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.
Balad –Rooz is considered as one of the endemic foci of Schistosomiasisin Iraq.A survey was performed during the first three months of 2002 in fewprimary schools in Balad –Rooz to assess the prevalence among them.
Obesity is a risk factor for a number of chronic conditions. Obesity is clinically defined using the body mass index (BMI) as weight in kg divided by (height)2 in m2 correlated with obesity. Currently, genetic markers of obesity are being studied. This study focused on the association between the angiotensin II receptor AGTR1 gene (A1166C) and fat mass and obesity-associated protein also known as alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (FTO) (rs9939609) in obese children and adolescents patients in Rostov region, Russia. Five-hundreds of Russian nationality child and adolescent were recruited for the obesity-control studies. The relationship between the A1166C polymorphism of the AGTR1 gene in
... Show MoreBackground. The presence of black triangles around the dental implant-supported prosthesis and the failure to construct adequate papillae around them bothers dental implantologists. Peri-implant surgical soft tissue management will improve esthetics, function, and implant survival. Aim. To compare the effects of rolled and nonrolled U-shaped flaps combined with a temporary crown in enhancing the soft tissue around dental implants. Materials and Methods. Forty patients were included in this study; all patients were operated on by the same maxillofacial surgeon at Al-Iraq specialized dental clinics from January 2019 to January 2020. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: group A: at the second stage of implant surgery, a U-sh
... Show MoreThe osseodensification (OD) drilling technique was suggested as an alveolar ridge expansion technique, so the aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the amount of bone expansion obtained by the OD drilling technique and its effect on implant stability in patients with narrow alveolar ridges. The width of the alveolar ridge was measured at the crest before and after implant site preparation, whereas the implant stability was measured using Osstell Beacon implant stability quotient (ISQ). The ISQ values were recorded immediately postoperatively and after 16 weeks. Twenty-three patients were included; they received 40 implants. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) amount of expansion was 1.29 (± 0.41) mm, and the difference b
... Show MoreBackground: A diverse group of bacteria live in biofilms in the oral cavity. On dental surfaces biofilms form plaque that is potentially involved in caries and periodontal diseases. Periodic studying of plaque microflora and their antimicrobial sensitivity patterns strongly affects the clinical practice in plaque-induced oral diseases. Materials and methods: Dental plaque samples were collected from 22 patients having ages ranged between 33 and 49 years with gingivitis that met the study criteria. Plaque, gingival and gingival bleeding indices (PI, GI, GBI) were measured for each patient. Laboratory procedures included microbiological examination of plaque samples followed by antibiotic sensitivity testing using disc diffusion method were
... Show MoreThe purpose of the current article lies in determining the impact of the suggestive exercises on the development of the mental capabilities of children. The researchers used the experimental method with a single-group design, which was appropriate for the core of the current article . The study samble has been specified as children aged 4-6 years in Umm Al-Rabi'een Kindergarten, with a total of 95 children. The study samble (15 children) was randomly selected. . After the exercises were completed, the post-tests have been carried out on the sample with similar circumstances as that of pre-tests. Researchers used statistical methods in the SPSS program. After the results were presented, analyzed, and discussed, The resear
... Show MoreObjectives. This study aimed at finding out whether anterior teeth angulation and inclination have a relationship with the maxillary teeth and dental arch dimensions. Methods. Fifty study models with normal occlusion were selected from the archive of the Department of Orthodontics at Baghdad Dental Faculty. Maxillary dental arch width and length at different points were determined in addition to measuring anterior teeth angulation, inclination, crown thickness, overjet, overbite, and Bolton’s ratios. The unpaired t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test were used for data analysis. Results. No statistical gender differences were reported in all measurements except the dental arch widths and length where males had signif
... Show MoreBackground: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic destructive inflammatory disease associated with destruction of joint connective tissues and bones, affecting 0.5%–1% of the population worldwide reporting higher prevalence of periodontitis among rheumatoid arthritis patients. The purpose of this study is to estimate level of salivary C-reactive protein in relation to the occurrence and severity of the periodontal disease and other oral parameters among group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis Material and methods: Fifty women patients with rheumatoid arthritis; twenty five on Methotrexate treatment and twenty five on combination treatment of Methotrexate and Etanercept selected as study groups with an age range (30-40) years old and
... Show MoreObjectives: the study aims to assess nurses' practices toward chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) for children at the hematology center, and to determine the effectiveness of the health education program on nurses' practices toward CIPN, and to find out the relationships between the effectiveness of Health education program and demographic characteristics of nurses.
Methodology: Use quasi-experimental design in the study (a design that divides the sample into two groups, a study group and a control group, with data collection in three stages). This study was conducted at a hematology center in Baghdad city for the period (from December 16th, 2019 to 8th May 202
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