Objective:Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major public health problems. Association of diabetes and periodontitis is widely proven and can influence each other in the development and progression of the disease and its complications, which are largely preventable. Hence, if data could be collected on the knowledge and awareness about the association between DM and periodontal disease, the results could be applied in creating public health campaigns and can bring about lifestyle modification among people. The aim of the present study is to assess the awareness, attitude, and practices of diabetic patients regarding their periodontal health in Davangere city with the objective of enhancing dental health education for this population, which would upgrade their knowledge and awareness.Materials and Methods:The present cross-sectional survey was carried out on 600 diabetic patients from various clinics. A time limit of 3 months was set for the data collection which was then subjected to statistical software SAS 9.2, SPSS 15.0, Stata 10.1, MedCalc 9.0.1, Systat 12.0, and R environment version 2.11.1 for statistical analysis.Results:On correlation of gender and education with overall knowledge of association between periodontal disease and DM, females and participants below secondary school education and lower duration of DM were significantly associated with lack of knowledge. Other questions revealed limited awareness, sources, and need for more information about this association and depicted poor knowledge and attitude toward the oral health.Conclusion:Dental professionals need to create awareness about the importance of maintaining good oral health influencing overall general health in diabetic patients. Oral screening and referral by health professionals to dentists may benefit diabetic patients by improving access to dental care.

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate microbiological and clinical effects of a chitosan chlorhexidine (CH) mouthrinse on plaque control. Materials and methods:Subjects were divided into three groups. Group I included 15 subjects who used 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), group II included 15 subjects who used 2% chitosan (CH) solution, and group III involves 15 subjects who used 0.2% chlorhexidine/2% CH combination. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD) were recorded at the baseline, on day 0, and after 4 days. Supragingival plaque samples were subjected for microbiological evaluation. Statistical analysis was done using statistical software IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21. Results:Plaque index was lowest in group I at day 0, while it was highest in group III. At day 4, PI was highest in group II, while lowest in group III. Gingival index was lowest in group I and highest in group II at day 0, and lowest in group I and highest in group III at day 4. There was no statistical difference in Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) Conclusion:Both chitosan and CH were found to be effective in controlling plaque. However, a combination of both provides even better results.Clinical significance: The present study showed that chitosan can be used as an antiplaque agent.