Maha El Tantawi

Therapeutic efficacy of plasmonic photothermal nanoparticles in hamster buccal pouch carcinoma

OBJECTIVESnThe objective of this study was to assess the short-term effect of plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) on induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinoma.nnnSTUDY DESIGNnSeventy-six Syrian golden male hamsters were used. The induced HBP carcinomas were directly injected with ∼30xa0nm gold nanospheres followed by 15xa0min laser exposure (PPTT).nnnRESULTSnPPTT caused rapid growth cessation and dramatic decrease in tumor sizes after 4xa0weeks of treatment (Pxa0<xa0.05) compared to controls. Microscopic and immunohistochemical examination of the tumor biopsies revealed significant differences in the cellular apoptotic index (AI) value and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoexpression in PPTT-treated tumor tissue sections compared to controls (Pxa0<xa0.05). Survival probability of the treated animals was increased compared to controls (Pxa0<xa0.05).nnnCONCLUSIONnPPTT proved to be a successful method for treating superficially located HBP carcinomas.

Factors affecting student participation in extra-curricular activities: A comparison between two Middle Eastern dental schools

Objective This study was conducted to assess the level of participation of dental undergraduate students in extracurricular activities (ECAs) and the factors affecting this participation. Methods The study included dental students enrolled in undergraduate programs at the Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Egypt, and the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was developed to collect background information about students, their participation in ECAs, and time allocated for these activities. Students were asked about their perceptions of the relationship between ECAs and academic studies, and their reasons for participating in and satisfaction with ECAs. Results The study included 199 students from Alexandria and 146 students from Dammam, with response rates of 99.5% and 73%, respectively. The percentages of those reporting ECA participation were 27.1% and 43.8%, respectively, mostly in community service, sports, and social activities. About 60% of students did not think that ECAs affected their studies, although the perceived difficulty of balancing ECAs and academics was associated with lower odds of participation (odds ratio = 0.51). Most students participated in ECAs to socialize and make friends, and the majority was dissatisfied with school-organized ECAs (52% and 59%, respectively). Gender and/or perceived relation between ECAs and academic studies affected actual participation in ECAs in one school but not the other. Conclusions ECA participation among these students was low. Gender and perception of ECAs in relation to academic studies affected ECA participation differently in the two schools. Better planning and management of ECAs that incorporate students’ preferences and reasons for participation is needed. Gender issues and the relationship between ECAs and academic performance should be addressed in relation to school and social characteristics.

Using gamification to develop academic writing skills in dental undergraduate students.

OBJECTIVESnTo assess the satisfaction of first-year dental students with gamification and its effect on perceived and actual improvement of academic writing.nnnMETHODSnTwo first-year classes of dental undergraduate students were recruited for the study which extended over 4 months and ended in January 2015. A pre-intervention assessment of students academic writing skills was performed using criteria to evaluate writing. The same criteria were used to evaluate the final writing assignment after the intervention. Students satisfaction with game aspects was assessed. The per cent change in writing score was regressed on scores of satisfaction with game aspects controlling for gender. Perceived improvement in writing was also assessed.nnnRESULTSnData from 87 (94.6%) students were available for analysis. Students overall satisfaction with the gamified experience was modest [mean (SD) = 5.9 (2.1)] and so was their overall perception of improvement in writing [mean (SD) = 6.0 (2.2)]. The per cent score of the first assignment was 35.6 which improved to 80 in the last assignment. Satisfaction with playing the game was significantly associated with higher percentage of improvement in actual writing skills [regression coefficient (95% confidence interval) = 21.1 (1.9, 40.2)].nnnCONCLUSIONnUsing gamification in an obligatory course for first-year dental students was associated with an improvement in academic writing skills although students satisfaction with game aspects was modest and their willingness to use gamification in future courses was minimal.

The knowledge, attitude and practices of male sports participants to sports-related dental trauma in Khobar and Dammam, Saudi Arabia – A pilot survey

The risk of dental trauma may increase during sports participation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of sports participants concerning sports-related dental trauma and associated emergency/preventive practices. The study included 124 male subjects over 18 years of age participating in contact and non-contact sports in three clubs in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was used to assess past experience of dental trauma related to sports in addition to the use of a mouth guard and knowledge of related emergency procedures. Outcomes were compared between individuals practicing direct and non-direct contact sports. One third of the participants had experienced dental trauma while playing sports, mostly crown fracture, mobility, and avulsion. Their knowledge of first aid and emergency procedures was inadequate. A significantly higher proportion of non-direct contact sport participants sought the help of a dentist for themselves or others (P = 0.04 and 0.003, respectively). Only 33.9% used mouth guards, with higher odds of mouth guard use associated with participating in direct contact sports and believing a tooth can be lost during sports practice (odds ratio = 5.59 and 5.37, respectively). Educational programs are needed to increase the awareness in sports participants of the risk of dental trauma during sports participation, to improve their knowledge of first aid procedures, and to increase the use of mouth guards.

Academic advising and student support: Help-seeking behaviors among Saudi dental undergraduate students

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the use of and satisfaction with the academic-advising and student-support systems available to undergraduate students in the College of Dentistry at the University of Dammam. In addition, the study aimed to also identify factors that explained the help-seeking behavior of students which they used to solve academic issues. Materials and methods Students enrolled in the five-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program in 2012–13 and 2013–14 first-year students were invited to respond to a self-administered questionnaire. Results The results showed that 66.2% of students had discussed academic issues with their advisor at least once, with a frequency ranging from zero to six times. Most students reported that their advisors were readily available, listened intently to their needs and questions, and helped them solve their problems. However, only 7.6% of students relied primarily on advisors for help with academic issues, whereas 51% depended first on colleagues and 13.8% did not seek help and relied on themselves. In total, 17.2% of students were very or somewhat satisfied with the academic advising system. Males had lower odds of discussing issues with their advisors, and the odds were higher with advisors who were more available (OR = 0.25 and 3.74, respectively). Alerting students to important dates in the academic calendar significantly increased the odds that a student would depend primarily on academic advisors for advice related to academic issues (OR = 6.53). Conclusions Few students were satisfied with the academic support system. We need to train advisors to help them develop their skills and knowledge and to enable them to provide the support needed by the students.

Carious lesions of permanent molars and oral health practices of parents and peers in Saudi male adolescents

Objectives: To assess the association between carious lesions in first and second permanent molars in adolescents and their parents’ and peers’ oral health practices. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 12-15 year-old male adolescents was conducted in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on February 2016. Data collection included dental examination to measure carious lesions and plaque. There was a questionnaire to assess oral health practices such as brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, current daily tobacco use, and daily consumption of sugary food and drinks. Logistic regression models assessed the association between first and second molars carious lesions with adolescents’, parents’, and peers’ oral health practices. Results: Of 302 students, 294 participated. The mother’s brushing was significantly associated with a lower odds of carious lesions in the first molar (odds ratio [OR] = 0.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04 - 0.77). The mothers’ sugary food intake and students’ own brushing were significantly associated with carious lesions in the second molar (OR = 1.95 and 0.36, 95% CI: 1.01-9.89 and 0.12-0.89). Friends’ intake of sugary drinks had a strong, but non-significant, association with second molar’s carious lesions (OR=3.61, 95% CI: 0.35 - 7.44). Conclusion: In Saudi society, mothers have a major influence on their adolescent sons’ carious lesions. Adolescents’ oral health strategies should involve parents to reduce their risk of caries.

Dental visit patterns and oral health outcomes in Saudi children

Background: Health education advocates regular dental visits to improve oral health. There is a need to verify the outcomes associated with various dental visits patterns. Objective: To assess the relationship of reported and clinically assessed oral health outcomes in Saudi children with their dental visits pattern. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 6–12-year-old schoolchildren from six cities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in 2015. Parents responded to a questionnaire about dental visit patterns. Through a clinical examination, the presence of caries, sealants and need for referral was assessed. Univariate and multivariate regression was used to assess the association between dental visit patterns and pain in the past 6 months, presence of untreated caries and need for referral after controlling for confounders. Results: Of the 3000 questionnaires distributed, 2306 (76.9%) parents responded. Significantly higher odds of pain were associated with visiting when in dental pain (odds ratio = 6.81) and never visiting a dentist (odds ratio = 3.44), whereas significantly lower odds were associated with regular checkups (odds ratio = 0.28). No significant association was observed with visits after recall by dentists. Conclusion: Regular checkups initiated by parents are associated with better reported oral health outcomes in terms of pain, while recall by dentists has no impact on oral health.

Reach of Messages in a Dental Twitter Network: Cohort Study Examining User Popularity, Communication Pattern, and Network Structure

Background Increasing the reach of messages disseminated through Twitter promotes the success of Twitter-based health education campaigns. Objective This study aimed to identify factors associated with reach in a dental Twitter network (1) initially and (2) sustainably at individual and network levels. Methods We used instructors’ and students’ Twitter usernames from a Saudi dental school in 2016-2017 and applied Gephi (a social network analysis tool) and social media analytics to calculate user and network metrics. Content analysis was performed to identify users disseminating oral health information. The study outcomes were reach at baseline and sustainably over 1.5 years. The explanatory variables were indicators of popularity (number of followers, likes, tweets retweeted by others), communication pattern (number of tweets, retweets, replies, tweeting/ retweeting oral health information or not). Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate associations. Results Among dental users, 31.8% had reach at baseline and 62.9% at the end of the study, reaching a total of 749,923 and dropping to 37,169 users at the end. At an individual level, reach was associated with the number of followers (baseline: odds ratio, OR=1.003, 95% CI=1.001-1.005 and sustainability: OR=1.002, 95% CI=1.0001-1.003), likes (baseline: OR=1.001, 95% CI=1.0001-1.002 and sustainability: OR=1.0031, 95% CI=1.0003-1.002), and replies (baseline: OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.005-1.04 and sustainability: OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.004-1.03). At the network level, users with the least followers, tweets, retweets, and replies had the greatest reach. Conclusions Reach was reduced by time. Factors increasing reach at the user level had different impact at the network level. More than one strategy is needed to maximize reach.

Association between gingivitis severity and lifestyle habits in young Saudi Arabian males

BackgroundnGingivitis is a risk factor for periodontitis, which is associated with several systemic disorders. Adolescence provides an opportunity to establish good oral health practices but there are few studies on gingivitis in adolescents.nnnAimsnThis study assessed the association between lifestyle habits and gingivitis severity in young Saudi Arabian males.nnnMethodsnA sample of Saudi Arabian males (n = 685) aged 13-15 years from Dammam and Khobar were included in a cross-sectional study in 2016. A questionnaire assessed socioeconomic background and daily lifestyle habits - tooth-brushing, current smoking and consumption of sugary drinks and foods. Clinical examinations recorded plaque and gingival indices on 6 index teeth. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of gingivitis severity with tooth-brushing and smoking adjusted for sugary drinks and foods, socioeconomic factors and dental plaque.nnnResultsnThe response rate was 96.2%. Only 38% of the respondents brushed their teeth twice daily, 10.2% smoked, and 82.8% and 68.3% consumed sugary drinks and sugary foods respectively. The prevalence of plaque and gingivitis was 87.9% and 73.9% respectively. Tooth-brushing was not significantly associated with more severe gingivitis (regression coefficient = 0.17; 95% CI: -0.16 to 0.49). Current smoking was significantly associated with more severe gingivitis only when consuming sugary drinks (regression coefficient = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.22).nnnConclusionsnGingivitis severity was not associated with tooth-brushing but significantly increased with smoking when sugary drinks were used, indicating the effect of unhealthy lifestyle on gingival health, and the need to promote healthy lifestyle habits in this age group.

Dentists’ intention to report suspected violence: a cross-sectional study in eight Arab countries

Objectives This study assessed dentists’ intention in eight Arab countries to report suspected exposure to violence among patients and factors associated with this intention based on the theory of planned behaviour. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 including a convenience sample of dentists practising in public, private and academic sectors in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Respondents answered a self-administered questionnaire collecting information about personal and professional background and perceived ability to identify victims of violence. The questionnaire assessed (on a scale from 1 to 10 using six negative statements) dentists’ perception of healthcare system mandated reporting of suspected violence. Six statements were used to assess professional attitude towards reporting suspected violence. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between intention to report suspected violence and perceived ability, perception and attitude adjusting for confounders. Results The response rate was 65.2% (n=2936/4506) from general practitioners (70.9%) of mean age=31 years with 56.7% women. Of those, 68.8% intended to report and 52.2% considered themselves able to identify violence victims. The mean (SD) negative perception score=5.3/10 (2.1) and the mean (SD) professional attitude score=7.5/10 (1.9). In multivariate regression, intention to report was associated with professional attitude (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.14), ability to identify violence victims (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.12) and negative perception that reporting is not mandated (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.94). Significant differences existed among countries in intention to report. Conclusion Most dentists intended to report suspected violence and their intention could be explained by the theory of planned behaviour which offers a framework for professional development to support violence victims. Sharing of training resources, policies and guidelines is needed to ensure that practices similar to international guidelines are consistently adopted by dentists across Arab countries.