Assessment of knowledge and attitude of cervical cancer among the youths in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh - India

BACKGROUND

India suffers a quarter of the global burden of cervical cancer (CC) but is controllable by taking some precautions. The major issue is the low amount of participation among women in screening and vaccination for disease. The objective of the research is to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding CC among college going students residing in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh-India.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 380 subjects whose ages ranged from 15 to 25 and older. The questionnaires were circulated through google forms. The socio-demographic variables and KAP levels are represented by descriptive statistics. The Chi-square test is used to determine the relationship between sociodemographic factors and KAP levels.

RESULTS

Among 380 subjects, 172 (54.7%) are aware of CC, 71% have poor knowledge, and 20% have good knowledge about CC. More than three-fourths of women 374 (98.4%) are not having regular practice towards CC.

CONCLUSION

The awareness about CC is very low in the population, so prevention of CC relies on routine screening, proper vaccination, and treatment. Awareness programs and promoting knowledge about cervical health in social media are required.

Prevalence of palatal rugae shapes in Karnataka and Kerala population: A cross-sectional study

Aims and Objectives:

This study was conducted to assess the incidence and prevalence of palatal rugae shapes in the male and female populations of Karnataka and Kerala.

Materials and Methods:

This study consisted of 100 plaster models of each group, which were equally distributed between both the genders, with an age range of 17–23 years. The rugae patterns were recorded by using Thomas and Kotze classification. Correlation between the rugae shape and population as well as the rugae shape and gender were analyzed using chi-square analysis and discriminant function analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 22 (IBM Corp).

Results:

Curved, straight, and wavy rugae patterns were the most common in both Kerala and Karnataka sample populations. Chi-square analysis showed significant differences between the populations for the curved pattern; discriminant function analysis showed significant differences between the populations for the curved and straight patterns. Significant gender differences were found in the curved pattern for Karnataka population and in unification patterns for both populations by Chi-square/Fischer exact test.

Conclusions:

The curved and straight rugae patterns were significantly more frequent in the Kerala population compared to the Karnataka population. Because of the limited sample size of this study, further cross-sectional studies are suggested.

Herbal panacea: The need for today in dentistry

Among ancient civilizations, India has been known to be a rich repository of medicinal plants. Herbal extracts have been used in traditional medicine for several thousand years. Some plants contain phytochemicals that have effects on the body. The use of phytotherapy is staging a comeback and an era of herbal renaissance is being revolutionized all over the globe. Herbs are a class of plants that are devoid of the woody tissue characteristic of shrubs or trees and have been known for their aromatic, flavoring, and medicinal values over the past centuries. Since the birth of contemporary practices, many have turned away from herbal therapies in favor of synthetic drugs. But these synthetic medicines can alter microbiota and have several side effects. However, the blind dependence on synthetics is over and people are returning to the naturals with the hope of safety and security. Hence, the search for alternative natural products continue. This review includes a few herbs, which can be used in dentistry as alternatives to allopathic medicines.

Improving Oral Hygiene in Institutionalised Elderly by Educating Their Caretakers in Bangalore City, India: a Randomised Control Trial

Background

The population of older people, as well as the number of dependent older people, is steadily increasing; those unable to live independently at home are being cared for in a range of settings. Practical training for nurses and auxiliary care staff has frequently been recommended as a way of improving oral health care for functionally dependent elderly. The aim was improve oral hygiene in institutionalized elderly in Bangalore city by educating their caregivers.

Methods

The study is a cluster randomized intervention trial with an elderly home as unit of randomization in which 7 out of 65 elderly homes were selected. Oral health knowledge of caregivers was assessed using a pre-tested pro forma and later oral-health education was provided to the caregivers of the study group. Oral hygiene status of elderly residents was assessed by levels of debris, plaque of dentate and denture plaque, and denture stomatitis of denture wearing residents, respectively. Oral-health education to the caregivers of control group was given at the end of six months

Results

There was significant improvement in oral-health knowledge of caregivers from the baseline and also a significant reduction of plaque score from baseline score of 3.17 ± 0.40 to 1.57 ± 0.35 post-intervention (p < .001), debris score 2.87 ± 0.22 to 1.49 ± 0.34 (p < .001), denture plaque score 3.15 ± 0.47 to 1.21 ± 0.27 (p < .001), and denture stomatitis score 1.43 ± 0.68 to 0.29 ± 0.53 (p < .001).

Conclusions

The result of the present study showed that there was a significant improvement in the oral-health knowledge among the caregivers and oral-hygiene status of the elderly residents.

Dental insurance: A systematic review

To review uses of finance in dentistry. A search of 25 electronic databases and World Wide Web was conducted. Relevant journals were hand searched and further information was requested from authors. Inclusion criteria were a predefined hierarchy of evidence and objectives. Study validity was assessed with checklists. Two reviewers independently screened sources, extracted data, and assessed validity. Insurance has come of ages and has become the mainstay of payment in many developed countries. So much so that all the alternative forms of payment which originated as an alternative to fee for service now depend on insurance at one point or the other. Fee for service is still the major form of payment in many developing countries including India. It is preferred in many instances since the payment is made immediately.

Comparative evaluation of sealing ability of four different restorative materials used as coronal sealants: an in vitro study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the sealing ability of glass ionomer cement (GIC), composite resin, gray mineral trioxide aggregate (GMTA) and white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) when placed coronally as double - sealing material over gutta-percha in root canal treated teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A sample of 70 freshly extracted human single rooted teeth were cleaned, shaped and obturated with gutta-percha and AH Plus. The gutta-percha was reduced to a depth of 4 mm from the cemento enamel junction using hot plugger and standardized access cavities with 4 mm depth were prepared at the coronal ends of the roots. The specimens were randomly divided into four groups containing 15 teeth each depending on the restorations they received in the coronal cavity. A positive control group of five teeth received no restorative barrier over gutta-percha. All root surfaces were covered with two coats of nail varnish, leaving only the access openings uncovered except teeth in the negative control group, which were completely covered with nail varnish. All teeth were immersed in India ink, cleared and observed under stereomicroscope for the depth of dye penetration.

RESULTS

The results were tabulated and analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple comparison between each group was carried out using Mann-Whitney test. The groups sealed with GMTA and WMTA showed least dye penetration than other groups and the difference was statistically significant. Highest dye penetration was seen with groups sealed with GIC and was statistically significant compared with other three groups.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that the GMTA and WMTA provided significantly better coronal seal when compared to other two restorations. The composite resin also showed significantly better seal than the unsealed group and the group sealed GIC, which showed highest leakage that was equivalent to that of unsealed group.

Interobserver variation in rectal and bladder doses in orthogonal film-based treatment planning of cancer of the uterine cervix

Orthogonal film-based treatment planning is the most commonly adopted standard practice of treatment planning for cancer of the uterine cervix using high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR). This study aims at examining the variation in rectal and bladder doses when the same set of orthogonal films was given to different observers. Five physicists were given 35 pairs of orthogonal films obtained from patients who had undergone HDR brachytherapy. They were given the same instructions and asked to plan the case assuming the tumor was centrally placed, using the treatment-planning system, PLATO BPS V13.2. A statistically significant difference was observed in the average rectal (F = 3.407, P = 0.01) and bladder (F = 3.284, P = 0.013) doses and the volumes enclosed by the 100% isodose curve (P < 0.01) obtained by each observer. These variations may be attributed to the differences in the reconstruction of applicators, the selection of source positions in ovoids and the intrauterine (IU) tube, and the differences in the selection of points especially for the rectum, from lateral radiographs. These variations in planning seen within a department can be avoided if a particular source pattern is followed in the intrauterine tube, unless a specific situation demands a change. Variations in the selection of rectal points can be ruled out if the posterior vaginal surface is clearly seen.