Assessment of knowledge, practices and attitudes of dentists toward coronavirus disease while performing aerosol-generating procedures in dentistry: A cross-sectional survey from India.

BACKGROUND: Dental procedures that generate aerosols, if not performed with precautions, are the source of infection during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to analyze dentists' awareness, knowledge and practice regarding the spread of coronavirus in India, to fill the knowledge gaps and to limit the spread of the virus while performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey containing 23 close-ended questions was conducted using the Google Forms platform. The questionnaire was knowledge, practice and attitude-based (KPA). It was completed by Indian dentists stratified according to gender, designation, years of experience, and residence type. Data was analyzed with the χ2 test, and summarized using frequency and percentage. The independent samples t test and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze intergroup differences. RESULTS: With regard to knowledge, females, specialists with 10 years of experience and those living in metro cities scored higher. For practice-based questions, males, the teaching staff, dentists with less than 5 years of experience, and those living in suburban areas provided more correct answers. For attitude-based questions, females, general practitioners (GPs), dentists with less than 5 years of experience, and those residing in suburban areas provided more correct answers. CONCLUSIONS: Dentists in India demonstrated a high level of understanding with regard to COVID-19. However, they showed a limited understanding of the extra preventative procedures to safeguard against the disease. The study findings have significant implications for the measures aimed at increasing dentists' level of KPA toward coronavirus.

Comparing the effectiveness of water flosser and dental floss in plaque reduction among adults: A systematic review.

Introduction: Interdental aids such as dental floss and water flossers have been found to be effective in removing interdental plaque. This systematic review aimed to compare the available data on the efficacy of dental floss and water flossers in plaque removal among adults. Materials and Methods: Five databases: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Lilac, and Google Scholar were searched from January 1, 2002, to October 31, 2022, to obtain the relevant articles. Based on the search strategy, the titles of the studies were screened independently by two reviewers. Randomized controlled trials were included in the review, in which the study participants were given either dental floss or water flosser. Reduction in plaque scores was the outcome that was assessed. Seven articles met the eligibility criteria and were further processed for qualitative analysis. Results: The majority of the studies favored water flossers over dental floss in plaque reduction. Water flosser was also found to be effective in removing plaque from inaccessible interproximal areas of the tooth surfaces as compared to dental floss. Conclusion: Based on the scope of this review, results suggest that water flossers can be used as an effective alternative to dental floss in patients with manual dexterity, patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, and patients with dental prostheses.