Evaluation of a specially-designed educational and interventional programme on institutionalized visually impaired children: A prospective interventional study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to design, implement, and to evaluate the success of an oral health care programme specially designed for visually impaired children over a 12-month period. DESIGN: A structured questionnaire collected information regarding oral health knowledge and practices of the study population. A specially designed oral health education programme was conducted for the children and their teachers and reinforced after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The oral health status of the children was assessed and scored at baseline examination and after each follow-up visit. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used for comparison of scores. Spearman's correlation test was used to measure the correlation between knowledge and practices scores with oral hygiene status. RESULTS: The study population (5-16 years) had good knowledge about oral health which, however, did not translate into everyday practices. The overall oral hygiene scores declined from 2.06 ± 1.20 at the preliminary examination to 1.24 ± 0.79 at the end of 12 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The customized oral-health education programme was efficacious in improving the oral health of the visually impaired children, and the repetition and reinforcement components of this dental health education programme were of significant value in enhancing their oral health.

Dental trauma experience of visually impaired and sighted children residing in residential schools - a comparative cross-sectional study.

AIM: To assess and compare the prevalence of dental trauma in a population of 9- to 16-year-old children with partially impaired vision and sighted children of Jodhpur city, Rajasthan State in India. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 121 children with partial impairment of vision were compared with a control group of 356 sighted children for traumatic injuries to the permanent dentition. Children in both the group were aged between 9 and 16 years and residing in a residential school. The survey was carried out using Ellis and Davy's classification of tooth fracture. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis, and the Chi-square test was used to compare different variables with P < .05. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rates of traumatic dental injury (TDI) in the visually impaired and sighted groups were 24.79% and 9.39%, respectively (P = .000). Enamel fracture was the most common type of injury, and the maxillary central incisor was most frequently involved in both the groups. Children with overjet >3 mm sustained TDI more frequently in visually impaired children. TDI was higher in children with overjet ≤3 mm in sighted groups (P = .000). In both the groups children with inadequate lip coverage had higher occurrence of TDI (P = .000). CONCLUSION: Dental trauma appeared to be more frequent in visually impaired compared to sighted children. The unmet treatment need for children with TDI was very high.

Efficacy of external cold and a vibrating device in reducing pain and anxiety during local anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of external cold and a vibrating device in reducing the pain and anxiety amidst children receiving maxillary infiltration anaesthesia over conventional methods. METHOD: A sum of thirty subjects aged between 5 and 10 years who had undergone dental procedures requiring maxillary infiltration were enrolled in the current split-mouth randomised control study. The control intervention constitutes infiltration of 1.8 mL of 2% lignocaine in addition to 1:100,000 adrenaline (Lox, Neon Laboratories Mumbai, India) whereas, the experimental group used external cold and a vibrating device (Buzzy®, MMJ Labs, Atlanta, GA, USA) in annexation to the control protocol. Simultaneous to LA administration, pulse rate was employed as an objective measure and the subjective measure was recorded using RMS Pictorial Scale (RMS-PS) for the child's discomfort. To document the child's pain as anticipated by the dentist the revised face, limbs, arms, cry and consolability (FLACC-R) scale was employed. RESULT: Lower pain sensation and anxiety was recorded in the experimental group using Buzzy when compared to control. CONCLUSION: External cold in adjacent with vibrations might be efficient in lowering pain as well as anxiety in children experiencing infiltration dental anaesthesia though further research work is requisite with a larger sample size.

Comparative Clinical and Microbial Evaluation of Two Endodontic File Systems and Irrigating Solutions in Pediatric Patients.

AIMS: The purpose of the study was to determine the best combination for chemomechanical preparation in primary teeth using two endo file systems (hand and rotary) along with two different irrigants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty primary molars indicated for pulpectomy, underwent chemomechanical preparation using endo files (H hand files and rotary Protaper files) and root canal irrigating solutions (Smearclear and QMiX). Samples from root canals were collected before and after the chemomechanical preparation of the canal and were cultured for microbial analysis of Enterococcus faecalis. RESULTS: Endodontic irrigating solutions showed significant differences of effectiveness on the growth inhibition of bacterial strain. The present study confirmed that the in vivo antimicrobial efficacy of QMiX solution was statistically significant when compared to the Smearclear solution. CONCLUSION: Based on the antimicrobial efficacy observed in the present study, it may be concluded that QMiX has a great potential than Smearclear as an intracanal irrigation solution in primary teeth and rotary preparation may be considered as more efficient and time-saving mechanical preparatory technique in primary molars.

Insulin Syringe: A Gimmick in Pediatric Dentistry.

AIM: The management of pain and anxiety in dentistry encompasses a number of procedural issues, including the delivery of anesthetic solution. One of the most important ways to manage the behavior of children is pain control. Trypanophobia is very common among dental patients and the most important goal of guidelines on behavior guidance for pediatric dental patient is to ease fear and anxiety in dental procedures in children. For the stated reasons, the purpose of the present study was to record child's pain sensation both objectively and subjectively while receiving dental local anesthesia using conventional syringes and diabetic needles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty children of age group 6 to 12 years undergoing routine dental procedures participated in the study. Every child acted as one's own control, while receiving treatment on the opposite side of the same arch. Each patient was randomly assigned to receive the injection either with conventional syringe or diabetic needle for the first visit, while the injection with the other needle was administered during the second visit. Rating scales were used for objective and subjective evaluations. RESULTS: Statistical analysis of the measurements were made using Wilcoxon signed U test and Mann-Whitney U test which showed the mean sound, eye, motor (SEM) score difference using insulin syringe. The outcome was statistically significant when compared using the mean ranks between male and female patients with that of control group. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that diabetic syringes exhibit clinical advantage and its use in pediatric dentistry for local anesthetics (LA) infiltration can prove beneficial.How to cite this article: Kour G, Masih U, Singh C, Srivastava M, Yadav P, Kushwah J. Insulin Syringe: A Gimmick in Pediatric Dentistry. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):319-323.

Comparative Quantitative Assessments of Salivary Ion Activity Product for Hydroxyapatite and Buffering Capacity in Children with Different Caries Experience.

AIM: If a relation exists between salivary IPHA, buffer capacity and caries experience, then this relationship could be used as screening chair side test for caries risk assessment. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred ninety seven children aged 4 to 6 years were examined. Data was collected by interview and clinical examination. They were divided into low, moderate and high caries experience group of 20 children each. Two ml of each sample was used to measure the pH value with pH meter. Regarding the buffering capacity, freshly prepared hydrochloric acid (HCl) was titrated into saliva and pH was recorded. The collected saliva samples were sent to Laboratory for measurement of calcium and phosphorus. IPHA was calculated and the negative logarithms of IPHA were used to determine the enamel solubility. The correlation between salivary IPHA, buffering capacity and caries experience were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a significant relation between pH, log IPHA and dental caries experience, it could be considered as a predictor of dental caries. CONCLUSION: pH measurement after HCl titration in saliva could be used as chair side screening test for the assessment of caries risk.