Correlation between whole salivary prostaglandin E2 and hemoglobin A1c levels among type-2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients with periodontal inflammation.

BACKGROUND: It is hypothesized that whole salivary prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) levels are higher in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (type-2 DM) than non-diabetic individuals with periodontal inflammation; and that whole salivary expression of PgE2 is correlated with hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels. The aim of the present study was to compare whole salivary PgE2 levels among patients with type-2 DM and non-diabetic individuals with periodontal inflammation. METHODS: Sociodemographic data, duration since the diagnosis and management of type-2 DM, most recent hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c level), and any familial history of DM was retrieved from patient's healthcare records. Participants were divided into four groups: Group-1: type-2 diabetics with periodontal inflammation; Group-2: type-2 diabetics without periodontal inflammation; Group-3: non-diabetics with periodontal inflammation; and Group-4: non-diabetics without periodontal inflammation. Plaque and gingival indices (PI and GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and marginal bone loss (MBL) were measured. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected and PgE2 levels were measured. Group-comparisons were done and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: One-hundred-sixty individuals were included. Mean HbA1c levels were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05). The PI (P < 0.05), GI (P < 0.05) and PD (P < 0.05) were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 and 4. The CAL was higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05) and 3 (P < 0.05). The PD (P < 0.05), PI (P < 0.05) and GI (P < 0.05) were higher in Group-3 than Group-4. The MBL was higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05). The PgE2 levels were higher in Group-1 than groups 2 (P < 0.05), 3 (P < 0.05) and 4 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia in patients with type-2 DM is associated with increased expression of whole salivary PgE2 levels and worsened periodontal inflammation compared with individuals with well-controlled type-2 DM and non-diabetic individuals.

Investigating the role of internet-based educational application in the dental sciences.

The study intended to identify the significance of the online information retrieval system (IRS) in evidence-based dentistry (EBD). Thus, the researchers apply a set of pre-and post-tests to evaluate the current knowledge of clinicians and students on online IRS. Materials and Methods: The researchers followed repeated measure design in this study. They applied random sampling technique for conducting pre-and post-test assessment. Five scenarios based EBD were developed to evaluate the performance of the participants. The researchers employed two phases in order to achieve the study's objective. In the first phase, 98 clinicians and 70 students were invited to attend three out of five clinical scenarios using IRS. In the second phase, the participants were invited to participate in a 15-min lecture presented by the researchers on the searching strategies and guidelines to apply keywords for searching the evidence using IRS. A significant level of p < 0.05 was obtained from the statistical analysis using the SPSS program version 16. Results: Of the 98 clinicians, only 37 responded to the questionnaire, with a response rate of 37.8 %. On the other hand, out of 70 students, 23 responded to the questionnaire, with a response rate of 32.8 %. In the pre-test, clinicians and students correctly answered 58.3 % of scenario questions. However, the data analysis outcome revealed that only 40.5 % of participants provided a relevant evidence source after an internet search. The students spent an average of 9 min to complete the task, whereas clinicians spent 16 min. After the completion of the lecture, 23 students and clinicians responded to the pre-test, whereas 10 responded to the post-test. Most students believed that the lecture was helpful and recommended similar types of lectures to be presented in the curriculum. The study findings highlight that the percentage of evidence provided in the "pre-test" was 60 %, which was improved in the post-test to 73.3 %. Conclusion: The experimental outcome suggests that internet-based educational applications enhance students' learning strategies. Additionally, the IRS supports clinicians in retrieving effective materials for treating their patients. Furthemore, there is a demand for extracurricular activity to improve the search strategies of clinicians and students to strengthen EBD.

Dental Students' Perceptions Towards E-learning in Comparison With Traditional Classroom Learning.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic learning (e-learning) has evolved into a popular educational approach since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While this represents an additional model for teaching, traditional classroom learning fosters the development of interpersonal skills and enables students to share and discuss specific topics. However, existing research on the comparison of both these modes of learning in the field of dental education is inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of dental students towards both electronic and classroom learning. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted between November 2022 and January 2023 among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Students were questioned on their comparative perceptions of e-learning and classroom learning before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Questionnaire responses, including demographic data, were collected and tabulated, using electronic data management software. The tabulated data were analyzed to provide descriptive statistics and compare electronic and classroom learning with demographic variables and previous experience with e-learning. RESULTS: Most respondents reported possessing average information technology (IT) skills and prior experience with e-learning. Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) (Reston, VA: Blackboard Inc.), Zoom (San Jose, CA: Zoom Video Communications Inc.), and Microsoft Teams (Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation) were the most commonly used and advantageous e-learning platforms. While the majority of participants found both methods acceptable for problem-based learning sessions and theoretical lectures, they reported e-learning to be less effective than classroom learning for clinical and practical sessions. Regarding e-learning as a preferred method over classroom learning, most responses were "neutral" or "uncertain." Comparing the mean ranks of the ordinal responses for the different teaching methodologies and the nominal responses for e-learning as the preferred method, no statistically significant interactions were observed for demographic characteristics, IT-skill levels, or prior experience with e-learning. CONCLUSION: Although enhanced performance and learning capacity are enabled through e-learning, the advantages of personal interactions and the feasibility of practical and clinical dental sessions are achieved only through classroom learning.