Background: Present day, the focus has changed toward increasing the tooth resistance by topical application of remineralizing agents, which has resulted in the remarkable decline in dental caries. However, the remineralizing capacity of these agents remains questionable. Aim: To determine the efficacy of three commercially available remineralizing agents on artificially created carious lesions on primary teeth. Materials and methods: A total of 30 sound human primary anterior teeth were selected, decoronated, and randomly divided into three groups of 10 each: group I (FAgamin), group II (Theodent Classic), group III (GC Tooth Mousse). Baseline surface microhardness for each specimen was measured using a Digital Micro Vicker's hardness tester. Later these specimens were demineralized for 96 hours to assess intermediate surface microhardness values. Further, they were subjected to remineralization with their respective remineralizing agents for 14 days with a pH cycling model and final surface microhardness scores were assessed to determine the extent of remineralization. Results: The statistical analysis was done using ANOVA and Bonferroni multiple comparison tests, which showed that all the three remineralizing agents exhibited certain amount of remineralization. Group I showed the highest potential compared with the other groups, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: All the three groups demonstrated remineralization of carious lesions by virtue of an increase in surface microhardness. Among the tested agents, 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) exhibited a superior remineralizing potential.

Background: One of the most important decisions one will ever make is choosing a career option. The role of lifelong learning is recognized because of its significance in ensuring professional skills, effective patient care, and career progress. So, the awareness about various career options after Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) plays an important role in achieving professional security. Materials and methods: The study was conducted among 410 dental students studying in VSPM Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur. Students from the first year to interns pursuing BDS course were included in the study. A standardized, self-administered questionnaire consisting of eight close-ended multiple-choice questions was distributed, and the received data were analyzed. Results: The awareness of various other career options after BDS most of them knew was the conventional ones like owning a clinic, do postgraduation, and overseas education. But only few knew about the new options like dental blogging, dental YouTuber, and dental tourism. Also, an average group of participants knew about the career option like government jobs, MBA in hospital management, dental officer armed forces, and entering in teaching profession. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that most of the participants were unaware of different career options available after BDS. So, there is a need to enhance the knowledge and awareness regarding the different career options available to a general dentist after BDS. This would help broadening the arena of the dental professionals and thereby help flourish the dental fraternity.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess, compare, and analyze the oral health-related knowledge, attitude, and behaviors among medical and dental students. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 241 dental students and 150 medical students from AIMST University, Kedah, Malaysia. The English version of Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was used to collect the data regarding the oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior among the two population. The data were compiled and statistically analyzed using Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 version. Differences in responses were assessed using Chi-square. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Only 10.37% of the dental students and 34% of medical students complained of bleeding gums while brushing their teeth. A high percentage of dental students (73.86%) are bothered about the color of the gums, while comparatively less percentage of medical students (58.67%) are bothered about the color of the gums. As far as toothbrushing is concerned, 91.70% of dental students brush their teeth carefully, but only 76% of medical students do it carefully. A higher percentage of medical students (22.67%) were not taught professionally to brush their teeth but only a less percentage of dental students (3.32%). Conclusion: As per the present study the awareness among the medical students about oral health care and practices was comparable to that of the dental students.

Aim: Oral diseases have a multifactorial etiology of which environmental factors play a pragmatic role, thereby directly influencing the quality of life. The present study was conducted to find the association between the level of maternal education and the duration of breastfeeding with its effects on the orofacial development of a child. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional retrospective study conducted to find the association between the duration of breastfeeding and various developmental parameters. A total of 650 children were included in this retrospective study conducted at the Army Dental Centre (R&R). Questionnaires were distributed to the participants (mothers) who were accompanying their child for a routine dental examination. The parameters that were examined are the index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN), the oral hygiene status, the modified Mallampati index, and posterior crossbites. Results: Mean duration of breastfeeding in our sample size stood at 44%. The principle mode of oral health awareness is by interactions between family and friends, whereas dental camps at schools or societies influence only 16% of the respondents. In 41% of the subjects, there was no need of any treatment according to IOTN, and in 3.1% of subjects there was great need for treatment. Around 80% of the subjects maintained reasonably good oral hygiene and 60% of the subjects were categorized into Mallampati grade I scoring. The level of maternal education follows a reverse trend to the timing of child's first dental visit. About 55% of the postgraduate mothers got their child for a dental checkup before the age of 5. About 60% of the children who were breastfed more than 24 months were having an IOTN of 1 as compared to only 16% of children who were fed less than 6 months. Posterior crossbites were present in 37% of children who were fed more than 6 months. About 74% of the children who were breastfed more than 24 months had Mallampati scoring of 1, whereas only 19% of the children who were breastfed less than 6 months had the scoring of 1. Conclusion: A direct association between the level of maternal education and decreased duration of breastfeeding is present, thereby increasing the incidence of moderate-to-severe malocclusion. There is a need to reiterate oral health outreach programs at the community level for basic dental education and healthy practices. The oral hygiene status was directly associated with the higher education group. Formulating and practising a proper breastfeeding schedule can prevent development of various malocclusions especially in lower-income-group countries that still are devoid of specialized care.

Aim: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of primary wing schoolteachers toward dental trauma and its management in Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among primary wing schoolteachers using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 27 questions having three sections: personal and professional profile of the respondents and training on first aid, attitude of teachers toward dental trauma, and knowledge with regard to dental trauma. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: In total, 400 primary wing schoolteachers participated in this study. Most of the respondents have received first aid training. The majority responded that dental trauma emergency management must be among the educational priorities for teachers. The teacher intervention in school dental injuries does play a significant role in traumatized tooth. The majority of the participants inappropriately answered the questions assessing the knowledge of management of dental trauma. Conclusion: The knowledge of primary wing schoolteachers regarding the management of dental trauma is poor. Educational courses to improve the knowledge and awareness are essential.

Introduction: Most commonly, the quality of life (QoL) measure used for evaluating the influence of oral diseases on individuals is Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Knowledge regarding particular illness in a population will help us to implement a new policy or modify the existing health policies and also help us to plan and deliver better preventive and treatment to the population. Aim: The purpose of the present research was to assess the impact of periodontal diseases in Saudi population. Materials and methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among with 400 adult subjects using the OHIP-14 structured questionnaire, which is an effective yardstick for oral conditions and their purported management need. Oral examinations were performed by single dental professionals. Data were subjected to the statistical analysis with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: This study comprised 400 adults (216 men and 184 women) with a mean ± SD OHIP-14 score of 13.92 ± 8.21. Among the seven domains, physical disability, psychological disability, and handicap subscales of OHIP-14 showed a significant difference in periodontal severity (p = 0.01). The average psychological disability subscale mean scores were significantly higher among mild periodontitis as compared to its moderate and severe counterparts. Whereas the handicap subscale mean scores were significantly higher for subjects with moderate periodontitis as compared to chronic gingivitis subjects (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The periodontal disease definitely has negative influence on QoL of the subjects among the Saudi population.

Introduction: Artificial salivary substitutes are commonly used as mouth and throat lubricants. The purpose of this review is to describe the therapeutic role of artificial saliva for the symptomatic relief and preventive management of dry mouth. Materials and methods: To review application of artificial saliva in dentistry, the electronic search was carried out in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and the hand search was performed in journals published from 1987 to 2018. Further information was requested from corresponding authors. Inclusion criteria were a predefined hierarchy of evidence and objectives. Results: Artificial saliva is considered to be simple to use and clinically effective, with the provision of immediate relief from the symptoms of dry mouth. Conclusion: The therapeutic efficacy of artificial saliva substitute is often transient, because of rapid elimination from the oral cavity, and thus there is an unmet need to maintain a hydrated mucosa for a prolonged period.

Tonsilloliths are lumps of tiny stones (calculus) located at fleshy crypts at the back of the tonsils. Although they are not uncommon in grown up individuals, tonsilloliths, however, are rare in children. We report a case of unilateral tonsillolith in an 11-year-old girl who reported with past history of an external body implication in the right tonsil.