Oral Health Status and Salivary Properties among Children before and after Tonsillectomy

Objectives: Enlarged adenoids can lead to obstruction of the nasopharyngeal airway and subsequent oral respiration. Oral breathing can cause dry mouth, dehydration in gingival tissue, and resistance to plaque accumulation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of tonsillectomy on oral health status, salivary pH and flow rate, and common complications caused by tonsillar hypertrophy in children. Materials and Methods: An analytical before-and-after study was conducted on 60 children aged 5-12 years who required tonsillectomy. We gathered data through a questionnaire and collected unstimulated saliva using the spitting method for five minutes. Salivary pH was measured by a pH meter and its volume was determined with a calibrated test tube. The plaque index, bleeding index and modified gingival index were determined using a disclosing tablet, Williams' probe and observational examination, respectively. All measurements were repeated one month after tonsillectomy. Paired t-test was used for data analysis. Results: We found a significant increase in mean pH and salivary flow rate after tonsillectomy and observed a decrease in oral health indices among the children one month after surgery. Over half of the children who reported complications such as dry mouth, itchy nose and throat, snoring, night sweats, and sleep disturbances experienced complete recovery after tonsillectomy. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained in the present study, children with enlarged adenoids showed significant improvements in salivary pH, salivary flow rate, and oral health indices, one month after tonsillectomy.

Characteristic Factors Affecting Oral Pigmentation in Passive Smoker Children

Statement of the Problem:

Smoking affects not only smokers themselves, but also the people around them. 700 million children are exposed to second hand tobacco worldwide. One of the adverse effects of being a passive smoker is oral pigmentation.

Purpose:

This study was conducted to evaluate the association between smoking of a parent at home and oral pigmentation in children, and the characteristic factors affecting that.

Materials and Method:

In this retrospective cohort study, 140 healthy children aged 4 to 10 (mean age= 6.68±1.60), 70 with smoker parent and 70 without smoker parents, were examined for oral pigmentation. Environmental factors were evaluated by asking the parents to fill a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Logistic regression, and Spearman scale.

Results:

There was a meaningful relationship between having a smoker parent and oral pigmentation (p= 0.0001). Spearman’s correlation showed parents' duration of cigarette smoking and the number of cigarettes per day could meaningfully affect the severity of oral pigmentation (R=0.329). The study did not find a statistical relationship between oral pigmentation in passive smoking and gender or house area.

Conclusion:

Children exposed to secondhand tobacco are at more risk for oral pigmentation. Its severity depends on duration of cigarette smoking and the number of cigarettes per day.

Primary mandibular first molar with single root and single canal: a case report of a rare morphology

Single rooted primary mandibular first molar is a rare developmental anomaly. Literatures reveal that failure of invagination of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath leads to this unusual root form. Thorough knowledge of root canal morphology and anatomical variations of primary teeth can help a pediatric dentist in successful root canal treatment. Hereby, we describe two cases of primary mandibular first molars with an unusual morphology as a single root called pyramidal molar.