Background: Oral health of children with special needs is dependent on their parent's knowledge and attitude towards dental care. Thus this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers of children with special needs. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted for a period of 4 months among caregivers of 3 to 17 year old children with special needs who visited a tertiary care center (NIEPMD) at Chennai city from February 2018 to June 2018. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 (Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Descriptive statistics was carried out to calculate responses for each question. One way ANOVA was computed to compare means of knowledge, attitude and Practice with Age, Education and Income. Normality of the data was tested using Shaprowilk test. Results: A poor knowledge was seen among the mothers. Education, income and age were found have a statistical significance (p=0.00*) on mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores. Conclusion: More studies exploring the same issue need to be conducted on larger samples covering different populations so as to evaluate, which strategies will be effective and efficient in bringing about a behavior change in mother/parents.

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Oral myiasis is a rare disease commonly reported in specially abled patients with poor oral hygiene. It is caused by larvae of certain dipteran flies. It is mostly reported in developing countries and in the tropics. Here we present a case report of oral myasis in a mentally challenged elderly lady.

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Background: It is already known that infants and children are more vulnerable to oral and dental problems. Published literature has shown a high prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) worldwide, including Saudi Arabia. Aim: This study aims to assess pediatrician's knowledge and practice about ECC and infant oral health in Abha-Khamis. Methodology: This cross-sectional study used a structured and pretested questionnaire. The study population included all the pediatricians practicing in the city of Abha-Khamis. Results: A total of 61 pediatricians completed the questionnaire. Most pediatricians (80%) were in agreement that white spots/lines on tooth surface were the first signs of tooth decay. Only 21% of the pediatricians agreed that only bottled-fed babies are affected by ECC while 72% disagrees, and 6.6% were not sure. Nearly half of the respondents (55%) were aware of the recommended age for prescribing fluoridated toothpaste. Most pediatricians (75%) had correct knowledge regarding the recommended child's first dental visit. The results suggest that most pediatricians (95%) performed routine visual examination of the oral cavity, 75% reported to have routinely conducted parental counseling regarding diet and oral hygiene practices, and majority of the practitioners (93%) often make referrals to dental clinics. Conclusions: Pediatricians in Abha-Khamis have good knowledge regarding ECC and infant oral health. Majority of the pediatricians had no formal training regarding oral health in the medical curriculum yet they conducted a routine oral examination and made dental referrals in their practice. Coordinated efforts between the dentists and pediatricians can effectively address oral health issues among the children.

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A 45-year-old female patient was referred by the neurologist to the maxillofacial surgery department for the management of an ectopic maxillary canine which was found in the left maxillary sinus during a routine computed tomography (CT) scan for an unusual left-sided facial pain with associated left unilateral headache that was refractory to all given medications. The duration of pain and headache had been on and off for 10 months with the last episode preceding the routine CT scan lasting >3 weeks. There was no history of sinusitis, nasal discharge, or nasal blockage. Intraoral examination showed missing upper left canine. A computed tomographic scan showed ectopic eruption of the left maxillary canine into the left maxillary sinus in close proximity to the infraorbital foramen with no associated antral pathology. Caldwell-Luc approach was employed to surgically extract the ectopic canine while preserving the left infraorbital nerve. Although there was no lesion associated with the ectopic canine in the maxillary sinus, the extraction of the tooth led to the resolution of the headache and facial pain.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anterior cranial base (S-N) length in Class I and Class II division 1 individuals of Central India in two different age groups. Materials and Methods: Sample size comprised 120 individuals belonged to Central India. Individuals were divided into two groups: Group I comprised 60 young children (30 males and 30 females) in the age group of 10–14 years (n = 30 Class I and n = 30 Class II division 1) and Group II comprised 60 young adults (30 males and 30 females) in the age group of 18–22 years (n = 30 Class I and n = 30 Class II division 1). S-N length was measured from the traced sheets of lateral cephalograph of the study participants. The gender difference and differences in the group were calculated using the paired t-test. Results: No significant difference was found for S-N length in Class I and Class II division 1 individuals. S-N length was longer in young adults compared to young children in both Class I and Class II division 1 individuals. S-N length was found to be more in males compared to females in both Class I individuals and Class II division 1 individuals. S-N length was significantly shorter in the Central Indian population (65.25 mm) compared to Caucasian population (71 mm). Conclusion: The present study showed that S-N length is not a stable parameter and growth of skull occurs even after 10 years of age. S-N length was more in young adults than in young children and lesser in females compared to males. S-N length was found to be shorter in the Central Indian population compared to Caucasian population, so S-N length should be considered as population specific and not the same for all population.

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Background: Oral cancer is a global public health problem whose incidence and mortality have not considerably improved in recent decades. Its etiology is multifactorial with risk factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, human papillomavirus infection, or dietary factors. Objective: The objective is to assess the possible effect of coffee and/or tea consumption on oral cancer. Methods: A PubMed database search through December 2018 of articles on the effect of coffee or tea consumption on oral cancer using the following Medical Subject Headings terms (“coffee” or “tea”) and “mouth neoplasms” was conducted. One hundred and two articles were found between 1990 and 2017. From 79 studies with full-text availability, 61 were excluded for several reasons: studies on cancers that did not exclusively affect the oral cavity (29) and studies with non-usable data (32). Statistical Analysis: For dichotomous outcomes, the estimates of effects of an intervention were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) using Mantel-Haenszel method with a 95% confidence interval and, also the Pearson Chi-square test was applied when required. Results: Eighteen studies on the effect of coffee and/or tea consumption on oral cancer were included in this meta-analysis. High consumption of coffee (≥6 cups daily) had no relevant effect on oral cancer risk (OR: 1.01, I² = 79%, P = 0.88). Tea intake (OR: 0.78, I² = 79%, P <0.001) and consumption of ≥ 6 cups/day (OR: 0.79, I² = 80%, P = 0.02) did have a significant protective effect on oral cancer. Conclusions: Only the consumption of tea had a protective effect on oral cancer.

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