Oral Health Behavior and Dental Caries status: A comparative study between rural and urban school-going children in Dhaka Division

Introduction: The importance of oral health in children is paramount. Proper techniques of brushing and the influence of fermentable carbohydrates in dental caries should be taught at the early childhood stage. Objective: To estimate the mean deft, DMFT, Oral health-related behavior, and practice among the selected rural and urban school-going children in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 593 (152 rural and 441 urban children) school children using the purposive sampling technique. Data were collected from 3 urban schools and 1 rural school, using an interview-based structured questionnaire and oral examination. Consent was taken both from the college authority and participants before data collection. Descriptive analysis was performed. Results and Discussion: The study was carried out among 593 school children with an age range between below 5 years to above 15 years old. The majority of the students at urban schools brush their teeth twice daily while most rural school children brush their teeth once daily. Most of the students use toothbrushes and toothpaste as cleaning aids, however, the majority of them usually brush before meals. In addition, the majority of the students at rural and urban schools do not brush their teeth after taking sweet foods. Mean deft in deciduous teeth is high among rural school children (2.07) while mean DMFT in permanent teeth is high among urban schools. Conclusion: Organized and systemic community oral health promotion should be strengthened and a prevention-oriented oral health system is needed for promoting future oral self-care practices among school children

Self-Reported Side Effects of Different COVID-19 Vaccines in Bangladesh- A Vaccine Recipient Survey

Background: COVID-19 (Corona Virus disease 2019) is a newly discovered disease that originated in China and quickly spread throughout the world, killing millions of people and infecting many more. People have a new hope due to newly discovered vaccines for this fatal disease. However, the vaccines showed a number of side effects on the people receiving them. Nonetheless, it has proven to be helpful in providing protection against the fatal infection. Purpose: To analyze the probable side effects of the vaccines experienced by vaccine recipient and their belief regarding vaccine. Method: An online survey was conducted through different social media platforms and Email from 11 July’2021 to 16 July’2021. Ethical permission and consent was taken prior to the survey and data collections. Occurance and the extent of vaccine side effects were analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Result: Among 175 vaccine recipients, 92 (52.58%) received one dose and 83 (47.42%) received two doses, with 93 (53.1) receiving SinoPharm vaccine, 78 (44.6) receiving AstraZeneca vaccine, and 4 (2.3%) receiving Pfizer vaccine. More than half of the respondents experienced side effects among which headaches (50.3%) and drowsiness (45.71%) were common followed by fever (36%) and muscle ache (32%). Female (P=0.000) and vaccine concerned group (P=0.033) experienced more side effects. Headache (68.8%), fever (40.9%) and drowsiness (50.5%) were more common among Sinopharm recipients. Fever (50%) and muscle ache (50%) were more common among Pfizer recipients while muscle ache (43.5%) and drowsiness (42.3%) were common among AstraZaneca recipients group. Conclusion: Headache, fever, muscular discomfort, soreness at the injection site, drowsiness, nausea, and other adverse effects are common with the COVID vaccination. Females are more susceptible to side effects than males, and the probability of experiencing them increases with the second dose. AstraZeneca vaccine recipient experiencing more side effects than other types of vaccine recipients

Clinical Profile and Management of Oral Cancer Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: Oral cavity cancer is the 11th most common cancer worldwide, and the incidence rate of lip & oral cavity cancer in Bangladesh in 2020 was 8.9%. The National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) is a specialized hospital for cancer patient care where all treatment modalities are available. This study was conducted in the faciomaxillary surgical oncology department (FMSO) to see the patient profile and management of oral cancer patients at NIRCH. Materials and methods: This observational study was carried out from January 2017 to December 2020 with hitopathologically proven oral cancer patients. Data of outdoor patients were collected from the OPD and tumor board registers, and indoor patient’s data were collected from the discharge register. Relevant variables were included in the data collection, such as epidemiological features (age, sex) and clinicopathological data (primary site of tumor, disease pattern, TNM staging, presentation status, management of patients by tumor board decision, and surgical management). Collected data were summarized and analyzed by statistical package for the social science SPSS (version 24.0) and results were presented in table, chart, and graph form. Results: A total of 6869 patients were enrolled in the study, where 55% were female and 45% were male, with a male to female ratio of 0.82:1. Buccal mucosa was the most common site (44%) followed by lower gingivo-buccal sulcus (21%). Eighty-eight percent of the total cases were squamous cell carcinoma. Early-stage lesions were only 6% whereas advanced-stage lesions were 94%. Among preoperative patients, 1992 (29%) were operable and 4877 (71%) were inoperable. The tumor board decided nearly 50% of patients for chemo-radiation, 10% for surgery and radiotherapy each. Among the operable patients, only 244 (20%) were operated on in our department in a four-year period. Conclusion: It is evident from this study that most of the patients present in the advanced stage illustrate the necessity for the inclusion of oral health care in primary health care by the government for early detection of oral cancer in Bangladesh

COVID-19 Vaccination Intent and Willingness to Pay in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This article reports the intent to receive a SARS-COV-2 vaccine, its predictors and willingness to pay in Bangladesh. We carried out an online cross-sectional survey of 697 adults from the general population of Bangladesh in January 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to assess vaccination intent. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables and health belief model constructs which may predict vaccination intent. Among the participants, 26% demonstrated a definite intent, 43% probable intent, 24% probable negative, and 7% a definite negative intention. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggest an association between definite intent and previous COVID-19 infection (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.71-4.78), perceiving COVID-19 as serious (OR: 1.93; 1.04-3.59), the belief that vaccination would make them feel less worried about catching COVID-19 (OR: 4.42; 2.25-8.68), and concerns about vaccine affordability (OR: 1.51; 1.01-2.25). Individuals afraid of the side effects (OR: 0.34; 0.21-0.53) and those who would take the vaccine if the vaccine were taken by many others (OR: 0.44; 0.29-0.67) are less likely to have a definite intent. A definite negative intent is associated with the concern that the vaccine may not be halal (OR: 2.03; 1.04-3.96). Furthermore, 68.4% are willing to pay for the vaccine. The median amount that they are willing to pay is USD 7.08. The study findings reveal that the definite intent to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among the general population varies depending on their COVID-19-related health beliefs and no significant association was found with sociodemographic variables

Depression among the Non-Native International Undergraduate Students Studying Dentistry in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Bangladesh has been attracting international students with interests in various subjects recently. Every year students from different parts of the world come to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mostly at private universities in Bangladesh. This study evaluates the depression status among international students who are studying dentistry in Bangladesh. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among International undergraduate dental students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program in nine public and private dental colleges in Bangladesh. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. A total of 206 students completed the survey where 78.5% of them were female students and 21.5% students were male, and a CES-D 10-item Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha for the 10-item CES-D scale for this population is 0.812. RESULTS: The majority of the students (79.5%) are below 24 years of age with a mean age of 23.22 years and standard deviation of 2.3, and are students who cannot communicate well in Bengali (Bangla), about 60% of them have experienced depression. About 77.3% (p < 0.00) of the international students having financial difficulties exhibited depression. The international students who went through financial problems were two times more likely to suffer from depression (OR = 2.38; p-value < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study tried to highlight the struggles faced by international students in Bangladesh studying dentistry. It is evident from the findings that several factors influence students' mental well-being during demanding dental education years

Self-Reported Side Effects of Different COVID-19 Vaccines in Bangladesh- A Vaccine Recipient Survey

Background: COVID-19 (Corona Virus disease 2019) is a newly discovered disease that originated in China and quickly spread throughout the world, killing millions of people and infecting many more. People have a new hope due to newly discovered vaccines for this fatal disease. However, the vaccines showed a number of side effects on the people receiving them. Nonetheless, it has proven to be helpful in providing protection against the fatal infection. Purpose: To analyze the probable side effects of the vaccines experienced by vaccine recipient and their belief regarding vaccine. Method: An online survey was conducted through different social media platforms and Email from 11 July’2021 to 16 July’2021. Ethical permission and consent was taken prior to the survey and data collections. Occurance and the extent of vaccine side effects were analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Result: Among 175 vaccine recipients, 92 (52.58%)  received one dose and 83 (47.42%) received two doses, with 93 (53.1) receiving SinoPharm vaccine, 78 (44.6) receiving AstraZeneca vaccine, and 4 (2.3%) receiving Pfizer vaccine. More than half of the respondents experienced side effects among which headaches (50.3%) and drowsiness (45.71%) were common followed by fever (36%) and muscle ache (32%). Female (P=0.000) and vaccine concerned group (P=0.033) experienced more side effects. Headache (68.8%), fever (40.9%) and drowsiness (50.5%) were more common among Sinopharm recipients. Fever (50%) and muscle ache (50%) were more common among Pfizer recipients while muscle ache (43.5%) and drowsiness (42.3%) were common among AstraZaneca recipients group. Conclusion: Headache, fever, muscular discomfort, soreness at the injection site, drowsiness, nausea, and other adverse effects are common with the COVID vaccination. Females are more susceptible to side effects than males, and the probability of experiencing them increases with the second dose. AstraZeneca vaccine recipient experiencing more  side effects than other types of vaccine recipients. Update Dent. Coll. j: 2023; 13(2):3-8</p

Psychological Distress among Bangladeshi Dental Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Psychological sufferings are observed among dental students during their academic years, which had been intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study assessed the levels and identified factors associated with psychological distress, fear and coping experienced by dental undergraduate students in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross sectional online survey was conducted during October-November, 2021. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) were used in order to assess psychological distress, fear and coping strategies, respectively. Results: A total of 327 students participated; the majority (72%) were 19&ndash;23 years old and females (75%). One in five participants were infected with COVID-19 and 15% reported contact with COVID-19 cases. Negative financial impact (AOR 3.72, 95% CIs 1.28&ndash;10.8), recent or past COVID-19 infection, and contact with COVID-19 cases were associated with higher levels of psychological distress; but being a third year student (0.14, 0.04&ndash;0.55) and being satisfied about current social life (0.11, 0.03&ndash;0.33) were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Being a third year (0.17, 0.08&ndash;0.39) and a fourth year student (0.29, 0.12&ndash;0.71) were associated with lower levels of fear. Health care service use and feeling positive about life were associated with medium to high resilience coping. Conclusions: This study identified dental students in Bangladesh who were at higher risk of psychological distress, fear and coping during the ongoing pandemic. Development of a mental health support system within dental institutions should be considered in addition to the academic and clinical teaching

Experience of Bangladeshi Dental Students towards Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, dental education institutions throughout the world experienced significant challenges, including a quick shift to an online learning paradigm. Since the pandemic has had a considerable impact on dental education, this research evaluated the perspectives and attitudes towards online learning among undergraduate dental students in Bangladesh. METHODS: The research was conducted through a cross-sectional method using self-administered online questionnaires. The questionnaire included information on the students' sociodemographic status, their views, and their attitudes about the changes in the educational system, specifically regarding online learning. The study gathered data from 952 undergraduate students from 14 dental institutions in Bangladesh. RESULTS: The results suggested that 87.5% of all the students were unsatisfied with their online programs. Most of the respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with their online classes were female, did not receive assistance in overcoming barriers to accessing the classes or materials (64.23%), did not have access to the institutional online-learning management system (OLMS) (67.35%), and did not have access to the online course materials (71.43%). The students considered that the shift to online learning failed to provide quality clinical teaching. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of an OLMS was found to be linked with dissatisfaction with online learning among Bangladeshi dental students during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, insufficient time allocation and a lack of support through online training were found to be strongly correlated with the students' discontent. The overall findings highlight the need to develop and implement effective online dentistry educational interventions to promote academic advancement and key practical skills

COVID-19 vaccination intent and willingness to pay in Bangladesh:a cross-sectional study

Abstract This article reports the intent to receive a SARS-COV-2 vaccine, its predictors and willingness to pay in Bangladesh. We carried out an online cross-sectional survey of 697 adults from the general population of Bangladesh in January 2021. A structured questionnaire was used to assess vaccination intent. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables and health belief model constructs which may predict vaccination intent. Among the participants, 26% demonstrated a definite intent, 43% probable intent, 24% probable negative, and 7% a definite negative intention. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggest an association between definite intent and previous COVID-19 infection (OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.71–4.78), perceiving COVID-19 as serious (OR: 1.93; 1.04–3.59), the belief that vaccination would make them feel less worried about catching COVID-19 (OR: 4.42; 2.25–8.68), and concerns about vaccine affordability (OR: 1.51; 1.01–2.25). Individuals afraid of the side effects (OR: 0.34; 0.21–0.53) and those who would take the vaccine if the vaccine were taken by many others (OR: 0.44; 0.29–0.67) are less likely to have a definite intent. A definite negative intent is associated with the concern that the vaccine may not be halal (OR: 2.03; 1.04–3.96). Furthermore, 68.4% are willing to pay for the vaccine. The median amount that they are willing to pay is USD 7.08. The study findings reveal that the definite intent to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among the general population varies depending on their COVID-19-related health beliefs and no significant association was found with sociodemographic variables

Depression among the non-native international undergraduate students studying dentistry in Bangladesh

Abstract Background: Bangladesh has been attracting international students with interests in various subjects recently. Every year students from different parts of the world come to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mostly at private universities in Bangladesh. This study evaluates the depression status among international students who are studying dentistry in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among International undergraduate dental students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program in nine public and private dental colleges in Bangladesh. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. A total of 206 students completed the survey where 78.5% of them were female students and 21.5% students were male, and a CES-D 10-item Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha for the 10-item CES-D scale for this population is 0.812. Results: The majority of the students (79.5%) are below 24 years of age with a mean age of 23.22 years and standard deviation of 2.3, and are students who cannot communicate well in Bengali (Bangla), about 60% of them have experienced depression. About 77.3% (p &lt; 0.00) of the international students having financial difficulties exhibited depression. The international students who went through financial problems were two times more likely to suffer from depression (OR = 2.38; p-value &lt; 0.01). Conclusion: This study tried to highlight the struggles faced by international students in Bangladesh studying dentistry. It is evident from the findings that several factors influence students’ mental well-being during demanding dental education years