ObjectiveIn children, manual dexterity poses a problem with the use of manual tooth brushes (MB), resulting in inefficient plaque removal. Recently, novel chewable brushes (CB) have been introduced which could overcome this problem but are less researched in children. The objective of this study is to assess and compare the plaque removal effectiveness of CB with that of MB.Materials and methodsA total of 60 patients aged 8 to 10 years were enrolled in a single-blinded randomized clinical trial. At baseline, disclosing solution was applied and the Turesky modification of the Quigley–Hein index (TQHI) plaque index and Loe and Silness gingival index were recorded. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups as group I (MB) and group II (CB) and they were instructed to use their respective brushes for a period of 1 week. For statistical comparison, the difference (prebrushing minus postbrushing) in average scores was calculated. Data were evaluated by the independent t test and paired t test, with p < 0.05.ResultsThe overall plaque scores reduced from 1.71 ± 0.4 to 0.79 ± 0.24 when using CB and from 1.64 ± 0.64 to 1.13 ± 0.47 when using MBs. On lingual tooth surfaces, CB showed a plaque reduction of 38.70 ± 11.04 to 12.60 ± 4.79 compared to less reduction from 37.43 ± 14.26 to 28.73 ± 11.37 for MB. The overall gingival scores were also reduced from 0.33 ± 0.51 to 0.09 ± 0.07 when using CB and from 0.30 ± 0.33 to 0.19 ± 0.23 when using MB. Differences in scores between the two brushes were statistically significant (p = 0.0001).ConclusionIt was concluded that the experimental CB was able to remove a significant amount of plaque, particularly on the lingual surfaces, and reduced gingival index scores, thereby improving oral hygiene and gingival health status.How to cite this articleKayalvizhi G, Radha S, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Plaque Removal Effectiveness of Manual and Chewable Toothbrushes in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(2):107–110.

Background: The first dental visit provides the dentist an opportunity to advise parents on prevention of oral diseases and also allows for early detection of caries and arrest of its progression. The first dental visit should occur no later than 12 months of age. However, parents fail to give importance to primary dentition as they feel that they are temporary. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the age of first dental visit and most common reasons for the visit among children aged 0–9 years and to examine the knowledge and attitude of their parents toward treatment procedures for children, taking into account their socioeconomic and educational status. Materials and Methods: After obtaining informed consent from parents, sociodemographic data that included age and gender of the child, educational status, occupation of parents, and annual family income were collected. A validated questionnaire was given to the parents. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics (proportion) was used to report the data. To examine differences in knowledge and attitudes among different socioeconomic and educational groups, chi-square test was used with P value <0.05. Results: A total of 300 completed questionnaires were analyzed. Age of first dental visit was 6–9 years (57%) and the most common reason for the visit was decayed teeth (33%). The overall attitude of parents toward treatment procedures for children was good in spite of low levels of knowledge about primary teeth and role of the pedodontist. Conclusions: It is necessary to promote early dental visits by providing education on perinatal and infant oral healthcare to the healthcare professionals dealing with children. It is also important to promote awareness regarding the maintenance of primary dentition.

A bstract Aim The aim of the study was to assess the remineralizing efficacy of fluoride and its combination varnishes on white spot lesion (WSL) in children with early childhood caries (ECC). Materials and methods Sixty children with active WSL on primary maxillary anterior teeth were randomly selected. At baseline, the WSL activity was evaluated using ICDAS II [lesion activity assessment (LAA)] and its dimensions through photographic method. They were allocated to group I (GI) (5% NaF), group II (GII) [5% NaF with amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)], and group III (GIII) [5% NaF with casein phosphopeptides – amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP –ACP)]. First, oral hygiene instructions and diet counseling were given followed by application of fluoride varnishes in their respective groups. The same parameters were recorded at follow-up of 2, 4, 12, and 24 weeks intervals. Data were collected and subjected to statistical analysis using Friedman Chi-square and Mann–Whitney tests. Results Overall, the active WSL changed to inactive over a period of 24 weeks in GI was 90%, GII was 95%, and 100% in GIII. There was a significant reduction in dimension of WSL in GI from 4.119 to 2.525 ( p = 0.0001). Likewise, there was a significant reduction in dimension of WSL in GII and GIII from 4.586 to 3.258 and 4.696 to 1.2155, respectively ( p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001). Comparatively, group III (MI varnish) showed statistically significant reduction in the dimension of WSL from baseline to 24 weeks ( p = 0.002). But the results were statistically insignificant with change of active lesions to its inactivity ( p = 0.349). Conclusion Fluoride varnish with CPP–ACP was found to be an effective preventive strategy in reversing WSL in children with ECC. Clinical relevance These combination varnishes could prove to be a promising preventive measure for pediatric dentists in reversing white spot lesions of ECC. Clinical trial registry NCT03360266. How to cite this article Radha S, Kayalvizhi G, Adimoulame S, et al. Comparative Evaluation of the Remineralizing Efficacy of Fluoride Varnish and its Combination Varnishes on White Spot Lesions in Children with ECC: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(4):311–317.

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