In vitro antifungal effect of mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine and thymol

AbstractBackground/purposeIn this in vitro study, we assessed the antifungal effect of mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine and thymol.Materials and methodsThe fungistatic activities of chlorhexidine- and thymol-containing mouth rinses were assessed by means of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the fungicidal activity was determined by a time-kill assay.ResultsThe chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash was able to kill all strains of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis in shorter times compared to the thymol-containing mouthwash. Hexidine showed an MIC of 1:32 for both Candida species, whereas Listerine respectively showed MICs of 1:8 and 1:16 for C. albicans and C. tropicalis.ConclusionsAntimicrobial agents used in the study had good in vitro activity against the two Candida species. Mouth rinses containing chlorhexidine showed superior antifungal and fungicidal activities compared to the thymol-containing mouth rinse. Both antimicrobial agents may be suggested for use as topical antifungal agents

CD4 count and oral health related quality of life of HIV-infected individuals at a tertiary healthcare center in Dharan – A cross-sectional study

Background &amp; Objective:  Patients with severe immuno-suppression are at risk of having poor oral hygiene and severe periodontal diseases, thus limiting their quality of life. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with HIV/AIDS and its association with the CD4 cell count.Materials &amp; Methods:  A cross-sectional study was conducted using Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) among 122 HIV/AIDS patients visiting the CD4 laboratory at a tertiary healthcare center at Dharan, from January-December 2009. Oral examination and recording of dental indices were done. CD4 cell count was correlated with OHIP-14 and dental indices using Spearman’s rho; p &lt; 0.01 was considered as statistically significant.Results:  Sixty four males and 58 females with median age of 34 years had a mean CD4 cell count of 360.46 cells/mm3 (range=111-1076 cells/mm3). OHRQoL was affected in 25.4% of the individuals with mean OHIP-14 score of 2.5. Most of the individuals (85.7%) were on ART, never used tobacco (68%) or alcohol (74.5%). Mean OHI-S and DMFT were 1.65 and 1.57, respectively and periodontal pocket observed in only 3.3% individuals. The CD4 cell count had no significant positive correlation with OHIP-14 ((rs=0.071; p=0.61), OHI-S (rs=0.21; p=0.127) and DMFT (rs=0.015; p=0.912). There was no significant difference in parameters with regards to gender.Conclusion: Although CD4 cells are an important indicator for clinical aggravation of HIV infection, OHRQoL and oral health as measured by OHI-S, DMFT and CPI are not directly associated to the CD4 cell count. </p

Impact of problem-based learning in dentistry curriculum in Nepal: A self-reflection

My project on problem-based learning (PBL) is not new to medical schools but not many dental schools have adopted this approach in their curriculum in South Asian region. This approach not only develops content knowledge and skills but also sharpens the soft skills such as critical thinking, interpersonal, teamwork, presentation, speaking, and communication skills, which are equally needed to become a successful doctor. As a part of fellowship of the Foundation for Advancement on Medical Education and Research, Regional Institute, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, this approach was tried in 2013 and ultimately incorporated in the curriculum in 2014. This case study describes the journey, challenges, and way forward from initiation of PBL approach in a government dental college of Nepal to its inclusion in national curriculum

Panoramic Radiographic Assessment of Status of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars: A Tertiary Care Centre Based Study in Eastern Nepal

ABSTRACTBackground: Mandibular third molar (M3M) is the most posterior of the three molars present in each quadrant. Racial variation, genetic inheritance etc can affect the jaw size, size of tooth and ultimately the eruption state of M3M. So, studies of impacted M3Ms have been carried out in various populations. But data relating to these are not evident from most of the parts of Nepal. Hence, this study was done to assess the status of impacted M3Ms in a tertiary care center in eastern Nepal. Materials &amp; Methods: Total of 220 patients’ M3Ms (i.e 440 sites of M3Ms) were assessed with Panoramic Radiographs, in Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology. The impaction status was divided as class of impaction (I, II, III), level of eruption (A, B, C) and angulation (mesioangular, vertical, distoangular and horizontal). Data were entered in Microsoft excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5. Results: Class II impaction state wasmost commonly present in this population group, in 345 sites (85.18%) while none of the patients had class III impaction. Level A eruption was most prevalent, 315 sites (77.78%). The least prevalent was level C eruption, 14 sites (3.46%). Majority 18 sites (46.67%) had vertical inclination while only 32 sites (7.9%) had horizontal inclination. Conclusion: The most prevalent impaction state of M3M in this populationgroup is Class II, Level A with vertical angulation. Keywords: impacted teeth; mandible; panoramic radiography; third molar. </p

Emotional intelligence and the relationship to resident performance: a multi-institutional study

To test the hypothesis that emotional intelligence, as measured by a BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i), the 125-item version personal inventory (EQ-i:125), correlates with resident performance. Survey (personal inventory) instrument. Five U.S. academic anesthesiology residency programs. Postgraduate year (PGY) 2, 3, and 4 residents enrolled in university-based anesthesiology residency programs. Residents confidentially completed the BarOn EQ-i:125 personal inventory. The deidentified resident evaluations were sent to the principal investigator of a separate data collection study for data analysis. Data collected from the inventory were correlated with daily evaluations of the residents by residency program faculty. Results of the individual BarOn EQ-i:125 and daily faculty evaluations of the residents were compiled and analyzed. Univariate correlation analysis and multivariate canonical analysis showed that some aspects of the BarOn EQ-i:125 were significantly correlated with, and likely to be predictors of, resident performance. Emotional intelligence, as measured by the BarOn EQ-i personal inventory, has considerable promise as an independent indicator of performance as an anesthesiology resident