Aims of the study: To evaluate the prevalence of dental caries among children aged 9-10 years in Mosul City Center and to compare between traditional index and significant caries index of these students. Materials and Methods: The study sample was obtained from third and fourth class students from eight randomly selected primary schools in Mosul City Center. Sample size was 363 students, 225 females and 138 males. Students' ages were 9 and 10 years. All primary and permanent teeth were examined for the presence of decay, missing or filling teeth/surfaces. Mean DMFT, DMFS, dmft and dmfs were calculated for the students together and separately for each sex. The mean Significant Caries Index (SiC) was also calculated as the mean DMFT and DMFS of the one third of the students with the highest caries scores. Results: The SiC index was significantly higher in all comparisons with traditional DMF index (p < 0.000). A comparison between the two indices indicated that there is a large children subgroup presented with a high caries rate. Conclusions: The mean DMF values did not accurately reflect the skewed distribution of dental caries leading to incorrect conclusions that the caries rate of the statewide population is under control. It is better to use SiC index instead of the traditional index.

Aims:To evaluate mothers experience about their infants' teething, which symptoms they have seen and attributed to teething and how they have acted to manage these symptoms. Material and Methods: In this study, A total of 200 mothers of children less than 18 months of age, who had at least one tooth and who came to the primary health care centers for vaccination of their children were asked to participate in this study. The first part of the questionnaires was to clarify the eruption time of the first primary tooth and in the other part the mothers were also asked about the symptoms they attributed to teething and the methods they used to relief the symptoms. Results: The mean eruption time of the first tooth of the infants was 6.9 ± 2 months, with a range of 4 -18 months. All of the mothers reported that their children had suffered from at least one of the symptoms that were mentioned in the questionnaire. The prevalence of teething symptoms distributed according to the age groups demonstrated that fever, irritability, sleep disturbance and lose of appetite were significantly highest in (below 6) months age group, while diarrhea, dribbling, runny nose, vomiting, cough, diaper rash and smelly urine were significantly highest in (6 -12) months age group. Conclusion: It is commonly thought that teething in infants can cause a variety of signs and symptoms. In this study all the mothers believed that teething is associated with the appearance of symptoms, some of which are minor and related to discomfort, while others are physical illness.

To evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine digluconate rinsing solution on plaque and gingival bleeding in orthodontic patients with fixed appliances. Materials and Methods: This study included 42 orthodontic patients (29 females and 13 males), who were undergoing treatment in orthodontic postgraduate clinic of the collage of Dentistry, Mosul University. The patients of this study had a mean age of 18 years (range 12-28 years). The patients were divided in to control group (brushing only, N=20) and an experimental group (brushing +chlorhexidine digluconate mouth rinse, N=22). Plaque, gingival indices scores, in addition to pocket depth were measured in different three time periods (day 0, two weeks and four weeks). Results: Plaque, gingival indices scores, in addition to pocket depth shows statically significant differences at level (p≤0.05) among different genders between the two groups for each of the three time periods. Conclusions: The use of chlorhexidine digluconate based mouth rinses reduced bacterial plaque accumulation, pocket depth and improved the gingival index.

Aims: To evaluate the distribution of the health hazards and diseases among dentists in Mosul City according to age, sex and number of working hours per week. It also stated the usage of personal protective measures among dentists. Materials and Methods: The study of population consisted of one hundred and thirty dentists. The target population comprised dentists who worked in Mosul City. The study was conducted within form of questionnaire. Dentists were asked whether they suffered any occupational disease related to a musculo-skeletal pain and its location whether in the back, upper limbs or lower limbs. Also location of back pain as in the neck, shoulder, thoracic, lumber and sacral regions. Additionally, dentists were asked about eye problem, infectious diseases and if they are wearing medical gloves and masks. Results: The musculo-skeletal pain was the most frequent complaint of the total dentists (63.08%). Back-pain was the most prevalent of the musculo-skeletal disorders among dentists (81.54%) of the total sample and more frequently in the cervical area; i.e., neck and shoulder (66.15%). There was a significant difference between the prevalence of different musculo-skeletal pain and the weekly working hours among dentists (p = 0.01). There was a significant difference between dentists with and without eye problems (p = 0.033). Higher prevalence of dentists from the total sample did not complain of infectious diseases (82.31%). Dentists whom never wearing gloves and masks comprised the higher percentages of the total sample (46.15% and 19.23%, respectively). Conclusions: Carrying out their professional work, dentists are exposed to a number of occupational hazards. The study revealed that musculo-skeletal pain was the frequent complaint of dentists and more frequently in the cervical area (neck and shoulders) with a significant association between the number of working hours per week and musculo-skeletal pain in all locations (back, upper limb, lower limb). The majority of the examined dentists complain of eye problem during their practice, whereas most of them never complain any infectious disease. No significant association between dentists wearing gloves but significant association between those wearing masks with the age.

The gingival state of thirty seven young patients (mean age 11.6 years) wearing simple removable orthodontic appliances was assessed and followed at monthly intervals for 3 months. For 17 of the patients, intentional relief of the appliance was carried out in the upper right area. Statistically, the plaque index levels were similar in both "relief" and "non relief" groups and reached a similar score at 2 and 3 months. The gingival index was significantly higher in the "relief" group.Al-Dawoody AD, Al-Sayagh GhDh, Al-Sayagh NM. Gingival response to relief and non relief removable orthodontic appliances. Al-Rafidain Dent J. 2005; 5(2): 103-107.