Aims and Objectives:To study the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity and related risk factors in rural population of Punjab, India.Materials and Methods:A total of 650 subjects reporting dentine sensitivity were included in the study comprising of 270 males and 380 females. All the subjects completed an interview and the subjects reporting dentine hypersensitivity were examined further using air syringe to put a blast of air to confirm the diagnosis of dentine hypersensitivity. Periodontal attachment loss and gingival recession of all the sensitive teeth were examined and recorded.Results:The prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity was 25% in the oral test. The subjects receiving the treatment of hypersensitivity were only 15.1%. The older group in the 50-59 years had the highest number (98%) of subjects with dentine hypersensitivity. Most commonly affected teeth were mandibular incisors. The other factors related to dentine hypersensitivity were the socioeconomic status, lower education level, and access to dental care. The periodontal factors related to hypersensitivity were gingival recession and poor oral hygiene.Conclusions:The prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity was 25% in the rural population of Punjab.

Objectives To assess the efficacy of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy and its effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP). Materials and Methods A total of 16 patients aged between 30 and 50 years having mild to moderate CP of both sexes having pocket depth of 5 to 7 mm in four nonadjacent interproximal sites were selected. The sites were randomized and divided into treatment and control groups. CoQ10 and a placebo gel were administered in the treatment and control sites, respectively, at baseline after scaling and root planing (SRP). GCF was collected using microcapillary method at baseline and 3 months and was assessed for SOD using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader at 450 nm wavelength. Probing pocket depth, gingival index, and plaque index were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. Statistical analysis For each assessment point, data were statistically analyzed using Student’s t-test and paired t-test. Level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results On intergroup comparison, there was no statistically significant difference between the clinical parameters of both the groups at all the time intervals (p > 0.05), but there was a significant increase in the level of SOD in the test group (p > 0.05) compared with the control group at 3 months. Conclusions Adjunctive use of CoQ10 with SRP can boost the antioxidant concentration, but it is not superior to SRP in the treatment of CP.

Objective:To compare the levels of glutathione (GSH), both oxidized and reduced forms in patients with and without chronic periodontitis in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).Materials and Methods:Twenty GCF samples from maxillary quadrants were collected using capillary micropipettes from the chronic periodontitis patients (test group) at baseline before treatment, at 1-month, 3 months, and 6 months after scaling and root planing and samples from 20 patients without chronic periodontitis (control group) from maxillary quadrants were also collected. GSH, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels and GSH: GSSG ratios were determined using the spectrophotometric method.Statistical Analysis:Results were concluded for the test over control groups using paired Student's t-test.Results:Lower concentrations of GSH (P < 0.001) and GSSG (P < 0.001) were detected in GCF in patients with chronic periodontitis (test group) than patients without chronic periodontitis (control group) at baseline. Treatment had a significant effect in improving the GSH and reducing GSSG levels postscaling and root planing at 1-month and 3 months but not significant effect at 6 months. Scaling and root planing increased the GSH: GSSG ratio (P < 0.001) in the test group as compared to the control group (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The concentrations of GSH within GCF are reduced in chronic periodontitis patients. Scaling and root planing (nonsurgical therapy) restores GSH concentration in GCF post 1-month and 3 months along with redox balance (GSH: GSSG ratio), but at 6 months the balance is not maintained. Adjunctive use of micronutritional supplements to boost antioxidant concentration in tissues by preserving GSH or by elevating its level at the inflamed sites is recommended, as nonsurgical periodontal therapy alone is not able to maintain redox balance for longer duration.

Introduction: Periodontitis is a progressive disease of microbial origin involving the loss of supporting tissues of the teeth resulting from host inflammatory and immunologic reactions. The standard approach to the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases for a number of years has been mechanical therapy and if required surgical intervention Researcher thought of creating a treatment modality where by altering the host response, the destructive host mechanisms could be interfered affecting the final outcome of the disease process. Aim: The present study aims to explore the efficacy of local delivery of a 1% Alendronate (ALN) gel as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of infrabony periodontal pockets in smokers and non-smoker with Chronic Periodontitis. Materials and method: 60 infrabony periodontal pockets in patients with chronic periodontitis between the age group of 30-50 years were selected. The study consisted of 2 groups smoker and nonsmoker. A gel based drug delivery system of Alendronate was formulated. 0.1 ml alendronate gel and 0.1 ml placebo gel was placed at the experimental and control sites respectively following root planing. Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at baseline, three months and six months. Results: Alendronate was effective in improving clinical and radiographic parameters compared to placebo. Alendronate showed better result in non smoker group when compared with smoker group. Conclusion: This Study showed improvements in clinical parameters both at the control and experimental sites. However, the experimental sites (Alendronate) showed greater improvement as compared to the control sites (Placebo). A significant gain in alveolar crest height and defect fill was measured radiographically at non smoker Alendronate group.

Objectives To estimate gingival crevicular immunoglobulin A(IgA) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) among type II diabetic patients with periodontitis. Materials and Methods A non-randomized study was done of 40 periodontitis subjects with a mean age of 50 years and were recruited into two groups, Group A (Type II controlled diabetics with HbA1c < 7%) and Group B (non-diabetics with HbA1c between 4 and 6%). Both the groups underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). The clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, 1, and 3 months. GCF sample was collected for the estimation of crevicular IgA at baseline and at 3 months. Statistical Analysis Results were analyzed using parametric tests paired t-test and Student's t-test for every assessment point. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Difference in IgA levels and clinical parameters was seen between diabetic and non-diabetic groups, which was statistically significant. Conclusion Changes in crevicular IgA levels in patients with diabetic periodontitis can be used as a novel biomarker in assessing the inflammatory status.