Identifying the Potential Determinants of Tobacco Counseling Implementation among Oral Health Professionals of India: A Cross-Sectional Survey

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the potential determinants of tobacco counseling implementation among oral health professionals in India. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among the 298 dentists of Aligarh and Gwalior. The questionnaire used in the study had sections on dentists' sociodemographic data and a 35-item questionnaire to assess the potential determinants of tobacco cessation counseling. Descriptive statistics were carried out, and a Chi-square test was utilized to determine the association. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Domains "knowledge", "Professional Responsibility and Identity", and "Remembrance, awareness, and judgment" showed a statistically significant correlation with most tobacco cessation counseling behaviors. In addition, undergraduate education received in Tobacco Cessation counseling, and Continuing education received in Tobacco Cessation counseling had significantly impacted the practice of tobacco cessation counseling (p=0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Conclusion: This study suggests that "Knowledge", "Professional Responsibility and Identity" and "Remembrance, awareness, and judgment" are the potential determinants that could be used to design effective strategies to enhance tobacco counseling among dentists in India.

Comparison of Efficacy of Dexmeditomidine and Midazolam for Bloodless Surgical Field during Functional Endoscopic Sits Surgery (FESS) under General Anaesthesia

Objective: A comparative study to evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine to provide bloodless surgical field in comparison to midazolam in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). Methods: 60 patients ASA I or II scheduled for FESS were equally randomly assigned to receive either Inj. Dexmedetomidine in dose of 1 g/kg over 10 min in infusion or Inj. Midazolam 0.02 mg/kg. In both groups, the infusion rate was adjusted to maintain the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 65-70 mmHg. The induction was done using propofol (2.5 mg/kg) and atracurium (0.5 mg/kg). After the intubation, maintenance was achieved with O (50%), N O 2 2 (50%), Inj. Atracurium infusion and Sevoflurane. Intraoperative bleeding was estimated by the surgeon using Boezzart's scale for the evaluation of operative field visibility during the surgery. Hemodynamic variables (MAP and HR) were recorded. Results: Better achievement of MAP control is achieved with Dexmedetomidine compared to Midazolam. Overall intra-operative blood loss was more in Midazolam group compared to Dexmedetomidine group. Conclusion: Both Dexmedetomidine and Midazolam are safe and effective in FESS for controlled hypotension, though Dexmedetomidine provides excellent surgeon's satisfaction without severe hemodynamic changes

Oral Health Consequences of Use of Smokeless Tobacco in North India: A Cross-Sectional Survey

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects of commonly used smokeless tobacco forms on oral health at habitual placement sites of smokeless tobacco compared to non-placement sites among the North Indian population. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 542 individuals using smokeless tobacco recruited from the outpatient wing of the Dental College. Subjects completed a questionnaire and received an oral examination. Periodontal pocket depth, gingival index, plaque index, gingival recession, and oral mucosal changes were assessed. Kendal's Tau test, paired t-test, and chi-square test were carried out to compare different variables among placement and non-placement sites. Results: Most of the subjects were male, reporting an average of 11.26 years of SLT use. Clinical inflammation of gingiva was significantly greater (p=0.01) at placement-sites (1.64 ± 0.53) of SLT in comparison to non-placement-sites (1.40 ± 0.41). The difference in the GR and PPD at placement and non-placement-sites was also statistically significant with p=0.002 and p=0.001, respectively. Clinically, the majority of subjects had mucosal changes at the placement sites, and a statistically significant association (p=0.034) was observed between the duration of the use of smokeless tobacco and the mucosal changes. Conclusion: Smokeless tobacco use predisposes to increased risk of periodontal diseases and oral mucosal changes at the placement sites in an individual due to the local irritant effect.

Effectiveness of medicine Malaria Off 200 as mass prophylaxis against Malaria in the high-risk villages of Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh

Background: Learning from the past experiences, the district health authority Shahdol has planned a mass-prophylactic activity with the Homeopathy Medicine (Malaria Off 200) in the selected high-risk villages (above 5 API) in the year 2016 Objective: The present paper reports the effectiveness of Malaria off 200 as mass-prophylactic drug in addition to routine antimalarial activities under NVBDCP in district Shahdol, Madhya pradesh in year 2016. Methodology: A Homeopathic drug Malaria Off 200 was used for the mass-prophylaxis of  Malaria in high malaria transmission season in selected 28 villages of district Shahdol. The effectiveness of the drug was ascertained as “Reduction of ≥20% villages, having more than 2 malaria case in six-month period (July-December 2016)in comparison to the previous year”. Result: Of the 28 villages, seven (25%) reported Malaria case  incidence equal to or less than two in six-month period (July-December 2016). In the same time period in previous year 23 (82%) villages reported Malaria case  incidence more than two. So, reduction of number of villages with 'biannual Malaria case  incidence’ rate was 57%. Conclusion: The short term finding validate the campaign as effective, as per the operational definition of effectiveness coined for the campaign. However, further time series studies with Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) is recommended for future.