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.
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a condition characterized by an elevation of oxidative stress, which has been implicated in diabetic progression and its vascular complications. Aim: Assessing the impact of gliclazide modified release (MR) versus glimepiride on oxidative stress markers, glycemic indices, lipid profile, and estimated glomerular filtration rate in uncontrolled type 2 diabetic patients on metformin monotherapy. Methods: This was an observational comparative study conducted in Thi-Qar specialized diabetic, endocrine, and metabolism center. Sixty-six patients were randomized into two groups based on the addition of the sulfonylureas (SUs). Group 1 (33 patients) was on gliclazide MR, whereas Group 2 (33 patients)
... Show More3D‐printed scaffolds loaded with healing directed agents could be employed for better treatment outcome in regenerative dentistry. The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize simple 3D‐printed poly lactic acid (PLA) scaffolds coated with nanoHydroxyapatite (nHA), Naringin (NAR), or their combination, and testing their morphological, chemical, mechanical, antibacterial, biocompatible and bioactive properties. Methodology: Two variants pore sizes, 300 and 700 μm, of 3D‐printed PLA disc scaffolds measuring (10 × 1 mm) were fabricated. These scaffolds were dip‐coated with nHA, NAR, or both (nHA/NAR). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FeSEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transfo
... Show MoreConservation of Concept among Children: Semantic Study
Historical concepts are among the concepts that are difficult to present to the pre-school child except by using modern techniques, as well as the difficulty of making visits to all historical monuments and going back to antiquity and the lack of studies in this area, therefore, we need an attractive medium that children love which is able to convey some abstract concepts that are difficult to teach to children using traditional methods, and among these activities that the kindergarten provides to children are the stories through which they develop their linguistic wealth, consolidate their religious and spiritual inclinations, refine their correct morals, and form their proper attitudes, knowledge and life concepts.
The
... Show MoreBackground: Intestinal infections are frequently occur among children with cancer who receive chemotherapy. On the other hand, diarrhea is especially common and severe among cancer patients that develop neutropenia, either due to the disease itself or due to the intensive chemotherapy. There are many causes of diarrhea among those patients, but intestinal infections still an important etiology among them.
Objectives: to study the frequency of diarrhea among neutropenic children, with its infectious etiologies, especially the bacterial, fungal and parasitic causes.
Type of the study:Cross-sectional study.
Methods: the study was done in the Oncology
... Show MoreThe study aimed to design a test of pre-writing skills for public kindergartens in Baghdad city. The test consisted of (25) items applied on a sample of (150) kindergarteners to identify these skills as well as to identify the significant difference between male and female children and if there is a difference between pre-school children and kindergarteners. The results showed the presence of pre-writing skills with a high degree in kindergarten children. The differences were clear in these skills between male and female children and those in pre-school than those in kindergartens. The researcher suggested a number of recommendations and proposals.
Language is fundamental and important for the development of various skills especially in the kindergarten stage where the child begins to approach others and interact with them linguistically listen to them and make sentences to communicate his ideas to them and without the ability to talk and expression, the child's benefit of his experiences in the kindergarten remains limited.
And that children at any stage of early education are subject to different stages of linguistic development, and these stages are a fundamental feature in learning, especially for the skills of speaking, listening and reading, Therefore, the researcher chose the speaking skill the
... Show MoreObjectives: Assess nurses` practices for children with chemical poisoning, and find out relationship between nurses` socio- demographic data and their practices for children with chemical poisoning.
Methodology: A descriptive correlational design used to achieve the purpose of the study, the study was conducted at Al-Basrah Hospital for Maternal and Children throughout the period 12th of September 2021 to 10th of October 2022. A non- probability sample of (30) nurse at emergency department was selected. The instrument of the study was constructed based on previous literatures that related to study project, which include nurses` socio-demographic data and questionnaire format
... Show MoreThe most common form of childhood cancer is leukemia, Calculation for more than one third of all childhood cancers among those ages 1 day – 14 years. The diseases of leukemia are worldwide, it occurred in both genders from male and females and in all age. A total of 80 different samples of patient children were collected from the central teaching hospital of pediatric in Baghdad. Obtained during the period from 1st Sept. 2019 till the 31 th of Aug. 2020. Each isolates identification by using Vitek 2. Isolated organism in leukemic children show 18 (22.5 %) gram positive and 62 (77.5 %) gram negative from the total sample 80 (100.0 %). The percent of male is 45 more than female which represents 35 in most age groups between age (1 d
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