• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2019

Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective ${\alpha}2$-adrenoceptor agonist with a vast array of properties, making it suitable for sedation in numerous clinical scenarios. Its use was previously restricted to the sedation of intensive care unit patients. However, its use in pediatric dental sedation has been gaining momentum, owing to its high suitability when compared with conventional pediatric sedatives. Its properties range from sedation to anxiolysis to analgesia, due to its sympatholytic properties and minimal respiratory depression ability. Because dexmedetomidine is an efficacious and safe drug, it is gaining importance in pediatric sedation. Thus, the aim of this review is to highlight the properties of dexmedetomidine, its administration routes, its advantages over the commonly used pediatric sedatives, and especially its role as an alternative pediatric sedative.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.317-325
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• 2023

Background: Local anesthetic injections may induce pain in children, leading to fear and anxiety during subsequent visits. Among the various approaches recommended to reduce pain, one is the use of a Buzzy Bee^TM device that operates on the concept of gate control theory and distraction. The literature regarding its effectiveness during the deposition of local anesthesia remains limited; hence, the aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of extraoral cold and vibrating devices in reducing pain perception during the deposition of local anesthesia. Methods: A split-mouth crossover study in which 40 children aged 3-12 years requiring maxillary infiltration or inferior alveolar nerve block for extractions or pulp therapy in the maxillary or mandibular posterior teeth were included. The control intervention involved the application of topical anesthetic gel for one minute (5% lignocaine gel), followed by the administration of local anesthetic (2% lignocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline) at a rate of 1 ml/ minute. Along with the control protocol, the test intervention involved using the Buzzy Bee^TM device for 2 minutes before and during the deposition of the local anesthetic injection. The heart rate and face, legs, arms, cry, and consolability revised (FLACC-R) scale scores were recorded by the dentist to assess the child's pain perception. Results: The mean age of the participants in Group A and Group B was 7.050 ± 3.12 years and 7.9 ± 2.65 years respectively. A reduction in the mean heart rate and FLACC-R score was observed during the deposition of local anesthetic solution in the tissues when the Buzzy Bee^TM was used in both groups at different visits in the same subjects (P < 0.05) The Buzzy Bee^TM device was effective in reducing the heart rate and FLACC-R scores when used during maxillary infiltration and inferior alveolar nerve block local anesthesia techniques (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The use of extraoral cold and vibrating devices significantly reduces pain perception during local anesthetic deposition in pediatric patients. Considering the results of this study, the device may be incorporated as an adjunct in routine dental practice while administering local anesthesia in children.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.369-378
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• 2019

Background: Behavior guidance is a technique used to subdue inappropriate behavior by establishing communication that meets the needs of a child. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a mobile app (Little Lovely Dentist) compared to the tell-show-do (TSD) technique in managing anxious children during their first dental visit. Methods: Fifty children (30 boys and 20 girls) without any past dental experience, aged from 7 to 11 years, were randomly allocated into either the dental app group or the TSD group. The pre- and post-operative anxiety of children who underwent prophylactic cleaning was assessed both physiologically and subjectively using a heart rate measurement and the RMS pictorial scale, respectively. Results: The intragroup comparison of heart rate and RMS scores for children allocated to the dental app group was statistically significant (P value ≤ 0.001). However, a significant reduction only occurred in the RMS scores, but not the heart rate measurements, in the TSD group. Conversely, there was an increase in heart rates in the TSD group. Conclusion: Educating the child prior to a dental procedure using a smartphone application such as Little Lovely Dentist can significantly alleviate the anticipatory anxiety and engage children in dental treatment during their first visit.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.39 no.sup2
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• pp.261-268
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• 2009

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of periodontitis in Korean adults and to examine the associations between periodontitis and known risk factors. Methods: Using Korean National Oral Health Survey 2006 data, a total of 4,263 people who had taken oral examination, interviewed by questionnaire, and aged 18 or older were sampled. The prevalence of periodontitis measured by Community Periodontal Index (CPI) was calculated and the differences in prevalence according to known risk factors (age, sex, monthly income, education, residential area, tooth-brushing frequency, regular dental visit, smoking, and diabetes) were examined with chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to see the effects of each risk factor on the risk of having periodontitis. All statistical approaches were reflected national sampling design using Survey procedures in SAS 9.1. Results: The overall prevalence of periodontitis in Korean adults was 10.3%. There existed statistically significant differences in crude prevalence for periodontitis according to the all risk factors. In logistic regression, older age groups (O.R.:2.94-3.71), people living in rural area (O.R.:1.87), and current smokers (O.R.:1.77) were significantly prone to have periodontitis. People who earned monthly income of more than 2 million Korean won (O.R.:0.64) and brushed their teeth two or more times per day (O.R.:0.60-0.62) had significantly lower risk of having periodontitis. Conclusions: About 10% of Korean adults had periodontitis in 2006. People who were older, living in rural region, in lower income status, smoking, less tooth brushing were more likely to have periodontitis.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective epidemiological study was to determine the etiology and pattern of maxillofacial injuries in a pediatric population. Materials and Methods: Data for pediatric maxillofacial trauma patients aged 12 years and younger who were registered at the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Kolkata, India, were reviewed and examined. Patients who were treated between October 2016 and September 2018 were analyzed according to age, sex, cause of injury, frequency and site of facial fractures, and soft tissue injuries. The chi-square tests were carried out for statistical analyses with a significance level of 5%. Results: Of 232 patients with a mean age of 6.77±3.25 years, there were 134 males (57.8%) and 98 females (42.2%). The overall male to female ratio was 1.39:1. The most common causes of injuries were falls (56.5%) and motor vehicle accidents (16.8%). Incidence of falls decreased significantly with age (P<0.001). Dentoalveolar injuries (61.6%) and soft tissue injuries (57.3%) were more common than facial fractures (42.7%). Mandibular fractures (82.8%) were the most common facial fractures, and perioral or lip injuries were the most prevalent injuries in our patient population. There was a positive association between facial fractures and soft tissue injury (P<0.01) (odds ratio 0.26; confidence interval 0.15-0.46). Conclusion: Falls were the leading cause of maxillofacial trauma in our sample of children, and the most common site of fractures was the mandible.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.257-268
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• 2021

Objectives: Cleft lip and palate is a common congenital anomaly that impairs the aesthetics, speech, hearing, and psychological and social life of an individual. To achieve good aesthetic outcomes, presurgical nasoalveolar molding (NAM) has become important. Currently, the intraoral NAM technique is widely practiced. Numerous modifications have been made to intraoral NAM techniques, but the original problem of compliance leading to discontinuation of treatment remains unsolved. Therefore, the present study compared an extraoral NAM technique with the intraoral NAM technique. Materials and Methods: Twenty infants with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were included and divided into two equal groups. Group A received the intraoral NAM technique, and Group B received the extraoral NAM technique. Pre- and postoperative extraoral and intraoral measurements were recorded. Results: Groups A and B did not differ significantly in any extraoral or intraoral parameter. Conclusion: The extraoral NAM technique is as effective as the intraoral NAM technique in achieving significant nasal and alveolar changes in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate patients. Additionally, it reduces the need for frequent hospital visits for activation and the stress associated with the insertion and removal of the intraoral NAM plate, thereby improving compliance.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.345-355
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of external vibrating devices and counterstimulation on a child's dental anxiety, apprehension, and pain perception during local anesthetic administration. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, parallel-arm, single-blinded interventional, clinical trial. One hundred children aged 4-11 years, requiring pulp therapy or extraction under local anesthesia (LA), were recruited and allocated equally into two groups (1:1) based on the interventions used: Group BD (n = 50) received vibration using a Buzzy^® device {MMJ Labs, Atlanta, GE, USA} as a behavior guidance technique; Group CS (n = 50) received counterstimulation for the same technique. Anxiety levels [Venham's Clinical Anxiety Rating Scale (VCARS), Venham Picture Test (VPT), Pulse oximeter {Gibson, Fingertip Pulse Oximeter}, Beijing, China)] were assessed before, during, and after LA administration, while pain perception [Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)] was evaluated immediately after injection. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t-test to assess the mean difference between the two groups and the repeated measures ANOVA for testing the mean difference in the pulse rates. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Significant differences in mean pulse rate values were observed in both groups. In contrast, the children in the BD group had higher diminution (P < 0.05), whereas the mean VCARS and VPT scores were conspicuous (P < 0.05). Based on the mean WBFPS and VAS scores, delayed pain perception after LA injection was more prominent in the BD group than in the CS group. Conclusion: External vibration using a Buzzy^® device is comparatively better than counterstimulation in alleviating needle-associated anxiety in children requiring extraction and pulpectomy.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.195-204
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• 2024

Background: Distraction is a technique used to divert a patient's attention from unpleasant procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of kaleidoscopy, virtual reality, and video games in reducing anxiety and pain during invasive dental procedures in children. Methods: Sixty-six children aged 6 to 9 years were randomly assigned to three groups during local anesthesia administration: Group 1 (kaleidoscope), Group 2 (virtual reality), and Group 3 (mobile video games). The anxiety of the children was evaluated using physiological measures (heart rate) at three different time points: before, during, and after the procedure. The Raghavendra, Madhuri, and Sujata pictorial scale was used as a subjective measure before and after the procedure. Subjective measures of pain were assessed using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale. The data were statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: In the intergroup comparison, there were no statistically significant differences in the physiological measures of anxiety scores between the three groups before, during, and after distraction. Raghavendra, Madhuri, and Sujata pictorial scale scores were assessed before and after distraction, but no statistically significant differences were observed. Among the three groups, the children in Group 2 showed a significant reduction in pain scores. Conclusion: Compared with kaleidoscopes and video games, virtual reality is a promising distraction technique for reducing dental fear, anxiety, and pain during local anesthesia administration in children.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.241-247
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• 2009

The objective of this research can be found in its use as a basic material to induce students from the department of dental hygiene to quit smoking, by raising the awareness of tobacco cessation as well as the actual smoking state. The graduating undergraduates from 10 universities (including colleges) based on their 61 major departments across the country took pan in this questionnaire. The questionnaire basically consists of the understanding of smoking, a state of smoking or tobacco cessation(5 questions), and the advisory guidance on quit smoking(4 questions). The questionnaire on the awareness of smoking relating to those work for the health and medical services is based upon the papers published from WHO (World Health Organization), which is aimed to find out the smoking rate of those involved in the health and medical services around the world. In addition, an adequate education for smoking students from the department of dental and hygiene should be taken into account in an effort to raise the awareness of smoking and the necessity of tobacco cessation.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.306-318
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• 2009

Objectives : There were reports about the decreasing of quit-smoking ratio because of taking professional advices. This study were to investigate smoking prevalence rate of the dental hygienist study in nationwide and quit-smoking counseling activity for patients in dental clinic. Methods : The registered Korea Dental Hygienists Association Meeting in 2005 were recruited as subjects. The personal surveyed, 486(87.7%) returned completed questionnaires. Results : The smoking rate of dental hygienist is 3.1%, past smoking rate 1.4% and smoking cessation 95.5%. In smoking cessation counseling activity, only 20.8% of dental hygienist would advise to quit smoking. However, 63.8% intended to advise to quit smoking but they have no idea about quit smoking program and 15.4% had no intention of advising to quit. It is a whole consent that Smoking dental hygienist is tend to against smoking and necessary training about smoking cessation same opinion. Conclusions : Dental hygienist is more effective for health care professional to help people stop smoking, therefore dental hygienist is important for them to have through knowledge of subject and confidence in their role in smoking cessation.