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.
To evaluate the effectiveness of different microwave irradiation exposure times on the disinfection of dental stone samples immersed in different solutions, and its affect on the dimensional accuracy and surface porosity. Dental stone casts were inoculated with an isolate of Bacillus subtilis to examine the efficiency of microwave irradiation as a disinfection method while immersed in different solutions; water, 40% sodium chloride, or without immersion for different durations. Dimensional accuracy and surface porosity were also evaluated. Significant reduction in colony counts of Bacillus subtilis were observed after 5 minutes of microwave irradiation of immersed dental casts in water and NaCl solution. No evidence of growth was observed a
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic kidney disease is a gradual loss of kidney function with diabetes and hypertension as the leading cause. Chronic kidney disease is one of these systemic diseases that can affect salivary contents. Aims: This study aimed to assess salivary immunoglobulin A, interleukin-6 and C- reactive protein in chronic kidney disease patients on hemodialysis and those on conservative treatment in comparison with control subjects. Materials and methods: Ninety subjects were included in this study divided into three groups: 30 patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis for at least 6 months ago; 30 patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative treatment and 30 healthy control subjects. Secretory immunoglobulin A, inte
... Show MoreSummary of the research Family violence, its causes and effects on society (women and children). Search Goal: The current research aims to identify: 1. Causes of family and social violence (for children and women). 2. How to process. research importance : Domestic violence is a major and devastating problem that has a negative and direct impact on children in particular and women or mothers in general. The problem of domestic violence is linked to many factors and individual, social, economic, psychological and environmental variables, which makes one theory that claims to be inaccurate. It is difficult to understand the nature of family violence without linking it to some of the concepts related to it. The negative effects that may lead
... Show MoreBackground: The potential use of zinc oxide and other metal oxide nanoparticles in biomedical are gaining interest in the scientific and medical communities, largely due to the physical and chemical properties of these nanomaterials. The present work revealed the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on the total salivary peroxidase enzyme activity of human saliva in comparison to de-ionized water. Materials and methods: Forty eight unstimulated saliva samples were collected from dental students/University of Baghdad 18-22 years. Then measure the total salivary peroxidase activity first without any addition to human saliva as a control, second with dilution the saliva with de-ionized water, and third with zinc oxide nanoparticles in c
... Show MoreBackground: Orthodontic tooth movement is characterized by tissue reactions, which consist of an inflammatoryresponse in periodontal ligament and followed by bone remodeling in the periodontium depending on the forces applied. These processes trigger the secretion of various proteins and enzymes into the saliva.The purpose of thi study was to evaluate the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in saliva during orthodontic tooth movement using different magnitude of continuous orthodontic forces.
Materials and Methods: Thirty orthodontic patients (12 males and 18 females) aged 17-23 years with class II division I malocclusion all requiring bilateral maxillary first premolar extractions were randomly divided into three groups according t
The objective of the present study is to verify the actual carious lesion depth by laser
fluorescence technique using 650 nm CW diode laser in comparison with the histopathological
investigation. Five permanent molar teeth were extracted from adult individuals for different reasons
(tooth impaction, periodontal diseases, and pulp infections); their ages were ranging from 20-25 years
old. Different carious teeth with varying clinical stages of caries progression were examined. An
experimental laser fluorescence set-up was built to perform the work regarding in vitro detection and
quantification of occlusal dental caries and the determination of its actual clinical carious lesion depth by
650 nm CW diode laser (excitat
The researcher aims at focusing on the participations of children journalism in supplying the educational values for them. The researcher uses the survey method in addition to the method of content analysis through analyzing the content of two journals (Majalati and The Mezmar). Both of them deal with children issues.
The researcher concludes that the two journals focus on literary arts in a way which surpasses the journalistic arts. Furthermore, the two journals have concerned with showing the positive values as well as insuring the necessity of rectifying the wrong behaviors. Finally, the researcher recommends that it is necessary to improve the employees who work with children j
... Show MoreBackground: Therapeutic communication is the basis of interactive relationships among nursing team and their children: that affords opportunities to establish rapport, understand the client’s experience, formulate individualized or client interventions and optimize health care resources.
Objectives: The main aim of the study is to determine the Effectiveness of Education Program on Nurses’ Knowledge about Communication Skills with Children.
Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Children Welfare Teaching Hospitals from 7th, October 2018 to the 20th, May 2019. The program and instruments have been constructed by the researcher for the purpose of the study. A non- prob
... Show MoreBackground: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase in salivary pleomorphic adenoma, and to correlate the two studied markers with each other and with clinicopathological parameters including: age, sex, tumor site and histopathological presentation. Methods: Sections of twenty five formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks specimens of salivary pleomorphic adenoma were immunostained using monoclonal antibodies (Fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase) to assess their expression in this tumor. Results: The expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase were positive in all pleomorphic adenoma cases (100%). The positive expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 was signi
... Show MoreBackground: Obesity is considered an important risk factor for periodontal disease. It has been reported that reactive oxygen species linking both diseases, systemic melatonin supplementation as antioxidant therapy, was addressed as an adjuvant to scaling and root surface debridement (SRP) to enhance the treatment of periodontitis. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of systemic melatonin administration in periodontitis-obese patients as an adjuvant to scaling and root surface debridement (SRP). Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at a dental-specialized center. Eighty subjects were included and allocated into group-I: twenty periodontium-healthy, normal-weight people; group-II: 30 obese patients with stage-III tre
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