Tobacco usage among tribal population of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu - a cross sectional study

Background Tobacco use is attributed for deaths of 3.5 to 4 million people globally, which is expected to increase to about 10 million during 2020 and around more than two-third will be occurring in developing countries as they are showing an increasing trends of tobacco use. Anti-tobacco messages or campaigns do not reach the Tribal regions. Tobacco use is ingrained in many of the cultural practices of tribal people. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tobacco usage among tribal populations of Nilgiris region, Tamil Nadu. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted among 4 villages of Conoor and Kothagiri districts of nilgiris region. A total of 363 people were screened and their tobacco usage status was assessed using Interview method. A trained interviewer along with help of community leader collected information about the usage of tobacco among the populations. Oral health status and presence of oral mucosal lesions were also recorded. Results Smokeless tobacco usage was high among the subjects. Majority of the males between 21-40 years were having both smoking and smokeless tobacco. Bidis was the most common form of smoking tobacco and gutka was the commonest smokeless tobacco used. More than 32% females in the age group of 30-45 years were tobacco users. Conclusions Tobacco usage was high among the tribal populations. Interestingly, the number of tobacco users among females was more prevalent. Customized tobacco cessation education programs has to be carried out for effective control of tobacco usage among the tribal population of Nilgiris region

Indian dental students' attitudes and practices regarding tobacco cessation counseling

Tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) has been proven to be very effective in helping tobacco users to quit. Dentists can play a vital role in helping patients to quit tobacco use. The aim of this study was to examine five groups of Indian dental students' attitudes and practices regarding TCC. Out of 514 fifth-year students in five colleges of Karnataka, India, 456 students voluntarily participated. The thirty-five-item questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographic characteristics, practices in the institution, attitudes toward tobacco cessation programs in the dental setting, knowledge of tobacco counseling, and perceived barriers in counseling. To test the reliability of the survey items, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used. Frequency distributions and percentages were examined for each item, and chi-square tests were used to analyze differences based on tobacco usage status. The sample consisted of 317 female and 139 male students. The majority of the students (n=429, 94 percent) reported that they give anti-tobacco usage advice to patients who smoke and planned to advise patients about tobacco cessation throughout their careers. Fewer students (n=314, 68.9 percent) indicated that such counseling would assist patients to quit. The major barriers were reported to be patients' resistance, inadequate skills, and poor knowledge about nicotine replacement therapy. This study found that these students had a positive attitude about TCC, along with adequate knowledge regarding the ill effects of tobacco. However, this study concludes that tobacco cessation should be given greater emphasis in the curriculum of Indian dental schools in order to expand the use of TCC in dental practices

Ulvan as a Reducing Agent for the Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: A Novel Mouthwash

The antibacterial activity of an Ulvan-based silver nanoparticle (AgNP) system was evaluated in the current study. The green synthesis of biogenic silver nanoparticles was conducted using Ulvan, a sulphated polysaccharide extracted from Ulva lactuca. A novel mouthwash containing AgNPs was prepared, and tested for its efficacy and safety. AgNPs were confirmed with spectrophotometric analysis (UV–A visible spectrophotometer), and the characterisation was established with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The AgNPs were spherical, and their average size was 8–33 nm, as shown via TEM. The antioxidant assay was conducted via DDPH assay, wherein the AgNPs, at a concentration of 50 μL/mL, showed 93.15% inhibition. Furthermore, anticancer activity was tested by evaluating the cell viability utilising the method of an MTT assay on the 3T3-L1 cell lines. AgNPs, at 30 µL/mL, showed maximal cell viability, denoting no cytotoxic effect. The silver-nanoparticle-based mouthrinse, at a concentration of 100 µL/mL, demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus, and Candida albicans. This study shows that mouthwash prepared from the Ulvan-silver nanoparticle system could be a nontoxic and effective oral antimicrobial agent