S Khan

Chronic periodontitis and smoking. Prevalence and dose-response relationship

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and dose-response relationship of chronic periodontitis among smokers in Pakistan. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study among participants seeking dental care in Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 443 participants with a mean age of 44.3 (±6.5) participated in the study from April 2011 to December 2011. Males comprised 64.7%, and females comprised 35.2%. Participants were interviewed on social demographics and oral habits. Participants with shallow pockets (3.5-5.5 mm) and deep pockets (>5.5 mm) were considered suffering from chronic periodontitis. The characteristics of participants were assessed using frequency distribution for categorical variables and mean (standard deviation) for continuous variables. Results: Among 443 participants, smokers were distributed as 55.1% and non-smokers as 44.9%. Smoking was found to be significantly related to young adults (p<0.007), male gender (p<0.001), and lower education level (p<0.01). Overall prevalence of chronic periodontitis among smokers was estimated at 81.6%. Heavy smoking was found to have significantly high prevalence (p<0.001) and severity (p<0.001) of periodontitis as compared with moderate and light smokers. The multivariate unadjusted model depicted 3.5 times higher risk of chronic periodontitis among smokers (p<0.001). Conclusion: Chronic periodontitis had a high prevalence among smokers. Heavy smoking was found to have a higher risk for having periodontitis.

Accomplishments and challenges in tobacco control endeavors – Report from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Objectives To review the tobacco governance and national responsibility for control, and existing countering measures to reduce the tobacco use among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. Methods We reviewed the data in regards to tobacco control efforts and difficulties encountered during implementation of the policies for all the GCC member states from the respective country profile in the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic. Also, we utilized the measures outlined in the FCTC’s MPOWER package to not only assess the degree of national commitment, but also compare it against the level of significance that the legislatures give to this matter. Results We observed that there have been genuine advancements towards tobacco control in the GCC member states over the past few years. All the countries except Bahrain have national offices committed to tobacco control and 5 nations (excluding Oman) have dedicated support services for smoking cessation accessible to the general public. Similarly, majority of the member states have implemented a national-level ban on tobacco advertisement through national media cells as well as free dissemination of marketing material. Conclusion Application and implementation of measures outline in the MPOWER package, formulation and enforcement of sturdy laws on tobacco control, and development of infrastructure and trained workforce are fundamental to manage and reinforce tobacco control measures in the GCC region.

Is overweight/obesity a risk factor for periodontitis in young adults and adolescents?: a systematic review

Obesity in young adults and adolescents is associated with chronic co‐morbidities. This project investigated whether being overweight or obese is a risk factor for periodontitis in adolescents (13–17 years) and young adults (18–34 years).

Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of dental students towards obesity

Aims Obesity is a chronic medical condition associated with various oral health problems. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of dental students towards obesity. Material and methods Second-, third-, and fourth-year dental students completed a self-administered questionnaire. An ethics committee approved the study. Participants were asked questions focused on three areas: (i) knowledge, (ii) perceptions, and (iii) attitudes about obesity. Data analyses were carried out using SPSS version 20. Results Among the dental students, 78.9% received 0–1 h of formal education about obesity. The mean score of the total time allocated for obesity-related education was 1.31 ± 0.23 h. Eighty-nine percent of the dental students agreed that obesity is a chronic medical condition, 30% agreed that they would modify their equipment and office furniture to accommodate obese patients, and 46.8% were interested in learning more about obesity in dental school. Conclusion Obesity-related education should be implemented as a formal component of dental student training. Oral health practitioners should also provide their patients with information about how weight loss is beneficial to both general and oral health.