Incidence of Dental Caries in Relation to Sweet Taste Perception and Dietary Habits among Students - A Cross Sectional Study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of sweet taste perception on dietary habits among students. Furthermore, the relationship between dietary habits and caries was studied. Methodology: cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 college-going students aged 18-23 years from the Asan Memorial Institutions. The frequency of consumption of certain food items was analyzed from a Beverage and Snack Questionnaire, and the dietary record was obtained for 3 days. The sweet taste perception level was determined as sweet taste threshold and sweet taste preference. According to the sweet taste perception level, children were grouped into low, medium, and high. Decayed, missing, and filled teeth index was used for recording the incidence of caries. Results: High sweet threshold and preference groups showed an increased incidence of dental caries compared to the low and medium threshold and preference groups. Conclusion: Sweet taste perception level influenced the dietary habits and intake of sweets. The relationship between the dietary habits and the caries was found to be significant.

Shade selection of primary maxillary anterior teeth in children using Vitapan classical shade guide.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the closest matching shade for primary maxillary anterior teeth from the most widely used Vitapan classical shade guide available for permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 313 children aged between 3 and 5 years were evaluated. Vitapan classical shade guide was used to determine the shade of six primary maxillary anterior teeth. Scores obtained were noted down in a scoring sheet and values were tabulated. Data collected were tabulated and statistically analyzed using Pearson Chi-square test. RESULTS: A1 was found to be the closest matching shade for primary maxillary anterior teeth. D3 was found to be the least prevalent shade for primary maxillary anterior teeth. There was no statistical significant difference in the shades among teeth of same quadrant (p > 0.05) and also between teeth of right and left quadrants (p > 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: A1 shade of Vitapan classical shade guide is the most prevalent shade for primary maxillary anterior teeth and can be satisfactorily reproduced to all primary maxillary anterior teeth in general.

Effectiveness of new vibration delivery system on pain associated with injection of local anesthesia in children.

AIM: Pain is highly subjective and it is neurologically proven that stimulation of larger diameter fibers - e.g., using appropriate coldness, warmth, rubbing, pressure or vibration - can close the neural "gate" so that the central perception of itch and pain is reduced. This fact is based upon "gate control" theory of Melzack and Wall. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of vibration stimuli on pain experienced during local anesthetic injections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients aged 6-12 years old of both the genders with Frankel's behavior rating scale as positive and definitely positive requiring bilateral local anesthesia injections for dental treatment were included in the split-mouth cross over design. Universal pain assessment tool was used to assess the pain with and without vibration during the administration of local anesthesia and the results obtained were tabulated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Local anesthetic administration with vibration resulted in significantly less pain (P = 0.001) compared to the injections without the use of vibe. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that vibration can be used as an effective method to decrease pain during dental local anesthetic administration.

Child's dental fear: cause related factors and the influence of audiovisual modeling.

BACKGROUND: Delivery of effective dental treatment to a child patient requires thorough knowledge to recognize dental fear and its management by the application of behavioral management techniques. Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) helps in identification of specific stimuli which provoke fear in children with regard to dental situation. Audiovisual modeling can be successfully used in pediatric dental practice. AIM: To assess the degree of fear provoked by various stimuli in the dental office and to evaluate the effect of audiovisual modeling on dental fear of children using CFSS-DS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety children were divided equally into experimental (group I) and control (group II) groups and were assessed in two visits for their degree of fear and the effect of audiovisual modeling, with the help of CFSS-DS. RESULTS: The most fear-provoking stimulus for children was injection and the least was to open the mouth and having somebody look at them. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall mean CFSS-DS scores between the two groups during the initial session (P > 0.05). However, in the final session, a statistically significant difference was observed in the overall mean fear scores between the groups (P < 0.01). Significant improvement was seen in group I, while no significant change was noted in case of group II. CONCLUSION: Audiovisual modeling resulted in a significant reduction of overall fear as well as specific fear in relation to most of the items. A significant reduction of fear toward dentists, doctors in general, injections, being looked at, the sight, sounds, and act of the dentist drilling, and having the nurse clean their teeth was observed.

Comparative evaluation of fluoride release and recharge of pre-reacted glass ionomer composite and nano-ionomeric glass ionomer with daily fluoride exposure: an in vitro study.

AIM: This in vitro study was designed to investigate the effects of daily fluoride exposures on fluoride release and recharge by prereacted glass ionomer (PRG) composite and nano-ionomeric glass ionomer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two specimens (36 of each material) were prepared and by placing the restorative materials into Teflon mold. Each specimen was subjected to one of three daily treatments (n = 12): (1) No fluoride treatment (control); (2) application of a fluoride dentifrice (1,000 ppm) once daily; and (3) the same regimen as (2), plus immersion in a 0.05% sodium fluoride (NaF) mouth rinse (225 ppm) immediately following the dentifrice application. Specimens were suspended in a storage vial containing 10 ml demineralizing solution for 6 h and transferred to a new test tube containing 10 ml remineralizing solution for 18 h. Fluoride treatments of the specimens were completed every day prior to their immersion in the demineralizing solution. Media solutions were buffered with equal volumes of total ionic strength adjustment buffer (TISAB) II; fluoride levels were measured using a digital ion analyzer and fluoride electrode throughout the 21 day duration of the experiment. RESULTS: Nano-ionomeric glass ionomer showed a better amount of fluoride release than PRG composite irrespective of the fluoride treatment supplementation (P < 0.01). Additional fluoride supplementation improved fluoride release and recharge ability for both the materials when compared to their respective control groups. The fluoride recharge for both materials did not show any sustained pattern of release. CONCLUSION: Nano-ionomeric glass ionomer demonstrated a greater ability to release and recharge compared with that of PRG composite.