RESUMO
Objective: To evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and oral health status among elementary school children in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among elementary school children selected from government, private-aided and private-unaided schools in Hyderabad. A stratified cluster random sampling technique was used to select study participants. All parents were requested to be personally present on the day of examination. All eligible children were assembled in a hall and their height in inches and weight in kilograms were recorded by two calibrated investigators. The oral health status of children was assessed using a predesigned oral health assessment proforma. Plaque status was assessed using Sillness and Loe plaque Index and caries using decayed and filled teeth (dft) by a trained and calibrated investigator. Results: One hundred and seventy-one children (89 males and 82 females) were included in the present study. Mean plaque score was 1.4 ± 0.6 with no significant difference in the mean plaque score between children in three different categories of nutritional status (P = 0.07). Mean dft among primary teeth was 1.1 ± 1.1 with a significantly higher score among children who were malnourished (2.4 ± 0.9) compared to children who were overweight (0.9 ± 0.9) and normal (0.4 ± 0.6) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: BMI was negatively associated with caries experience in primary dentition with no association with plaque scores. Overweight children with malnutrition had significantly higher caries experience compared to children with normal BMI.
RESUMO
The herbal extracts have been effectively tried in the treatment and prevention of many oral diseases. Aim: The aim is to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of Acacia nilotica, Murraya koenigii L. Sprengel, Eucalyptus hybrid, Psidium guajava extracts and their combinations on Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). Materials and Methods: The extraction process was carried out by Soxhlet apparatus using ethanol as solvent. The combinations of the four plant extracts were prepared by combining an equal quantity of 10% solution of each of the four plant extracts. The antimicrobial efficacy testing of the plant extracts and their combinations on Fn and Pg was performed using agar well diffusion method. Columbia 5% of sheep blood agar plates were used for antimicrobial efficacy testing under anaerobic conditions. The qualitative assay was carried out to identify the various phytochemical constituents. Dimethyl sulfoxide and 0.2% chlorhexidine acted as negative and positive controls, respectively. The mean diameter of inhibition zone between different categories was compared using one-way analysis of variance. Results: All the individual plant extracts and their double, triple, and quadruple combinations were effective in inhibiting the growth of these bacteria. However, 0.2% chlorhexidine produced the highest mean diameter of inhibition zone. Conclusion: The plant extracts in combinations offer enhanced antimicrobial efficacy due to their synergistic action besides slowing the development of bacterial resistance. Hence, these extracts in combinations could be used tried as effective alternates to chlorhexidine.