ABSTRACT
AIM: Consumption of areca nut products among school going children has become very common social evil in some areas of Nepal especially adjoining the Indian subcontinent. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of areca nut chewing habit among high school children in Terai belt of Nepal. The use of areca nut has become indigenous in this part and is being used by itself and in various formulations. The regular use of areca nut has been recognized as being carcinogenic to humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on areca nut chewing habit among high school children was collected from 1359 students of age group 14-18 years from 13 schools of Parsa district of Nepal by random selection and the information was obtained from self administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The results from this study shows that the areca nut chewing habit is significant among the students of Parsa district (30.4%) and the frequency of chewing plain Supari was reported to be high (81.6%) followed by pan masala (10.4%) and gutkha (08.0%) and the habit increased with age. CONCLUSION: It is mandatory to motivate the children not to initiate the habit and to enable the adolescent children to realize the potential health risk of areca nut products.
ABSTRACT
An ultrasound (US) gives a visible image of the organs that are present inside the body. In medicine it serves for diagnosing and also its therapeutic benefits are well established for bone healing, osteointegration and soft tissue healing. In dentistry it is widely used for diagnostic purposes. When it was discovered it was introduced for therapeutic purposes, but due to lack of clinical studies its use as therapy was remittent in dentistry. The aim of the present paper was to establish the efficiency of therapeutic US in maxillofacial region for alleviating the pain and to see the other applications. Our search included the English terms like ultrasonography, applications, dentistry in Google search engine, PubMed and Medline from 1980 to 2015. We found very few articles showing the effects of therapeutic Ultrasound (US) in treatment of pain and healing in dentistry. We concluded that clinical benefits of in vivo studies were very little and demands further rigorous research to strive for the therapeutic success of US.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The impaction rate is higher for the third molars than for any other tooth in modern human population. This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the validity of linear and angular measurements on the digital panoramic radiograph as a reference for early prediction of mandibular third molar eruption/impaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Digital panoramic radiographs of 200 subjects were selected based on their status of eruption of mandibular third molars; fully erupted (Group A), partially erupted (Group B), fully developed but not erupted (Group C) and partially developed groups (Group D). Each group comprised 50 subjects with 25 males and 25 females. Nine variables (linear measurements, angles, and ratios) were determined and measured bilaterally by two observers and values were compared between the study groups and genders. RESULTS: The data thus obtained were analyzed for comparison among all the study groups. It was found that the difference in the mean values of lower eruption space (LES) measurements, α-angle (angle between long axis of the third molar and gonial-symphyseal plane) and ß-angle (angle between long axis of mandibular second and third molars) were significant (P < 0.05). The mean values of mesiodistal width, LES-ramus, LES-Xi point and ß-angle were found more in males than in females. No significant difference was observed between the sides. CONCLUSION: α- and ß-angle together with LES measurements give the accurate information on early prediction of lower third molar eruption or impaction.
