Search

Background and Objectives: Polishing of dental prosthesis prepared in dental laboratories can transmit different infectious agents. These are potential sources of cross - contamination for dental laboratory technicians, dentists and for patients. Non-sterilisable appliances in the dental clinic and laboratory have a health hazard to members of the dental team. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbial contamination of polishing materials, newly polished acrylic denture and equipment used during the construction of acrylic dentures in dental laboratories. Methodology: Five samples of pumice powder, pumice slurry, rag wheel and sterile gauze swab rubbed on newly polished acrylic dentures were collected from four randomly selected dental laboratories in sterile containers. The specimens were transferred to microbiology laboratory for isolation and identification of bacterial and fungal microorganisms. Results: All specimens collected were contaminated either by bacteria or fungi and both pumice powder and rag wheel specimens were contaminated by 80% of gram positive bacilli and 40% of fungus Aspergillus species. In pumice slurry 100% Pseudomonas and 60% Aspergillus species were identified. The results of this study showed considerable bacterial and fungal contamination particularly in pumice slurry may be due to the use of non-sterile water to mix the pumice powder, Gram-positive bacilli and fungi were present in the samples of pumice powder, rag wheel and polished dentures. Conclusions: Improved sterile techniques in handling dental prosthesis can substantially reduce cross contamination that may occur from the pumice and rag wheel, thereby diminishing the patient's exposure to potentially pathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite international recommendations and supportive evidence, there are few examples of scaled-up and sustained programs to provide adolescents with sexuality education. Moreover, despite acknowledgment that building community support and responding to resistance are key challenges, there is a lack of detailed discussion on specific programmatic strategies to address these issues., Objectives: This article reviews the work of 2 organizations-Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan-that are successfully implementing large-scale sexuality education programs in Pakistan, collectively reaching more than 500,000 students. This review aims to answer the following questions: (1) How did Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan work to understand Pakistani society and culture and shape their programs to build community support? (2) How did Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan overcome resistance to their efforts?, Methods: We reviewed program documents and publications, synthesized key themes, identified questions of interest, and engaged key informants from Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan's leadership., Results: The success of Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan was grounded in their readiness to understand the nuanced context within the communities, collaborate with groups of stakeholders-including parents, school officials, religious leaders, media personnel, and adolescents themselves-to ensure support, and stand up to forces of resistance to pursue their goals. Specific strategies included working with communities to select content, tactfully selecting and framing issues with careful consideration for sensitivities, engaging adolescents' influencers, strengthening media presence, showcasing school programs to increase understanding and transparency, and choosing opportune times to introduce messages., Conclusion: The successful strategies used by Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health through sexuality education can inform programs worldwide. Additionally, the programmatic weaknesses identified can guide future planning and action by Aahung and Rutgers Pakistan. We call on other programs to continue sharing challenges, specifically related to resistance, with sexuality education programs in order to develop a toolbox of additional strategies for community uptake., (© Chandra-Mouli et al.)