Validation of an Arabic version of the short form of the health literacy in dentistry scale: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Arabic version of the short form of the Health Literacy in Dentistry scale (HeLD) had not yet been developed in previously published studies. This study aims to test the reliability and validity of an Arabic version of the short form of the HeLD questionnaire. METHODS: The short version of HeLD was translated into Arabic and the psychometric properties were evaluated in a sample of 1,889 female students in their first year of secondary school. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Content validity was investigated by creating a correlation matrix between the individual items of the HeLD-14, and criterion validity was determined using Pearson's correlation between the HeLD-14 score and an overall oral health rating. Sensitivity analysis was assessed by testing the associations of the HeLD-14 score with oral health-related behaviours and residential area. RESULTS: The Arabic version of HeLD-14 (A-HeLD-14) had acceptable ICC (0.54) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.92). The correlations between the items of the A-HeLD-14 varied from 0.3 to 0.9. The A-HeLD-14 showed a statistically significant correlation with the overall oral health rating (r = 0.37, p < 0.001). The median A-HeLD-14 score was significantly higher in participants who brushed their teeth frequently (51.31), visited the dentist regularly (52.00), consumed fresh fruit frequently (51) and consumed soda or energy drinks infrequently (51.00) than participants who brushed their teeth infrequently (41.50), visited the dentist irregularly (49.00), consumed fresh fruit infrequently (47) and consumed soda or energy drinks frequently (48.00). CONCLUSION: The A-HeLD-14 instrument demonstrates sufficient validity, reliability, and sensitivity for measuring oral health literacy among the Arabic-speaking population.

Oral Health Promotion among Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.

People with disabilities experience inferior health and poor access to good quality health services as compared with the general population. Optimum oral health is associated with improvement in the quality of life in such patients. As oral diseases are largely preventable, good oral health education can have a positive impact on individuals with disabilities. So, the aim of the study was to review the effectiveness of oral health promotion among individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Seven electronic databases were searched using keywords like intellectual disability/mental retardation/learning disability AND dental health education/health promotion. All records that were identified electronically from this search were subjected to a preliminary review to identify eligible papers. Identified studies were grouped into oral health promotion directed at individuals with IDs, and those aimed at caregivers of people with IDs. Interpretation of the outcomes included the effects on oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (either observed or self-reported). Eventually, 16 studies were included in the review including five studies that were randomized controlled trials, while the remaining 11 studies were pre-post single group oral health promotion studies. Critical appraisal of each study was conducted with the 21-item criteria by Kay and Locker (1997) to provide a numerical quantification and ranking of the evidence. Positive changes in the behaviors and attitudes were observed, while other studies reported a considerable improvement in the knowledge of caregivers for oral healthcare of individuals with IDs. However, such activities need to be done over a long period of time with constant monitoring.

Assessment of hearing performance of dental technicians due to the professional noise exposure.

BACKGROUND: Some of the noise-intensive processes in dental laboratories include the finishing of crowns, bridges, and removable partial dentures; blowing out workpieces with steam and compressed air; and deflating casting rings. High sound pressure levels are also present in dental vibrators, polishing equipment, and sandblasters. The aim of this study was to Evaluation of the effect of noise production in dental technology laboratory on dental technician hearing capacity. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 120 dental technicians were chosen. Otoscopic evaluation and the Weber test were used to establish if they had sensorineural or transmission hearing loss at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz, respectively. Then an OAER (objective auditory evoked response) and PTA (clinical aurimeter) test were administered (Neurosoft, Russia). The whole procedure was carried out by an audiologist and an ENT specialist. RESULTS: The PTA results showed that the patient had mild hearing impairment overall, with the loss being more severe in the left ear than in the right. The OAE test results revealed that in-ear of the left side, 84.5% of subjects passed and 15.5% of subjects struggled and were referred to an ear specialist, whereas in the right ear, 82.7% of subjects passed and 17.3% struggled and were referred to an ear specialist. According to this study, in a right-handed study participant, the ear on the left side is more vulnerable than the right side. Differences in the mean hearing threshold at 4000 and 6000 Hz in the left ear were statistically significant in the groups of workers with eleven to fifteen years of practical experience and twenty-one to twenty-five years of practical experience, respectively (Minervini, et al. J Clin Med 12:2652, 2023). CONCLUSIONS: A statistically meaningful threshold shift from 4000 to 6000 Hz is observed as the working experience grows, and this is suggestive of sensorineural hearing impairment brought on by the noisy dental environment.

Impact of DMFT, PUFA, DAI, and TDIs on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) Among Foundling, Delinquent, and Mainstream School Children: A Prilimenary Study.

Objectives: To assess oral health and its implication on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among groups of foundling and delinquent children compared to mainstream children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on children in care houses and mainstream school-going children. The following variables were measured for each group: Demographic data (age, gender); subjective oral health condition; (OHRQoL); clinical oral health condition including the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index; pulpally involved, ulceration, fistula, and abscess (PUFA) index; Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) for malocclusion, and traumatic dental injuries (TDI). Statistical Analysis: A one-way ANOVA test, Chi-square test, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Results: The total OHRQoL score was significantly higher for the delinquent compared to the mainstream group. In addition, the DMFT and mean PUFA scores were significantly higher for the delinquent group than the others. The DAI revealed statistical significance in occlusion status within the foundling and delinquent groups, and the prevalence of TDI was significantly higher in the delinquent vs. the mainstream group. Conclusion: Oral health status appeared to have an association with the OHRQoL among foundling, delinquent, and mainstream children.

Oral health-related quality of life among groups of foundling and delinquent children in comparison with mainstream children.

AIM: This study envisages understanding about the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among groups of foundling and delinquent children and compares them with mainstream children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional, observational study of a group of foundling and delinquent children aged 11 to 14 years, in care houses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and mainstream school children. Variables measured for each group were demographic data (age, gender), subjective oral health condition, and OHRQoL. An interview-based questionnaire was used for collecting the relevant data. The questionnaire was divided into four parts, oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well-being, and social well-being, with each response scored as per the following codes: (0) never, (1) once or twice, (2) sometimes, (3) often, and (4) every day. The top possible score for the total scale was 144, and the lowest was 0. A comparison group of mainstream school children was recruited from public schools. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25.0 statistical software, and one-way ANOVA was used for the analysis of data when three levels or more were categorical, and the response was numerical. A chi-square test was used to assess the correlation between any two categorical variables. RESULTS: Out of the total 99 children, 33 were delinquents, 33 were foundling, and 33 were mainstream children included as a comparative group in the study. It was noted that the delinquents compared to the other children had significantly higher scores in accordance with the data collected, with a mean overall score of 30.61 compared to the score for foundling, which was 19.48, and mainstream children had a meager score of 9.18. Individual factorssuch as the oral symptoms, functional limitations, and emotional and social well-being were scored separately, with delinquents having the highest scores and mainstream children the least. CONCLUSIONS: Health, including oral health, is a right everyone is equally subjected to, and while the concept of OHRQoL is relatively new, delinquents and foundling are definitely subjected to poorer standards in terms of their oral hygiene, on-time treatment, and diagnosis, which further deteriorates their quality of life.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of Children with Down Syndrome and Their Families: A Cross-Sectional Study.

As individuals with Down syndrome often suffer from oro-facial abnormalities which can affect their oral health as well as their and their family's quality of life, this link was examined in the present study. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, 63 parents of children with Down syndrome who attended two special daycare centres in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were surveyed using a self-administered validated questionnaire. The findings yielded by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) version 17 revealed that in 34.9% children and 46% of their families, quality of life was affected by oral health. Moreover, 54% children experienced physical pain, which was severe in 22.2% of the cases. Further analyses revealed that families' emotional lives were negatively affected by children's oral health status. Therefore, as oral health in children with Down syndrome exerts significant adverse impacts on different aspects of their lives and those of their families, timely provision of required oral health care is warranted.

Dental caries prevalence among Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) 6- to 12-year-old children in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia compared to non-diabetic children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of dental caries among groups of 6-12-year-old children with and without Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, taking into account oral health behaviour, diet, and salivary parameters. METHODS: The study was designed as a comparable study of dental caries experience between T1DM and non-diabetic groups of children. The total sample size of 209 participants consisted of 69 diabetic and 140 non-diabetic children. Oral hygiene, diet and socio-economic status were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Caries was recorded in terms of decayed and filled permanent and primary teeth (DFT/dft). Salivary microbial counts and pH levels were recorded using Caries Risk Test (CRT) kit. Student's t-test, the chi-squared test, linear regression and one-way analysis of variance were performed P-value of 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: The mean dft scores for the diabetic and non-diabetic groups were 3.32 ± 0.78 and 3.28 ± 0.71 (mean ± SD), respectively (p = 0.458). The mean DFT scores for the diabetic and non-diabetic groups were 1.62 ± 0.65 and 1.96 ± 0.65, respectively (p = 0.681). Diabetic children visited dentists more often than non-diabetic children did (p = 0.04), and had lower consumption of both sweets (p = 0.003) and flavoured milk (p = 0.002) than the non-diabetic group. Furthermore, analysis showed that the diabetic children had medium oral pH levels (pH = 4.5-5.5), whereas the non-diabetic children tended to have high (pH ≥ 6.0) oral pH; this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.01). In addition, the diabetic group had higher Lactobacillus levels than the non-diabetic group (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The difference in caries prevalence between the diabetic and non-diabetic children was not statistically significant. The CRT analysis revealed a higher frequency of "critical" pH values (pH = 4.5-5.5) and higher Lactobacillus counts in diabetic children than in non-diabetic children, which indicated a higher caries risk in the former group.

The Level of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) achievements among the Interns and Fresh graduates of the BDS program.

OBJECTIVES: Success of Dental Program depends on the students' performance measured in terms of Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) achievement. The present study was carried out to evaluate the level of achievement of the PLOs among dental interns and fresh graduates as a direct measure for the success of the BDS program of the College of Dentistry, King Saud University. METHODS: An online survey instrument was used to seek the opinion of male and female dental interns and fresh graduates about the attainment of the PLOs distributed over 6 domains: patients' care, communication & interpersonal skills, professionalism, practice management, information management & critical thinking, and health promotion domains on a five-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using Minitab Statistical Software version 15.1.31.0. Descriptive as well as Chi-Square statistics were calculated to determine the significance of the responses to the levels of PLOs achievement at 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: Levels of achievement of PLOs under the 6 domains indicated a good standard of planning, delivery, and evaluation of the BDS program. On an overall average score basis, the achievement of PLOs under the Communication-Interpersonal Skills domain ranked as highest with a score of 4.22 ± 0.88 followed by Professionalism (4.18 ± 0.85), Practice Management (4.03 ± 0.93), Patient care (3.94 ± 0.84) and Information Management-Critical Thinking domain with a score of 3.68 ± 0.96. The lowest score was achieved under Health promotion domain with a score of 3.60 ± 0.93. Statistically, no significant differences were found based on the graduation years and gender of the respondents. CONCLUSION: The study revealed significant achievement of PLOs under all learning domains of the BDS curriculum taught at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University. However, achievement scores for Information Management, Critical Thinking, and Health Promotion domains require further improvement through reinforcement of the curriculum, updating of content, and teaching strategies.

Effect of triphala mouthrinse on plaque and gingival inflammation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of triphala mouthwash (TRP-MW) in being equally effective to chlorhexidine mouthwash (CHX-MW) in the treatment of plaque-induced gingivitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic searches in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL were conducted in databases up to April 2020. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing clinical efficacy of TRP-MW (test group) in comparison with CHX-MW in treating plaque-induced gingivitis were considered. The primary outcome was gingival index (GI), whereas the secondary outcome was plaque index (PI). RESULTS: Seven RCTs were included. All studies showed that TRP-MW administration was significantly effective as compared to CHX-MW in the treatment of plaque-induced gingivitis. Considering the effects of TRP-MW on clinical gingival inflammatory parameters, significant heterogeneity for both GI (χ2  = 72.77, P < .0001, I2  = 91.76%) and PI (χ2  = 153.67, P < .0001, I2  = 96.10%) was observed between both TRP-MW and CHX-MW groups. The overall mean difference for both GI (WMD = -0.29, 95% CI = -0.40 to -0.17, P < .001) and PI (WMD = -0.43, 95% CI = -0.54 to -0.31, P < .001) was statistically significant between TRP-MW and CHX-MW at follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSION: Triphala mouthwash seems to significantly improve the clinical gingival inflammatory parameters in plaque-induced gingivitis with equal clinical efficacy as CHX-MW. TRP is a cost-effective alternative and is easily available with limited side effects on periodontal tissues.