ABSTRACT
Introduction: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been one of the most commonly consumed herbal medicines for a long time to treat several common diseases. Antibacterial activity, antioxidant properties and many bioactive compounds in ginger have been identified previously, which could be used as an alternative method to treat many infectious diseases. Methods: The current study evaluates ginger's biochemical profile using qualitative and quantitative analysis and its bioactive potentials using antioxidant and antimicrobial assays against Streptococcus mutans and selective oral microbes. HPLC analysis was performed for the quantitative analysis. DPPH and disc diffusion assays were used for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial activity was checked against Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus spp., and Lactobacillus spp. All solvents were removed by rotary evaporation before testing the dried extracts. Results: The observed IC50 value showed that distilled water extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (43.9), followed by ethanol extract (52.4), and the lowest activity was observed in n-butanol extract (91.2) and n-hexane (90.6). Different plant extracts have shown significant antibacterial activity (p = 0.001) against each bacterium. The highest antibacterial activity against tested bacteria was observed in n-hexane, chloroform and ethanol extracts. In comparison, the ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extracts showed low antibacterial activity. Conclusion: This study emphasizes that Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) against Gram-positive bacteria is an effective antimicrobial herb. Furthermore, it can be used as a potential natural source of antioxidants. Further studies on the toxicity analysis of ginger are recommended.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Oral health is an integral part of general health, and good knowledge and oral hygiene practices are the key to achieving oral health. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and oral hygiene practices of school children in Saudi Arabia and the need for dental health education and intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among male school children (n = 451), aged 6-12 years, in the Al-Zulfi region of Saudi Arabia. Participants were included in this study using one-stage cluster sampling. The subjects completed a questionnaire, and the oral hygiene index-simplified was recorded. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 21. RESULTS: Only 41.9% of the children had good oral hygiene. Of the sampled children, 72.7% used a toothbrush and toothpaste, but only 2.2% were aware of dental floss; 62.7% children brushed for 1-2 minutes and had good oral hygiene, but 55.9% of children had no knowledge about periodontal health. Only 30.1% parents observed their children during tooth brushing. CONCLUSION: Use of a toothbrush and toothpaste is the most commonly used and most effective oral hygiene aid. Brushing twice a day for 1-2 minutes seems to be effective. Oral health care education should be included in the school curriculum, and a parental awareness program is needed to emphasize their role in the dental health of their children. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kannan SPK, Alfahaid SF, Alharbi AS, et al. Oral Hygiene Behavior of School Children in Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Survey. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(1):66-71.
