Objective: Conventional nonsurgical periodontal therapy, i.e., scaling and root planing (SRP), is not sufficient to completely eradicate the microorganisms present in dental plaque biofilm due to the incapability of instruments to reach the inaccessible areas of a tooth with anatomical variations. Hence, to increase the effectiveness of SRP, many adjunctive treatment strategies are proposed, including photodynamic therapy (PDT). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and microbiological efficacy of PDT using Indocyanine green (ICG) as a novel photosensitizer for the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Twenty individuals who fulfilled the eligibility criteria were enrolled for this randomized controlled clinical trial using split-mouth design. Treatment sites from each individual were randomly allocated into two groups: SRP was done for the sites of the control group and an additional session of PDT using ICG was performed for the sites of the test group. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from both the sites and sent for quantitative analysis of Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis , and Tannerella forsythia using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and count of all the three microorganisms were assessed at baseline and after 3 months. Results: After 3 months, PD and CAL showed statistically significant improvement in the test sites ( P < 0.001) compared to the control sites. However, the differences in the microbiological parameters were statistically nonsignificant between the groups. Conclusion: ICG as a photosensitizer may enhance the outcomes of SRP and can be used for PDT for the nonsurgical management of periodontal diseases.

A BSTRACT Background: There is an increase in longevity of teeth retained in elderly population, leading to increased risk of root caries. Therefore, new and affordable preventive strategies are in need to reduce this problem. Hence, the aim and objective of the study was to assess and compare the root caries remineralization effect of plain milk, 5ppm of fluoridated milk, and 5ppm of NaF in deionized water. Materials and Methods: The study was an in vitro experimental design. Sixty root samples were divided into five groups (sound root, demineralized root treated in deionized water, plain milk, 5-ppm fluoridated milk, and 5-ppm fluoridated deionized water) of 12 samples each after baseline surface microhardness analysis and standardization was carried out in the study. All groups except the sound root were subjected to demineralization procedure for 4 days at 37°C. The demineralized four groups were treated to test solutions and subjected to pH cycling for 14 days. This was followed with assessment of postintervention surface microhardness. Student’s paired t test was used for comparing surface within groups. One-way analysis of variance test and post hoc Tukey’s test were conducted for between groups’ comparison. Results: There was a significant difference between groups ( P < 0.05). The results of post hoc showed that significant difference was found between the group sound root and demineralized treated with 5-ppm fluoridated milk and 5-ppm fluoridated deionized water with an effect size of 2.15 and 2.87, with CI (–26.8 to –8.1) and (–36 to –17.3), respectively. There was a significant difference in all the groups when compared within the group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Plain milk, 5-ppm fluoridated milk, and 5-ppm fluoridated deionized water showed remineralizing potential against demineralized in vitro root caries samples. 5-ppm fluoridated deionized water and 5-ppm fluoridated milk have a better effect compared to plain milk.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 virus introduction and subsequent COVID-19 pandemic have had a profound impact on normal dentistry, particularly periodontal treatment, around the world. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the infection surveillance, emergency treatment, economic setbacks, and stress endured by periodontists of South India during COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to July 2021 among periodontists in South India. A total of 300 periodontists were chosen through the randomized sampling technique. The data were collected using a self-reported closed-end questionnaire consisting of 38 questions through Google Forms. The information was entered into a database and analyzed using SPSS program version 16.0. Results: A total of 300 people took part in the survey, 277 (92.3%) dentists responded to the survey in its entirety. Periodontists and postgraduates made up 24.18% and 75.9% of those who responded, respectively. For all of the questions asked, there was a statistically significant difference among the responses. The majority of respondents agreed on questions about periodontists' knowledge, practice, mentality, and financial setbacks concerning the COVID-19 epidemic. Conclusion: Most of the periodontists that we surveyed have adequate knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 and have been taking adequate measures in preventing the spread of the disease. This pandemic has a negative impact on the periodontists. This study indicates a high level of depression among a significant number of periodontists. It is important to monitor and address the mental health needs of practitioners during the pandemic. The knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding teledentistry were found to be satisfactory among the periodontists.

Background: At the end of 2019, a novel viral disease COVID 19 has devastated the world. From epidemic in China, it has transformed to pandemic worldwide. It is the most severe outbreak in terms of both spread and mortality in recent times. Along with the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, there an emergence of thousands of misinformation called Infodemics. The infodemic is spreading faster than the pandemic. Fake news and misinformation were searched from popular news and social media platforms. The spread of misinformation has spread rapidly compared to the disease itself. The myths were easily debunked by asking an expert or searching approved and verified links in the internet. It is the need of the hour to train the new generation of social media users to look for the genuine source of information rather than believing anything they read or hear.

Background: Oral health is a fundamental part of the general health and well-being of an individual. Oral hygiene refers to the practice of maintaining a clean oral cavity to prevent dental problems like dental cavities, bad breath, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Aim was to assess oral health practices among 10-15 years of government school children in Chengalpattu district, India.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1500 government school children aged 10-15 years based on the guidelines of the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology. Each child was asked about the dental hygiene practices.Results: The study population was composed of 545 (36.3%) participants who belonged to the 10-12-year-old category and 955 (63.7%) belonged to the 13-15 years category. While assessing the oral hygiene practices of the children, 86.1% of children used toothbrush and toothpaste as oral hygiene aids. In our study more than half of the students 59% reported that they brush only in the morning that 32.8% of children felt stinky sometimes in their oral cavity. Only around 28.5% had used the service of a dentist during the last 6 months and about 12.8% in the last 1 year.Conclusions: The study results concluded that oral hygiene practices were enhanced among male children when compared to female children and showed a positive attitude in preserving appropriate oral health.