SELF-PERCEIVED HALITOSIS AND ORAL HYGIENE HABITS AMONG SCHOOL STUDENTS

ABSTRACTAim: The aim of this study is to evaluate oral hygiene habits among school students and about the self-perceived halitosis.Objective: Brushing methods, oral hygiene aids, and use of products for good oral health will be evaluated.Background: A structured questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was administrated to 120 school students. The questionnaire was designed toevaluate the self-perception of halitosis, oral hygiene aids used, presence of caries, gingival bleeding, and dryness of mouth.Reason: Halitosis is characterized by unpleasant odor arising from the oral cavity. The prevalence of halitosis is not studied extensively among schoolstudents. Hence, this study is done to create awareness of oral hygiene habits among school students.Keywords: Oral health, Halitosis, Teeth, Brush, School students, Habits

MUSICâ€: A STRESS RELIEVING FACTOR IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING DENTAL SURGERIES

ABSTRACTObjective: Music is one of the inexpensive, safe, and non-pharmacological stress-reducing factors. Various surgeries increase the stress levels ofthe patient by increasing their blood pressure and anxiety level. This change in blood pressure can be lowered by certain safe and non-invasivetechniques. One of the significant techniques is to listen to music. Hence, the objective of this study is to validate the fact that music help acts a stressrelieving factor by decreasing the blood pressure of the patient who is undergoing dental surgeries.Methods: About 20 participants were selected for the study; out of which, 15 participants participated in this study, and others were excludedas they did not meet the inclusion criteria. The blood pressure was calculated at rest position before the surgery, and then pleasant soft musicwas played to the patient during the surgery. Then, the blood pressure was measured at an interval of 5 minutes for a span of 15 minutes. Theobserved blood pressure was recorded. Statistical analysis was done with the recorded data in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software(version 20).Results: Initially, the blood pressure of the patient was found to be at a mean level of 107/65 mmHg which rose to a greater heights of 116/68 mmHgwhich then lowered down to a mean level of 108/61 mmHg at the end of 15 minutes after the music was played to the patient during the surgery.Conclusion: This study can conclude by saying that pleasant and soft music has an ability to stabilize the systolic blood pressure of patients undergoingdental surgeries.Keywords: Systolic blood pressure, Music, Stress, Dental surgeries, Stress busters, Soft music

Comparative study on awareness about carpal tunnel syndrome among dental professionals in India and Malaysia

Background Carpal Tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common medical condition that occurs when the median nerve is compressed at the carpal tunnel. In the general population, many are affected with CTS and mostly prone to females. This study aims to determine the level of awareness of CTS among dental professionals in India and Malaysia. Material and methods The cross-sectional study was carried out among dentists in India and Malaysian, from August 2020 to November 2020. 150 professional dentists with a minimum of one year of work experience were included in the study; dentists who worked full-time as academicians were excluded. The survey form was circulated using WhatsApp. The SPSS software package was used to analyze the data collected from the sample. Results Both Indian and Malaysian participants thought that the main symptom is tingling and numbness. Both groups stated that minimizing the stress on the wrist would prevent CTS. 100% of Malaysian participants thought that CTS could affect job performance, though those from Indian marked that it also affects social life and sleep. Conclusions The awareness of CTS among both Indian and Malaysian dentists was adequate. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between CTS and chronic disease like rheumatoid arthritis