Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior Regarding the Hazards of Tobacco Use and Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act among Parents Visiting Pediatric Dental Clinic: A Cross- sectional Questionnaire Survey

Aim

“Today's adolescents are tomorrow's citizens.” Tobacco use in children and adolescents is reaching pandemic levels as they are the most vulnerable population to initiate tobacco use. It is well established that most of the adult users of tobacco, start the use of tobacco either in their childhood or adolescence. Parents are the best route to reach a child and can help lead to bring better outcomes for children. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding the hazards of tobacco use and Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) among the parents visiting pediatric dental clinic.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding the hazards of tobacco use and COTPA law. Samples size of 400 parents of adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years visiting to the department of Pediatrics and Preventive Dentistry were included in the study, data thus obtained was subjected to statistical analysis.

Results

Smoking tobacco product known to the parent population in the present study is cigarette (88.8%) and smokeless tobacco product is pan masala (65.2%). The tobacco health hazard known is cancer by 70.5 and 85.3% parent populations were aware of mandatory display of pictorial health warnings in COTPA law. Strict implementation of COTPA law was opted by 61.8%.

Conclusion

Knowledge, attitude, and behavior of parents is required to educate and motivate adolescents. Parents have given their positive attitude regarding the strict implementation of COTPA law in India and realize the role of tobacco as a causative factor for health hazards both in children and adults. COTPA law should be made aware for both young and old to educate and motivate and to prevent the use of tobacco in India.

How to cite this article

Kattimani S, Thimmegowda U, Nagarathna C. Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior Regarding the Hazards of Tobacco Use and Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act among Parents Visiting Pediatric Dental Clinic: A Cross-sectional Questionnaire Survey. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(1):47-53.

Correlation of streptococcus mutans and streptococcus sobrinus colonization with and without caries experience in preschool children

Background and Objectives

The aciduric mutans streptococci (MS) group, including Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Streptococcus sobrinus (SS), is highly cariogenic. Relationship between increments in dental caries and the presence of these species is not yet clarified. It is of great importance to separately determine the presence of these two species for understanding their role in dental caries, accurate prediction, and effective prevention. Hence, this study was undertaken to detect the presence of SM and SS in plaque samples of caries-free (CF), early childhood caries (ECC), and severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and also to compare the possible relationship between these species with the occurrence of ECC.

Materials and Method

In all, 120 healthy children between 3 and 6 years of age were randomly allocated into three groups: Group A (n = 40) CF, Group B (n = 40) ECC, and Group C (n = 40) S-ECC. Plaque samples were collected from all approximal surface and gingivobuccal surfaces of teeth using a sterile universal scaler and dmft/dmfs scores were taken. The presence of SM and SS was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The presence of SM in CF, ECC, and S-ECC was 10.0%, 27.5%, and 42.5%, respectively, and SS was 5.0%, 40.0%, and 47.5% in CF, ECC, and S-ECC, respectively. Comparison of mean relative quantification (RQ) values of SM between three study groups showed significant results between CF and S-ECC at P value 0.003. Comparison of mean RQ values of SS showed significant results between CF to ECC and CF to S-ECC at P value <0.001. This study showed significant results between the mean dmft/dmfs scores in three study groups and the presence of high levels of SM and SS in ECC and S-ECC groups. However, the study showed weak positive correlation between dmfs scores and both SM and SS species in ECC and S-ECC.

Interpretations and Conclusion

Higher levels of SS were more closely related to the caries-active lesions leading to severity of dental disease, that is, both in ECC and S-ECC. There was significant difference between mean dmft/dmfs scores in three study groups and it also showed positive correlation between dmfs scores and SM and SS colonization in ECC and S-ECC status.

Marginal microleakage of glass ionomer cement with two different cavity conditioners on primary anterior teeth - An in vitro study

Background and Objective

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are the most commonly used restorative material in pediatric dentistry. They have numerous advantages; however, they show some marginal microleakage at the restoration-tooth interface. Various conditioning agents have been tested for alteration or dissolution of smear layer which has been attributed to the occurrence of microleakage; however, very limited studies have been done using primary teeth.

Aims

To evaluate and compare the effect of 10% polyacrylic acid and 17% EDTA on marginal microleakage of high-viscosity GIC.

Settings and Design

Experimental, in vitro study.

Methodology

Class V cavities of standardized dimensions were prepared on 60 primary anterior teeth and were randomly divided into three groups. Except Group I, the cavities of Groups II and III were conditioned with 10% polyacrylic acid and 17% EDTA, respectively. All the 60 teeth were then restored with high-viscosity GIC. The samples were thermocycled and immersed in methylene blue solution for 24 h. The teeth were removed from the stain, rinsed, and sectioned buccolingually and were observed under stereomicroscope at 30× to score the marginal microleakage.

Statistical Analysis Used

Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney post hoc analysis were used to compare the mean marginal leakage scores between the three study groups.

Results

Statistical significance difference was found between all the three groups (P < 0.05). The mean marginal microleakage score was maximum for Group I (control group; 3.00), whereas it was the least for Group II (1.30) where 10% polyacrylic was used for conditioning the cavity surface.

Conclusion

Among the study groups, none of them was completely devoid of microleakage in all its samples. 10% polyacrylic acid emerged as a better conditioning agent when compared with 17% EDTA in altering or removing the smear layer thereby resulting in better adhesion.

Neurosyphilis presenting as rapidly progressive psychosis & dementia - A forgotten entity

Syphilis is described often as great imitator due to its varied clinical manifestations. Neurosyphilis a tertiary form of syphilis can present in the form of meningitis, meningovascular syphilis with strokes and in advanced stage as general paralysis of insane. Paretic stage of neurosyphilis presents with progressive psychiatric and cognitive impairment. The cognitive impairment can range from subtle to advanced dementia. This is the rationale for routing screening for syphilis in evaluation of dementia. There are few reports on neurosyphilis presenting as rapidly progressive dementia. We report a case of neurosyphilis presented with rapidly progressive dementia along with psychotic symptoms.

Primary Molar Pulpectomy Using Two Different Obturation Techniques: A Clinical Study

CONTEXT

A major goal in pediatric dentistry is preservation of the integrity of primary teeth and their supporting tissues until physiological process of exfoliation takes place. Pulpectomy serves such a purpose using various materials and techniques to fill the canals of primary teeth. Aims: The aim of this in vivo study was to determine the efficacy of modified disposable syringe technique in root canals of primary molars using digital radiography when obturated with endoflas.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

A clinical study was undertaken for a period of 6 months.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 60 primary maxillary and mandibular molars were selected in the age group of 4-8 years and randomly divided into two groups. The teeth were obturated with handheld lentulospiral and a modified disposable syringe techniques. Postoperative radiographic evaluation was done for quality of fill and voids using digital radiography. Statistical Analysis Used: Results were assessed using Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: No statistically significant difference between quality of obturation using hand-held lentulospiral and modified disposable syringe (P < 0.05) was observed. Optimal obturation was achieved in both techniques; however, voids in obturation were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the hand-held lentulospiral and modified disposable syringe technique are effective in the obturation of primary molar root canals in terms of quality of fill.

Caries Removal by Chemomechanical (Carisolv™) vs. Rotary Drill: A Systematic Review

Background:

Chemomechanical caries removal is an effective alternative to the traditional rotary drilling method. The advantages of chemomechanical techniques in terms of the need for anesthesia, pain perception and patient preference are systematically reviewed and a meta-analysis of the time required for caries removal is reported.

Method:

Randomized controlled studies of comparison of chemomechanical techniques with conventional rotary drill were selected from a systematic search of standard biomedical databases, including the PubMed and Cochrane clinical trials. Non-repeated search results were screened for relevance and risk of bias assessment, followed by methodology assessment. Statistical models were applied to the outcome parameters - time required, pain perception, need of anesthesia and patient preference - extracted from the studies.

Results:

Out of the 111 non-repeated search results, 26 studies receiving a low bias score were selected for the review, and 16 randomized clinical trials of rotary and Carisolv techniques were considered for meta-analysis. Meta-analysis by fixed effect as well as random effect models indicate that Carisolv takes more time (3.65 ± 0.05 and 4.09 ± 0.29 min) than rotary drill (8.65 ± 0.09 and 8.97 ± 0.66 min) method. Advantages of reduced pain (14.67 for Carisolv vs. 6.76 for rotary drill), need for anesthesia (1.59% vs. 10.52%) outweigh the longer time requirement and make it the preferred (18.68% vs. 4.69%) method.

Conclusion:

Chemomechanical techniques stand out as a minimally invasive and preferred method based on the meta-analyses. Evaluation of pain experienced using robust methods is needed to strengthen the evidence for their use.

Radicular cyst followed by incomplete pulp therapy in primary molar: a case report

Radicular cysts are one of the most common odontogenic cyst of the jaws. However, those arising from primary teeth are rare. An 8-year-old boy reported to the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry with the chief complaint of pain and swelling on the lower left primary molar tooth region. Radiographic examination revealed a well-defined radiolucency with continuous hyperostotic border. Considering the age of the child, size of lesion, and involvement of unerupted premolars; marsupialization was preferred as a conservative treatment of choice. The success of the treatment was evident both clinically and radiographically during the follow-up period.

Mongrelised genetics of H1N1 virus: a bird's eyeview

H1N1 influenza, also known as "novel H1N1 virus" has led to a "global outcry." This virus is more virulent when compared with other seasonal flu viruses. Virulence may change as the adaptive mutation gene increases within the virus. A study at the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention published in May 2009 found that children had no preexisting immunity to the new strain as they showed no cross-reactive antibody reaction when compared with adults aged 18-64 years, who showed a cross-reactive antibody reaction of 6-9% and older adults with 33% immunity. This review article depicts H1N1 virus, its virulence with genetic evolution potential and preventive protocol for the dental professionals. This would allow us to comprehend the changes in the disease process and contribute in its prevention as "prevention is better than cure."

Management of facial trauma in children: A case report

Children are uniquely susceptible to cranio facial trauma because of their greater cranial mass to body ratio. Below the age of 5, the incidence of pediatric facial fractures in relation to the total is very low ranging from 0.6-1.2%. Maxillo-facial injuries may be quite dramatic causing parents to panic and the child to cry uncontrollably with blood, tooth and soft tissue debris in the mouth. The facial disfigurement caused by trauma can have a deep psychological impact on the tender minds of young children and their parents. This case report documents the trauma and follow up care of a 4-year-old patient with maxillofacial injuries.