Search

Background: Dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis are considered the most common oral and dental health problems in different parts of the world. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity, plaque index, and gingival index determination of herbal toothpaste compared with standard toothpaste. Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial on 60 participants of 18 - 28 years and a minimum of 24 healthy teeth at Birjand Dental School that were randomly divided into two groups, herbal and standard toothpaste (n = 30 each group); only participants were blind. All subjects brushed their teeth for 3 minutes 2 times a day for seven months. The plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) for each participant also, saliva samples were taken from the subjects for Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp., colony count at the onset of the study, and 3, 5, and 7 months after toothpaste usage. Results: This study was conducted on 60 patients in two study groups. No significant statistical difference was observed between age and gender in the two studied groups. Our study showed that the mean number of S. mutans in the two groups was not significantly different (P > 0.05), but the mean number of Lactobacillus spp. in the group of herbal toothpaste at three months (P = 0.02) and seven months (P = 0.002) was significantly less than standard toothpaste. Also, the mean PI and the GI indices in the herbal toothpaste group after use for five months (P = 0.02) (P = 0.03) and seven months (P < 0.001) (P = 0.03), respectively, were significantly lower than standard toothpaste. Conclusions: Throughout the 7-month trial, herbal toothpaste showed higher antimicrobial activity against Lactobacillus spp. than standard toothpaste, effectively reducing dental plaque and gingivitis. Furthermore, no undesirable reactions to toothpaste were reported during the trial. Therefore, it was concluded that possibly novel herbal toothpaste could be an alternative for controlling dental plaque and gingivitis. Further studies are needed.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common medical disorder, and the number of medicines available to address CVDs is on the rise; meanwhile, complications and drug interactions are major concerns. CVD patients’ medications include hypertension, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure. However, their administration is associated with side effects such as oral dryness, change in taste, and a burning sensation in the mouth. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate medicine-related oral complications of patients with heart failure. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, 340 patients (146 men and 194 women) referring to heart clinics in Birjand (Iran) from March to September 2016 were evaluated. The mean age of participants was 60.13 ± 9.35. Participants were interviewed using standard checklists, and a complete clinical examination of the oral cavity for the presence of any oral mucosal lesions was performed using a mirror and dental probe. Data were analyzed using SPSS v. 22. Results: The most common side effect of heart failure medications was oral dryness (28.8%), followed by bitter taste (11.2%) in the mouth. The side effects were proportional to the patient’s age and the time since receiving the medication. Conclusions: Educational pamphlets are suggested to be separately prepared for patients and cardiologists about ways to prevent oral side effects of medications and oral considerations. Dentists can use supportive treatments and sialagogue medications to improve oral complications upon appropriate referrals.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the satisfaction of professors with the short-term course of medical education at Birjand University of Medical Sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Initially, needs assessment was conducted for the content of the course; after determining the content, the course was held online through Adobe Connect system and offline through Navid system. Following completing the course, evaluation was performed, and finally, satisfaction with the course was assessed based on a 34-item questionnaire whose validity and reliability were established. In total, 44 participants in the course answered the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using t-test and correlation coefficient by SPSS, version 18. Results: The mean age of the participants was 36.34 ± 5.64 years, and 56.8% (25 people) were female. In terms of academic rank, 75% were assistant professors. The average score of satisfaction was equal to 140.48, which indicates a high score of satisfaction with the course. In general, the score of satisfaction was higher than average in all fields. The average score of satisfaction in men was significantly lower than in women (P < 0.001). There was no significant relationship between satisfaction and degree, academic rank, age, and working experience (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Professors’ satisfaction with the online and offline medical education courses in the relevant systems is at a high level. Thus, it is suggested that combined in-person and online empowerment courses should be held in the post-COVID-19 era.

Education and assessment have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic so that online courses replaced face-to-face classes to observe the social distance. The quality of online assessments conducted during the pandemic is an important subject to be addressed. In this study, the quality of online assessments held in two consecutive semesters was investigated.One thousand two hundred and sixty-nine multiple-choice online examinations held in the first (The mean percentage of answers to all tests was 69.97 ± 19.16, and the number of questions was 34.48 ± 18.75. In two semesters, there was no significant difference between the difficulty of examinations (To evaluate the tests' quality, calculating difficulty and discrimination indices is not sufficient; many factors can affect the quality of tests. Furthermore, the experience of the first semester had changed characteristics of the second-semester examinations. To enhance the quality of online tests, establishing appropriate rules to hold the examinations and using questions with higher taxonomy are recommended.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 in dentists and dental assistants and their associated signs and symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey from 9th to 23th May 2020. The sample size was 385. The questionnaire was registered at Porsline website. The questionnaire included questions about infection of dentists, dental assistants and their families with COVID-19, signs and symptoms, paraclinical tests, and treatments. The data were entered into Excel and SPSS software and analyzed using logistic regression test. Results: From all responding dentists, 15.8% were suspected of having covid-19. Based on symptoms, only 1.6% of dentists were highly suspicious for COVID-19. Only 0.78% of dentists were definitely positive for COVID-19 based on paraclinical tests. Symptoms were often very mild to moderate in severity. Among dental assistants, 5.5% were suspected of having COVID-19. Based on symptoms, none of dentists’ assistants were highly suspicious for COVID-19. None of dental assistants were definitely positive for COVID-19 based on paraclinical tests. Symptoms were often very mild to moderate in severity. Logistic regression showed that the odds of infection with Corona was higher in government-sector dentists than in the private sector (OR: 1.189; 95% C.I: 0.812-1.742), in specialist dentists than in general (OR: 1.903; 95% C.I: 0.532-2.245), and in dentists between the ages of 30-60 years old than under the age of 30 (OR: 3.647; 95% C.I: 0.840-15.835). Conclusion: Despite the fact that dentistry is a high-risk job for COVID-19 infection, the overall prevalence of COVID-19 in dentists and their assistants might be very low and the severity of symptoms in case of infection is probably mild.

Background and Aim: Mothers are the main key to improving the oral health of children, and their beliefs in this area are very influential on the way children's oral care works. The aim of this study was to determine the status of knowledge, attitude and performance of mothers about the preventive behaviors of dental caries in 4-6 year old children based on integrated behavioral model. Materials and Methods: This descriptive analytic cross sectional study was conducted on 275 mothers with 4-6-year-old children referring to Birjand Comprehensive Health Services Centers in 2018. They were selected through randomized multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on the constructs of the integrated behavioral model, whose validity and reliability were checked and verified (Cronbach's alpha = 0.99). Data were analyzed by SPSS software (Version 19) using one-way ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc test, linear regression and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Mean score of mothers' knowledge was 5.03 ± 2.48 and mean score of mothers' performance was 2.64 ± 2.11. There was a positive and significant correlation between performance scores and the mean scores of different constructs of the integrated behavioral model (P

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a rare inflammatory, autoimmune, and subepithelial vesiculobullous disease in which tissue-bound autoantibodies are produced against one or more components of the basement membrane. Oral lesions of the pemphigoid begin in the form of vesicles or bullae that often involve throughout the mouth but may be confined to specific areas, especially the gingiva, in a pattern known as desquamative gingivitis. The positive Nikolsky's sign is characteristic of pemphigus vulgaris, in which a blister can appear on the normal-appearing skin if exerting lateral pressure, and is very rare in the mucosa and other vesiculobullous diseases. Here we report a case of mucous membrane pemphigoid that developed as desquamated gingivitis in a 46-year-old woman with positive Nikolsky's sign in the gingival mucosa. In the histopathologic view, a subepithelial cleft was observed. The results of direct and indirect immunofluorescence tests and related therapeutic interventions are also presented. Positive Nikolsky's sign can be observed in the mucosa as well as in the mucous membrane pemphigoid in addition to pemphigus vulgaris, and vesiculobullous lesions should be diagnosed based on the sum of clinical, histopathological, and immunofluorescence findings.

Objectives Dental units are necessary tools for modern dentistry. Microbial contamination of dental units is thought to be the result of biofilm formation in various parts of the unit. We aimed to identify the total microbial count in the suction hose of dental units, and detect the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods Random sampling of suction hoses of dental units in Birjand, Iran, was performed in dental clinics on the first (n = 115) and last (n = 115) working days of the week. Total viable counts of bacteria and detection of P. aeruginosa were performed on plate count agar and cetrimide agar, respectively. Plates were incubated at 37 °C for 48 hours. Results None of the samples were free from bacterial contamination. P. aeruginosa was detected in 22.6% and 18.3% of samples taken on the first and last working days, respectively. Conclusions Suction hoses were heavily contaminated with bacteria, especially opportunistic pathogens, and current disinfection does not adequately control the contamination.

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between third molar agenesis and craniofacial morphology in a group of Iranian orthodontic patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 164 high-quality lateral cephalograms and panoramic radiographs were included in the study. Eighty-two radiographs with the absence of at least one-third molar were assigned to agenesis group and other 82 radiographic records were served as control group. Cephalometric analysis was performed, and the results were compared between the two groups using Independent Samples Student's t-test. Results: Significant differences were found in SNA, ANB, sum of posterior angles, and lower gonial angle between the study groups. All of them were smaller in the agenesis group. Conclusion: Third molar agenesis in this group of Iranian subjects is associated with deficient maxillary development and brachyfacial and hypodivergent skeletal pattern.

Background and Objectives: Pregnant women’s oral and dental hygiene is of great importance to maternal and neonatal health. This study aimed to predict dental caries preventive behaviors among pregnant women based on self-efficacy and the theory of planned behavior. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2016 on 258 pregnant women recruited from comprehensive healthcare centers in Birjand, Iran. Sampling was done via multistage random sampling. Data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire developed based on self-efficacy and the theory of planned behavior. The content validity of the instrument was approved by 10 faculty members and its reliability was approved with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.77. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted via the SPSS software (v. 19.0) to analyze the data at a significance level of less than 0.05. Results: The mean of participants’ age was 27.6 ± 5.1 and the mean of the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index was 5.4 ± 3.5. Regression analysis showed that self-efficacy and the constructs of the theory of planned behavior explained 47% of the total variance of the intention to show dental caries preventive behaviors. The strongest predictors of behavioral intention were self-efficacy (R2 = 0.34) and the subjective norm construct of the theory (R2 = 0.313). Conclusions: Self-efficacy and subjective norm are the strongest predictors of dental caries preventive behaviors among pregnant women. The combination of self-efficacy and the theory of planned behavior can provide a useful framework for developing and implementing educational interventions for the prevention of dental caries among pregnant women and the promotion of maternal and neonatal health.

The aim of this in-vitro study was to determine the occurrence of coronal microbial leakage in endodontically treated teeth that have been prepared for post space, and also determine the minimum and maximum time required for the permanent restoration of the teeth after post space preparation.This experimental study was conducted using a simple random sampling. Fifty extracted single-root teeth with approximately the same length were selected for this study. In order to assimilate the samples length, the crowns of all teeth were cut perpendicular to the long axis of the teeth at a distance of 15 mm from the apex. The canals of 40 teeth were filled with gutta-percha and sealer and prepared for post placement. The teeth were divided randomly into two equal groups of 20 each. In one group, temporary dressing (Cavisol) was used while in the other group, no dressing was used. Five of the teeth were considered as a positive and 5 as a negative control group. For evaluation of microbial leakage, "two-chamber setup" was used. The solution of Proteus mirabilis with fresh culture was injected in the upper chamber and incubated. If the bacteria pass through the dressing and obturation, the trypticase soy broth (TSB) media become turbid. TSB medium in the lower chamber (apex) were investigated every day in terms of occurrence of turbidity and the duration of occurrence of coronal leakage was recorded. The data were analyzed using independent t-test.The leakage time in the group without temporary filling was within 7-21 days and it was within 28-47 days in group with temporary filling (P0.001).The minimum time required for microorganisms to enter the canal in group with and without dressing was 28 and 7 days respectively. It is suggested that the teeth with post space preparation receive permanent restoration after RCT in the shortest possible time, to reduce the need for retreatment.

Background: Oral cancer is one of the ten most frequent cancers worldwide. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), may play a key role in human cancer development. Inflammation occurs in cancers and increases oxidative stress agent COX2 over expression in oral premalignant lesions. Several studies showed COX2 inhibitors con improve antioxidant system. The aim of this study is the evaluation the effect of topical and systemic celecoxib on serum antioxidant in induction of tongue neoplasm in rat. Materials and Method: Fifty male Sprague Dawley adult 3-3.5 months' old rats were used as animal model in this study. The tongue SCC was induced by a daily administration of 30 ppm 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO), in drinking water, for 8 months. The rats in case groups received dietary or topical CCB. CCB powder was added to powdered basal diet and e ach rat received CCB with daily food. Adhesive Gels were prepared by mixing the base plasty with oral paste including two different dose of CCB. These groups include: group A» 30 ppm 4-NQO treatment; group B» 30 ppm 4-NQO+dietary CCB treatment; group C» 30 ppm 4-NQO+topical low dose CCB treatment; group D» 30 ppm 4NQO+high dose topical CCB treatment and group E» dietary CCB as control+water. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differens between groups in total antioxidant, hemoglobin and nutrophilic count.Conclusion: Topical CCB can use as adjuvant treatment for premalignant lesions

BACKGROUND Oral cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and one of the top ten causes of death in the whole world. Most oral cancers are diagnosed at late stages. Since dentists play a critical role in early detection of oral cancer, they should be knowledgeable and skillful in oral cancer diagnosis. The aim of this study was to survey dentist knowledge about oral cancer in Southern Khorasan Province. MATERIALS AND METHODS This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with dentists who participated in an in-service educational program at the Faculty of Dentistry of Birjand University of Medical Sciences in spring 2014. A questionnaire including demographic information with 11 questions regarding oral cancer was prepared. The participants were required to be complete the questionnaires within a specific time span. The data were analyzed using SPSS 15 software by t-test and one-way ANOVA at 0.05 confidence level. RESULTS A total of 73 dentists out of 80 answered the questionnaires - 36 (49.3%) were females and 37 (50.7%) were males. Total mean score of knowledge was 7.91 ± 1 of 11. Mean scores of knowledge of male and female participants were 7.70 ± 1.83 and 8.13 ± 1.94 respectively. Mean knowledge score of general dentists was 7.41 ± 1.79 and of dental specialists was 9.44 ± 1.0 In spite of higher knowledge score of women compared to men and general dentists compared to dental specialists, these differences were not statistically significant (p=0.09). Tukey testing showed a significant difference between groups with 1-4 years of experience (8.74) and over twenty years of experience (6.50) ( p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Considering the good knowledge level of young dentists and the specialists and the importance of early diagnosis of oral cancer, it seems necessary to pay more attention to academic education for dentistry students, as well as holding retraining courses for experienced dentists, so that their knowledge not be reduced over time.

Ameloblastic fibroma is a rare mixed odontogenic tumor [1, 2].The average age of affliction is 15 years old [3]. Tumor growth is slow and painless and leads to an expansion of jaws and migration and displacement of teeth and it is often asymptomatic [2, 3]. Several cases of malignant transformation to Ameloblastic fibrosarcoma (AFS) have been reported [4].