Objectives: Practical assessments hold a critical role in evaluating students’ performance. However, achieving objectivity, consistency, authenticity, reliability, and practical usefulness in student evaluations can be a formidable challenge. Objective structured practical examination (OSPE) offers a unique approach to aligning assessment methods with the educational objectives. The objective of the study is to assess the opinion about OSPE in comparison with traditional practical examination among undergraduate students in a dental institution. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all the undergraduates of one of the dental institutions using a questionnaire consisting of 10 questions on five-point Likert scale after checking for its reliability and validity. Data was analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: In the present survey, 80% of the subjects perceived that OSPE is better when compared to traditional practical examination, whereas 20% of the subjects disagreed in their opinion, and the results were significant at P < 0.05. Conclusion: OSPE was found to be a better method for evaluation when compared to the traditional method.

Mechanical plaque control, though fundamental to oral disease prevention, is often limited by patient compliance and skill. This necessitates the adjunctive use of chemotherapeutic mouthwashes to improve oral hygiene. While numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses already exist for specific mouthwash agents such as chlorhexidine or essential oils, there remains a critical need for a consolidated narrative review that synthesizes this extensive information into a practical clinical guide. This article aims to bridge that gap. This review moves beyond a simple summary of existing data by providing a critical, comparative analysis of common mouthwash formulations. It details not only if a mouthwash works but how it works, for whom it is most appropriate, and for how long it should be used. By synthesizing mechanisms of action, pros, cons, and clinical indications for each agent, this review provides an evidence-based framework for integrating mouthwashes into modern dental practice, thereby enhancing preventive oral healthcare. The selection of a mouthwash should be a patient-specific, evidence-based decision, guided by individual needs, risk profile, and tolerance for side effects. The review’s comparative table facilitates informed clinical decision-making.

Objectives: The present study was done to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices among school teachers in Trivandrum, Kerala. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 6 months from December 2022 to June 2023 in Trivandrum. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional review board. Samples were selected that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 300 school teachers from 10 schools were selected for the study. Results: Data were entered into Microsoft Excel sheets. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp) and level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Descriptive statistics was performed to assess the proportion of each category of the respective groups. Inferential statistics was done using the Chi-square test for proportion. RStudio was used for the preparation of data visualization. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the overall knowledge of oral health among school teachers is fair, their attitude towards oral health is positive, and their practices are generally fair. As school teachers hold significant influence over children, enriching their knowledge can empower them to effectively disseminate oral health education to their students. School teachers, when properly trained, can significantly improve student oral health, though regional, infrastructural, and implementation challenges must be addressed for wider impact.

Objectives: Dentistry students in the Philippines undergo 6 years of undergraduate dental education as their foundation to acquire the skills necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat oral diseases, and educate their future patients. One of the learning outcomes of the entire course is to make them effective role models in the maintenance and improvement of their patient’s oral health. Throughout their undergraduate years, oral health attitudes and behaviors are formed and may be modified. This study aimed to compare 4th-year preclinical and 5th-year clinical dentistry students in terms of their oral health attitudes and behavior. Materials and Methods: The research employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design. Purposive sampling was done using the Hiroshima University-dental behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire. The questionnaire contains 20 questions, which focus on oral health attitudes and behavior, with a dichotomous response format of “Agree” or “Disagree,” giving one point in favor of good oral health attitudes and behavior for a maximum score of 12. Data was collected via an online survey using Google Forms shared in the appropriate year levels’ official social groups. Higher mean scores indicate good oral health attitudes and behavior. The HU-DBI scores of the two groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: A total of 225 dentistry students in a Philippine private dental college answered the survey, with 119 responses from the 4th year (41% response rate) and 106 responses from the 5th year (77% response rate). The overall mean score of answers favoring good oral hygiene was marginally higher in 4th-year preclinical students (M = 7.17, Standard deviation [SD] = 1.37) than in 5th-year clinical students (M = 7.15, SD = 1.24) but showed no statistical significance in their difference, z = −0.412, P = 0.681. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in the oral health attitudes and behavior between the 4th-year preclinical students and 5th-year clinical dental students. Future researchers can look into increasing the sample size and having respondents from other dental universities to provide a wider picture at a national level. Reinforcing oral health education for clinical students may be beneficial.

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected educational institutions worldwide. The established face-to-face education has been converted to online education; therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate and compare the perception of dental students and academicians on online education and the challenges they face due to online education. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among dental students and academicians of eight dental colleges in the state of Telangana. A self-designed and validated 38-item questionnaire was distributed among dental students and academicians, and the collected data were subjected to descriptive statistics. A Chi-square test was applied to check the association between the perception of dental students and academicians. Results: Among 635 dental students, 79.7% believed that online education was the safest way during the pandemic, and 80.8% believed that online education focused on developing theoretical knowledge rather than practical skills. Among 136 dental academicians, 91.8% believed that online education negatively impacted student participation and productivity. There is a significant difference in the perceptions between dental students and academicians toward online education. Conclusion: Online education is a boon in many fields during the pandemic, but this mode alone will not serve the purpose of dental education.

Herbs have been used for centuries to prevent and control disease. Herbal extracts are effective because they interact with specific chemical receptors within the body and are in pharmacodynamic sense, drugs themselves. Using herbal medicines, patients have averted the many side effects that generally come with traditional medicines, but this does not mean that side effects do not occur. Only knowledgeable practitioners can prescribe the right herb and its proper dosage. Herbal medicines had been considered in every culture; however, pharmaceutical companies overturned this type of thinking. Now, pharmaceuticals are called traditional and herbs are labeled as the “alternative.” The biggest challenge and problem is lack of information about the effect of herbs in oral tissues, mechanism of effect, and side effects. Several popular conventional drugs on the market are derived from herbs. Herbal medicines have dramatically fewer side effects and are safer to use than conventional meditations. The herbs described in this article are used to eliminate various dental diseases such as dental caries, gingival disease, periodontal disease, and mucosal lesions, and a summary of other herbs that are useful in dentistry. Herbs may be good alternatives to current treatments for oral health problems, but it is clear that we need more research.

Objectives: To assess the sense of coherence (SOC) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and evaluate the relationship between the two parameters among medical and dental students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 210 medical and dental students in the district of Kottayam in Kerala, India. A stratified random sampling technique based on the year of study was employed. The sample size was calculated based on a pilot study conducted among 20 medical and 20 dental students. Mann–Whitney U-test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman’s correlation test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The SOC and OHRQoL were higher among dental students than medical students. Those exposed to clinical postings presented with a higher SOC than the preclinical students. Furthermore, SOC was negatively correlated with the oral health impact among the clinical category of students (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Health is dependent on the individual and other physical, biological, and psychosocial factors. The concept of sense of coherence (SOC) is a psychosocial determinant of oral health in adults. A strong association between SOC and oral health-related quality of life has been established. In this study, OHRQoL was associated with the SOC among medical and dental students. Clinical category of students expressed a high SOC and better OHRQoL. Although the clinical category of students asserted a better quality of life, their stress level needs to be minimized. Health promotion and prevention of psychosocial symptoms should be included in the medical and dental curriculum.

Betel leaves have been described from the ancient time as an astringent, anti-microbial, and anti-oxidant. Saliva plays an important role in the maintenance of good oral health. Sucrose is the most cariogenic dietary carbohydrate, because it is fermentable and also serves as a substrate for the synthesis of extracellular and intracellular polysaccharides in dental plaque. The effect of betel leaves over sugar solution has been least explored. The study aimed at comparing the effect of betel leaves chewing on the salivary pH. A randomized controlled trial was conducted among n = 20 participants. The participants were asked to chew fresh betel leaves for 1 min after taking sugar solution and the pH was assessed at following time intervals baseline, 10, 30, and 45 min, respectively. Chewing betel leaves after intake of sugar solution tends to neutralize salivary pH within 10 min after consumption, thereby reducing the acid attack on the tooth surface by plaque bacteria. Betel leaves are effective in neutralizing the salivary pH after intake of sugar solution; therefore, it is suggested to consume plain betel leaves after a meal to neutralize the salivary pH and, thus, reduce the acid attack on the tooth which causes demineralization.

Periodontal regeneration is a process involving biological events such as cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation in an orchestrated sequence. It is well known that platelets play a key role in hemostasis and the wound healing process. Platelets were introduced as regenerative potential. Choukroun et al. (2001) first described platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). It is the second generation of platelet concentration. It consists of a natural fibrin matrix. It is autogenous fibrin made up of the patient’s blood free from anticoagulants. It is three-dimensional architecture consisting of the specific composition of leukocyte and platelet-rich fibrin biomaterials. Various technique has been used in the preparation of PRF but Choukroun’s PRF technique is the most common and easy technique developed in France. The patient’s blood was taken at around 5 ml which is collected in each of the two sterile vacutainer tubes with a 6 ml capacity without anticoagulant and centrifugation. PRF is used in various fields such as endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, and tissue engineering. It is more economical and easy preparation than other grafts. PRF should be handled properly before it shrinks and gets dehydrated. It is the most successful periodontal regenerative material.