Effect of stress, depression, and anxiety over periodontal health indicators among health professional students

Background: Stress has become a part of one's life, which results in the development of depression and anxiety. This is commonly thought to have a net-negative effect on the efficacy of the immune response, subsequently resulting in periodontal breakdown. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of depression, anxiety, and stress [DAS] over periodontal health indicators among the health-care professional students. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 375 undergraduate health professional students, of which 125 were medical students, 125 were dental students, and 125 were pharmacy students, who were taken from three colleges in Andhra Pradesh. Questionnaires (self-reported oral hygiene questionnaire and DAS Scale questionnaire) were given to the participants, and clinical examination was conducted in all the participants to assess the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth, and clinical attachment level. Statistical analysis was performed using the ANOVA test and post hoc test to compare the psychological parameters with periodontal parameters among three groups of health professional students. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Medical students depicted higher mean stress levels (8.00 ± 2.75) (P < 0.001) and mean DAS score (20.23 ± 6.21) (P < 0.001) than dental and pharmacy students; the mean PI (1.05 ± 0.38) (P < 0.001) and the mean GI (0.72 ± 0.38) (P < 0.001) scores are also increased with stress levels among medical students. Conclusion: Psychological factors have an adverse effect over the plaque levels and gingival status among the students

Knowledge, Attitude and Perception Regarding Biostatistics Among Postgraduate Students in Dental Institutions of Andhra Pradesh

Introduction: Biostatistics is a discipline concerned with how we ought to make decisions when analysing biomedical data. As statistics is desirable at every stage of research to obtain scientifically important information and reliable results, the importance of biostatistics should definitely be informed to the researchers in health sciences. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and perception of dental professionals towards biostatistics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and perception regarding biostatistics among 721 postgraduate students in dental institutions of Andhra Pradesh. All the participants were provided with a pre-structured questionnaire comprising 21 questions, and answering was completely self-paced. Results: Among the respondents, 86% were aware of the importance of biostatistics in research. Forty-five percent of the respondents attempted to perform statistical analysis on their own. Of all the students, 53% were unable to identify the commonly used parametric tests in clinical trials. Conclusion: Majority of the participants were aware of the importance of biostatistics, but only a few of them attempted to perform statistical analysis. Therefore, dental institutions should take initiatives in organising workshops and training programmes for learning and application of biostatistics, concomitantly encourage research activity to conduct valuable research and add up evidence to literature

Assessment of periodontal knowledge among residents of West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India: A descriptive epidemiological survey

Aim: To assess the periodontal knowledge among 18–50-year-old adult population living in the West Godavari state of Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional face-to-face interview survey from July 2014 to June 2015 among individuals between ages 18 and 50 years living in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh using a stratified multistage sampling method. For data collection, a specially designed pretested proforma was used. The proforma consisted of demographic details such as name, age, sex, income, education, occupation, personal habits, and systemic diseases, if any. The proforma also included a structured, 14-item questionnaire to assess the knowledge levels of participants regarding periodontal health and diseases. t-test and analysis of variance were used to analyze the collected data. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all comparisons. Results: The lowest percentage of correct answers was related to gum care during pregnancy (11.6%) and the effect of systemic diseases on periodontium (30%). A majority of the participants had higher level of knowledge scores related to the use of toothpaste (95.2%) and food accumulation leads to gum diseases (80.8%). There was no significant difference in mean knowledge score among different gender and occupation groups (P > 0.05). Participants with high economic status had the highest periodontal disease knowledge (P = 0.015). Conclusion: Knowledge concerning periodontal health and disease is still poor in West Godavari; therefore, more dental health education is needed to improve oral health. In this study, positive attitudes toward prevention were related to better knowledge

Awareness, Attitude, and Prevalence of usage of magnification devices among the dental practitioners in the state of Andhra Pradesh – A questionnaire-based study

Background: Dentistry, dealing with teeth and supporting tissues in the oral cavity is not only an ever-evolving science but also an art combined with good eye-hand coordination. It not only encompasses clinical and theoretical skills which play a crucial role in the success of therapy but also a lot of intrinsic work is accomplished in dentistry. In a journey to fulfill the above accomplishments and for facilitating early diagnosis of pathologies which usually go unnoticed, a clearer and magnified field of vision are also essential. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the awareness, attitude, and prevalence of the usage of magnification devices among the dental practitioners in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based study was conducted to assess the awareness, attitude, and prevalence of magnification devices among the 370 dental practitioners in Andhra Pradesh. All the participants were provided with a prestructured questionnaire comprising of 24 questions and answering was completely self-based. Results: Among the participants, majority were aware about magnification in dentistry (91.1%), and also of the different types of magnification devices available (90.5%). On the other hand, when the reason for not using magnification devices was taken into consideration, 32.7% attributed that they have not experienced the devices and 32.4% felt that devices were too expensive. Moreover, when regarding the usage of devices was taken into account, only 23.8% of the total participants were exposed to the usage of magnification aids. Conclusion: Among the selected group of participants, even though majority were aware of magnification in dentistry its application in practice was very less

Periodontal health awareness and self-perceived halitosis among various professional students of West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh

Introduction: Oral health is an essential part of maintaining overall health, and poor oral health can have a profound effect on the quality of life. Among the various sections of the population present in the society, professional students include a large group of population and are believed to have a better awareness pertaining to oral health than the common population. Aim: This study aims to determine the periodontal health awareness levels along with the self-perception of halitosis among the medical, pharmacy, and engineering students in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1230 students from medical, engineering, and pharmacy professions. A self-administered 27-item structured questionnaire was used to assess periodontal health and knowledge pertaining to oral hygiene practices along with the assessment of self-perceived halitosis. Tests of the association between self-perceived halitosis and the risk factors were conducted using Chi-square test. Intergroup comparison was conducted by ANOVA and t-test. Results: Self-perceived malodor reported was 50%, 54%, and 60% by medical, pharmacy, and engineering students, respectively. The difference in the levels of overall periodontal health awareness was statistically significant among the different specialities with the highest score gained by medical students (4.1 ± 2.0), followed by the pharmacy (2.9 ± 1.6), and engineering (1.6 ± 1.3) students. Conclusions: Even though professional students do have an acceptable level of knowledge regarding oral health, the level of awareness pertaining to periodontal health in particular is lacking. Hence, there is a need to extend the horizon for oral healthcare to other professional students at an elementary level

Evaluation of Comfort Levels of Patient and Ergonomics of the Dental Surgeon during Manual Scaling under Both Proprioceptive Derivative Concept and Conventional Approach: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The important components that contribute to successful dental care are maximum accessibility, visibility, comfort, and control over clinical processes. Dental practitioners are more prone to developing musculoskeletal disorders due to awkward working postures. To minimise all these risk factors, a new concept called Proprioceptive Derivative (PD) has come into existence. Aim: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the comfort levels of the patient and ergonomics of the dental professional in the PD approach and conventional approach. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which manual scaling was performed by 20 dentists on 120 patients using the PD concept and conventional concept. A 13-item questionnaire was distributed among the patients and clinicians to record their perceptions of comfort levels, clinicians’ treatment satisfaction levels, and the time needed to complete the procedure after mastering the PD concept. In indepedent sample t-test was use to compare the responses among the two groups. p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The comfort levels of the clinician (q1) during treatment in the conventional approach, with a mean value of 2.96±0.69, were significantly lower than in the PD approach, with a mean value of 3.46±0.85 (p<0.001). However, from the perspective of the patients, the mean comfort levels using the conventional strategy were 2.61±1.03, while using the PD approach, it was 2.85±1.11, which was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: The clinicians had more ergonomic benefits and improved time factors under the PD concept. By following the work postures according to the PD concept, clinicians can avoid musculoskeletal discomfort, which is beneficial to all clinicians and can increase the longevity of their clinical practice

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of teledentistry in periodontal diagnosis: Is it the required upgrade to conventional periodontics?

Background: Teledentistry which is similar to telemedicine has emerged as a new tool for various dental disciplines. Teleperiodontics is a branch of telehealth which focuses on the application of digital communication technology into the field of periodontics without demanding a specialist presence. An early detection and diagnosis of periodontal conditions can not only treat the disease in its early stage but also prolong the health of the periodontium, thereby improving the overall quality of life of an individual. However, teledentistry has not penetrated into the field of periodontics to a level it has to in providing periodontal care. Hence, the aim of this questionnaire study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and application of teleperiodontics into everyday practice among the dental surgeons at various levels. Materials and Methods: An electronic questionnaire consisting of 29 close-ended questions including sections assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of teledentistry and teleperiodontics was sent to dental colleges present in East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. Results: A total of 350 responses were received and 80.57% dental surgeons were aware about teledentistry, and a total of 74% dental surgeons were likely to prescribe oral hygiene aids and medication for temporary management of periodontal conditions. Conclusion: Teleperiodontics is an emerging science whose knowledge, attitude, and application are yet to be explored

Gingival Depigmentation by Application of Diode Laser at 810 nm (Denlase) and 470 nm (Bluelase) Wavelengths: A Split-mouth Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction: Gingival hyperpigmentation is a common aesthetic concern that often requires treatment to achieve a pleasing smile. While various methods for depigmentation have been described in the literature, the scalpel method is widely advocated. Laser technology, particularly diode lasers, has emerged as a preferred treatment option due to their unique properties. Aim: To compare the efficacy of two different diode wavelengths, namely Denlase and Bluelase lasers, in terms of pain intensity, aesthetic appraisal, and the rate of repigmentation. Materials and Methods: This split-mouth randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Periodontics at Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavarm, Andhra Pradesh, India. over a period of one year with follow-up. A total of 16 patients were included, and the right and left quadrants (both maxilla and mandible) were randomly assigned to either the Denlase or Bluelase group using the coin toss method. Depigmentation using diode lasers at 810 nm and 470 nm wavelengths was carried out in the respective groups. Pain perception, aesthetic appraisal, and recurrence of pigmentation were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, 9 months, and one year. The data were analysed using Friedman’s analysis and the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: A total of 16 subjects, with a mean age of 27.64±7.64 years and of both genders, were included in the study. Statistically significant differences (p=0.001) were reported in pain perception, aesthetic appraisal, and the rate of repigmentation at 1, 3, 6, 9 months, and one year, respectively. Intergroup comparison revealed an increase in the mean amount of repigmentation at three months in the Denlase group, indicating a recurrence of pigmentation after three months. Conclusion: The Bluelase diode laser (470 nm) demonstrated superior results compared to the Denlase diode laser (810 nm) in terms of pain intensity, aesthetic appraisal, and repigmentation

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of oral hygiene aids and its role in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission: A hospital-based questionnaire study

Introduction: The novel coronavirus disease has brought to the forefront the importance of oral hygiene aids and its role in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Objectives: The objective is to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of oral hygiene aids and its role in COVID-19 transmission. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 385 patients visiting Vishnu dental college. The questionnaire included demographic data, history of COVID, and vaccination status. The second part included questions regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice of oral hygiene aids and its role in COVID-19 transmission. Results: Mean age of the population was 40.11 years, and had almost equal proportions of males and females. About 22.6% of the population had suffered from COVID-19 and 92.7% of men got fully vaccinated. Knowledge of COVID-19 transmission through oral hygiene aids was found in 57.4% of the population. No difference in knowledge of occupational health advisor (OHA) and its role in COVID transmission was found between gender, COVID, and vaccination status (P > 0.05). About 22.9% of graduates had higher knowledge than others (P = 0.00). Conclusions: The use of appropriate oral hygiene aids and practices could prevent the transmission of COVID-19

Treatment of Dentinal Hypersensitivity with Diode Laser of Two Different Wavelengths- A Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction: Dentinal Hypersensitivity (DH) is one of the most prevalent dental issues that is treated by both periodontists and endodontists. Hypersensitive dentin is a sensitive or painful response that is one of the most prevalent and poorly treated chronic dental disorders. Due to the difficulty in treating cervical DH, a great range of approaches and therapeutic procedures for pain relief in have developed. Treatments with desensitising drugs have been combined with laser treatment in recent decades. The most often utilised lasers in the treatment of DH are Diode Lasers (DL). DL act on DH provoking a melting effect with crystallisation of dentine inorganic component and the coagulation of fluids contained into the dentinal tubules. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of DL of two different wavelengths in managing DH. Materials and Methods: This split-mouth randomised clinical trial conducted in the Department of Periodontology at Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India. The duration of the study was, from October 2021 to December 2021. A total of 12 patients with DH were selected and assigned to two groups. All the patients were subjected to desensitisation using DL of two different wavelengths 475 nm Bluelase system and 810 nm. Denlase system and parameters were evaluated 15 minutes after treatment, 7 days, 15 days and 30 days after treatment. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed using Statitical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10.5 software. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 45±3 years. There was a significant difference (p-value <0.001) in tooth sensitivity values measured at baseline, and at different time intervals in both groups. Among the two groups, Denlase group showed the greatest reduction in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores from baseline to one month recall compared to Bluelase laser group. Highly significant difference was found when mean VAS scores were compared between baseline and all the other time points (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: The present study concluded that, based on the results obtained, DL of 810 nm Denlase system was effective than DL of 475 nm Bluelase system in reducing the DH. Desensitisation treatment with laser irradiation has shown to be effective in the present study