Behavioral Patterns Toward Preventive Dental Care at School Dental Camps: An Observational Study in Bengaluru

Background Dental behavior management problems of children towards preventive dental care at school dental camps in India remain largely undocumented. This study aimed to assess such behavior patterns in preschool and school-age children at a school dental health camp. Materials and methods The cross-sectional study included 462 children, with 261 children each in the preschool (three to five years old) and school (six to 12 years old) age groups in Bengaluru. On the school dental camp day, their behavior and anxiety were gauged using the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale and the Raghavendra, Madhuri, and Sujata Pictorial Scale, respectively. The Chi-square test was used to uncover predictive variables for children's behavior patterns toward preventive dental procedures at the dental school camps. Results A high prevalence of definitely negative Frankl Behavior Rating Scale ratings (59%, n=272) and dental anxiety (53%, n=245) were noted among the participants. Age, sex, the area of residence of the child, and the previous history of dental visits and treatment were predictors of their behavior at a school dental camp setup. Conclusion The present study gives an insight into the behavior of children towards preventive dental care at a school dental camp in a mobile dental van, stressing the need for behavior assessment before the treatment.

Piperine-Loaded In Situ Gel: Formulation, In Vitro Characterization, and Clinical Evaluation against Periodontitis

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disorder associated with dysbiosis and characterized by microbiologically related, host-mediated inflammation that leads to the damage of periodontal tissues including gingiva, connective tissues, and alveolar bone. The aim of this study was to develop an in situ gel consisting of piperine. Eight in situ gel formulations were designed by varying the concentration of deacylated gellan gum cross-linked with sodium tripolyphosphate, and poloxamer-407. The prepared gels were evaluated for gelation temperature, gelation time, viscosity, piperine-loading efficiency, and piperine release. Finally, the optimized formula was evaluated for anti-inflammatory effectiveness among human patients during a 14-day follow-up. The optimized in situ gel formulation exhibited a gelation temperature of 35 ± 1 °C, gelling of 36 ± 1 s, excellent syringeability, and piperine loading of 95.3 ± 2.3%. This formulation efficiently sustained in vitro drug release for up to 72 h. In vivo studies revealed an efficient sol-to-gel transformation of optimized in situ gel formulation at physiological conditions, permitting an efficient residence time of the formulation within a periodontitis pocket. Most importantly, a clinical study revealed that treatment with the optimized formulation elicited a significant reduction in the mean plaque score (p = 0.001), gingival index (p = 0.003), and pocket depth (p = 0.002), and exerted a potent anti-inflammatory potential, compared to the control group. Collectively, piperine-loaded in situ gel might represent a viable therapeutic approach for the management of gingival and periodontal diseases.