Dental Research Journal
Volume:8 Issue: 2, Mar 2011

Bacteria in dental plaque are one of the main factors causing periodontal disease. The aim was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of antimicrobial dentifrices with herbal extracts and conventional toothpaste with no antimicrobial action for improvement of oral hygiene and reduction of gingival inflammation. 48 volunteers with chronic marginal gingivitis were randomly divided into three groups. Groups 1 and 2 received herbal extract dentifrices. Group 3 used a conventional dentifrice. Subjects were asked to use the allocated dentifrice, three times a day, for 42 days. Values of Patient Hygiene Performance, Approximal Plaque, Gingival, and Sulcular Bleeding indices were assessed at baseline, after 14, 28 and 42 days. Data were analyzed by Student’s t-test (α = 0.05). Oral hygiene (tooth brushing with dentifrices for 42 days) led to a significant decrease in plaque accumulation on smooth (by 61.2% and 57.2 in herbal test groups 1 and 2, respectively) and approximal (by 57.4 and 52.8% in herbal test groups 1 and 2, respectively) tooth surfaces, reduction of gingival inflammation (by 68.0 and 70.6% in herbal test groups 1 and 2, respectively) and gingival sulcus bleeding (by 79.5 and 81.2% in herbal test groups 1 and 2, respectively). Final indices values in both herbal test groups were significantly (P < 0.001) lower compared to those at baseline and those after 42 days in the conventional group. Continuous application of herbal tooth paste provided significant improvement of oral hygiene level in patients with gingivitis.

Gingival recession is the most common and undesirable condition of the gingiva. The aim of study was to investigate the aetiology and severity of gingival recession in a Greek adult population sample. The study was performed on 165 males and 179 females, 18-68 years old who sought dental treatment in a private dental practice and showed gingival recession. All subjects were clinically examined and answered questions regarding their oral hygiene habits such as the type of toothbrush, frequency of brushing and method of brushing. The association between gingival recession and the following parameters was assessed: plaque score, gingival score and tooth position. Statistical analysis of the results was accomplished using chi-square test (α = 0.05). The majority (79.4%) of the patients showed grade I gingival recession and 15.3% showed grade II gingival recession. The maxillary 1st and 2nd molars (35.3%) and the mandibular 1st and 2nd molars (28.7%) were the teeth most frequently affected by root surface exposure. Patients with sub-gingival calculus, bacterial plaque and gingival inflammation (P < 0.05), malpositioned teeth (P < 0.001), horizontal brushing method, medium type of toothbrush (P < 0.001) and brushing once daily (P < 0.001) appeared to be the most common precipitating aetiological factor for gingival recession. According to the results of the present study, gingival recession was the result of more than one factor acting together. Horizontal brushing method, usage of medium type toothbrush and tooth brushing once daily were found to be more associated with gingival recession.

Educational evaluation is a process which deals with data collection and assessment of academic activities’ progress. In this research, educational evaluation of Dentistry School of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, which trains students in undergraduate and residency courses, was studied. This descriptive study was done with a model of educational evaluation in ten steps and 13 fields including purposes and mission objectives, management and organization, academic board members, students, human resources and support, educational, research, health and treatment spaces, educational, diagnostic, research and laboratory tools, educational, research, health and treatment programs and courses, process of teaching and learning, evaluation and assessment, alumni, and patients satisfaction. Data were collected using observation, interviews, questionnaires, and checklists. Results of the study were mainly qualitative and in some cases quantitative, based on defined optimal situation. The total mean of qualitative results of educational evaluation of dentistry school in all 13 fields was 55.98% which is relatively desirable. In the case of quantitative ones, results of some fields such as treatment quality of patients and education and learning of the students were relatively desirable (61.32% and 60.16% respectively). According to the results, educational goals and missions, educational and research facilities and spaces which were identified as the weakest areas need to be considered and paid more serious attention.

Consistency, backing process and content differences could influence cariogenic potential of foods. The aim was to compare plaque pH changes following consumption of two types of bread with different physical characteristics. In this clinical trial, interproximal plaque pH of 10 volunteers with high risk of dental caries (saliva Streptococcus mutans > 105, high dental caries experience, and average DMFT =6.10 ± 1.56) was measured. Plain traditionally backed “Sangak bread” and soft bulky “Baguette bread” and %10 sucrose solution were tested in a cross over designed experiment. Baseline plaque pH was recorded and followed by 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes intervals. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05). Sucrose solution caused the most pronounced pH and ∆pH drop from 7.15 ± 0.33 at baseline to 6.78 ± 0.29. Means plaque pH of 10% sucrose solution and Baguette were not statistically different at 1, 20 and 30 minutes (P > 0.05). Mean plaque pH of Sangak and Baguette showed significant differences at 0, 1, 20 and30 minutes (P < 0.05). Sucrose solution caused a dramatic plaque pH drop during first 10 minutes and then within 30 minutes returned to baseline pH. For two bread samples within first 10 minutes, pH increased and then started to decrease during tenth to fifteenth minutes. During all experiment phases, the mean pH of Baguette with less consistency and carbohydrate content and higher rate of starch gelatination was lower compared to Sangak.

Anti-microbial agents have been used as a chemotherapeutic agent to improve oral health. This in vitro study was carried out to determine antimicrobial efficacy of different toothpastes and mouthrinses against the oral pathogens. A total of five toothpastes and five mouthrinses were tested for their antimicrobial activity against three oral pathogens namely, Streptococcus mutans (MTCC 890), Escherichia coli (MTCC 579) and Candida albicans (MTCC 854) by well agar diffusion assay. Statistical Analysis was performed using a statistical package, SPSS windows version 15, by applying mean values using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc least square differences (LSD) method(α = 0.05). Toothpaste formulation A showed maximum zones of inhibition against the test organism, Escherichia coli (P<0.001) compared to all other toothpastes formulations. Against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, the zones of inhibition were less in comparison to E.coli but were significantly different at higher dilutions (1:8, 1:16 P<0.05) for toothpaste formulation A.Mouthrinses formulation H showed maximum efficacy against the test organism, Escherichia coli (P<0.001) compared to all other mouthrinse formulations. Against Streptococcus mutans, mouthrinses formulations F, G and J showed significant antimicrobial activity (P<0.05) compared to formulation H and I. In the present study, it has been demonstrated that triclosan containing toothpastes formulations are more effective in control of oral microflora compared to non-triclosan containing synthetic toothpastes. Among mouthrinses formulations, chlorhexidine was found to be more effective than or as effective as triclosan against the organisms tested.

Evaluating the factors influence student perception, might allow programmatic changes designed to enhance students’ psychosocial well-being and academic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceived sources of stress on dental students and the role of parents in their career choice decisions. In a cross-sectional design, a modified dental environmental stress questionnaire was administered to all dental students. The responses to the questionnaire were based on a four-point Lickert scale, not stressful to severely stressful. Means and standard deviations were determined for stress scores of individuals for each item and were used to compare the classes, genders, and choices. Student’s t, one way ANOVA, and Newman Keuls multiple comparison post hoc tests were used to analysed the data at the significant level of P ≤ 0.05. A total of 304 undergraduate students constituted the study population. Of the respondent, 60% were men and 40% were women. The final year students presented with higher stress scores. In gender comparison, men suffered more stress (62.9%) than women (60.1%). According to the career choice decision, students forced by parents had more perception of stress (69.0%) and the students staying in the hostel (62.7%) showed more perception of stress than day scholars (56.3%). The study indicates that the congenial environment needs to be created for dental education and the parents also need to be counselled against forcing their children to join an educational programme i.e. not of their choice.

Primary de novo intraosseous carcinoma is a rare neoplastic lesion which commonly occurs in the jaws. It is an epithelial odontogenic malignancy arising from odontogenic epithelial residues in the bone rather than from a preexisting epithelial lesion. In the present case report, the clinical, radiological and histological features of primary de novo intraosseous carcinoma are discussed and its aggressiveness and local invasiveness are highlighted.

A virtual absence of palliative, preventive and restorative care characterizes juvenile oral health care in most of the developing and underdeveloped countries. Consequently, carious cavities remain untreated, which leads to pain, discomfort and functional limitation. It further, impacts negatively upon general health and cognitive development apart from causing decreased masticatory efficiency, difficulty in speech, compromised esthetics, development of abnormal tongue habits and subsequent malocclusion and psychological problems. The restoration of severely decayed deciduous teeth especially anterior ones presents a major challenge to dentists, particularly in uncooperative children. The following case report documents the restoration of severely mutilated deciduous teeth in an emotionally immature patient resulting in an improvement in not only his oral and general health also in helping him gain more self-confidence.