Introduction: Salivary melatonin is a critical antioxidant that contributes to oral health by mitigating oxidative stress. Psychological stress linked to thumb sucking may disrupt oral homeostasis, leading to conditions such as dental caries and fungal infections. Aim: This study explores the relationships between thumb sucking, salivary melatonin levels, dental caries, and the presence of Candida albicans (CA) in children. Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted with 60 children aged 4-5 years at the University of Baghdad’s College of Dentistry. Participants were divided into thumb-sucking (n=30) and non-thumb-sucking (n=30) groups. Salivary melatonin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), dental caries were assessed via the dmfs index, and CA counts were quantified on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). Statistical analyses were performed, including t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation assessments. Results: Thumb-sucking children exhibited significantly lower salivary melatonin levels (28.620±2.278 pg/mL) compared to controls (34.525±2.142 pg/mL; p=0.044). The thumb-sucking group also had higher dmfs scores (15.033±1.449 vs. 8.667±0.899; p=0.000) and greater CA counts (18.900±1.048 vs. 13.583±0.549; p=0.000). Negative correlations were observed between salivary melatonin levels and the severity of dental caries, while positive correlations linked CA with dental caries. Conclusions: Thumb sucking adversely affects pediatric oral health by reducing salivary melatonin, increasing dental caries risk, and promoting fungal overgrowth. Early intervention to curb thumb-sucking behaviors may mitigate these risks and improve oral health outcomes.
In 2005 Falluga city had an humanitarian crisis situation, characterized by armed conflict. Larg population displaced. To assess the nutritional status of under five children, a check of 678 child in five places of Internal Displaced Peoples . was achieved The results indicated that 19.6%, 48.5% of the children had diarrhea and acute respiratory infection. Twenty percent of the children had achronic malnutrition while 4.1% & 0.5% had a general and acute malnutrition.
This study aims to identify the impact of using the infrastructure of the Information Technology (IT) on the performance of human resources in the public universities. This process is done by doing research in the size, quality, and efficiency of the performance, also speed of achievement and simplification of procedures. Diyala University was chosen for the diagnosis through the opinions and attitudes of its employees. Consequently, suggestions that contribute to improve the performance of the employees and thus its overall performance are obtained. Another objective of this study is identifying the human resources which are currently used in academic institutions and educational services systems because the significant role of th
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to show the extent of the impact of administrative coordination on municipal performance after the state’s tendency to implement administrative decentralization and transfer of powers (administrative, legal, financial, and technical) from the Federal Ministry (construction, housing, municipalities, and public works) to local governments (governorates), to meet local needs, And since the municipality is considered one of the local administrative institutions and most of its goal is to provide increased municipal services to citizens due to population growth and urban expansion of cities by coordinating their actions using their powers, and in order to address gaps i
... Show MoreBackground: The aim of this national oral health survey was to determine the prevalence of malocclusions due to some anomalies in the dentition among the 13 years old Kurdish students in sulaimani intermediate school. Materials and methods: The total sample was 950 (455 males and 495 females) which assessed by diagnostic set and special instrument. The clinical examination was mainly based on the definitions of Björk et al. Some variables were recorded as present or absent sometimes denoting the tooth or the teeth involved in malocclusion and their distribution according to the whole sample. Results: The results showed that 1)The most common extracted tooth was the mandibular first molar (2.9%). 2) At this age group the most common partial
... Show MoreBackground: One of the recommended methods for reducing aerosol contamination during the daily regular usage of high-speed turbine and ultrasonic scaling is the use of preprocedural mouth rinse. Several agents have been investigated as a preprocedural mouth rinse. Chlorhexidine significantly reduce the viable microbial content of aerosol when used as a preprocedural rinse. Studies have shown that cetylpridinum chloride (CPC) mouthwash is equally effective as chlorhexidine in reducing plaque and gingivitis. This study compared the effect of 0.07% CPC to 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) as preprocedural mouth rinses in reducing the aerosol contamination by high-speed turbine. Materials and Methods: 36 patients were divided into three gro
... Show MoreThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption in medical education and healthcare systems worldwide. The disease can cause life-threatening conditions and it presents challenges for medical education, as instructors must deliver lectures safely, while ensuring the integrity and continuity of the medical education process. It is therefore important to assess the usability of online learning methods, and to determine their feasibility and adequacy for medical students. We aimed to provide an overview of the situation experienced by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding electronic medical education.
... Show MoreThis study seeks to identify the role that the leadership trend plays in the management of health institutions in Iraq and its impact on improving the quality of the health service provided by analyzing some opinions of affiliates working in the Iraqi health sector where a survey list was used as a main tool for collecting primary data, as it was subjected to this analysis ( 60) of the medical staff, of whom (40) are doctors and (20) are affiliated with the rank of assistant physician, and (60) members of the administrative cadre have undergone their various job ranks and administrative specializations (department manager, auditor, observer, accountant, statistician, secretary). Reliance on statistical software (spss) in data ana
... Show MoreBackground: Nutrition can affect periodontal disease through contributing to microbial growth in the gingival crevice, affecting the immunological response to bacterial antigens and assisting the repair mechanism of the connective tissue at the local site after injury from plaque and calculus. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Oral hygiene (plaque and calculus) and gingivitis in relation to age, gender and nutritional status. Materials and methods: The sample included (444) kindergarten children at age of (4 and 5 years old) males and females from urban areas in Al-Ramadi city. The assessment of nutritional status was performed using anthropometr
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