Search

Introduction: The toothbrush is one of the most commonly used mechanical aids for plaque control, capable of removing plaque efficiently. However, improper toothbrushing habits can lead to tissue trauma, such as abrasion or gingival recession. The design of toothbrush bristles is one of the most common etiological factors for abrasion. Aim: To evaluate and compare the enamel surface abrasion produced by three different toothbrush bristle designs in conjunction with a standard dentifrice. Materials and Methods: In this in-vitro study conducted in the Department of Periodontics, Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India, from June 2023 to January 2024, a total of 21 extracted human premolars were collected. After thorough cleaning, the teeth were stored in normal saline. The crown portions of the teeth were mounted on an acrylic resin base and profilometric analysis was performed to record the average enamel surface roughness (Ra) value. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups based on the toothbrush bristle design used for toothbrushing: Group A: Tapered bristle, Group B: End-rounded bristle, Group C: Flat-trim bristle. Toothbrushing was carried out using a customised toothbrushing device and a standard dentifrice twice daily for six weeks. After six weeks, profilometric analysis was conducted again. Descriptive statistics were expressed as means and standard deviations. The comparison of enamel surface abrasion among the three different toothbrush bristle designs was performed using the One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test, followed by the post-hoc Bonferroni test for pair-wise comparison. In this test, a p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Results: The results showed significantly greater Ra values for Group C (flat-trim bristle: 0.13±0.06) compared to Group A (tapered bristle: 0.09±0.03) and Group B (end-rounded bristle: 0.04±0.02). Group B exhibited the lowest Ra value, indicating the least enamel surface roughness (p-value: 0.038*). Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, stylus profilometer analysis demonstrated that the flat-trim toothbrush bristle design is more prone to causing enamel surface abrasion than the end-rounded and tapered bristle designs. The end-rounded toothbrush bristle design causes minimal enamel surface abrasion and is safer to use as an effective mechanical plaque control aid.

Introduction: Pigmented gingiva is an aesthetic concern for many individuals. Various treatment modalities have been developed to address this condition, but each carries certain disadvantages. Recently, the use of herbal products has been considered as a treatment modality, as they are safe and readily available. P-Coumaric Acid (p-CA) and Quercetin are two plant-based chemicals that have shown depigmenting effects on the skin. Given the similar cellular structure of skin and gingiva, the present study aimed to test their depigmenting effects on the gingiva. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of two phytochemicals, p-CA (3 μM) and Quercetin (20 μM), in reducing the melanin content of pigmented gingival tissue. Materials and Methods: The study was an ex-vivo study conducted in the Department of Periodontology at Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University Dental College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India, from January 2024 to April 2024. A total of 10 patients with a Dummet Oral Pigmentation Index (DOPI) score of two were selected for the study. A surgical depigmentation procedure was performed and the excised tissue was divided into three parts. The first part of the excised tissue served as a control group (Group A), while the second and third parts were treated with p-CA (Group B) and Quercetin (Group C), respectively. Histological analysis was conducted using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical analysis was performed using the Human Melanoma Black 45 (HMB-45) antibody test. The reduction in melanin content was recorded in all three groups and the results obtained were compared using a t-test. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, with a p-value of ≤0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Both p-CA and Quercetin demonstrated a reduction in the level of pigmentation. Comparative analysis indicated that p-CA had a stronger effect than Quercetin. Conclusion: The p-CA and Quercetin can be considered potential depigmenting agents.

Introduction: Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory infectious disease that increases the host’s overall inflammatory burden by inducing a persistent systemic inflammation. This burden has been linked to insulin resistance, the development of diabetes, and its complications. Periodontal therapy plays a vital role in controlling diabetes and its potentially fatal complications. Medical and dental professionals should be aware of this interrelationship between the two diseases to facilitate proper diagnosis and predict better treatment outcomes. Aim: To assess the knowledge of medical practitioners regarding periodontal disease and its inter-relationship with diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: This was a questionnaire-based crosssectional study conducted by using google forms between May 2022 and October 2022 among 150 medical practitioners. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions divided into two parts. The first part gathered personal data, while the second part focused on their knowledge about disease awareness. The collected data were analysed using percentages. Results: Out of 149 participants, who sent completed questionnaires, only 8 practitioners (5.4%) referred all while 99 (66.4%) referred only a few of their patients for dental check-ups. Among them, only 39 participants (26.2%) referred patients for regular general dental check-ups without any complaints or findings. Although 112 (75.2%) had knowledge about the association, only 59 participants (39.6%) knew that it is bidirectional. A total of 80 (53.7%) responses understood that periodontal bacterial load and associated inflammation caused alterations in sugar levels. However, 68 (45.6%) were unaware that periodontal treatment can help improve glycaemic status. Conclusion: It can be inferred that medical practitioners were not aware of the connection between periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus.

Periodontal infections can act as focus of infection, aggravating the immunocompromised state of End Stage Renal Disease patients (ESRD). Aim: Evaluation of the periodontal health status of ESRD patients undergoing haemodialysis and establishing the underlying association between renal failure and periodontal disease. Material and Methods: Eighty control and test subjects were included in the study, after matching age and sex. Creatinine and GFR were measured in each patient. Oral hygiene indexSimplified (OHI-S), Gingival Index (GI), Pocket Depth (PD) and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) were recorded as periodontal parameters to assess the correlation between the subjects of the two groups. Further, the test group was divided into three sub–groups, on basis of duration, as less than 6 months, from 6 months to one year and more than one year. Statistical Analysis: Student’s t – test and ANOVA were used to analyze the inter–group and intragroup comparisons. Results: Statistical significant difference was observed for all periodontal parameters between the test and control group. However, difference amongst periodontal parameters on basis of duration of haemodialysis was seen between the subgroups of test subjects, it was not found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Severity of periodontal diseases in ESRD patients undergoing haemodialysis majorly affected due to debilitating condition of the subjects. Dialysis vintage has only a small role to play in worsening of the condition. Further research is needed to potentiate the establishment of two–way relationship between renal disease and periodontal condition.