Correlation between BMI and Oral Health Status (DMFT, PI, mSBI, and Salivary 1,5-AG) among the Pediatric Population in Saudi Arabia: A Clinico-Biochemical Study.

The study aimed to investigate the association of varying body mass index (BMI) with oral health status among children aged 5−14 years and correlate the concentration of salivary levels of 1,5-AG with varying BMI, dental caries, and periodontal disease. This cross-sectional study was conducted on subjects aged 5 to 14 years. The children were recruited from the Pediatric Dental Clinic, College of Dentistry, Majmaah University, by convenient sampling method. Sociodemographic details and clinical parameters, including body mass index (BMI), DMFT/def (deciduous decayed tooth (d), deciduous extracted tooth (e), deciduous filled tooth (f), permanent tooth decayed (D), permanent missing tooth (M), and permanent filled tooth (F)), plaque index (PI), and modified sulcular bleeding index (mSBI), were evaluated. Salivary 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) was analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for all the subjects. Statistical analyses performed using SPSS v. 27 (IBM Statistics, Chicago, IL, USA) and the Kruskal−Wallis and chi-square tests were used for comparisons. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the association between the study subjects' independent variables, BMI, and caries activity. The mean def score, PI, and mSBI scores were higher in obese children. PI score, mSBI score, and salivary concentrations of 1,5-AG between the BMI categories were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The study emphasizes promoting preventive oral health regimes, health awareness campaigns, and nutritional educational programs among the pediatric population.

A Narrative Review on Current Diagnostic Imaging Tools for Dentomaxillofacial Abnormalities in Children.

The current review narrates the findings and discusses the available diagnostic tools for detecting structural abnormalities. The review discusses several diagnostic tools, such as magnetic resonance imaging, cone beam computed tomography, multi detector row CT and positron emission tomography. The vital findings and comparative analysis of different diagnostic tools are presented in this review. The present review also discusses the advent of newer technologies, such as the HyperionX9 scanner with less field of view and 18F-FDG PET/CT (positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-D-glucose, integrated with computed tomography), which can give more efficient imaging of dentomaxillofacial structures. The discussion of effective comparative points enables this review to reveal the available diagnostic tools that can be used in the detection of dentomaxillofacial abnormalities in the pediatric population. The advantages and disadvantages of each tool are discussed, and the findings of past publications are also presented. Overall, this review discusses the technical details and provides a comparative analysis of updated diagnostic techniques for dentomaxillofacial diagnosis.

Evaluation of role of periodontal pathogens in endodontic periodontal diseases.

AIM: This study aimed to correlate periodontal pathogens in endodontic periodontal diseases. METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted on 40 patients of both genders. All the participants were obtained from department of endodontics and periodontology with history of endo-perio lesion in same teeth. Polymerase chain reaction was performed and correlation was established. RESULTS: This study included 18 males and 22 females. The mean age of male was 42.5 years and female was 41.3 years. Specimens of Tannerella forsythia were isolated from 94% endodontium and 92% periodontium, Porphyromonas gingivalis from 71% endodontium and 55% periodontium, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans from 12% endodontium and 58% periodontium. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). Bacteria in endodontic-periodontal infection confirmed statistically significant correlation between absolute quantitation of T. forsythia and P. gingivalis (r = 0.412, P < 0.05), P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans (r = 0.524, P < 0.05), and T. forsythia and A. actinomycetemcomitans (r = 0.427, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was correlation between targeted bacterial species levels from concurrent endodontic-periodontal diseases. Thus, it can be suggested that dentinal tubules may be the pathway for spread of bacteria.

Idiopathic Sialolithiasis: Scalpel Versus Current Trends in Management.

Idiopathic sialolithiasis is one of the most common affliction of the salivary glands with the submandibular gland most frequently involved. The article discusses the occurrence and incidence of this condition with a review of different diagnostic and treatment modalities. In light of several advances to diagnose and treat sialolithiasis, a simple sialolithotomy for idiopathic submandibular gland sialolithiasis may prove to be a preferred treatment for selected patients as it remains a cost-effective and simple out-patient department procedure with minimal/no complications and a highly satisfactory outcome. For stones slightly proximal in the Wharton duct, a "dual" approach of milking the gland to bring the stone more distally followed by a sialolithotomy with a scalpel proves to be a quick and effective procedure.

Ectopic tooth in maxillary sinus: Case series.

Ectopic eruption of a tooth within the dentate region of the jaws is often noticed in clinical practice and is well documented in the literature. But the ectopic eruption into the non dentate region is rare and scantly documented. The maxillary sinus is one such a non dentate region, apart from nasal septum, mandibular condyle, coronoid process and the palate, to accommodate such ectopic eruptions of teeth. Due to its rarity and lack of consensus over its management, the incidence deserves to be added to the literature and discussed. Early surgical intervention for removal of ectopic tooth along with enucleation of the associated cyst, if any, is the treatment of choice.