Effectiveness of Parental Participation in a Dental Health Program on the Oral Health Status of 8-10-year-old School Children.

Aim: Prevention-focused school dental health program (SDHP) is a cost-effective intervention that countries can use to lessen the problem of dental diseases by educating on oral health. The current study aims to assess the effectiveness of parental participation in an SDHP held at periodic intervals on the oral health status (OHS) of children aged 8-10 years attending a local school in Southern India. Materials and methods: The longitudinal study was scheduled between September 2018 and June 2019 (36 weeks) in 120 participants who were healthy school children aged 8-10 years at a private school in Kelambakkam. This 36-week duration study assessed the effectiveness of school dental health education program with and without parents at every 12 weeks interval. The OHS of subjects was assessed using the standard indices [i.e., Decayed, Missing and Filled permanent teeth (DMFT), decayed, extracted, and filled primary teeth (deft), and Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S)]. Friedman's test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for analyzing the data as indicated. Results: In postintervention visits, children with parental participation had significantly lower caries increments than children without parental participation. While the oral hygiene index scores have improved significantly in both groups over time, the improvement in the parental participation group was greater. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the SDHP is an educational driver that showed a constructive impression on the oral health of children. The participation of the child's parents in SDHP has significantly improved the OHS of children. How to cite this article: Sowmiya Sree RA, Joe Louis C, Senthil Eagappan AR, et al. Effectiveness of Parental Participation in a Dental Health Program on the Oral Health Status of 8-10-year-old School Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(4):417-421.

Paediatric dentists' knowledge of behavioural management principles in Tamil Nadu, India.

AIM: Behaviour management is one of the essential skills of paediatric dentists. Appropriate use of behavioural principles helps the child in developing the skills and behaviours necessary to willingly undergo dental care, not hindered by undue anxiety or fear. However, very little is known about the knowledge of principles regarding behaviour management among paediatric dentists. Contingency management which is based on the principles of behaviour analysis is a widely accepted behavioural management technique and it includes reinforcement and punishment. The aim and objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of paediatric dentists regarding behavioural management principles related to contingency management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross- sectional survey was conducted among paediatric dental professionals and post-graduate students pursuing masters in paediatric dentistry across Tamil Nadu, India using Knowledge of Behavioural Principles as Applied to Children (KBPAC) questionnaire modified for the dental setting. The data were obtained, tabulated and statistically analysed using SPSS. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 130 participants, comprising 67 paediatric dental professionals and 63 post-graduate students. The overall average knowledge score was 40.72%. The mean knowledge level of paediatric dental professionals was (0.4378) versus (0.3597) among post-graduate students (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Knowledge of behavioural management principles related to contingency management among paediatric dentists in Tamil Nadu, India is low.

Skin and muscle permeating antibacterial nanoparticles for treating Staphylococcus aureus infected wounds.

Majority of the chronic wounds are infected with bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The deep tissue infections are difficult to treat using topical antibiotics, due to their poor tissue penetration. In order to treat S. aureus deep tissue infections we have developed an antibiotic delivery system using chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs). To enhance their tissue penetration these CNPs were further coated using lecithin (CLNPs). Antibiotic tigecycline was loaded into chitosan nanoparticles (tCNPs) and then coated with lecithin to generate lecithin coated tigecycline loaded chitosan nanoparticles (tCLNPs). The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using DLS, SEM, TEM and FT-IR. The prepared CNPs, tCNPs, CLNPs and tCLNPs have the size range of 85 ± 10, 90 ± 18, 188 ± 5 and 235 ± 20 nm, respectively. The tCLNPs shows more sustained release pattern of tigecycline. The antibacterial activity of the developed nanoparticles was confirmed against laboratory and clinical strains of S. aureus using in vitro and ex vivo experiments. The ex vivo skin and muscle permeation study ensures the enhanced delivery of tigecycline to the deeper tissue. The prepared nanoparticles were hemo-compatible and cyto-compatible. Our study suggests that the prepared tCLNPs can be effectively used for the treatment of S. aureus infected wounds.

Evaluation of Ica Gene in Comparison with Phenotypic Methods for Detection of Biofilm Production by Coagulase Negative Staphylococci in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Biofilm producing bacteria are responsible for several chronic infections and are difficult to treat as they show much greater resistance to antibiotics. The major virulence factor determining the pathogenicity of CoNS has now well defined and found to be biofilm production. OBJECTIVE: The study was conducted to isolate and characterize Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) and their ability to form biofilms was evaluated by phenotypic and genotypic methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 96 clinical isolates of CoNS were characterized and subjected to biofilm detection by tissue culture plate method (TCP), tube method (TM), congo red agar method (CRA) and PCR. RESULTS: Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most commonly isolated species 76(79.17%). The ica gene was present in 35 (36.45%) of CoNS isolates which were detected as biofilm producers by TCP. Biofilm producing isolates showed higher antibiotic resistance(72.1%). Majority of biofilm producers had strong association with medical device related infections. CONCLUSION: To compare PCR based dectection method for presence of ica genes with TCP, the test share the specific identification rates. The sensitivity and specificity of TCP method in detection of biofilm was high in comparison with TM and CRA. TCP can be recommended as a general screening test for biofilm detection.

Comparative Study in Early Neonates with Septicemia by Blood Culture, Staining Techniques and C - Reactive Protein (CRP).

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the pathogenic bacteria in neo-natal septicemia by using various diagnostic techniques. SETTING AND DESIGN: Our study was designed to evaluate a feasible method to diagnose neonatal septicemia even at primary health centre level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected aseptically from 70 neonates. The specimens were inoculated into brain heart infusion broth and subcultures were performed with specific media. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of isolates was studied by Modified Kirby Bauer Disc diffusion technique and differentiate the isolates by staining methods. C-reactive protein (CRP) was evaluated by using standard kit method. RESULTS: Out of 70 cases of childhood septicemia of age group 1-30 days, 37 had positive CRP, 36 were positive for BCS and blood culture was positive only in 41 cases, where predominant organism being Klebsiella species (n=28, 68.29%) followed by Escherichia coli (n=4, 9.76%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=3,7.31%), Proteus mirabilis (n=2,4.88%) and Coagulase negative staphylococcus (n=4,9.76%). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Klebsiella species as an important cause of neonatal septicemia. The isolated organisms were found to be highly sensitive to cefatoxime and amikacin. Hence, these antibiotics can be considered as the first drug of choice for neonatal septicemia.

Melt grafting of metal salts onto LLDPE backbone--an FTIR study.

The melt graft functionalization of metal di(meth)acrylates onto linear low density poly(ethylene) (LLDPE) at 160 degrees C under inert atmosphere is reported here. The post melt grafting FTIR-RI method was used to find out the % grafting of metal salts onto LLDPE backbone. Further, DSC, TGA and HRTEM techniques were introduced to explain the results. A plausible reaction mechanism was proposed.

The structural properties of poly(aniline)--analysis via FTIR spectroscopy.

Aniline was polymerized under different experimental conditions like variation in time, temperature, monomer and concentration of initiators. Relative intensity of the benzenoid and quinonoid forms were estimated and correlated with poly(aniline) (PANI) structure. TGA counseled the thermal stability of poly(aniline). Through FTIR study, the structure of poly(aniline) was recognized. Comparison of polymerized aniline with two different initiators was done.