Background & Aim: Tobacco smoking exerts a harmful effect on the periodontal tissues manifested by periodontal pockets, attachment loss and periodontal bone loss. Current evidences on the effects of tobacco on periodontal health mainly concern cigarette smoking. In view of the increasing popularity of water pipe smoking in Arabian countries and reports confirming that water pipe smoking has health effects similar to those of cigarette smoking, there is a need for a better understanding of the potential harm of this smoking habit. The present thesis was carried out in order to explore whether water pipe smoking is associated with periodontal health in a manner similar to cigarette smoking.

Objective:To identify the frequency and reasons of operations cancellation in 25 Makkah region hospitals in Saudi Arabia.Methods:Retrospective evaluation of the rate of surgery cancellation in 25 hospitals of Makkah region was performed in this study. The data of scheduled surgeries from 15 different surgical specialties was collected from January to December 2013. Frequency and reasons of cancellation of elective surgical cases in different specialty were studied with a view to recommend suggestions for improvement. Data was analyzed on SPSS -16.Results:There are 120 operating rooms (OR) in 25 Makkah region hospitals and during the year 2013, a total of 16,211 surgery cases were listed, and 1,238 (7.6%) cases were canceled. Contribution to total cancellation was highest in orthopedic 33.8% followed by general surgery 27.5%, obstetrics 7.7% and ENT 5.2%. According to category, 42.81% rate of cancellation was patient related, 20.03% facility related, 9.45% due to improper work-up, 1.45% associated with anesthesia, 7.19% related to surgeons, and 18.90% other/and not recorded reasons.Conclusions:Present study found 7.6% cancelation rate in Makkah region hospitals and three most common causes for cancellations were patients related, facility related and improper work-up.

The present observations indicate a significant long-term influence of smoking on vertical periodontal bone loss, yielding additional evidence that smoking is a risk factor for periodontal bone loss.

An association between tobacco smoking and periodontal bone height reduction is observed. The impact of water pipe smoking is of the same magnitude as that of cigarette smoking.

The observations suggest that smoking is associated with increased levels of prevalence as well as severity of vertical bone loss. Smoking is considered a potential risk factor for vertical periodontal bone loss.

The aim of this study was to document changes in plaque pH when an acidic challenge was followed by rinsing with miswak extract (Salvadora persica), and to evaluate the effect of miswak rinse on parotid gland secretion rate. Plaque pH was measured in 3-day-old plaque using the microtouch electrode. Rinsing with miswak extract, compared with water rinsing, resulted in protracted elevation of plaque pH (>6.0). The difference in plaque pH between miswak extract and water rinse was statistically significant at 30 min (p < 0.001). Rinsing with miswak extract stimulated parotid gland secretion (p < 0.01). In conclusion, miswak extract raised the plaque pH, suggesting a potential role in caries prevention.

A vertical (angular) defect is a radiographic diagnostic phenomenon of severe periodontal destruction. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of vertical defects in a population of dentally aware individuals at 2 different points in time, 1982 and 1992. Intra-oral radiographs of 251 individuals in 1982 and 247 individuals in 1992 in the age range 21-70 years were assessed with regard to presence or absence of vertical defects adjacent to a maximum of 28 teeth per person. A vertical bone defect was defined as a one-sided bone resorption of the interdental marginal bone > or = 2 mm that had a typical angulation towards either the mesial or distal aspect of the root. 'The prevalence of vertical defects in 1982 was 38% increasing from 11% in age 21-30 years to 64% in age 51-70 years, and 27% in 1992 increasing from 7% to 47% in the same age groups, respectively. The number of defects per person increased with age. The majority of affected individuals had 1-2 defects and only about 5% were severely affected. Vertical defects were more common in the posterior as compared to the anterior region of the dentition and the distribution of defects within the maxilla as well as the mandible typically revealed a right-hand to left-hand side symmetry. Vertical defects seem to be a rare phenomenon in dentally aware individuals. In particular, multiple defects were observed only in a minor proportion. Both prevalence and severity increased with age.

Objective:To evaluate the diseases pattern among pilgrims attending the 2 Holy Mosque (Haram) Health Care Centers during the Hajj season 2013 (Hijra 1434).Methods:In this cross-sectional study, data was collected from 2 medical centers located in the Holy Mosque in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia, from the first of Dhul-Hijjah to sixteenth Dhul-Hijjah 1434. The present study was completed in 16 days (6th October to 21st October 2013).Results:Over 16 days, 1008 patients attended the medical centers during Hajj 1434, (2013), out of which 554 (55%) were males and 454 (45%) were females. Most of the patients were Egyptians (n=242, 24%), followed by Saudis (n=116, 11.5%), Pakistani (n=114, 11.3%), Turkish (n=50, 5%), and other nationalities (n=404). According to age distribution, mostly were in the 51-60 years age group (n=237, 23.5%), followed by other age groups. Out of 1008 patients, 842 (83.5%) patients were treated and subsequently discharged, while 166 patients (16.5%) were referred to the tertiary centers. According to the diseases pattern, most of the patients were suffering from respiratory problems (n=177, 17.6%) followed by skin diseases (n=158, 15.7%), gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases (n=133, 13.2%), and others.Conclusion:Most of the patients were suffering from respiratory problems followed by skin and GIT diseases, and <25% of patients were referred to tertiary care centers.