Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Malay version of parenting and child tooth brushing assessment (M-PACTA).

Background: Malaysian preschool children continue to exhibit a high prevalence of dental caries and poor oral hygiene. There is a need to gain an in-depth understanding of oral hygiene habits and design suitable interventions to improve oral hygiene in early childhood.

Objective: To cross-culturally adapt and determine the psychometric properties of the Malay-translated Parenting and Child Tooth Brushing Assessment questionnaire (M-PACTA).

Sustainability in Dentistry: Assessing knowledge, attitude, and practices of dental practitioners about green dentistry.

Objective: Green dentistry is an emerging concept necessary to address the worsening climatic changes. It is essential to compile the existing literature on knowledge, attitude, and practice on green dentistry that can be accomplished by conducting a literature review. The objective of this literature review was to summarize and present the existing knowledge that dentists have regarding green dental practices, their attitude about this shift towards sustainability, and steps that they have taken in their personal practice to adhere towards an eco-friendlier dental approach.

Oral healthcare seeking behavior of Malaysian adults in urban and rural areas: findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019.

Background: The development and implementation of appropriate strategies to enhance oral health in the community can be aided by an understanding of oral healthcare seeking behavior among urban and rural populations. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with oral healthcare seeking behavior of the Malaysians in urban and rural locations who self-reported dental problems.

Methods: The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, a cross-sectional nationwide household survey that focused on non-institutionalised Malaysians, provided the data for this study on adults in Malaysia who were 18 years of age and older.

Quality of Life vs. Supportive Care Needs for Oral Cancer Caregivers: Are They Related?

Caregivers providing care for their family members with oral cancer usually endure the caregiving burden in silence, which affects their quality of life and necessitates the need for supportive care. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the quality of life (QOL) of oral cancer caregivers and their supportive care needs (SCN) in Malaysia. The Malaysian versions of the Caregiver Oncology Quality of Life Questionnaire (M-CarGOQoL) and the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers (M-CNAT-C) were self-administered by 56 family caregivers of oral cancer patients from five tertiary hospitals throughout Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak between October and December 2021.

Lactate Dehydrogenase: The Beacon of Hope?

Lactate dehydrogenase enzyme (LDH) helps in the conversion of glucose into pyruvic acid during aerobic glycolysis and is found in the cytoplasm of most cells in the human body. When oxidative stress occurs in the body, LDH may be released extracellularly and its level is usually indicative of the severity of tissue damage. LDH has proved to be an inestimably resourceful marker in early prediction of serious diseases involving extensive tissue or cellular damage.

A randomized controlled trial of 6-month dental home visits on 24-month caries incidence in preschool children.

Objectives: This paper reports on the effect of 6-month dental home visits compared to no dental home visits on 24-month caries incidence in 5- to 6-year-olds.

Methods: 5- to 6-year-olds attending kindergartens were randomized to receive either 6-month dental home visits and education leaflets (Intervention group) or education leaflets alone (Control group) over 24 months. To detect a 15% difference in caries incidence with a significance level of 5% and power of 80%, 88 children were calculated to be needed in the Intervention group and 88 in the Control.

Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels in the Saliva of Cigarette and E-Cigarette Smokers (Vapers): A Comparative Analysis.

Background: We examined the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme levels in the saliva of vapers (e-cigarette users) and compared the data with cigarette smokers and a control group of non-smokers and non-vapers.

Methods: Subjects were recruited among those responding to a social media announcement or patients attending the SEGi Oral Health Care Centre between May and December 2019, and among some staff at the centre. Five ml of unstimulated   whole saliva was collected and salivary LDH enzyme activity levels were measured with a LDH colorimetric assay kit.

Pre-schoolers' tooth brushing behaviour and association with their oral health: a cross sectional study.

Background: Toothbrushing is an important yet neglected behaviour that affects the oral health of preschool children. Little is reported on parental supervision, an essential aspect of routine effective toothbrushing in this age group. The aim of this study was to evaluate pre-schoolers' toothbrushing behaviour including parental involvement and its association with their oral health.

Can post-treatment oral cancer patients' concerns reflect their cancer characteristics, HRQoL, psychological distress level and satisfaction with consultation?

Background: Oral cancer and its treatment impact patients' post-treatment outcomes, challenging clinicians to manage them optimally. Addressing patients' concerns is central to holistic patient-centred care.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine post-treatment oral cancer patients' concerns and its relationship with patients' clinical characteristics, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological distress and patient satisfaction with the follow-up consultation.

An Overview on Betel Quid and Areca Nut Practice and Control in Selected Asian and South East Asian Countries.

Areca nut (AN) and betel quid (BQ) chewing are ancient practices followed by an extensive proportion of the world's population. These practices are endemic in larger parts of South and Southeast Asia and selected Western Pacific countries. The prevalence of these habits varies across regions, age, gender, cultural practice, and socioeconomic status groups.

Variations in concerns reported on the patient concerns inventory in patients with head and neck cancer from different health settings across the world.

Background: The aim was to collate and contrast patient concerns from a range of different head and neck cancer follow-up clinics around the world. Also, we sought to explore the relationship, if any, between responses to the patient concerns inventory (PCI) and overall quality of life (QOL).

Methods: Nineteen units participated with intention of including 100 patients per site as close to a consecutive series as possible in order to minimize selection bias.

Survival of Oral Cancer Patients in Different Ethnicities.

Previous studies found that ethnicity influences oral cancer patients' survival; however, most studies were limited to certain ethnic groups particularly from the West, thus of limited relevance to Asians where the disease is most prevalent. We investigated the relationship between ethnicity and patient survival in multi-racial Malaysia. 5-year survival rate was 40.

Mouth self-examination as a screening tool for oral potentially malignant disorders among a high-risk Indigenous population.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of mouth self-examination (MSE) as a self-screening tool for detection of oral mucosal lesions among an Indigenous population in Malaysia at high risk for oral premalignant and malignant disorders.

Methods: Two villages were selected as the sampling frame based on prevalence of tobacco and betel quid chewing habit. Respondents were asked to check their mouth for presence of lesion or abnormalities.

Mini-implant supported canine retraction with micro-osteoperforation: A split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To investigate, using a split-mouth randomized clinical design, the effect of micro-osteoperforation (MOP) on mini-implant supported canine retraction using fixed appliances.

Materials And Methods: Thirty subjects (seven males and 23 females) with a mean age of 22.2 (3.

Health-Seeking Behaviour and Delayed Presentation of Oral Cancer Patients in a Developing Country: A Qualitative Study based on the Self-Regulatory Model.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore reasons for delayed health-seeking for late stage oral cancer patients. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 35 oral cancer patients with TNM stage III to IV disease, who were treated at six tertiary regional centres managing oral cancer throughout Malaysia. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded using NVivo (version 10.

Multi-ethnic variations in the practice of oral cancer risk habits in a developing country.

Objective: To elucidate ethnic variations in the practice of oral cancer risk habits in a selected Malaysian population.

Methods: This retrospective case-control study involves 790 cases of cancers of the oral cavity and 450 controls presenting with non-malignant oral diseases, recruited from seven hospital-based centres nationwide. Data on risk habits (smoking, drinking, chewing) were obtained using a structured questionnaire via face-to-face interviews.

The oral health of people with chronic schizophrenia: A neglected public health burden.

Objective: People with chronic schizophrenia have high rates of physical ill-health such as heart disease. However, there has been less attention to the issue of poor oral health including dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal (gum) disease, although both have consequences for quality of life and systemic physical health. We therefore measured tooth decay and gum disease in Malaysians with schizophrenia.

Quality of life associated factors in head and neck cancer patients in a developing country using the FACT-H&N.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated factors are vital considerations prior to treatment decision-making for head and neck cancer patients. The study aimed to identify potential socio-demographic and clinical prognostic value of HRQoL in head and neck cancer patients in a developing country. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N)-V4 in Urdu language was administered among 361 head and neck cancer patients.

The use of the FACT-H&N (v4) in clinical settings within a developing country: a mixed method study.

In the last decade there has been an increasing awareness about 'quality of life' (QOL) of cancer survivors in developing countries. The study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the FACT-H&N (v4) in Urdu language for Pakistani head and neck cancer patients. In this study the 'same language adaptation method' was used.

Oral cancer awareness and its determinants among a selected Malaysian population.

Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, its associated factors and related sources of information among a selected group of Malaysians.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on all Malaysian ethnic groups aged ≥15 years old at eight strategically chosen shopping malls within a two week time period. Data were analysed using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression.

Promoting oral cancer awareness and early detection using a mass media approach.

Background And Aim: Less than 50% of oral cancer cases are diagnosed at early stages of the disease and this is in part due to poor awareness and lack of knowledge on the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. This study sought to measure the baseline awareness of oral cancer in Malaysia and aimed to increase public awareness and knowledge of oral cancer using a mass media campaign.

Methods: Baseline awareness and impact of the campaign was measured using self-administered questionnaires sent via email to individuals.

Validation of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) in the Malay language.

Objective: To translate and validate the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI into the Malay language for use in Malaysia.

Methodology: The 6-Likert scale GOHAI was translated into the Malay language and self-administered on 189 subjects aged 60+. All subjects underwent oral status assessment.