Aim: To enumerate the Streptococcus (S.) mutans count in children with and without early childhood caries (ECC) by three methods, i.e., laboratory S. mutans culture, oratest and saliva check mutans kit test, and correlate them with each other. Materials and methods: The study was designed as a randomized, double-blind controlled trial and was carried out in children under 71 months of age. About 10 children without caries and 10 with a DEFT score of equal to or more than 5 were selected and subjected to all three tests, i.e., Global Corporation (GC) Saliva Check Mutans kit test, oratest and the laboratory culture of S. mutans individually. Results: Both the groups were subjected to Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation analysis. All the tests performed showed statistically significant results (p < 0.05). In group I, i.e., the test group, the mean DEFT score was 7 ± 1.054. The mean S. mutans laboratory count was found to be 6.39 × 10⁵ CFU. In group II, where the DEFT score was zero, the mean S. mutans count was 1.68 × 10⁴ CFU. The mean time taken by Oratest to test positive was 40.50 ± 13.632 minutes in the test group, whereas in the control group, the mean oratest time taken was 279 ± 34.545 minutes. The sensitivity of GC saliva check test was 80% and the specificity was 100% with a Youden's index of 0.8. Conclusion: All the tests correlated well with the DEFT scores of all subjects, as well as with each other. The choice of the test is dependent upon the availability, cost-effectiveness, time constraints, and the requirement of the individual patient. Clinical significance: This study can serve as potent educational and motivational tool for patients in assessing their oral hygiene status with help of S. mutans count evaluation using the different tests. Hence, these S. mutans can be used as alarming biomarkers for prevention and treatment urgency.

Background: COVID-19 has influenced billions of people, impacting all aspects of life, including healthcare needs. Pediatric dental needs were substantially affected during lockdown due to the limited dental care. The present study aim is to assess the dental problems experienced by children and methods adopted to resolve these problems with the help of local facilities through different communications/teledentistry. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,500 pediatric dental patients who were undergoing treatment before lockdown or who were previously visited to the dental department of a tertiary hospital in Delhi. The structured 15-item dental problems and treatment needs (DPTN) Questionnaire which was customized and validated for the study was employed for the assessment of dental needs of the children and how they managed during the pandemic. Results: Participants were interviewed telephonically; and the findings indicated a significant trend of adverse impacts on children's oral health. The majority of the children, 83.47% suffered from toothache, 50.80% had tooth-related swelling whereas only 3.13% experienced dental trauma during COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of parents 64.1% opt for home management rather than consulting dental professionals in which more than 57.5% practiced self-medication for their children's dental problems. Regarding the brushing frequencies in children, significant differences were observed during prepandemic and between COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.5). Moreover, additional oral hygiene measures were also adopted by their parents. The change in frequency of toothbrushing from pre- and between COVID-19 pandemic was associated with COVID-19 related consequences. Conclusion: The pandemic has profoundly changed socioeconomic conditions with the oral health condition of the majority of Indian children being adversely impacted and neglected. Prevalence of self-medication for children's dental problems was high during pandemic. Furthermore, it had a detrimental influence on daily toothbrushing, resulting in lower brushing frequency in children during COVID-19.

Aim: It is recommended that a child should have their first appointment with a dentist by their first birthday. An early first-time appointment with the dentist offers many prospects, which include timely preventive care and education on the child's oral health. This study aimed to determine the average age in years at which a first dental clinic visit is made and the reasons among children aged 16 years and below attending a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective review of clinical records of 531 children who attended the Child Oral Health Clinic at Dental Centre, University College Hospital (UCH) for the first time between November 2021 and December 2022. Data on age at a first dental visit, reasons for attending, family structure, birth order, and primary caregiver were collected. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and logistics regression analysis were conducted. Results: Most patients had their first dental visit at 7–9 years of age (30.3%), followed by 10–12 years (23.9%), and only 1.5% visited the dentist by their first birthday. The commonest reason for the first visit were malocclusion/oral habits (37.7%), dental pain (17.3%), dental trauma, and infection (9.4% respectively). Factors associated with presenting at older ages included attendance at public school (p = 0.005), being from a polygamous family (p = 0.012), increased number of children in the family p = 0.004), having non-parent family members as primary caregiver p = 0.004). Conclusion: Many Nigerian children do not have their first dental appointment until much later in life, despite the recommendation that it should occur by age 1. Clinical significance: Our study findings aim to culminate in the development and implementation of a robust, comprehensive intervention with the ultimate objective of establishing a cohesive and coordinated strategy that ensures that Nigerian children living in Ibadan get their first dental checkup by the first year of life.

Having knowledge and comprehension of the existence of an extra root and atypical root canal structure is crucial, as it directly impacts the effectiveness of endodontic treatment. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental structure of root canals and their potential deviations is crucial for the successful execution of endodontic procedures. The anatomical features of permanent maxillary molars are often characterized by the presence of three roots, consisting of one palatal root and two buccal roots. The occurrence of two palatal roots is infrequent; yet, there have been a few documented instances of a fourth root canal in the maxillary first molar, indicating the presence of additional canals in the palatal root of maxillary molars. This case report presents the treatment of a maxillary first molar with four root canals, specifically the mesiobuccal, the distobuccal, and two palatal canals. When performing root canal therapy on teeth with anatomical anomalies, it is crucial to develop precise treatment procedures. Understanding the anatomical changes that occur in the palatal roots of maxillary first molars can enhance the efficacy of root canal treatments.

Background: The first evidence of variation from normal in human dentition is usually a noticeable difference in tooth color. Tooth discoloration, a change in natural tooth color, is a common dental finding that is esthetically unpleasant, psychologically traumatic, and socially unacceptable, causing people to seek treatment. This condition affects both children and adults and worsens with age. Aim: The aim of this extensive review is to provide up-to-date information on the types, causes, and clinical features of tooth discoloration that are essential for managing the discoloration. Results: The cause of tooth discolorations is multifactorial and varies in appearance, composition, location, adhesion to tooth surfaces, severity, and treatment. Depending on the cause, tooth discoloration is mainly classified into extrinsic and intrinsic, a combination of both, and intercategory types. Extrinsic stains are deposited on the surface of the outer teeth surfaces. Most chromogenic (color-producing) substances are organic in nature and are found in foods, beverages, tobacco, betel nuts, and chromogenic bacteria. Intrinsic discoloration occurs during tooth development or after tooth eruption and is associated with chemical and structural hard tissue changes. Conclusion: Tooth discoloration presents two challenges for the dentists. The first is to find out the cause of the stain. The second is its management. Tooth discoloration appear in yellow, green, orange, brown, or black, etc., and each color may represent a different origin and the mechanism of staining. Pitting, cracks, and irregularities in tooth enamel can exacerbate discoloration. Clinical significance: This article reviews the etiology and clinical presentation of tooth discoloration. Understanding the cause of discoloration and the physiochemical interaction of chromogens with the tooth surfaces enable dentists to make a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. It can also explain to e-patients the nature of the condition and how to prevent it.

Background: Evidence that human dentition differs from normal dentition is the noticeable difference in tooth color, leading people to seek treatment. Tooth discoloration varies widely in appearance, location, severity, and treatment. Aim: Tooth discoloration is a common dental finding associated with clinical and esthetic problems, affecting both children and adults. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date methods for treating and preventing tooth discoloration. Review results: Depending on the cause, tooth discoloration is mainly classified into extrinsic, intrinsic, a combination of both, and intercategory types (Part I). There are many whitening/bleaching products available with varying in concentrations, application techniques, and levels of success. These include over-the-counter (OTC), at-home bleaching using a custom tray with carbamide peroxide gel, and in-office bleaching using concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) (power bleaching). Treatment of intrinsic discoloration is more complex than extrinsic discoloration. A careful history is essential to determine the type of discoloration and treatment required. Conclusion: Understanding the causes and clinical manifestations of tooth discoloration is important for dentists to make a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The nature of the condition and ways to prevent it also need to be explained to the patient. Lifestyle changes and good oral hygiene are the best ways to prevent tooth discoloration. Both clinicians and patients need to pursue a range of treatment options to achieve esthetically pleasing results. Some tooth discolorations are irreversible and require veneers, crowns, composite fillings, etc. Clinical significance: Increasing public awareness of the appearance of teeth has led people to seek cosmetic treatments to improve tooth color. This review provides comprehensive treatment options and preventive measures based on the cause and type of tooth discoloration.

Aim: Evidence-based approach is reiterated in periodontology for strategic need of intervention. The changing face of the profession by AI integration is welcome. Background: Periodontitis is not only the sixth most prevalent disease worldwide, but untreated severe periodontitis is categorized as 77th among the 100 most relevant dysfunction-resulting human conditions. Search strategy: Extensive search was performed on six databases: Google Scholar, Web of Science, ProQuest, MEDLINE PubMed, SciVerse Scopus, and Embase. Additionally, 5 computer science sources (ArXiv, IEEE Xplore, Comput Methods Programs Biomed, Appl Soft Comput, and Eng Fract Mech) and 705 in total were searched. Covidence for data extraction and Dedoose for identifying ethics-related information was employed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Review results: In the end, 43 studies were retained in the review. Efforts should be to report non-heterogeneous outcomes in the future to draw meaningful comparisons. Discussion: Indeed, automation reduces physical and mental burnout but there are potential pitfalls that periodontists need to be aware of. Standardization is the key to generating the trust of both users and recipients. Clinical significance: Despite the revolutionizing power, AI solutions have yet to overcome the moral hurdles to enter routine periodontal care. Note worthily, the seven-pronged approaches for the ethical praxis are proposed henceforth.