Determination of prevalence of dental erosion in 12 -14 years school children and its relationship with dietary habits

Objective: To determine the frequency of dental erosion in 12-14 years school children and its association with dietary habits

Study Design: Observational cross-sectional analytical study

Place and Duration of Study: Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi, from January to June 2010

Methodology: School children aged between 12 - 14 years were included in this study. Dental erosion was detected by visual examination. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess the dietary habits of children. Acidic diet was considered a diet that has an acidic pH. The amount of consumption of acidic drinks and food per week was categorized into low consumption [1-7 times / week] and medium consumption [8 - 21 times / week]. Chi-square test was applied to see any statistical difference between diet and tooth erosion at 95% Cl

Results: The results showed a high frequency of [46%] dental erosion in children, which was significantly higher [p < 0.001] in children with more acidic diet

Conclusion: This study highlights the impact of dietary habits on the prevalence of dental erosion in children. Acidic diets need to be controlled in frequency to prevent dental erosion

Comparison of intracanal medications for the assessment of pain after root canal treatment

The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of Calcium hydroxide and Chlorhexidine as intracanal medicaments in three different groups of patients. This interventional study was conducted over a period of one year at the Department of Operative Dentistry, Fatima Jinnah Dental Hospital, Karachi. 465 single rooted teeth of patients were divided into three equal groups with 155 teeth in each group.155 canals were filled with Calcium Hydroxide, 155 canals with Chlorhexidine and another 155 canals with cotton pellets. The effectiveness of one intracanal medication versus another was checked in controlling post operative pain after endodontic treatment. The results showed that there was a significant difference between post operative pains in the three different groups. Group B [chlorhexidine] proved to be most effective against pain [22.58%] followed by group A [calcium hydroxide] [9.68%] and group C [cotton pellets] [1.29%] respectively. The McNemar Chi-Square test showed significant result with p-value<0.00. This study showed that Chlorhexidine has better analgesic effects as an intracanal medicament than Calcium hydroxide or no medication

Oral squamous cell carcinoma; clinico-pathological parameters and AgNOR status in grading

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinico-pathological parameters and the status of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions stain in various histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. A cross sectional study was conducted on fifty cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The specimen were collected from the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and processed for hematoxylin and eosin stain and AgNOR stain Pathology Laboratory, King Edward Medical University Lahore. Bidi smoking is associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The AgNOR [mAgNOR and pAgNOR] status was significantly low in well differentiated and moderately differentiated compared to poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma [p =0.001]. AgNOR size in poorly differentiated was significantly higher than the AgNOR size in well differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma. Similarly the distribution of AgNOR in moderately and poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma was significantly high. The AgNORs index was significantly high in poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma as compared to well differentiated and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The use of AgNORs stain is easy, valid and reliable method to assess the histological grading of oral squamous cell carcinoma and should be used to predict the prognosis of patients

Overhanging amalgam restorations by undergraduate students

To determine the frequency of overhanging margins in amalgam restorations done by undergraduate students at Fatima Jinnah Dental College Hospital, Karachi. Observational study. Department of Operative Dentistry, Fatima Jinnah Dental Hospital, Karachi, from January to June 2009. Patients aged 20 - 45 years attending the Department of Operative Dentistry requiring class-II restorations were included in the study. Whereas, third molars, overlapped proximal surfaces, teeth adjacent to edentulous spaces and pregnant females were excluded. One hundred and fifty patients were selected randomly aged between 20 - 45 years requiring class-II restorations. Posterior Bitewing radiographs were taken and 1600 surfaces were examined. Restorations were done by undergraduate students at Fatima Jinnah Dental College Hospital, Karachi. Chi-square test was utilized to analyze the relationship between location and surface of overhang. Overhanging amalgam restorations were common in the restorations done by undergraduate students [58%]. The occurrence of overhangs was more frequent on the distal surfaces [56%]. Although the association of amalgam overhangs with the surfaces of the teeth was significant [p < 0.0001], overhangs were not significantly associated with the location of the teeth [p < 0.063]. Overhanging restorations were present in approximately 58% of all proximal amalgam restorations done by undergraduate students