Sayak Roy’s research while affiliated with Government of West Bengal and other places

Given that periodontitis is so common worldwide, there is growing interest in this condition. The disruption of the vital balance between the virulence factors generated by bacteria and the inflammatory host response leads to this inflammatory disease. Several attempts have been made before to treat this illness and restore periodontal health. The gold standard has been seen to be nonsurgical debridement, which targets the underlying cause. Nonetheless, studies have indicated that an unbalanced diet and dietary deficiencies may have an impact on the periodontium. Therefore, an effort toward the maintenance of optimal conditions, as well as the improvement of oral health, necessitates the introduction of adjunctive nutritional therapy, which can benefit the patients. Antioxidants in the diet have some remarkable benefits and valuable properties that play an irreplaceable role in the maintenance of periodontal health. These have emerged as excellent adjuncts that can enhance the outcomes of conventional periodontal therapy. The aim of this review article is to highlight some of these dietary antioxidants that can make a notable difference by striking a balance between health and disease.

Dental caries is a major global concern and source of great trouble worldwide. It is one of the most common chronic oral diseases in the world that affects both adults and children. The prevalence of DMFT index as a diagnostic criterion in the estimation of dental caries in the age group of 3–18 years was found to be 57%, whereas in patients aged above 18 years, it was much higher that is 77%. Many studies have been carried out all over the world to find the cause behind it, and the main cause, which was well accepted by the people, was the action of pathogenic bacterial microflora such as ( in the oral cavity on the tooth surfaces. These bacteria strongly adhere to the tooth surface and produce lactic acid after fermentation of sucrose and various carbohydrates, which is responsible for the cavitation in the teeth. Many experiments and efforts have been made to remove from the oral cavity, like antibiotics, oral drugs, and more, which are beneficial but have side effects after long-term use, such as vomiting, diarrhea, resistance, teeth staining, etc. That's why search ended at tea which is becoming a popular beverage and a widely consumed drink these days that has anti-streptococcal properties with least of side effect. India's tea usage changed over time from being a colonial export to a regular beverage. With over 29% of the global tea production, India is one of the world's biggest producers and consumers. In India, tea has long been closely linked to the medicinal herbs that have long been used for both therapeutic purposes and general well-being.

Ameloblastoma, the word has developed from the very early English words that are— ‘Amel’ meaning enamel, and ‘blastos’— meaning the germ. It is a benign locally aggressive neoplasm originating from the odontogenic epithelium. It is also the most common odontogenic neoplasm in the oral cavity.

Background Dental fluorosis has a negative impact on the facial esthetics of adolescents and is a worldwide oral health concern. Objective To assess the prevalence and associated risk factors for dental fluorosis in early adolescents in India. Methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 800 adolescent school children selected from the Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. The children were in the of 12–15-year age group. A total of eight schools from both Jhabua and Dhar districts were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire collected information on demographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices and various risk factors for dental fluorosis. Water samples were collected from each zone and sent to a laboratory for water fluoride estimation. Dental fluorosis was assessed using the Dean index. Chi-squared (χ ² ) and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 40.5% in early adolescents. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 45% in the Jhabua district and 36% in the Dhar district. The water fluoride content was found to be the strongest predictor for dental fluorosis followed by the method of water storage. Conclusion Dental fluorosis affects a large number of adolescents in both the Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh. Effective policies focusing on oral health education and prevention of dental fluorosis need to be drafted.

Background: Lifestyle factors affect the periodontal and oral hygiene status and, thus, may affect the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in pregnant women. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the OHRQoL and determine its relationship with lifestyle and other factors in pregnant women in Indore city. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 400 pregnant women who were selected using stratified random sampling technique from eight private maternity centers located in Indore city. A questionnaire collected information on socio-demographic characteristics, oral hygiene practices, previous dental visit and past medical history. OHRQOL was assessed using Oral Health Impact Profile-14 questionnaire. Lifestyle factors were assessed using the Health practice Index. Results: The lifestyle factors were the strongest predictor for poor OHRQOL. The pregnant women (OR = 3.22, P-value < 0.0001*) with poor lifestyle had significantly poor OHRQOL. Logistic regression analysis showed that poor socio-economic status (OR = 2.63, P-value = 0.025*), brushing frequency of less than or equal to once daily (OR = 2.02, P-value = 0.025*), and suffering from systemic diseases (OR = 2.11, P-value = 0.017*) were other important predictors for poor OHRQOL in pregnant women. Conclusions: Our findings showed that lifestyle factors significantly impact OHRQOL in pregnant women. Thus, it is recommended that effective policies should be drafted to improve lifestyle factors and OHRQOL in pregnant women.

Statement of the Problem: Despite of many studies conducted on toothbrushes and toothpaste to find out the culprit for abrasion, there is no clear cut evidence to pin point the real cause for abrasion. Purpose: An in vitro assessment of the role of different types of toothbrushes (soft/ medium/hard) in abrasion process when used in conjunction with and without a dentifrice. Materials and Method: Forty five freshly extracted, sound, human incisor teeth were collected for this study. Enamel specimens of approximately 9 mm2 were prepared by gross trimming of extracted teeth using a lathe machine (Baldor 340 Dental lathe; Ohio, USA). They were mounted on separate acrylic bases. The specimens were divided into three groups, each group containing 15 mounted specimens. Group 1 specimens were brushed with soft toothbrush; Group 2 brushed with medium toothbrush and Group 3 with hard toothbrush. Initially, all the mounted specimens in each group were brushed using dentifrice and then the same procedure was repeated with water as control. Profilometric readings were recorded pre and post to tooth brushing and the differences in readings served as proxy measure to assess surface abrasion. These values were then compared to each other. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test were performed. Results: The results showed that brushing, with water alone, caused less abrasion than when toothpaste was added (p< 0.008). When brushed with water, the harder toothbrush caused more abrasion (higher Ra-value), but when toothpaste was added, the softer toothbrush caused more abrasion (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Besides supporting the fact that toothpaste is needed to create a significant abrasion, this study also showed that a softer toothbrush can cause more abrasion than harder ones. The flexibility of bristles is only secondary to abrasion process and abrasivity of dentifrice has an important role in abrasion process.

Context: Various methods are used for gender identification in anthropologic and forensic investigations. The canine tooth is widely used for gender determination because of its sexual dimorphism and durability in the oral cavity. Mandibular canine index (MCI) is one of the most reliable and valid predictor for gender identification. Aim: To assess the reliability of MCI in gender determination in Indian population. Settings and Design: This was an experimental study involving the preparation of plaster models of 100 individuals residing in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Of these 45 were males and 55 were females. Both sexes were in the age group of 20–30 years. Study casts were prepared for all individuals and the measurements of mandibular canine teeth were taken. The MCI was calculated using standardized equation. In addition, the percentage of sexual dimorphism was calculated. Statistical Analysis Used: Independent sample t-test was used. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) observed between inter-canine distance, right and left canine width and right and left MCI between males and females. Sexual dimorphism is more on left permanent mandibular canine teeth than right permanent mandibular canine teeth. The overall percentage of accuracy observed was 85.5%. Conclusions: Study findings reveal that MCI can be used a reliable predictor for gender determination in Indian population and can form the basis of anthropologic and forensic investigations.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic heterogenous disease in which there is dysregulation of carbohydrates, protein and lipid metabolism; leading to elevated blood glucose levels. The present study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between blood glucose and salivary glucose levels in known diabetic patients and control group and also to evaluate salivary glucose level as a diagnostic tool in diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: A total number of 250 patients were studied, out of which 212 formed the study group and 38 formed the control group. Result: Among 250 patients, correlation was evaluated between blood glucose and salivary glucose values which on analysis revealed Pearson correlation of 0.073. The p-value was 0.247, which was statistically non significant. Conclusion: Salivary glucose values cannot be considered as a diagnostic tool for diabetic individuals.

Health and intelligence are two closely related aspects of human well being. Nutrition, including iron levels, affects cognitive function and thereby may influence the occupational performance of an individual. Inadequate nutrition during adulthood may lead to decreased work efficiency, poor exercise tolerance and increased susceptibility to infections. The profession of dentistry requires keen recognizing abilities and decision making skills as well as ample physical stamina, which may be impaired in a state of malnourishment. Keeping this in view, this study was designed to assess the possible impact of iron levels on cognitive function among dental students. In this study 206 dental students (150 females and 56 males) participated and their cognitive functioning was determined by answering a questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated the confidence level, work pattern and the tendency to be distracted by the physical environment of the study participants. Iron status was determined by estimating the hemoglobin level of the individuals. Each of the three cognitive traits was correlated with hemoglobin levels. The results revealed that that majority of dental students had good levels of confidence, work patterns with a low level of restriction and low levels of distraction by the physical environment. No significant correlations were found between any of the cognitive parameters and hemoglobin levels (p>0.05) in female participants. In male participants significant correlations were found in two out of three cognitive functioning tests, confidence levels and work pattern (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that these three cognitive functions may not be influenced by hemoglobin levels in females and may be slightly or, due to the small male sample size which may have confounded the results, not influenced by hemoglobin in males.

The aim of this comprehensive review is to present an update about the current status of probiotics in terms of its application in the field of dentistry. The concept of administration of beneficial bacteria with a view to replace harmful microbes with useful ones has been revived by the probiotic concept. The main field of research has been in the gastrointestinal tract. However, past few years has seen investigation of probiotics from the oral health perspective. Probiotic approach has shown promising results in oral cavity with respect to control of chronic disease such as dental caries, periodontitis, and recurring problems like halitosis and candidial infections. The application of probiotic strategies may, in near future provide an end to many infections occurring in oral cavity. This article summarizes the currently available data on the potential benefits of probiotics for oral health and potential risks associated with them.