Evaluating knowledge and approach of Medical practitioners towards Pediatric Dentistry in Hafar Al Batin.

: Aim: To raise awareness, regarding the scope of practice in Pediatric Dentistry, among medical practitioners working in the Pediatrics Department. Material and Methods: Members of the Office of Director of Dentistry in Hafr Al Batin visited all the hospitals and conducted a paper-based survey. Pediatricians and resident doctors working in the pediatric department were asked to fill a questionnaire. The questionnaire elicited information regarding personal details, knowledge, approach and awareness towards pediatric oral health. A total of 122 responses were collected, and their results analyzed. Results : A total of 122 responses were collected of which 62 were pediatricians and 60 were physicians. The average age was 41 years. Most Pediatricians knew about Pediatric dentistry as a separate specialty in dentistry whereas most physicians were unaware of it. The scope of practice of pediatric dentists, especially in handling patients with special needs were not known to many of them. The overall response was unsatisfactory. Conclusion: Most of the consultants and specialists Pediatricians were aware of Pediatric Dentistry as a distinct specialty. The survey found out that a significant number of doctors were oblivious of the scope of practice, especially in the management of patients with special needs, under general anesthesia. A dedicated CME program was conducted to spread awareness among the concerned doctors, and suggestions made to improve the services.

Influence of Parental Health Literacy on Change over Time in the Oral Health of American Indian Children

In cross-sectional studies, parental health literacy (HL) is associated with children’s oral health. It is unclear, however, whether HL influences pediatric outcomes. We examined the relationship of HL with change over time in parental oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as pediatric oral health outcomes. We used longitudinal data from a study designed to reduce dental decay in American Indian children (N = 579). At baseline and annually for three years, parents answered questions assessing HL; oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors; and pediatric oral health status. The number of decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs) was computed based on annual dental evaluations. Linear mixed models showed that HL was significantly associated with all constructs, except dmfs, at their reference time points and persistently across the three-year study period. HL predicted change over time in only one variable, parents’ belief that children’s oral health is determined by chance or luck. HL is strongly associated with oral health knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and status prospectively but is not a key driver of change over time in these oral health constructs.

COVID-19: General and Oral Manifestations in Children, Impact on Pediatric Dentistry and Future Perspective

(COVID-19) has spread rapidly across the globe, becoming a major public health concern for countries around the world. Despite worldwide efforts to contain viral spread, the outbreak has not shown any promising signs of containment yet. The coronavirus disease 2019 is a respiratory infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets and close contact. As COVID-19 cases have been reported among children as well, there is an increased risk of acquiring the disease through these Silent Carriers who present as asymptomatic with mild or moderate clinical viral infection. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is constantly revising their checklist for re-emergence in pediatric dental practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatric dentists should keep a high level of awareness to help patients, minimize risk and prevent viral spread. During this period of pandemic, management of child’s oral health presents specific difficulties related to the infectious spread of the disease. The aim of this article is to review the Covid-19 infection in children, its impact on pediatric oral health, challenges for pediatric dentistry and future perspective.

In vitro comparison of the torsional load transfer of various commercially available stainless-steel wires used for fixed retainers in orthodontics

Objective: To assess the torsional load transfer of various commercially available stainless-steel wires used for fixed retainers. Design: An in vitro study using a robotic device. Setting: Department of Pediatric Oral Health and Orthodontics, University of Basel. Methods: A 10° proclination of a maxillary lateral incisor of a 2-2 retainer was simulated with a robotic device. Eight stainless-steel wires with different shapes (round or rectangular), types (plain, braided, coaxial or chain) and dimensions were selected to measure the torsional load transfer at the adjacent central incisor. The influence of annealing was also tested. Results: The 0.016 × 0.016 and Bond-A-Braid™ wires (0.02645 × 0.01055-inch, 8-stranded, braided) showed the largest relative torsional load transfer (3.7% and 3.3%, respectively). The two multistranded wires - Triple Flex™ and Respond® - showed the smallest values of 1.0% and 0.7%, respectively. The spiral direction of these two multistranded wires affected the load transfer, the twisting showing larger torsional load transfer than the untwisting one. Conclusion: The effective torsional load transfer depends on the dimension, shape and type of a wire. Plain and braided retainers were more predictable in torsional load transfer than multistranded retainers, which may have stored more energy in the area between the composite bonding sites. This may explain the unexpected complications reported in multistranded retainers.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Children: History and Pediatric Oral Health

Objective: This study aims to, through a recent literature review, present the epidemiological and pediatric oral health of COVID-19. Material and Methods: A bibliographical research was carried out in the PUBMED database, with the keywords COVID-19 and dental practice, until April 5 of 2020. Discussion: Children of all ages appeared susceptible to COVID-19, and there was no significant gender difference. The participants in dental practice expose to tremendous risk of COVID-19 infection due to the face-to-face communication and the exposure to saliva, blood, and other body fluids, and the handling of sharp instruments. There is still much more to know about COVID-19, especially as concerns mortality and capacity of spreading on a pandemic level. Conclusion: Everyone who has had close contact with an infected individual is susceptible to COVID-19. Up-to-date oral health helps in the general health of the children prevent dental care during the pandemic, minimizing the risk of contamination. Healthcare guidance is being updated with frequency, as to how best to proceed in a care setting.

COVID-19: Pediatric Oral Health During and After the Pandemics

During the period of health emergency linked to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the management of children's oral health presents specific problems related to the infectious spread of the disease. These problems must be faced on the one hand by acting on the oral health prevention methods, and on the other by implementing specific protocols relating both to the conditions of oral pathologies that normally do not represent an emergency, and to those clinical situations that fall into the category of pediatric dental emergencies. In this perspective, in addition to defining rigorous and highly effective infection control protocols in the dental settings, it is of fundamental importance to work on remote communication and education aimed at maintaining the oral health of the children. This article, after an analysis of the risk factors from COVID-19 associated with pediatric dental treatment, presents a series of considerations on potential oral prevention strategies and on the management of emergency and non-emergency dental procedures in a context of disease transmission control, proposing new approaches and models of treatment based also on remote interaction techniques which will then retain their usefulness even at the end of the current emergency period.