Non-communicable disease management: Access to healthcare during COVID-19 pandemic in rural Kerala, India.

Background: Globally, data on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic showed a higher risk of infection and complications in people with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In India, the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors vary significantly between states. Compared to other states, Kerala has the highest prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country, along with the highest proportion of the elderly population.

Barriers to dental care in a rural community.

Purpose: A nurse-led rural practice, Archer Family Health Care, established a partnership with the University of Florida College of Dentistry to improve access to dental care for underserved rural populations. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of this partnership on dental care access and identify perceived barriers patients' experience in this rural community.

Methods: A qualitative design was used to evaluate if this partnership improved access to dental care and identify care barriers existing in this population.

Participation in the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund policy by dentists in South Carolina's safety net.

Objectives: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act appropriated $100 billion to the Provider Relief Fund, allowing for direct payments to health care providers due to COVID-19. Few studies have evaluated participation in the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), and none have specifically looked at dental providers in the safety net.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, secondary data analysis using a quasi-experimental cohort design of South Carolina dentists who received PRF payments, comparing those who did and did not participate in the safety net.

Understanding of Final Year Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing Students in Pakistan towards Antibiotic Use, Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship: Findings and Implications.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a leading public health threat, which is exacerbated by the high and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate knowledge regarding antibiotic use, AMR and the readiness to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) among final year medical, pharmacy and nursing students in Pakistan. This reflects the high and increasing rates of AMR in the country, and students as future healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Secular trends in prevalence of overweight and obesity over a decade in urban and rural South Indian children integrated with geographic information system.

Context: The globalization in the process most of the rural sectors are also upgrading technically with digitalization with more availability of smart phones and gaming along with the refined food influences on the present-day children is causing a trend of overweight among the children.

Aims: To arrive at the prevalence of overweight and obesity considering the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) cut-offs for growth standards among children aged 12 years from the rural and urban areas of Mysuru District.

Methods And Material: The present program was the third large scale community intervention project carried out including the 7 talukas of Mysuru District which focused on the measurement of the Body mass index (BMI).

Sociobehavioural Factors Associated With Child Oral Health During COVID-19.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the sociobehavioural factors that influenced children's oral health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The online cross-sectional study was conducted in Al Jouf Province in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. A total of 960 parents of children aged 5 to 14 years were invited by multistage stratified random sampling.

Testing the maturation and the radiographic visibility of the root pulp of mandibular third molars for predicting 21 years. A digital panoramic radiographic study in emerging adults of south Indian origin.

Prediction of the attainment of legal age thresholds, especially in children and young adults, is a common task in medico-legal practice. In many countries, 21 years has medico-legal importance. In the present study, we assessed and compared the accuracy of the third molar maturity index (I3M) and the stages of radiographic visibility of the root pulp (RPV) in predicting the age threshold of 21 years.

Maternal Mortality in a Rural District of Pakistan and Contributing Factors.

Introduction: Pakistan is among the ten countries that account for 60% of global maternal mortality. Lack of accurate data on maternal mortality and a complex interrelation of access and quality of healthcare services, healthcare delivery system, and socio-economic and demographic factors contribute significantly to inadequate progress in reducing maternal mortality.

Material And Methods: A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in a rural district of Pakistan using data obtained from an enhanced surveillance system.

Evaluation and Comparison of Two Different Cleaning Procedures on Mechanical Properties for Recemented Restoration Using Two Conventional Glass Ionomer Cement Types: An In Vitro Study.

Background In modern dentistry, fixed dental prostheses are often the preferred and the most complex treatment procedures. However, the success of these procedures depends to a great extent on the durability and consistency of the ongoing reconstruction. This paper aimed to compare the shear bond characteristics of conventional glass ionomer cement types, namely, Vivaglass luting cement and GC fuji 1 cement, after being subjected to two different dentin-cleaning techniques: the tungsten carbide bur and the prophy jet.

Evaluation of push-out bond strength of different concentrations of chitosan nanoparticles incorporated composite resin and eighth-generation bonding agent for class II restoration: An study.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the push-out bonding strength of class II cavities of maxillary molars restored with different concentrations of chitosan nanoparticles (CSN) incorporated in universal composite resin and eighth-generation dentin bonding agent (DBA).

Materials And Methods: Seventy extracted human maxillary first molar teeth were cleaned and mounted in acrylic mold up to 2 mm below cementoenamel junction and mesio-occlusal Class II cavities with standard measurements were prepared. CSN 2% and 0.

Exploring challenges and mitigation strategies towards practicing Teledentistry.

Background: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many dentists have opted for Teledentistry as a mechanism for patient consultation, oral lesion evaluation, diagnosis, and monitoring. The current study explores the challenges faced and potential solutions proposed by dentists practicing Teledentistry in a developing country like Pakistan.

Methods: A qualitative case study was carried out from January to December 2021.

Knowledge of Dental Ethics and Jurisprudence Among Dental Practitioners in Pune: A Questionnaire Survey.

Objective Dental ethics is a moral obligation that solicits professional behaviour imposed by the members of the dental profession. In addition, a set of legal regulations by each state's legislature describing the legal limitations and regulations related to dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental assisting is a part of dental jurisprudence. The present study aims to evaluate the knowledge regarding ethics and medical law for the practice among private practitioners in Pune, India.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the surgical outcomes in patients with osteochondroma of mandibular condyle.

Many options exist in the diagnosis and management of condylar osteochondroma. The purpose of this study was to provide a congregate information concerning treatment of the osteochondroma involving the mandibular condyle. The search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and Cochrane database until February 2022.

Traumatic Bone Cyst of the Anterior Mandibular Region: A Case Report.

A traumatic bone cyst (TBC) is an unusual non-neoplastic pseudocystic cavity in the bone that is often asymptomatic and slow-growing. It is unexpectedly detected by regular radiography imaging. These lesions are more common in the mandible than they are in the maxilla, and they are often seen in patients older than 40 years of age.

Urban-rural disparities in blood pressure and lifestyle risk factors of hypertension among Indian individuals.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the urban-rural difference in prevalence of hypertension (HT) and to explore the disparities in lifestyle risk factors of HT among urban and rural individuals aged 15-49 years in India.

Study Design: The cross-sectional data collected as a part of the fourth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) was analysed in this observational study. NFHS-4 was conducted between January 2015 and December 2016 amongst men aged 15-54 years and women aged 15-49 years.

Tooth Loss, Cognitive Impairment and Fall Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study of Older Adults in Rural Thailand.

Tooth loss is associated with both cognitive impairment and fall risk. However, the relationships between these variables are complex and bidirectional. Observed associations have been reported in separate studies but data on rural-dwelling older adults remain sparse.

A comparative analysis of outcomes of root canal therapy for pediatric medicaid beneficiaries from New York State.

Objectives: This study investigated differences in the provision of root canal therapy and outcomes in a publicly insured cohort of children and adolescents.

Methods: New York State Medicaid administrative claims from 2006 to 2018 were analyzed. Enrollees aged 6-18 were included in the study if they had initial non-surgical root canal therapy (NSRCT), in the permanent dentition, that allowed for at least 1 year of post-treatment follow-up.

The impact of the first United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown on environmental air pollution, digital display device use and ocular surface disease symptomatology amongst shielding patients.

Worldwide lockdown reduced air pollution during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between exposure to ambient air pollution, digital display device use and dry eye symptoms amongst patients with severe ocular surface disease (OSD) were considered. Symptoms and air pollutant concentrations for three different time periods (pre, during and post COVID-19 lockdown) were analysed in 35 OSD patients who achieved an immunosuppression risk-stratification score > 3 fulfilling the UK Government criteria for 12-week shielding.

Knowledge, practice and associated factors of breast self-examination among female university students of Bangladesh.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of death worldwide. Breast self-examination (BSE) is a cost-effective tool for self-assessment and for potential early detection of breast cancer in low-resource settings. This study aimed to explore knowledge, practice and associated factors of BSE among female university students of Bangladesh.

Fear of contagion, emotional stress and coping strategies used by adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has induced high levels of stress. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between emotional stress (COVID-19 related fear, anger, frustration, and loneliness) and the use of coping strategies among adults in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data from adults aged 18 years and above were collected through an online survey from July to December 2020.

Measuring the Uptake of Growth Monitoring and Nutrition Promotion among under-5 Children: Findings from the Rwanda Population-Based Study.

Regular growth monitoring can be used to evaluate the nutritional and physical health of children. Ample evaluation of the reach and quality of nutrition interventions is necessary to increase their effectiveness, but there is little research on improving coverage measurement. The aim of this study was to explore the coverage of growth monitoring, nutrition promotion, and associated factors by Rwandan caregivers of children under the age of five.

Effectiveness of 38% Silver Diamine Fluoride Application along with Atraumatic Restorative Treatment for Arresting Caries in Permanent Teeth When Compared to Atraumatic Restorative Treatment in Adults-Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Dental caries in the adult population that require preventive and therapeutic treatment are generally neglected in rural communities. The determination of the effectiveness of the application of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in arresting caries lesions when combined with atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) is very important, as it serves as a preventive and restorative procedure to regain the function of the permanent dentition. The assessment of optimal SDF application with ART, in comparison with ART alone, in managing cavitated carious lesions in a pragmatic setting, is the need of the hour to recommend optimal dental care, especially in rural settings which have minimal access to comprehensive dental care.

Evaluation and Comparison of Five-Year Survival of Tooth-Supported Porcelain Fused to Metal and All-Ceramic Multiple Unit Fixed Prostheses: A Systematic Review.

The prosthesis must have good survival despite being functional for at least 5-10 years. This makes sure that the replacement of missing teeth does not become a repeated expense. Of 579 identified articles, 15 met the inclusion criteria for systematic review.

Strengthening Response Toward Promoting Mental Health in India: A Narrative Review.

Mental health is an essential component of human development. It deals with human ideas and emotions, and it helps to lead a good life by paving the way for healthy minds. The absence of a healthy mind is a substantial hindrance to personal, societal, and national economic, political, and social functioning.