Caries Risk Assessment and Referral Tool (CRA-RT)-A novel risk scoring system for early childhood caries in community settings.

Objective: To develop a brief and simple, easy-to-administer, culturally sensitive, reliable and valid risk scoring system for early childhood caries based only on behavioural and other nonclinical risk factors. The purpose was to allow risk scoring by child care providers without clinical examination in order to guide dental referral in a community setting.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using stratified multistage cluster sampling was conducted among 559 preschool children and their mothers in Anganwadi centres and Preprimary schools in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India.

Prevalence and predictors of early periodontal disease among adolescents.

Background: Periodic estimation of periodontal disease burden is essential for formulating new treatment strategies, for evaluating preventive strategies, and for framing of new policies. The previous national-level survey among adolescents was held 15 years ago. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of periodontal disease among older adolescent students and to analyze its predictors as part of an oral health assessment survey conducted in Kerala.

Fibrin clot adhesion to root surface treated with tetracycline hydrochloride and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid: A scanning electron microscopic study.

Background: Connective tissue attachment following periodontal regenerative surgery is directly related to the attachment of fibrin clot on to the root surface during early wound healing events. The adhesion of fibrin clot to the root surface affected by periodontal disease depends on the biologic acceptance of the root surface which can be accomplished by various root conditioning procedures during periodontal therapy. The present in vitro study has been designed to evaluate and compare the degree of fibrin clot adhesion to root surfaces treated with root conditioning agents tetracycline hydrochloride and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

Plasma cell gingivitis associated with cheilitis: A diagnostic dilemma!

Plasma cell gingivitis is a rare condition characterized by diffuse and massive infiltration of plasma cells into the sub-epithelial connective tissue. Clinically, it appears as a diffuse reddening and edematous swelling of the gingiva with a sharp demarcation along the mucogingival border. Though considered as a hypersensitive reaction to an allergen, the etiology of this bizarre condition is still not properly understood.

The symptomatology of Alzheimer's disease: a cross-cultural study.

Objective: This paper presents the results of a trans-cultural study looking at the possible differences in the symptomatology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people from Manchester, UK and Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Methods: Two groups of people with AD (45 in each group) were recruited at the two sites. The participants and their carers were interviewed to investigate possible differences in demographics and symptomatology including cognition, depression, personality change and every day activities.