Shisha smoking was significantly associated with mucosal hypertrophy when compared with cigarette smoking and controls. Shishasmoke contains higher level of toxicants as compared to cigarette smoke, and it causes more oxidative damage of tissues.

Background: Osteoporosis, a degenerative skeletal illness, is a widespread medical issue that can affect a person's way of life. Aim: To evaluate how salt played a protective role in the Sprague Dawley rats' femur's microscopic alterations. Study Design: Random control trial Methodology: The study used 30 female, Sprague Dawley rats aged between 0 and 12 weeks. Three groups of the animals were randomly chosen. For eight weeks, group B rodents received a high salt diet supplemented with zinc (50 mg/kg/day), while group A rats were administered a high salt diet (8% NaCl). The control group's diet was left unaltered. The left femora of the rats were excised during dissection. There was a decalcification process. To quantify the cortical bone, tissue from the mid-shaft of the femur was taken. To acquire five micrometer (m) sections, processing was done. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) was used to stain tissues as a histological parameter. Each group was compared to the others. Statistical analysis: MATLAB was used to conduct the data analysis. Mean+ S.D. was used to express quantitative data. For group comparisons, a 2-sample t-test was used. Statistical significance was defined as p 0.05. Results: Group A of the experimental study had a considerably smaller area of cortical bone from the mid shaft of the femur. When compared to group A, the experimental zinc-administered group B showed statistically significant improvements. Practical Implication: Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease and numerous micro/macro nutrients and dietary components can influence bone health including high salt intake. Zinc plays a pivotal role in maintenance and growth of skeletal system and its deficiency results in growth failure, epidermal, gastrointestinal, central nervous, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems disorders so present study was planned. Conclusion: A diet high in salt caused bone loss due to a reduction in the cortex's surface area. By promoting osteoblast activity and preventing bone-resorbing cells, zinc is useful in reducing the negative effects of salt on bones. Keywords: Cortex, Femur, Osteaoprosis, Salt and Zinc

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The integrated curriculum adopted by the university effects the learning process of dental students. They prefer selective study of specific objectives rather than developing a deeper understanding of anatomy. Thus, students’ perceptions would be helpful in improving curriculum delivery, at university level, for beneficial future clinical roles. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative exploratory study in a dental college affiliated with regional medical university spread over three months.   Second year BDS class (50 students) was purposively chosen excluding first year students. Fifteen item questionnaire was developed and distributed via Google form  followed by inductive analysis. RESULTS:  Forty-eight students (96%) responded. Seven themes and eighteen subthemes emerged. Three themes expressed students’ preference for group study, small group discussion and visual learning style. Content of anatomy was suggested to be divided in two years by few. In theme “Anatomy assessment weightage” majority consented on same number of multiple-choice questions of anatomy as other subjects as all found it difficult to prepare it in one day with other subjects. Most of them considered such anatomy assessment weightage to have a positive impact on their future practitioner role. CONCLUSION: Dental students are satisfied with the content of anatomy in each block. Main concern raised is misalignment between anatomy assessment weightage and its delivered content. This drives students to do selective anatomy study in each block. This concern should be considered by university in redesigning future curriculum to equip students with necessary knowledge of anatomy required by dentists in their future roles.