Outpatient Dental Clinic Research Articles

Clinical, epidemiological and dental characterization of children with congenital heart diseases

Objective: to characterize the clinical, dental and epidemiological profile of children with congenital heart disease followed at the dental outpatient clinic of a Maternal and Child University Hospital in the city of São Luís/MA, Brazil. Methods: The present study had a descriptive, retrospective and quantitative nature. Data collection was carried out by analyzing the medical records of patients seen from January 2017 to December 2019, aged 0 to 12 years and of both sexes. Results: The majority of patients were male (51.4%), from the city of São Luís and metropolitan region (52.9%), self-declared mixed race (62.9%). Acyanotic congenital heart diseases were the most prevalent (81.4%) and half of the patients (50%) had already had an episode of toothache. The use of fluoride toothpaste and toothbrush was observed in almost all patients (90%), with the highest frequency of tooth brushing being twice a day (44.3%). Caries disease was the most prevalent oral clinical manifestation (61.4%). Conclusion: The importance of maintaining an adequate standard of oral health and its influence on the general systemic condition of these patients is reaffirmed. It is suggested that more studies be carried out in order to deepen knowledge about this population.

A novel formula for estimating the vertical dimension of occlusion using panoramic radiography

BackgroundThis study aimed to develop a new formula to easily estimate the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) by using the distance between the mental foramen on a panoramic radiograph.Subjects and methodsA total of 508 dentulous subjects were selected from outpatient dental clinics at the College of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University. The vertical dimension of the occlusion was measured using a single calibrated calliper. For each subject, a digital panoramic radiograph was taken with fixed exposure parameters. The intermental foramina distance (IMFD) was measured. The data were collected and then analysed using the IBM SPSS version 20.0 software package. (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the vertical dimension at occlusion (VDO).ResultsPearson’s correlation analysis revealed that there was a strong correlation between the intermental foramina distance (IMFD) and the VDO. Thus, a novel formula was developed for determining the VDO using panoramic radiography.ConclusionThe novel formula developed herein facilitated the determination of the VDO among prosthetic rehabilitation for subjects who lost vertical dimension due to loss of posterior teeth or severe wear of natural posterior teeth. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical applicability of the derived formulae for edentulous subjects.

Evaluation of Styloid Process Elongation in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Radiographic Investigation.

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of an elongated styloid process and analyze the presence of its calcification in the Saudi population using panoramic radiographs. The Taibah Outpatient Dental Clinic's OPG radiographs for 962 patients who attended screening clinics between December 2022 and October 2023 were all included in the study. Patients' demographics, such as age, gender, and nationality, as well as radiological data, were included in the following study variables: the presence of an elongated styloid on both sides of a panoramic radiograph, right side styloid length, left side styloid length, right side distal end thickness, and left side distal end thickness. The study evaluated 438 (45.5%) processes found in individuals aged 16-80 years old. The elongated process length ranged from 30.0 to 40.1 mm, and the diameter ranged from 0.81 to 7.79 mm at the origin to 0.56-3.79 mm at the end. There was no statistically significant difference in process length across genders or age groups. The diameters of the styloid bones on the left side vary significantly across genders at the start and completion of the process. The prevalence of elongated styloids in the studied population was 4.26%. The radiological evaluation of the styloid process is a crucial stage in dental surgery planning.

Features of the organization of dental care in besieged Leningrad

Not much information is available about the provision of dental care during the Great Patriotic War, and publications concerning dental care in besieged Leningrad are even limited. All dental care during the war in the country was mainly aimed at treating wounds on the face. On the home front, dental care was provided to workers and employees working in the defense industry. Therefore, medical and sanitary units were created at large defense enterprises, which included closed hospitals, polyclinics, and outpatient clinics. Three frontline evacuation hospitals were located in the clinics of the Military Medical Academy, where the doctors and entire medical staff of the academy worked. The chief dentist of the Red Army, David Abramovich Entin, and the chief dentist of the navy, Vladimir Mikhailovich Uvarov were primarily responsible for the organization of dental care and specialized assistance to servicemen with maxillofacial wounds. The hospitals were formed based on the clinics of the 1st Leningrad Medical Institute, including clinics for maxillofacial surgery. At the 2nd Leningrad Medical Institute during the blockade, extremely urgent problems related to combating scurvy developed. The Central State Institute of Traumatology named after Professor R.R. Vreden, where A.A. Limberg and his colleagues worked, occupied an important place in the provision of surgical and orthopedic care in besieged Leningrad. Dental care in besieged Leningrad was provided as part of medical and preventive institutions. As of November 1, 1942, dental outpatient clinics of Vasileostrovsky, Volodarsky, Kuibyshevsky, and Petrogradsky districts were successfully functioning. After the end of the siege in 1944, active work began on the restoration of the city. During the reconstruction of the city, the number of new medical institutions has also increased. In the autumn of 1944, the construction of the second clinical base of the State Institute for Further Training of Physicians was completed, in which the clinic of reconstructive maxillofacial surgery was located. The problem of the health of people who survived the blockade of Lenin remains relevant today, many decades later. Numerous publications have been devoted to generalizing the experience of treating wounded with maxillofacial injuries in combat conditions.

2267. Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Trends from a Dental Clinic After Implementation of a Dental Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative

Abstract Background Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by dentists is as high as 80% and in the U.S., dentists rank third for writing the most antibiotic prescriptions. At NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist (NYP-BMH), the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) and Division of Dental Medicine collaborated to create a clinical practice guideline regarding antibiotic use in dentistry that was implemented in May 2021 and is reinforced with annual education to dental prescribers. The purpose of this study is to compare outpatient antibiotic prescribing trends pre- and post-guideline implementation. Methods Patients presenting to NYP-BMH dental clinic for an emergent indication and prescribed an antibiotic from January-April of 2019-2021 (pre) and January-April of 2022 (post) were included. The primary outcome was appropriateness of antibiotic therapy. Secondary outcomes included a comparison of antibiotic selection, dosing and duration of therapy. A subgroup analysis of patients with reported penicillin allergies was conducted to compare alternative agents prescribed. Results A total of 119 patients in the pre and 100 patients in the post-guideline period were included. The primary outcome of appropriate antibiotic prescriptions significantly improved after guideline implementation (pre 45% vs post 64%, p< 0.01). The majority of antibiotic indications were treatment-related and the most common dental diagnosis was caries. The most common antibiotic prescribed in the study was amoxicillin. Compared to pre-guideline, there was significant decreased utilization of penicillin VK (pre 3.4% vs post 0%, p=0.05) and amoxicillin-clavulanate post-guideline (pre 16% vs post 8%, p=0.02). A wide variety of dosing regimens were utilized with more guideline-concordant regimens utilized post-guideline (pre 59% vs post 72%, p=0.04). On average, shorter durations of therapy were prescribed post-guideline (pre 6.8 days vs post 5.7 days, p< 0.02). Penicillin-allergic patients were prescribed less clindamycin after guideline implementation. Conclusion ASP initiatives and collaboration with outpatient dental clinics can improve appropriate antibiotic prescribing. As ASPs look to expand into ambulatory care settings, dental clinics should be prioritized. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Factors affecting the number of bacteria in saliva and oral care methods for the recovery of bacteria in contaminated saliva after brushing: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundOral care is important in preventing aspiration pneumonia in older adults. However, it is not clear what kind of oral care can reduce the number of bacteria in saliva. The purposes of this study are to clarify whether there is a relationship between plaque amounts and salivary bacterial counts, and how bacteria dispersed into the oral cavity by brushing can be reduced.MethodsFirst, saliva samples were collected from 10 healthy adult volunteers after 30 h of unbrushing and after thorough brushing, and the total bacterial count was determined by real-time PCR. Next, 40 older adults attending an outpatient dental clinic were randomly assigned into two groups: a wiping group (20 patients) and a mouthwashing group (20 patients). Saliva was collected before and after brushing, and after wiping in the wiping group and after mouthwashing in the mouthwashing group, and the total bacterial count was quantified by real-time PCR.ResultsIn a study of volunteers, there was no association between plaque amounts and salivary bacterial counts. In a study of older adult patients, salivary bacterial counts were significantly higher in patients with higher oral hygiene index and fewer remaining teeth. Brushing increased salivary bacterial counts. Wiping did not significantly reduce the number of bacteria, while mouthwash returned the increased number of bacteria after brushing to the pre-brushing level.ConclusionsThere is no direct relationship between the amount of plaque and the number of bacteria in saliva. Brushing disperses bacteria into the oral cavity, resulting in a marked increase in the number of bacteria in saliva. Wiping does not collect the dispersed bacteria, and it seems essential to rinse the mouth after brushing.Trial registrationUMIN000045854.

Tooth Abnormalities and Their Age-Dependent Occurrence in Leukemia Survivors.

The multidrug nature of anticancer treatment and different treatment protocols used in the studies are likely to be a major limitation in establishing real risk factors determining the occurrence of dental abnormalities. The authors aimed to establish a relationship between the duration and the dose of chemotherapy and the number of tooth adverse effects in the group receiving the same treatment. Of the 40 anticancer therapy recipients who attended the outpatient dental clinic, 7 leukemia survivors receiving the treatment according to the ALL IC-BFM 2002 protocol were selected. The study group consisted of four females and three males aged 92 to 207 months at the time of dental examination and 29 to 91 months at leukemia diagnosis. As a result of the clinical and radiological examination, dental abnormalities such as agenesis, tooth size reduction, root abnormalities, and taurodontia were identified, and the medical records of all survivors were reviewed in terms of drugs administered, their doses, and treatment schedules. No correlation was observed between the treatment duration of an intensive therapy, the entire therapy, and the number of tooth abnormalities. No relationship was also found between the number of dental abnormalities and the cumulative dose of vincristine, L-asparaginase, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, and 6-mercaptopurine. The age at the onset of antineoplastic therapy is likely to be the strongest risk factor for toxic injury during tooth development.

Assessing the safety of deep sedation in outpatient pediatric oral health care

BackgroundChildren are the patient subgroup with the lowest error tolerance regarding deep sedation (DS)–supported care. This study assessed the safety of DS–supported pediatric dental treatment carried out in an outpatient setting through retrospective review of patient charts. MethodsAn automated script was developed to identify charts of pediatric patients who underwent DS–supported dental procedures from 2017 through 2019 at a dental clinic. Charts were assessed for the presence of sedation-related adverse events (AEs). A panel of experts performed a second review and confirmed or refuted the designation of AE (by the first reviewer). AEs were classified with the Tracking and Reporting Outcomes of Procedural Sedation system. ResultsOf the 175 DS cases, 19 AEs were identified in 15 cases (8.60%). Using the Tracking and Reporting Outcomes of Procedural Sedation classification system, 7 (36.84%) events were related to the airway and breathing category, 9 (47.37%) were related to sedation quality (including a dizzy patient who fell at the checkout desk and sustained a head laceration), and 3 (15.79%) were classified as an allergy. ConclusionThis study suggests an AE (whether relatively minor or of potentially major consequence) occurs in 1 of every 12 DS cases involving pediatric patients, performed at an outpatient dental clinic. Larger studies are needed, in addition to root cause analyses. Practical ImplicationsAs dentists increasingly pivot in the use of DS services from in-hospital to outpatient settings, patients expect comparable levels of safety. This work helps generate evidence to drive targeted efforts to improve the safety and reliability of pediatric outpatient sedation.

Racial discrimination, self-efficacy, and oral health behaviours in adolescents.

To examine the mediation effect of discrimination on the association of self-efficacy and oral health behaviours among adolescents. A cross sectional study of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years who were recruited from the University outpatient dental clinic were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of: demographics (12 items), oral health behaviours (7 items), general self-efficacy (10 items) and self-efficacy for self-care (SESS, 15 items). Perceived discrimination was assessed if the adolescent had ever been treated unfairly based on their race. Perceived discrimination was assessed if the adolescent had ever been treated unfairly based on their race. Using pathway analyses, the relationship between oral health behaviours, self-efficacy, and discrimination was explored. Mediation and hierarchal logistic regression analyses were conducted. Of 252 participants, mean (SD) age was 14 (1.8) years old. 60% were female, 81% were born in Canada, 56% identified themselves as White, and 20% perceived discrimination. Mean score of all task-specific self-efficacies were significantly different within respective oral health behaviour categories (P-value <0.001). Of demographics, age and ethnicity (White) were significantly associated with discrimination (OR = 1.25: 95% CI; 1.06-1.48 and OR = 0.29: 95% CI; 0.15-0.55, respectively). Perceived discrimination was positively associated with higher sugar consumption and mediate the association between diet self-efficacy and adolescent's dietary behaviour. Significant mediation effect of perceived discrimination on the association of diet specific self-efficacy and diet oral health behaviour was observed. Oral health behaviours were self-reported which may have influenced the results.

Pentoxifylline and tocopherol as prophylaxis for osteonecrosis of the jaw due to bone-modifying agents in patients with cancer submitted to tooth extraction: a case series.

To assess the prophylaxis effect of pentoxifylline and tocopherol (PENTO) on the frequency and severity of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) diagnosed at three months in patients with cancer submitted to tooth extractions during the treatment with bone-modifying agents. This case series was conducted at the outpatient dental clinic of the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP) between April 2021 and April 2022. Patients ≥ 18years old were included; those with maxillary metastasis or who performed head or neck radiotherapy were excluded. The PENTO protocol was prescribed two weeks before and two weeks after the tooth extraction, and patients were reassessed one week, one month, and three months after the extraction. The main outcome was the development of MRONJ. Of the 114 screened patients, 17 were included; they were aged between 43 and 73years and were mostly female (88.2%). Thirty-two tooth extractions were performed (22 in the maxilla and 10 in the mandible). Breast cancer was the most predominant neoplasm (70.6%), being metastatic in 35.3% of patients. Also, all patients used intravenous bisphosphonates. Stage 1 MRONJ was diagnosed in three patients (17.6%), representing three (9.4%) of all tooth extractions. The repair of MRONJ was achieved 30days after the PENTO protocol. The prophylaxis use of PENTO reduced the severity of injuries, was well-tolerated, and showed patient compliance.

Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Dental Anxiety among a Group of Adult Patients Attending Dental Outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE.

The aims of this paper were twofold: first, to evaluate dental anxiety levels among patients undergoing oral surgery procedures; second, to assess how dental anxiety and fear are connected to age, gender, educational background, past traumatic experiences, and the frequency of dental appointments. A cross-sectional Likert-scale questionnaire survey was conducted to collect quantitative data from 206 patients at the Oral Surgery Clinics at Dubai Dental Clinics, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were tested using Cronbach's alpha. The normality of the MDAS score was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The chi square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the association between categorical variables. Descriptive statistics were used to describe continuous and categorical variables. The statistical significance was set at p-value ≤ 0.05. The evaluation of the degree of dental anxiety among patients who visited the Dubai Dental clinics revealed that there was a considerably high level of moderate or high anxiety (72.3%). Tooth extraction and dental surgery procedures (95%), followed by local anesthetic injection in the gingiva (85%) and teeth drilling (70%), were the primary causes of anxiety, whereas scaling and polishing resulted in the lowest degree of anxiety (35%). There was no substantial difference in dental anxiety between male and female patients or among patients with different marital statuses. A total of 70% of patients preferred the tell-show-do method, whereas 65% chose communication strategies to reduce dental anxiety. The evaluation of the degree of dental anxiety among patients who visited Dubai Dental clinics revealed that there was a considerably high level of anxiety. Tooth extraction and dental surgery procedures, followed by local anesthetic injection and teeth drilling, were the primary causes of anxiety, whereas scaling and polishing resulted in the lowest degree of anxiety. Despite the use of a modified anxiety scale and a large and representative sample of oral surgery patients, more research is necessary to investigate the impact of various factors on dental anxiety.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding quackery in dentistry at Ayub Dental Hospital, Abbottabad

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of people regarding dental quackery. Method: The descriptive, knowledge-attitude-practice study was conducted June 2 to August 1, 2022, at the Dentistry Department of Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad, Pakistan, and comprised adult subjects of ether gender belonging to lower or middle socioeconomic class and visiting the dental outpatient clinic. Data was collected using a predesigned questionnaire. To explore the subjects’ knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dental quackery. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 261 subjects. 135(51.7%) were males and 126(48.3%) were females. The overall mean age was 29.15+/-10.15 years. Of the total, 243(93.1%) participants had satisfactory socioeconomic status and 18(6.9%) had unsatisfactory status. There were 97(37.2%) subjects having good knowledge, 217(83.1%) with good attitude, and 53(67.1) showing good practices towards dental quackery. Low socioeconomic status, low awareness, and easy accessibility were the main reasons for people visiting dental quacks. Increasing the number of public hospitals was suggested as the main solution by 119(45.6%) subjects. Conclusion: The level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dental quackery was good. Low socioeconomic status and lack of awareness were the two important reasons for quackery. Key Words: Dentistry, Frauds, Healthcare, Malpractice, Quackery.

Periodontal Diseases and Salivary Secretion of ABH Blood Antigens in Yemeni Patients

This study explored the secretion trait as a risk factor for periodontal disease progression. 162 patients suffering from periodontal disease attended the Outpatient Dental Clinics at the Faculty of Dentistry, Ibb University, and 69 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Clinical evaluation for periodontal disease was carried out according to international guidelines and expressed by pocket probing depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level (CAL) parameters. A blood sample was collected and tested for blood grouping test, and a saliva sample was analyzed for secretion using hemagglutination inhibition test. Secretor patients were 82% compared with 64% of healthy control. Mean score of BOB and PPD and the clinical magnitude of CAL parameters were increased within secretors. The development of periodontal diseases increased among secretors by 2.61 times more than non-secretors (OR = 2.61, CI, 1.382–4.914, p = 0.004). Significant periodontal complaints associated with secretion are Bleeding gums (OR = 1.95, CI, 1.011–3.759, p = 0.049), malaligned teeth (OR = 4.49 (CI, 1.842–10.958), p = 0.0001), gingival recession (OR = 2.48, CI, 1.322–4.648, p = 0.007), and teeth decay (OR = 1.86, CI, 1.006–3.438, p = 0.05). Secretion of ABH antigens is risk factor for progression of periodontal diseases. The odds of periodontal complaints, bleeding gums, malaligned teeth, gingival recession, and tooth decay prove the ABH secretion effect.

Pharmacist-led multi-faceted intervention in an antimicrobial stewardship programme at a dental university hospital in Japan

Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed in dentistry. However, inappropriate antimicrobial prescriptions are common in this field. Optimizing antimicrobial prescriptions in dentistry requires an effective strategy for modifying prescribing behaviour. To assess the efficacy of pharmacist-led multi-faceted intervention for the proportion of monthly antimicrobial prescriptions in each drug group per 100 oral antimicrobial prescriptions. A before-after trial was performed at a university hospital outpatient dental clinic. A pharmacist-led, multi-faceted intervention, including immediate and direct feedback to the prescribers, an explanation of the rules of antimicrobial prescriptions for patients with penicillin allergy, tutorials for dentistry students, and a review of hospital-approved antimicrobials, was implemented from April 2017 to March 2022. Antimicrobials were classified into eight groups, namely, penicillins, first- and second-generation cephalosporins, third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, clindamycin, carbapenem, and others. In total, there were 2,643,988 visits to the outpatient dental clinic during the study period. The monthly mean proportion of prescriptions for penicillins increased from 45.6 to 84.1 per 100 oral antimicrobial prescriptions (P<0.001) while that of third-generation cephalosporins decreased from 43.0 to 7.3 (P<0.001) from the pre-intervention to the intervention period. Moreover, the monthly mean proportion of fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and carbapenems decreased from 11.2 to 7.44 (P<0.001). The intervention modified dentists' antimicrobial prescribing behaviours, leading to an immediate increase in the number of monthly prescriptions for penicillins and a simultaneous decrease in the number of monthly prescriptions for third-generation cephalosporins and other broad-spectrum, oral antimicrobials.

Dental caries experience among qat chewers in dental college clinics, Jazan, Saudi Arabia

AimsThere is a considerable debate on the impact of qat chewing on dental and oral health. Thereby, this study aimed at assessing the dental caries among qat chewers (QC) and non-qat chewers (NQC) who attend outpatient dental clinics, College of Dentistry, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.Materials and methodsA sample of 100 QC and 100 NQC were recruited amongst those attended dental clinics, college of dentistry, Jazan University during the 2018–2019 academic year. Their dental health was assessed by three pre-calibrated male interns using DMFT index. The Care Index, Restorative Index and Treatment Index were calculated. Comparisons between both subgroups were done using independent t test. Multiple linear regression analyses were further conducted to stand on the independent determinants of the oral health among this population.ResultsQC were unintentionally older (36.55 ± 8.74 years) than NQC (32.96 ± 8.49 years; P = 0.004). Fifty-six percent of QC reported brushing their teeth compared to only 35% (P = 0.001). NQC with university and postgraduate educational levels were more than QC. The mean Decayed [5.91 (5.16)] and DMFT [9.15 (5.87)] were higher among QC compared to NQC [3.73 (3.62) and 6.7 (4.58); P = 0.001 and 0.001, respectively]. The other indices were not different between both subgroups. The multiple linear regression revealed that qat chewing and age, individually or together, as independent determinants for the dental decay, missing, DMFT and TI.ConclusionQat chewing habit has a detrimental impact on dental health. It is associated with higher dental caries and missing teeth, and a lower treatment index.

Emergency dental treatment among patients waitlisted for the operating room.

This restrospective chart review examined dental emergencies among patients waitlisted for the operating room at an outpatient community dental clinic in a large academic medical center. Dental records of ASA I or II patients, who had dental restorations and/or extractions in the operating room between July 2015 to May 2019 were reviewed. Length of time the patient was waitlisted and number of emergency dental treatments (i.e., therapeutic pulpotomy or a dental extraction due to acute dental pain or infection) completed in the outpatient dental clinic during the wait period were collected. Data were dichotomized as <2 and ≥2 emergency treatments. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the groups. Of 417 charts reviewed, 294 patients met the inclusion criteria. The average time on the waitlist was 228 days. The majority of patients (n = 222; 75.3%) had no emergency dental treatment while waitlisted. Those who had two or more emergency treatments (n = 34; 11.5%) were waitlisted longer than those who had fewer than two (n = 261; 88.5%) (p < 0.05). This study highlights the importance of early intervention (e.g., scheduled periodic follow-ups, interim caries arresting medication) and an ongoing discussion of possible alternatives while waitlisted. Future research identifying predictors of utilization of emergency services while waitlisted is warranted and may help identify those at increased risk of developing acute dental emergencies.

Formation of Soviet dentistry: 1918—1921

The main task of the Dentistry subsection of the People's Commissariat for Health, established in August 1918, was the creation of qualified, free, scheduled dental care in the country, accessible to the general population. Dentistry reform had to be carried out under the conditions of post-revolutionary devastation, famine and the Civil War, in the absence of sufficient funding, appropriate material base, with a significant shortage of dentists and their negative attitude towards the changes taking place. The problem of lack of equipment, materials and medicines was solved by nationalization of private dental offices, and the dentists who were left without equipment were forced to perform labor, and not all of them were able to survive those difficult years. Nevertheless, in the RSFSR a network of state outpatient dental clinics was created, which after the country's transition to the New Economic Policy began to rapidly erode - a sustainable system of free public dentistry was to be created at another time and under different economic conditions.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding quackery in dentistry at Ayub Dental Hospital, Abbottabad.

To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of people regarding dental quackery. The descriptive, knowledge-attitude-practice study was conducted from June 2 to August 1, 2022, at the Dentistry Department of Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad, Pakistan, and comprised adult subjects of either gender belonging to lower or middle socioeconomic class and visiting the dental outpatient clinic. Data was collected using a predesigned questionnaire. The subjects' knowledge, attitude and practice about dental quackery was assessed. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Of the 261 subjects. 135(51.7%) were males and 126(48.3%) were females. The overall mean age was 29.15+/-10.15 years. Of the total, 243(93.1%) participants had satisfactory socioeconomic status and 18(6.9%) had unsatisfactory status. There were 97(37.2%) subjects having good knowledge, 217(83.1%) with good attitude, and 53(67.1%) showing good practices towards dental quackery. Low socioeconomic status, low awareness, and easy accessibility were the main reasons for people visiting dental quacks. Increasing the number of public hospitals was suggested as the main solution by 119(45.6%) subjects. The level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dental quackery was good. Low socioeconomic status and lack of awareness were the two important reasons for quackery.

Comparison between Single and Three Times Pre-operative Administration of Amoxicillin in the Prophylactic Effects for Surgical Site Infections in Japanese Patients with Mandibular Third Molars Extraction

Although the dosage of oral antibiotics (OA) for the mandibular third molar extraction (MTME) varies among the administration periods according to the current guideline, our previous reports suggested that it might be possible to further shorten the administration period without increasing the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI). In the present study, we retrospectively evaluated the relationship between the incidence of SSI and the administration period of OA in patients who underwent the MTME in our hospital. This retrospective cohort study included 348 patients who underwent the MTME in our dental outpatient clinic from June 2020 to March 2022. The administrated antibiotic was amoxicillin (AMPC) in all patients. Patients were divided into two groups based on the administration period of AMPC single and three times before the surgery. The following information was collected: (1) patient factors (age, gender, body mass index, diagnosis, mandibular third molar status); (2) surgical factors (operation time, presence/absence of wound closure, presence/absence of hemostat, experience of surgeons); (3) relationship between administration period of OA and SSI occurrence; and (4) details of SSI. There were 217 cases in the single group and 131 cases in the three times group. The incidence of SSI was 1.1% (4/348), with 1.4% (3/217) in the single group and 0.8% (1/131) in the three times group; there was no significant difference between the two groups. Our result suggests that single administration of AMPC before the MTME would be sufficient for the prevention of SSI in Japanese patients without risk factors.

Frequency of Dentine Hypersensitivity and their Associated Risk Factors Amongst the Patients Visiting the Dental Outpatient Department

Background: Medical practitioners often encounter dentine hypersensitivity, which is a challenging problem to manage. Dentine hypersensitivity is characterized by acute, transient discomfort from an exposed dentin region in response to stimuli that is unrelated to any other disease. Objective: To assess the frequency of dentine hypersensitivity and their associated risk factors amongst the patients visiting the dental outpatient department Methodology: The current study was cross-sectional, carried out at the dental outpatient department of Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Complex, Nowshera for duration of six months from January 2022 to June 2022. The survey questionnaire included queries about patient’s age, gender, dentine hypersensitivity presence/absence awareness and factors associated with the dentine hypersensitivity. Data analysis was carried out by using IBM SPSS version 23. Results: The overall frequency of dentine hypersensitivity was observed in 98 (35%) patients. Based on gender, dentine hypersensitivity was observed in 35 (27.77%) males and 63 (40.90%) females. The major risk factors of tooth sensitivity were ice cream in 118 (42.14%) participants followed by iced water in 64 (22.86%) participants. Practical implication: There is little information available in Pakistan on how much the general public is familiar of dentine hypersensitivity. Therefore, this study will help to determine the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity amongst patients who visited the dental outpatient clinic at the Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Complex in Nowshera and to analyze the various risk factors associated with it. Conclusion: Our study concludes that dentine hypersensitivity is highly prevalent in patients visiting the dental outpatients department. Dentine hypersensitivity was frequently observed in females as compared to males. Ice cream and iced water were the major risk factors in our study. Keywords: Dentine hypersensitivity; Frequency; Outpatient department; Risk factors