Most of the mothers were graduates and were aware of the emergency management of dental trauma. The working mothers had better knowledge and awareness regarding mouth guards (72%) when compared with non-working mothers (37%).

Background: A fundamental skill in education includes the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information, and this cannot be underestimated in dental education. The aim of this study was to assess how dental students from Malaysia and Finland acquire scientific information and to compare their information retrieval skills. Methods: Fourth and fifth-year dental students from Malaysia and Finland were invited to participate. A self-administered structured questionnaire including items about the use of information sources, subjective assessment of literature retrieval skills and knowledge was used. Results: A total of 226 dental students participated in the survey: 131 from Malaysia and 95 from Finland. In both countries, the highest interest for data retrieval among students was found in the oral surgery specialty. The three most used sources of information among Malaysian students were personal lecture notes, dental textbooks, and colleagues; while Finnish students used colleagues, lecture notes, and current clinical guidelines. Students’ knowledge of evidence-based practice was inadequate in both student groups. Though the majority of participants reported that they had good or passable skills in literature retrieval, more students from Finland judged themselves to have at least good skills compared to those from Malaysia. Conclusion: Dental education in both countries includes information retrieval studies and mandatory research projects. However, students did not often use those sources that are considered essential in evidence-based dentistry. Universities should further develop educational and training interventions that guide students to use knowledge resources more effectively for critically appraising scientific evidence.

Objectives: To assess the Oral Health Status (OHS) of visually impaired children in South India, to devise and implement a specially designed Oral Health Education (OHE) program for them and to assess its efficacy in improving their OHS. Study design: OHS of 98 institutionalized visually impaired children aged 6 to 14 years were evaluated at the start of the study (Pre-OHE level) using the Modified Gingival Index (MGI), the Turesky-Gilmore-Glickman modification of the Quigley Hein Plaque Index (MQHPI) and Streptococcus mutans colony count. Oral Health Education was imparted with the help of specially designed models and tooth-brushing taught with specially formulated music aided instructions in a song format. These parameters were re-evaluated after a period of reinforced (two weeks and one month) and non-reinforced (two months) tooth-brushing. Results: Mean values of MGI and MQHPI showed a statistically very highly significant drop from the Pre-OHE level to the end of both the periods of reinforcement and non-reinforcement. There was a significant decrease in the S.mutans counts from the Pre-OHE levels to the period of non-reinforcement (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: The OHE program specially formulated for the visually impaired children was effective in improving their OHS significantly.

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BackgroundRegular consumption of sweetened beverages has been associated with dental caries, which is mediated through salivary pH. The salivary pH changes among individuals with low caries experience after consumption of two local sweetened drinks is compared.MethodsIn this block randomised controlled parallel group, an open-label pilot study of 49 participants aged 21–25 were selected. The participants were randomised into three groups: mineral water, chocolate drink and sirap bandung. One day prior to the test, scaling was done and the participants did not eat or drink anything on the test day till the saliva sample collection was done. Salivary pH was measured at baseline and after the consumption of the drinks with a glass electrode digital pH meter at five-minute interval for half an hour. The statistical significance was assessed at the level of 5%.ResultsAfter consumption of chocolate drink and sirap bandung, the salivary pH dropped from a baseline of 7.09 for chocolate drink and 7.13 for sirap bandung to 6.69 for chocolate and 6.86 for sirap bandung. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001).ConclusionSweetened milk based local drinks can increase the caries susceptibility. In the community, information about limiting the intake of sweetened drinks should be reinforced.