases

Study Design: A cross-sectional analytical study

Place and Duration of Study: Bhopal City, Capital of Madhya Pradesh State, Central India, from February to April 2013

Methodology: All the police personnel posted at various police stations were interviewed and clinically examined. Police personnel who did not cooperate or were not willing, were excluded from the study. Chi-square test was used to analyze categorical variables

Results: A total of 781 subjects were interviewed for the various forms of adverse habits, followed by clinical assessment of oral mucosal lesions and periodontal status using WHO 1997 criteria. The mean age of study subjects was 40.58 +/- 9.84 years. Usage of tobacco was found among 55% and only 1.3% of subjects consumed alcohol. The prevalence of oral mucosal lesions and periodontal diseases was significantly higher among tobacco users

Conclusion: There was high usage of tobacco among police personnel in Bhopal City, India with a detrimental effect on oral health

impact of body mass index on oral hygiene practices of adolescents in Bhopal City, India

Objective: To assess the impact of Body Mass Index [BMI] on oral hygiene practices of adolescents in Bhopal City, India

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Arts College, Bhopal, from February to March 2014

Methodology: A convenience sample of 17 - 23 years college-going adolescents from Arts College, Bhopal city was selected for the study. Self-reported questionnaire for adolescents to assess BMI and oral hygiene attitude, knowledge and practices was used. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were applied

Results: Out of the total study population, 53.54% [n=166] were males and 46.45% [n=144] were females. Two hundred and six [66.45%] were of optimal weight, 27.74% [n=86] were underweight and only 4.52% [n=14] were overweight. There was a significant association between BMI and oral hygiene practice of toothbrushing [p < 0.001] and mouth rinsing [p=0.001] among both male and female subjects

Conclusion: Hence, BMI is significantly associated with the oral hygiene practices of adolescent population. There is growing interest in the relationship between BMI and oral health because both are significant public health concerns. These public health problems are related to common lifestyle factors such as unhealthy eating habits and smoking among children. These maladapted habits track into later life as predictors of increased BMI and oral health problems. Hence, it is required that the dentists are aware of the influence of body mass Index and lifestyle on oral health practices among children and adolescents

Knowledge of evidence-based dentistry among academic dental practitioners of Bhopal, India: a preliminary survey / 보건의료교육평가

This study aimed to characterize the knowledge of evidence-based dentistry (EBD) among dental faculty members in the city of Bhopal in central India. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered at two dental colleges in Bhopal City. All dental faculty members who were present on the day of the study and who agreed to participate were included in the study. A total of 50 dental faculty members returned the questionnaire. Six Likert-type questions were asked, and the percentages of various responses were used for analysis. Sixteen faculty members (32.0%) strongly agreed that EBD is a process of making decisions based on scientifically proven evidence. Fifteen faculty members (30.0%) strongly disagreed or disagreed with the item stating that the best and quickest way to find evidence is by reading textbooks or asking experienced colleagues. Thirteen faculty members (26.0%) strongly agreed that EBD allows dentists to improve their scientific knowledge and clinical skills. It is recommended that EBD be included in undergraduate and postgraduate curricula and in intensive continuing dental education programs that are conducted for dental faculty members.