Awareness of undergraduate dental students, interns, and freshly graduated dentists about oral manifestation associated with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: There is growing evidence supporting the presence of oral manifestations associated with COVID-19. The study investigates the knowledge of dental undergraduates and recently graduated dentists concerning oral presentations related to COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study in Saudi Arabia comprised 305 individuals, including undergraduate dental students, interns, and freshly graduated dentists. Data were collected using a questionnaire disseminated to approximately 500 subjects via WhatsApp groups and other applications. The questionnaire was tested in a pilot study for validity, edited, and validated by 2 supervisors at the College of Dentistry, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding sociodemographic attributes, the level of expertise of dental practitioners, and their knowledge and perspectives regarding COVID-19 and the implementation of oral lesions interrelated to it. The data was subjected to analysis through the utilization of descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, employing the statistical software SPSS (version 24). RESULTS: About 43.9% of subjects stated that COVID-19 causes oral symptoms. Respondents most frequently reported COVID-19-related dry mouth. Oral ulcers, Candida infection, Hyperpigmentation, tongue coating, atrophy, Petechiae, Herpes, white lesions, Gingivitis, and Periodontitis are further symptoms. COVID-19's oral manifestation was unknown to 41.0% of subjects, and 37.7% of respondents lacked knowledge regarding the most impacted locations of oral manifestations. Oral signs and COVID-19 symptoms are debated and significantly associated with higher educational levels. CONCLUSION: The dental students and freshly graduated dentists in this study have proper knowledge of COVID-19 and its symptoms. Also, most dental students and newly graduated dentists recognize the potential correlation between COVID-19 and oral manifestations with an average to excellent knowledge of the types and sites commonly affected. The level of awareness was associated with higher educational levels.

Prevalence of palatogingival groove affecting maxillary anterior teeth in Saudi subpopulation: A cone-beam computed tomographic study with literature review.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of palatogingival groove (PGG) affecting maxillary anterior teeth, bilateral occurrence, and distribution among sex in the Saudi subpopulation and to review the literature on the prevalence of PGG. Introduction: Palatogingival groove (PGG) primarily affects maxillary lateral incisors and, when present, may contribute to the pathogenesis of periodontal and endodontic lesions. Materials & methods: A total of 509 CBCT scans of Saudi patients with 2747 maxillary anterior teeth were included in the study. Patients' information, the tooth type, the presence/absence, the unilateral/bilateral distribution, and the type of PGG according to Gu's classification (type I, II, or III) were recorded. Results: The prevalence of the PGG in maxillary anterior teeth was 1.3%, affecting 32 (6.3%) patients. The PGGs were mostly detected in lateral incisors 25 (2.77%). The PGG was found to be unilateral in most patients (96.9%), with higher frequency in males than in females without significance for sex. Conclusion: PGG is not a rare anomaly in the Saudi population and is most frequently found in maxillary lateral incisors. Type I Gu's classification was mostly detected.