Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of elementary school teachers about the management of dental... more Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of elementary school teachers about the management of dental trauma. Material and Methods: An observational study, with the cross-sectional design, was conducted among primary school teachers in Hail, Saudi Arabia during January 2017. The questionnaire distributed among 400 primary school teachers from 18 different schools using convenient sampling. Data were gathered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: 378 (94.5%) respondents to the questionnaire. It was found that only 37.8% of the primary school teachers were able to distinguish between the primary and permanent teeth. Only 59.5% reported starting the management of a child with trauma immediately. Merely 38.4% believed that it is important to search for the missing tooth or the broken pieces, whereas 31% would re-implant the permanent tooth into the socket by themselves. Regarding the storage media, only 16.6% respond correctly. According to school teachers, the best way of learning the management of dental trauma at school is through videos (36.2%) and phone application (33.9%). Conclusion: School teachers lack knowledge regarding the management of dental trauma. We strongly recommend planning for dental trauma educational based on the teacher's perception after pilot testing its effectiveness.
Aim: Teeth maintain the functionality and esthetic of oral cavity, they are also important for ps... more Aim: Teeth maintain the functionality and esthetic of oral cavity, they are also important for psychological and social well-being. This study aims to assess awareness of patients toward replacement of missing teeth. People with unrestored or missing teeth tend to have poor self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life; hence, their knowledge toward restoring and replacing teeth is an important aspect to be measured. Materials and methods: It was an observational study having a cross-sectional design. Face-and content-validated questionnaire was used as study tool. Nonprobability, convenient sampling technique was employed that yielded information from 183 respondents residing in various areas of Hail city. Data were collected after written informed consent. The study was approved by the University of Hail ethical committee. Results: Two hundred questionnaires were distributed, out of which 183 were returned. Regarding knowledge of restoring missing teeth, 145 (79.2%) respondents know that function and esthetic can be maintained by replacing missing teeth. Information about the availability of various types of prosthesis was mostly obtained by them through their dentist (70; 48.3%), while books/magazines/Internet was the second source (38; 26.2%) and 37 (25.5%) heard it from someone who has already undergone the replacement of teeth. Conclusion: The present study indicated that a good number of respondents have the knowledge of teeth replacement, and dentists were the most common source of information to the patients in terms of education about different treatment options. Clinical significance: Evaluate and plan treatment options based on patients' expectations and perceptions.
Aim: The study aims to evaluate the patients' compliance with post-extraction instructions to pre... more Aim: The study aims to evaluate the patients' compliance with post-extraction instructions to prevent the development of alveolar osteitis and keep the health of the socket. Alveolar osteitis "Dry socket" is considered one of the most common complications after extraction. Materials and methods: Study was based on an observational cross-sectional design involving 201 subjects (individuals). The subjects were evaluated via a survey questionnaire and clinical examination after obtaining their verbal and written consent. The study questionnaire was divided into the following sections; section one records the demographic data about the subject while the second section focuses on self-assessment mainly regarding compliance with post-extraction instructions and pain. Results: A total number of patients included in the study was 201, 122 (60.7%) male and 79 (39.3%) female with an age of more than 18 years. No statistically significant association was reported between a medical condition and dry socket. Out of 201 patients came for clinical examination, 89 felt pain at the site of extraction at different period started from the day of extraction till the day of examination with various pain intensity. Females were the most to feel pain after tooth extraction with 78%. Regarding prevalence, 14 (7%) patients reported having dry socket and poor socket status. A statistically significant association of non-complying patients with the incidence of the dry socket was observed for a wide range of age (18 to 40 years) Conclusion: The study showed a high degree of association between the incidence of dry socket cases for patients with poor compliance with post-extraction instruction. A strong relation was observed between the patients who felt pain and their gender (females) Clinical significance: Based on the findings of the present study, we recommend the need to properly educate patients on the effect of compliance and the various complications and factors affecting the socket status after tooth extraction due to non-compliance.
Introduction: It was a questionnaire based study conducted among senior most clinical students st... more Introduction: It was a questionnaire based study conducted among senior most clinical students studying in dental school at Sofia University Bulgaria. Objective: The purpose of the present study is to assess knowledge of clinical students about current caries management protocols versus their practices, and to determine barrier for not following Caries Management by Risk Assessment CAMBRA protocol for adult patients at Sofia University. (CAMBRA) is an evidence-based methodology to prevent arrest and reverse clinically evident caries. Though CAMBRA is more preventive and less restorative and has shown promising results in caries reduction, it has not been accepted and practiced by dentists worldwide. The reason might be the lack of emphasis given to CAMBRA protocols and hands-on training dental students receive during clinical sessions in their dental schools. Results: In the present study almost 100 % of the students had didactic knowledge about CAMBRA but its clinical implementation was significantly low employing McNemar test using SPSS-20. Conclusion: There is a necessity to integrate a more comprehensive caries prevention program for adults into the dental curriculum of the dental school at Sofia University, Bulgaria.
Oral hygiene education and practice at an early age is one of the essential determinant of indivi... more Oral hygiene education and practice at an early age is one of the essential determinant of individual's health state later in life as well. Dental health issues are much prevalent in urban slum dwellers. The aim of this present study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes about oral hygiene practice among urban slum dwellers in Islamabad, Pakistan. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was comprised of 200 urban slums age ranging from 20 till 50 years. They were interviewed by trained staff. The participants were from Islamabad, Pakistan. Data consisted of oral hygiene questions and attitudes of population towards it. Results: Study participants were assessed for having knowledge about oral health and there were 167 (83.5%) respondents agreed that they had knowledge about oral health and 33(16.5%) agreed that they don't know about oral health. 182 (93.5%) respondents had knowledge about methods of cleaning teeth and 18 (96.5%) had no knowledge in this regard. Conclusion: Study findings depicted that the need for more oral hygiene is essential. School education can provide objective guide for the development of comprehensive oral hygiene regimen. Awareness should be spread regarding dental hygiene and its importance. People should visit dentist after every six months for their oral checkup. Furthermore, dental surgeons should devote some of their precious time to establish free dental camps.
Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health related knowledge of undergraduate stud... more Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health related knowledge of undergraduate students in the Ha'il Region of Saudi Arabia, based on the American Dental Association (ADA) recommendations. Material and Methods: A descriptive study with a cross-sectional design encompassing 251 undergraduate students was carried out using self-administered questionnaire. Responses were collected and descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests and estimation of p values were performed. Results: Most of the students showed good knowledge about the causes of oral disease. Eighty-six percent (n = 215) of the respondents knew that sugar causes dental decay, while 82% (n = 206) knew that smoking leads to oral cancer. More than half of the respondents don't know the beneficial roles of fluoride on dental caries (53%, n = 133) and of vitamin C on oral tissues (58%, n = 146). Majority of the respondents (82%, n = 206) agreed that regular dental visits helps prevent oral disease. As for knowledge about maintaining oral hygiene, results showed that 52% (n = 130) of the students brushed their teeth twice daily. However, only 23% (n = 57) brushed their teeth for 2 minutes and only 20% (n = 49) of the respondents had idea about dental floss as an interdental cleaning aid. Conclusions: Data from this study indicates that most of the undergraduate students in the Ha'il Region have a reasonable understanding of the causes of oral diseases. However, their understanding of the prevention of oral diseases and oral hygiene maintenance was limited. Copyright of International Medical Journal is the property of Japan International Cultural Exchange Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. For access to this entire article and additional high quality information, please check with your college/university library, local public library, or affiliated institution. Important User Information: Remote access to EBSCO's databases is permitted to patrons of subscribing institutions accessing from remote locations for personal, non-commercial use. However, remote access to EBSCO's databases from non-subscribing institutions is not allowed if the purpose of the use is for commercial gain through cost reduction or avoidance for a non-subscribing institution.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to measure traditional methods used by the people of Hail, Kin... more Aim: The purpose of this study was to measure traditional methods used by the people of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to whiten teeth. This will help us to find out some of the possible reasons from them for using the techniques and would enable us to raise awareness. Materials and methods: It was an observational study having a cross-sectional design. It included 350 respondents living in Hail, and the study used a nonprobability convenient sampling technique. Data about demographics and the methods used for teeth whitening were collected using a self-administered validated questionnaire translated into Arabic. Results: The results depict that majority of the study participants (59.1%) with low income level were not satisfied with their tooth color and were willing to undergo tooth-whitening procedures. Coal was used by 21% of respondent for teeth whitening, followed by olive oil 15%, and lemon 10%. Conclusion: Based on the information, it is clear that a group of people living in Hail is still comfortable to use the conventional methods to make their teeth look whiter. Clinical significance: Despite the advances in esthetic dentistry , traditional methods of teeth cleansing and whitening are still being practiced. The practice is without evidence and without any scientific rationale. It can cost individuals their oral as well as overall health.
Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) may sometimes present secondary to an intra-cranial cause. A... more Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) may sometimes present secondary to an intra-cranial cause. Arnold Chiari Malformation (ACM) is downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum that may be a cause of TN like pain in very rare cases.
INTRODUCTION Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as it is a sudden, u... more INTRODUCTION Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as it is a sudden, usually unilateral, severe, short stabbing, episodic pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve 1. Since it is triggered by slightest stimulation of various trigger zones on the face and inside the mouth, this prevents the patient from speaking, eating, drinking, touching or washing of the face and brushing teeth 1,2,3. In very rare cases, trigeminal neuralgia is secondary to other conditions including tumors, multiple sclerosis etc Patients with histories of TN usually undergo several ablative procedures or inappropriate interventions before accurate diagnosis 2,3. As the sensory nerve supply of the teeth and jaws is the trigeminal nerve, TN is often misdiagnosed as a dental problem resulting in tooth extraction 3,4. Magnetic Resonance Imagining is mandatory gold standard for timely diagnosis of TN secondary to intra-cranial pathologies 1,3. Schwannomas are very uncommon benign tumors originating from th cells of the nerve sheaths that may involve any peripheral, A B S T R A C T Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as slightest stimulation of various trigger zones on the face and inside the mouth may trigger a painful episode, thus preventing the patient from speaking, eating, drinking, t the face and brushing teeth. Trigeminal schwannomas are rare benign tumors that may present with TN like pain. Case Report: 55 year old gentleman presented with severe lanciating episodic pain on the left side of his face along with tinititus in the left ear, loss of corneal reflex and sleep disturbance due to pain. The pain was earlier misdiagnosed as a tooth ache that resulted in some of his teeth being unnecessarily extracted. A multiecho and multiplanar imaging through the brain revealed 1.8 x 1.5 x 1.5cm sized T1W/T2W iso left antero-lateral aspect of the pons in the region of trigeminal nerve showing intense enhancement of post-gadolinium images suggestive of trigeminal schwannoma. Conclusion:After meticulous history and methodical clinical examination with a focus on detailed assessment of cranial nerves Magnetic Resonance Imagining(MRI) is mandatory gold standard for timely exclusion of intra-cranial space occupying lesion in patients with long history of TN.
Objective: This is a baseline study that will facilitate diagnosis and planning of oral health ca... more Objective: This is a baseline study that will facilitate diagnosis and planning of oral health care services and further serve as a guide for future referrals and related studies in the local population. Methodology: This is an observational descriptive study with cross sectional design that involves analysis of 100 cases of oro-facial lesions diagnosed at the Department of Oral Maxillofacial and Dental Surgery at the Jinnah postgraduate medical training center Karachi (JPMC) from January 2014-October 2015. Results: Out of a total of 100 orofacial lesions, 56 were benign and 46 malignant with posterior mandible as the most affected site. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent pathology amongst them. The soft tissue lesion were prevalent in 40% males and 36% females of 4 th 5 th 6 th decades of life. These included pyogenic granuloma 15.0%, fibrous epulis 10.0%, squamous cell carcinoma (well differentiated) 31.0%, Conclusion: Oral squamous cell carcinoma presented the highest occurrence reported affecting the adolescence and elderly with posterior mandibular region being the most common site.
Objective: One of the major reasons for root canal failure is microleakage through the apex. Ther... more Objective: One of the major reasons for root canal failure is microleakage through the apex. There are various types of root apex sealers being used in endodontic practices with varying rate of clinical success. This study was planned to evaluate the sealing ability of Zinc oxide eugenol based, Calcium hydroxide based, resin based and tricalcium based root canal sealers using dye penetration method. Material and Methods: It was an experimental study with randomized control trial. Fifty (50) extracted incisors were prepared for root canal obturation. The apical enlargement up to K file 25 was done using stepback technique and resto of the canal was flared up to K file 60.Sodium Hypochlorite was used as irrigant. After instrumentation, the 40 teeth were obturated using various sealers and 10 were obturated without any sealer followed by lateral condensation technique. Prepared samples were divided into four groups (10 teeth each with one of the sealers) of experimental study and two groups (5 teeth each without sealer) for control. 45 samples were coronally sealed with sticky wax and surface coated with nail polish leaving apical 2 mm. Among samples obturated without a sealer, 5 were coronally sealed with sticky wax but surface treated to the full length of the root. All the samples were then assessed for 2% methylene blue dye penetration test. Results: Inter group comparison showed that samples apically obturated with tricalcium phosphate sealer performed the best sealing ability as compared to other ones used in the study. Conclusion: No sealer used in this study perfectly seals apex.
Background: Dental amalgam is extensively used as a material of choice for posterior restorations... more Background: Dental amalgam is extensively used as a material of choice for posterior restorations and Mercury (Hg) is its essential component. Mercury is a toxic substance which can be harmful for a Dentists and clinic staff due to long term exposure to Hg vapors in the clinic atmosphere. To avoid adverse effects of Hg on health of clinic personnel, American Dental Association (ADA) has laid down recommendations to follow while handling Hg or amalgam. Majority of general dentists practicing in Karachi-a metropolitan city of Pakistan place amalgam restorations more than the restorations of any other material. Despite frequent use of amalgam and Hg, no much data is available to show level of safety precautions taken by these dentists. This study was planned to assess the Hg hygiene practices of general dentists who run their private dental clinics in Karachi. Methods: A questionnaire based study conducted among general dentists practicing in Karachi. Results: Except use of personnel protective equipment, prevalence of following other precautions recommended by ADA for Hg hygiene is not encouraging. Conclusion: Practicing general dentists work in Hg-rich environment and are at risk of jeopardizing their health. Moreover, they are persistent source of atmospheric pollution with Hg which requires strict monitoring.
Objectives: Smoking is one of the major risk factors for periodontal diseases, oral and lung canc... more Objectives: Smoking is one of the major risk factors for periodontal diseases, oral and lung cancers, and other respiratory diseases. Mortality because of smoking is reported to be more than any other risk factors. Dentists can play a major role in spreading the 'quit-smoking' message because people will visit dentist more compared with physician, hence the present study was planned to evaluate smoking cessation advice in dental practice in Hail city Material & Methods: It was an observational study, having a cross-sectional design. Face and content validated questionnaire was used to collect the data from licensed dentists working in government and private clinics in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia. Data was displayed as number and percentage. McNemar test was used to measure inferential statistics Using SPSS version 20. Results: The majority of responding dentists (89.3%) have knowledge about the significance of smoking history and its hazards , but a very few collects information from their patients about their smoking habits or warn them about hazards. The greatest obstacle for the dentists in smoking cessation expedition is lack of time and training. Conclusion: Dentists with some training in this regard may become a very effective tool to disseminate the quit-smoking and oral health message in Hail, and across Saudi Arabia.
Objective: To assess the clinical practice of patients' record keeping by dental practitioners in... more Objective: To assess the clinical practice of patients' record keeping by dental practitioners in the Valley of Kashmir, India Methods: The present study consists of a retrospective design. Fifty patients' notes written by dentists were selected at our convenience. The evaluation of notes was performed by comparing the findings with General Dental Council (GDC), Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCOA) and Royal College of Surgeons (RCOS), UK guidelines and recommendations. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: Merely 50% of the notes documented valid consent and 58% updated their patients' medical history. In 80% of notes administration of local anaesthesia, further 68% also recorded the dose of LA and 60% had mentioned the type and concentration of vasoconstrictor present. Fifty eight (58%) documented the site of LA administration and use needle type was recorded in only 8% of patients notes. Conclusion: The study has found that the current standards of clinical record keeping of consent, medical history update and documentation of local anaesthesia details in the patients' records is inadequate. Reiteration to clinicians of the guidelines is required so as to improve the situation. KEY WORDS GDC guidelines for record keeping, documentation in dental practice, record of anaesthesia
Introduction: Dental panoramic radiography, also known as orthopantomography (OPG) is a commonly ... more Introduction: Dental panoramic radiography, also known as orthopantomography (OPG) is a commonly performed investigation for assessment of dental pathologies, including dental impactions. OPG in case of dental impactions can assist in determination of the location and angulation of the 3 rd molars and their relation to the adjacent teeth and structures. The aim of the study was to investigate the distribution of impacted third (3rd) molars in dental students of the Hai'l Region of Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: The study population of this observational study comprised 170 male and female dental students of the College of Dentistry (CoD), University of Hai'l (UoH). On induction, the study participants underwent clinical examination and OPG. The clinical and OPG assessments assisted in determining the presence of impaction and patterns of angulation of the 3 rd molars in maxilla and mandible. Results: From the 170 OPGs, 95 (55.8%) showed at least one impacted 3 rd molar with significant differences between males (30; 31.5%) and females (65; 68.4%). The proportion of impacted mandibular 3rd molars was 2.3 times higher in comparison to the impaction of maxillary 3rd molars. Both in mandible and maxilla, the most common patterns of 3rd molar angulation were vertical. Among females, vertical angulation remained the most common pattern of impaction followed by mesio-angular angulation. Among males, horizontal impaction remained the most common pattern of impaction followed by same numbers for vertical and disto-angular angulation. Conclusion: The results show a high frequency of 3 rd molar impactions among dental students of the Hai'l Region of Saudi Arabia. The proportion of 3rd molar impactions were higher in female students and mandible. Surgical removal of 3rd molars should only be reserved for impactions associated with clinical complexities.
Objective: To find out the frequency of rubber dam usage among clinical students, interns and den... more Objective: To find out the frequency of rubber dam usage among clinical students, interns and dental practitioners and the barriers they come across to place it routinely in their practices. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was performed from October 2016 to January 2017 using non-probability convenience sampling. A questionnaire was meticulously designed based on questionnaires used in similar studies in the past. The target population in this study was clinical dental students, interns and the faculty members working in various teaching institutions in Karachi and involved in general dental practice. Data from completed questionnaire was analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: With the healthy response rate of 81%, this study shows that the majority (76%) of clinical students, interns and practicing dentists in Karachi, Pakistan continue to ignore the rubber dam placement in their routine practices. Total 89% of non-users did not use it as they find it time consuming and 66% of them mentioned that it is difficult to place. Couple of other reasons for which more than 50% of respondents avoid using rubber dam are frequent tearing of the sheet and patient's fear or abhorring attitude towards placement of rubber dam. Conclusion: This study suggests that use of rubber dam is an unpopular method for isolation of operative site among clinical students, interns and clinicians working in Karachi.
Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of elementary school teachers about the management of dental... more Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of elementary school teachers about the management of dental trauma. Material and Methods: An observational study, with the cross-sectional design, was conducted among primary school teachers in Hail, Saudi Arabia during January 2017. The questionnaire distributed among 400 primary school teachers from 18 different schools using convenient sampling. Data were gathered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: 378 (94.5%) respondents to the questionnaire. It was found that only 37.8% of the primary school teachers were able to distinguish between the primary and permanent teeth. Only 59.5% reported starting the management of a child with trauma immediately. Merely 38.4% believed that it is important to search for the missing tooth or the broken pieces, whereas 31% would re-implant the permanent tooth into the socket by themselves. Regarding the storage media, only 16.6% respond correctly. According to school teachers, the best way of learning the management of dental trauma at school is through videos (36.2%) and phone application (33.9%). Conclusion: School teachers lack knowledge regarding the management of dental trauma. We strongly recommend planning for dental trauma educational based on the teacher's perception after pilot testing its effectiveness.
Aim: Teeth maintain the functionality and esthetic of oral cavity, they are also important for ps... more Aim: Teeth maintain the functionality and esthetic of oral cavity, they are also important for psychological and social well-being. This study aims to assess awareness of patients toward replacement of missing teeth. People with unrestored or missing teeth tend to have poor self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life; hence, their knowledge toward restoring and replacing teeth is an important aspect to be measured. Materials and methods: It was an observational study having a cross-sectional design. Face-and content-validated questionnaire was used as study tool. Nonprobability, convenient sampling technique was employed that yielded information from 183 respondents residing in various areas of Hail city. Data were collected after written informed consent. The study was approved by the University of Hail ethical committee. Results: Two hundred questionnaires were distributed, out of which 183 were returned. Regarding knowledge of restoring missing teeth, 145 (79.2%) respondents know that function and esthetic can be maintained by replacing missing teeth. Information about the availability of various types of prosthesis was mostly obtained by them through their dentist (70; 48.3%), while books/magazines/Internet was the second source (38; 26.2%) and 37 (25.5%) heard it from someone who has already undergone the replacement of teeth. Conclusion: The present study indicated that a good number of respondents have the knowledge of teeth replacement, and dentists were the most common source of information to the patients in terms of education about different treatment options. Clinical significance: Evaluate and plan treatment options based on patients' expectations and perceptions.
Aim: The study aims to evaluate the patients' compliance with post-extraction instructions to pre... more Aim: The study aims to evaluate the patients' compliance with post-extraction instructions to prevent the development of alveolar osteitis and keep the health of the socket. Alveolar osteitis "Dry socket" is considered one of the most common complications after extraction. Materials and methods: Study was based on an observational cross-sectional design involving 201 subjects (individuals). The subjects were evaluated via a survey questionnaire and clinical examination after obtaining their verbal and written consent. The study questionnaire was divided into the following sections; section one records the demographic data about the subject while the second section focuses on self-assessment mainly regarding compliance with post-extraction instructions and pain. Results: A total number of patients included in the study was 201, 122 (60.7%) male and 79 (39.3%) female with an age of more than 18 years. No statistically significant association was reported between a medical condition and dry socket. Out of 201 patients came for clinical examination, 89 felt pain at the site of extraction at different period started from the day of extraction till the day of examination with various pain intensity. Females were the most to feel pain after tooth extraction with 78%. Regarding prevalence, 14 (7%) patients reported having dry socket and poor socket status. A statistically significant association of non-complying patients with the incidence of the dry socket was observed for a wide range of age (18 to 40 years) Conclusion: The study showed a high degree of association between the incidence of dry socket cases for patients with poor compliance with post-extraction instruction. A strong relation was observed between the patients who felt pain and their gender (females) Clinical significance: Based on the findings of the present study, we recommend the need to properly educate patients on the effect of compliance and the various complications and factors affecting the socket status after tooth extraction due to non-compliance.
Introduction: It was a questionnaire based study conducted among senior most clinical students st... more Introduction: It was a questionnaire based study conducted among senior most clinical students studying in dental school at Sofia University Bulgaria. Objective: The purpose of the present study is to assess knowledge of clinical students about current caries management protocols versus their practices, and to determine barrier for not following Caries Management by Risk Assessment CAMBRA protocol for adult patients at Sofia University. (CAMBRA) is an evidence-based methodology to prevent arrest and reverse clinically evident caries. Though CAMBRA is more preventive and less restorative and has shown promising results in caries reduction, it has not been accepted and practiced by dentists worldwide. The reason might be the lack of emphasis given to CAMBRA protocols and hands-on training dental students receive during clinical sessions in their dental schools. Results: In the present study almost 100 % of the students had didactic knowledge about CAMBRA but its clinical implementation was significantly low employing McNemar test using SPSS-20. Conclusion: There is a necessity to integrate a more comprehensive caries prevention program for adults into the dental curriculum of the dental school at Sofia University, Bulgaria.
Oral hygiene education and practice at an early age is one of the essential determinant of indivi... more Oral hygiene education and practice at an early age is one of the essential determinant of individual's health state later in life as well. Dental health issues are much prevalent in urban slum dwellers. The aim of this present study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes about oral hygiene practice among urban slum dwellers in Islamabad, Pakistan. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was comprised of 200 urban slums age ranging from 20 till 50 years. They were interviewed by trained staff. The participants were from Islamabad, Pakistan. Data consisted of oral hygiene questions and attitudes of population towards it. Results: Study participants were assessed for having knowledge about oral health and there were 167 (83.5%) respondents agreed that they had knowledge about oral health and 33(16.5%) agreed that they don't know about oral health. 182 (93.5%) respondents had knowledge about methods of cleaning teeth and 18 (96.5%) had no knowledge in this regard. Conclusion: Study findings depicted that the need for more oral hygiene is essential. School education can provide objective guide for the development of comprehensive oral hygiene regimen. Awareness should be spread regarding dental hygiene and its importance. People should visit dentist after every six months for their oral checkup. Furthermore, dental surgeons should devote some of their precious time to establish free dental camps.
Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health related knowledge of undergraduate stud... more Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the oral health related knowledge of undergraduate students in the Ha'il Region of Saudi Arabia, based on the American Dental Association (ADA) recommendations. Material and Methods: A descriptive study with a cross-sectional design encompassing 251 undergraduate students was carried out using self-administered questionnaire. Responses were collected and descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests and estimation of p values were performed. Results: Most of the students showed good knowledge about the causes of oral disease. Eighty-six percent (n = 215) of the respondents knew that sugar causes dental decay, while 82% (n = 206) knew that smoking leads to oral cancer. More than half of the respondents don't know the beneficial roles of fluoride on dental caries (53%, n = 133) and of vitamin C on oral tissues (58%, n = 146). Majority of the respondents (82%, n = 206) agreed that regular dental visits helps prevent oral disease. As for knowledge about maintaining oral hygiene, results showed that 52% (n = 130) of the students brushed their teeth twice daily. However, only 23% (n = 57) brushed their teeth for 2 minutes and only 20% (n = 49) of the respondents had idea about dental floss as an interdental cleaning aid. Conclusions: Data from this study indicates that most of the undergraduate students in the Ha'il Region have a reasonable understanding of the causes of oral diseases. However, their understanding of the prevention of oral diseases and oral hygiene maintenance was limited. Copyright of International Medical Journal is the property of Japan International Cultural Exchange Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. For access to this entire article and additional high quality information, please check with your college/university library, local public library, or affiliated institution. Important User Information: Remote access to EBSCO's databases is permitted to patrons of subscribing institutions accessing from remote locations for personal, non-commercial use. However, remote access to EBSCO's databases from non-subscribing institutions is not allowed if the purpose of the use is for commercial gain through cost reduction or avoidance for a non-subscribing institution.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to measure traditional methods used by the people of Hail, Kin... more Aim: The purpose of this study was to measure traditional methods used by the people of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to whiten teeth. This will help us to find out some of the possible reasons from them for using the techniques and would enable us to raise awareness. Materials and methods: It was an observational study having a cross-sectional design. It included 350 respondents living in Hail, and the study used a nonprobability convenient sampling technique. Data about demographics and the methods used for teeth whitening were collected using a self-administered validated questionnaire translated into Arabic. Results: The results depict that majority of the study participants (59.1%) with low income level were not satisfied with their tooth color and were willing to undergo tooth-whitening procedures. Coal was used by 21% of respondent for teeth whitening, followed by olive oil 15%, and lemon 10%. Conclusion: Based on the information, it is clear that a group of people living in Hail is still comfortable to use the conventional methods to make their teeth look whiter. Clinical significance: Despite the advances in esthetic dentistry , traditional methods of teeth cleansing and whitening are still being practiced. The practice is without evidence and without any scientific rationale. It can cost individuals their oral as well as overall health.
Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) may sometimes present secondary to an intra-cranial cause. A... more Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) may sometimes present secondary to an intra-cranial cause. Arnold Chiari Malformation (ACM) is downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum that may be a cause of TN like pain in very rare cases.
INTRODUCTION Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as it is a sudden, u... more INTRODUCTION Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as it is a sudden, usually unilateral, severe, short stabbing, episodic pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve 1. Since it is triggered by slightest stimulation of various trigger zones on the face and inside the mouth, this prevents the patient from speaking, eating, drinking, touching or washing of the face and brushing teeth 1,2,3. In very rare cases, trigeminal neuralgia is secondary to other conditions including tumors, multiple sclerosis etc Patients with histories of TN usually undergo several ablative procedures or inappropriate interventions before accurate diagnosis 2,3. As the sensory nerve supply of the teeth and jaws is the trigeminal nerve, TN is often misdiagnosed as a dental problem resulting in tooth extraction 3,4. Magnetic Resonance Imagining is mandatory gold standard for timely diagnosis of TN secondary to intra-cranial pathologies 1,3. Schwannomas are very uncommon benign tumors originating from th cells of the nerve sheaths that may involve any peripheral, A B S T R A C T Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) greatly affects quality of life (QOL) as slightest stimulation of various trigger zones on the face and inside the mouth may trigger a painful episode, thus preventing the patient from speaking, eating, drinking, t the face and brushing teeth. Trigeminal schwannomas are rare benign tumors that may present with TN like pain. Case Report: 55 year old gentleman presented with severe lanciating episodic pain on the left side of his face along with tinititus in the left ear, loss of corneal reflex and sleep disturbance due to pain. The pain was earlier misdiagnosed as a tooth ache that resulted in some of his teeth being unnecessarily extracted. A multiecho and multiplanar imaging through the brain revealed 1.8 x 1.5 x 1.5cm sized T1W/T2W iso left antero-lateral aspect of the pons in the region of trigeminal nerve showing intense enhancement of post-gadolinium images suggestive of trigeminal schwannoma. Conclusion:After meticulous history and methodical clinical examination with a focus on detailed assessment of cranial nerves Magnetic Resonance Imagining(MRI) is mandatory gold standard for timely exclusion of intra-cranial space occupying lesion in patients with long history of TN.
Objective: This is a baseline study that will facilitate diagnosis and planning of oral health ca... more Objective: This is a baseline study that will facilitate diagnosis and planning of oral health care services and further serve as a guide for future referrals and related studies in the local population. Methodology: This is an observational descriptive study with cross sectional design that involves analysis of 100 cases of oro-facial lesions diagnosed at the Department of Oral Maxillofacial and Dental Surgery at the Jinnah postgraduate medical training center Karachi (JPMC) from January 2014-October 2015. Results: Out of a total of 100 orofacial lesions, 56 were benign and 46 malignant with posterior mandible as the most affected site. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most prevalent pathology amongst them. The soft tissue lesion were prevalent in 40% males and 36% females of 4 th 5 th 6 th decades of life. These included pyogenic granuloma 15.0%, fibrous epulis 10.0%, squamous cell carcinoma (well differentiated) 31.0%, Conclusion: Oral squamous cell carcinoma presented the highest occurrence reported affecting the adolescence and elderly with posterior mandibular region being the most common site.
Objective: One of the major reasons for root canal failure is microleakage through the apex. Ther... more Objective: One of the major reasons for root canal failure is microleakage through the apex. There are various types of root apex sealers being used in endodontic practices with varying rate of clinical success. This study was planned to evaluate the sealing ability of Zinc oxide eugenol based, Calcium hydroxide based, resin based and tricalcium based root canal sealers using dye penetration method. Material and Methods: It was an experimental study with randomized control trial. Fifty (50) extracted incisors were prepared for root canal obturation. The apical enlargement up to K file 25 was done using stepback technique and resto of the canal was flared up to K file 60.Sodium Hypochlorite was used as irrigant. After instrumentation, the 40 teeth were obturated using various sealers and 10 were obturated without any sealer followed by lateral condensation technique. Prepared samples were divided into four groups (10 teeth each with one of the sealers) of experimental study and two groups (5 teeth each without sealer) for control. 45 samples were coronally sealed with sticky wax and surface coated with nail polish leaving apical 2 mm. Among samples obturated without a sealer, 5 were coronally sealed with sticky wax but surface treated to the full length of the root. All the samples were then assessed for 2% methylene blue dye penetration test. Results: Inter group comparison showed that samples apically obturated with tricalcium phosphate sealer performed the best sealing ability as compared to other ones used in the study. Conclusion: No sealer used in this study perfectly seals apex.
Background: Dental amalgam is extensively used as a material of choice for posterior restorations... more Background: Dental amalgam is extensively used as a material of choice for posterior restorations and Mercury (Hg) is its essential component. Mercury is a toxic substance which can be harmful for a Dentists and clinic staff due to long term exposure to Hg vapors in the clinic atmosphere. To avoid adverse effects of Hg on health of clinic personnel, American Dental Association (ADA) has laid down recommendations to follow while handling Hg or amalgam. Majority of general dentists practicing in Karachi-a metropolitan city of Pakistan place amalgam restorations more than the restorations of any other material. Despite frequent use of amalgam and Hg, no much data is available to show level of safety precautions taken by these dentists. This study was planned to assess the Hg hygiene practices of general dentists who run their private dental clinics in Karachi. Methods: A questionnaire based study conducted among general dentists practicing in Karachi. Results: Except use of personnel protective equipment, prevalence of following other precautions recommended by ADA for Hg hygiene is not encouraging. Conclusion: Practicing general dentists work in Hg-rich environment and are at risk of jeopardizing their health. Moreover, they are persistent source of atmospheric pollution with Hg which requires strict monitoring.
Objectives: Smoking is one of the major risk factors for periodontal diseases, oral and lung canc... more Objectives: Smoking is one of the major risk factors for periodontal diseases, oral and lung cancers, and other respiratory diseases. Mortality because of smoking is reported to be more than any other risk factors. Dentists can play a major role in spreading the 'quit-smoking' message because people will visit dentist more compared with physician, hence the present study was planned to evaluate smoking cessation advice in dental practice in Hail city Material & Methods: It was an observational study, having a cross-sectional design. Face and content validated questionnaire was used to collect the data from licensed dentists working in government and private clinics in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia. Data was displayed as number and percentage. McNemar test was used to measure inferential statistics Using SPSS version 20. Results: The majority of responding dentists (89.3%) have knowledge about the significance of smoking history and its hazards , but a very few collects information from their patients about their smoking habits or warn them about hazards. The greatest obstacle for the dentists in smoking cessation expedition is lack of time and training. Conclusion: Dentists with some training in this regard may become a very effective tool to disseminate the quit-smoking and oral health message in Hail, and across Saudi Arabia.
Objective: To assess the clinical practice of patients' record keeping by dental practitioners in... more Objective: To assess the clinical practice of patients' record keeping by dental practitioners in the Valley of Kashmir, India Methods: The present study consists of a retrospective design. Fifty patients' notes written by dentists were selected at our convenience. The evaluation of notes was performed by comparing the findings with General Dental Council (GDC), Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCOA) and Royal College of Surgeons (RCOS), UK guidelines and recommendations. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: Merely 50% of the notes documented valid consent and 58% updated their patients' medical history. In 80% of notes administration of local anaesthesia, further 68% also recorded the dose of LA and 60% had mentioned the type and concentration of vasoconstrictor present. Fifty eight (58%) documented the site of LA administration and use needle type was recorded in only 8% of patients notes. Conclusion: The study has found that the current standards of clinical record keeping of consent, medical history update and documentation of local anaesthesia details in the patients' records is inadequate. Reiteration to clinicians of the guidelines is required so as to improve the situation. KEY WORDS GDC guidelines for record keeping, documentation in dental practice, record of anaesthesia
Introduction: Dental panoramic radiography, also known as orthopantomography (OPG) is a commonly ... more Introduction: Dental panoramic radiography, also known as orthopantomography (OPG) is a commonly performed investigation for assessment of dental pathologies, including dental impactions. OPG in case of dental impactions can assist in determination of the location and angulation of the 3 rd molars and their relation to the adjacent teeth and structures. The aim of the study was to investigate the distribution of impacted third (3rd) molars in dental students of the Hai'l Region of Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: The study population of this observational study comprised 170 male and female dental students of the College of Dentistry (CoD), University of Hai'l (UoH). On induction, the study participants underwent clinical examination and OPG. The clinical and OPG assessments assisted in determining the presence of impaction and patterns of angulation of the 3 rd molars in maxilla and mandible. Results: From the 170 OPGs, 95 (55.8%) showed at least one impacted 3 rd molar with significant differences between males (30; 31.5%) and females (65; 68.4%). The proportion of impacted mandibular 3rd molars was 2.3 times higher in comparison to the impaction of maxillary 3rd molars. Both in mandible and maxilla, the most common patterns of 3rd molar angulation were vertical. Among females, vertical angulation remained the most common pattern of impaction followed by mesio-angular angulation. Among males, horizontal impaction remained the most common pattern of impaction followed by same numbers for vertical and disto-angular angulation. Conclusion: The results show a high frequency of 3 rd molar impactions among dental students of the Hai'l Region of Saudi Arabia. The proportion of 3rd molar impactions were higher in female students and mandible. Surgical removal of 3rd molars should only be reserved for impactions associated with clinical complexities.
Objective: To find out the frequency of rubber dam usage among clinical students, interns and den... more Objective: To find out the frequency of rubber dam usage among clinical students, interns and dental practitioners and the barriers they come across to place it routinely in their practices. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was performed from October 2016 to January 2017 using non-probability convenience sampling. A questionnaire was meticulously designed based on questionnaires used in similar studies in the past. The target population in this study was clinical dental students, interns and the faculty members working in various teaching institutions in Karachi and involved in general dental practice. Data from completed questionnaire was analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: With the healthy response rate of 81%, this study shows that the majority (76%) of clinical students, interns and practicing dentists in Karachi, Pakistan continue to ignore the rubber dam placement in their routine practices. Total 89% of non-users did not use it as they find it time consuming and 66% of them mentioned that it is difficult to place. Couple of other reasons for which more than 50% of respondents avoid using rubber dam are frequent tearing of the sheet and patient's fear or abhorring attitude towards placement of rubber dam. Conclusion: This study suggests that use of rubber dam is an unpopular method for isolation of operative site among clinical students, interns and clinicians working in Karachi.
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