Journal of Rehman College of Dentistry

A Study Evaluating Infection Control Practices in a Post Pandemic World among Dentists

2025-03-25T06:23:55+00:00

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate fear of Coronavirus disease 2019 and infection control practices in a post pandemic world amongst dentists.

Methodology: This Descriptive study was undertaken in Rehman college of Dentistry, Peshawar, from 15^th August 2022 till 15^th February, 2023. Online questionnaire was shared with 200 dentists questions relating to fear of dentists and infection control practices in a post pandemic world. Results were analyzed with the help of Statistical package for social sciences.

Results: Out of 200 dentists (n=200), there were 69 females (58.5%) and 131 males (41.5%) having mean age of 28.73, ranging from 22-68 years with a standard deviation of 6.31 years with most being demonstrators. Majority of the dentists were scared of getting infected with COVID-19. 134(67%) dentists think that they contracted COVID-19 while giving treatment to patients. 162(81%) of the dentists used to feel fear when they would see a patient cough or sneeze. 101(52%) dentists were taking patient’s history before doing any dental work. Most Of dentists were aware of CDC guidelines and use of PPE. Very few dentists were using rubber dam and high volume suction to decrease aerosol generation during dental procedures.

Conclusion: Infection control practices play a crucial role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of infection among health care workers and patients. Adherence to recommended infection control measures such as Personal Protection Equipment, environmental cleaning etc significantly contributes to preventing risk of transmission of this virus.

Quantitative Evaluation of Buccal Cortical Bone in Maxillary Posterior Region on Cleft and Non-cleft Side in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients; A Three-Dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

2025-05-06T07:02:57+00:00

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the buccal cortical bone thickness in the maxillary posterior region on both cleft and non-cleft sides of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP) and to identify the optimal site for mini-implant placement, which is critical for the success of orthodontic treatments in these patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 CLP patients (aged 8–25 years) using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans to measure cortical bone thickness at four vertical levels (2mm, 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm) in three interradicular regions: between the first and second premolar (P-P), second premolar and first molar (P-M), and first and second molar (M-M). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, One-Way ANOVA, and independent t-tests, and intraobserver reliability was assessed.

Results: The study found that the P-M region had the highest mean cortical bone thickness, followed by P-P and M-M. Bone thickness increased with vertical height from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), with the thickest bone observed at 8mm. The non-cleft side exhibited a slightly higher mean cortical bone thickness than the cleft side, though this difference was not statistically significant overall. However, significant differences were observed at specific heights (2mm, 4mm, and 6mm), with the non-cleft side showing thicker cortical bone.

Conclusion: The study suggests that mini-implant placement at greater vertical heights (6mm or 8mm) in the maxillary posterior region is recommended due to increased cortical bone thickness. Although the non-cleft side generally showed thicker cortical bone at lower heights, the cleft side may still be viable for mini-implant placement at more apical regions. These findings provide valuable guidance for clinicians in selecting optimal mini-implant sites in CLP patients, which can enhance the success of orthodontic treatment and anchorage stability.

Prevalence And Etiology of Midline Diastema in Patients Presenting To Outpatient Department of Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Tangi Charsadda

2025-05-20T08:23:32+00:00

Objectives: To determine the Prevalence of midline diastema and etiological factors in patient presenting to outpatient department of tehsil headquarter hospital tangi Charsadda

Methodology: Cross sectional study was conducted in tehsil head quarter hospital tangi Charsadda with duration of six months and sample size was 150 participants to investigate midline diastema.

Result: We computed the frequency distribution and determined the corresponding percentages. Out of a total of 150 patients, 8 (5.3%) were diagnosed with midline diastema and 142 (94.7%) exhibited no signs of disease. When considering gender differences, among 64 females, 3 (2.0%) had midline diastema. and. Among the 86 males, 5 (3.3%) were found to have midline diastema.

Conclusion: In the given population, a small proportion of individuals were affected by midline diastema, with a prevalence rate of 5.3%,. Moreover, the occurrence of midline diastema was more common among males.

Key Words: Midline diastema, malocclusion

Effects Of Sweets and Cold Drinks on Tooth Surfaces Among Government School Students in Peshawar

2025-05-20T08:35:40+00:00

Background: The increasing consumption of sweets and cold drinks has raised concerns regarding their adverse effects on dental health, particularly among school-aged children.

Aim: This study investigates the influence of sweetened foods and beverages on tooth surface integrity. Data were collected from school students to assess their dietary habits and dental health conditions. The analysis highlights a significant correlation between frequent consumption of sugary items and cold drinks and the prevalence of dental erosion, cavities, and enamel demineralization.

Results: Results reveal that children consuming these items regularly exhibit a higher incidence of tooth surface damage.

Conclusion: The discussion explores potential preventive measures, including dietary modifications, dental hygiene education, and regular dental check-ups, to mitigate these effects. This research underscores the critical need for awareness campaigns targeting school children and their guardians to promote healthier dietary practices and preserve oral health.

Pattern of Injuries in Bomb Blast at Police Lanes and its Association with Different Demographic Factors

2025-03-28T05:14:14+00:00

Background: Bomb blast injuries are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in conflict zones. In low- and middle-income countries, such injuries are increasingly common, with devastating consequences for the affected population. In Pakistan, bomb blast incidents have been on the rise, leading to substantial loss of life and health care burden. Understanding the pattern of injuries in these events and their association with demographic factors is crucial for improving response strategies and healthcare interventions.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the pattern of injuries in victims of a bomb blast at Police Lines in Peshawar, Pakistan, and analyze the demographic factors associated with these injuries.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 85 victims who died in a bomb blast, with autopsies performed at the forensic medicine department of Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. Data on injury types, body regions affected, and demographic characteristics (age, gender) were collected and analyzed.

Results: The study revealed that 98.8% of the victims were male, with a mean age of 40.9 years. The most common injuries included lacerations (71.7%), fractures (62.4%), and bruises (45.9%). Victims commonly sustained injuries to the brain (62.4%), heart (55.3%), and lungs (56.5%). The majority of deaths (88.2%) occurred immediately after the blast, with a postmortem interval mostly between 3-6 hours (37.6%). There was a predominance of male victims, and most injuries were multi-system, involving both the head and thoracic regions.

Conclusions: This study highlights the devastating impact of bomb blasts, particularly on males in the working-age group. The injury patterns observed—especially the prevalence of severe brain and chest injuries—underscore the lethal nature of such blasts. Immediate deaths were predominantly due to multisystem trauma. The findings suggest a need for improved emergency medical responses, enhanced forensic analysis, and preventive strategies to mitigate the toll of bomb blast incidents in conflict areas.

Keywords: Bomb blast, injuries, demographic factors, Peshawar, autopsy, trauma, forensic medicine, Pakistan, multisystem injuries, civilian casualties.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Plagiarism Checks

2025-05-12T05:02:04+00:00

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have brought major changes to how content is created in fields like education, journalism, and creative writing. Popular platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Writer, Copyleaks, GPTZero, and CrossPlag are now commonly used to generate well-structured and meaningful text with minimal effort. These tools have made writing faster and more efficient, benefiting students, teachers, and professionals alike. However, the growing use of AI-generated content has also raised concerns about maintaining academic honesty. It has become more challenging to detect plagiarism, as some AI-generated text can closely resemble human writing, making it difficult to determine whether the work is original or machine-produced.

The integration of AI tools, especially large language models like ChatGPT, has seen a notable increase in medical and dental research. A bibliometric study analyzing 299,695 PubMed-indexed dental research abstracts from 2018 to 2024 found that the frequency of AI-associated keywords rose from 47.1 to 224.2 per 10,000 papers after ChatGPT's release, indicating a substantial rise in AI-assisted writing. Similarly, in the medical field, AI tools are increasingly employed for tasks such as literature reviews, drafting, editing, and reference management, enhancing the efficiency of research processes. While these tools offer numerous advantages, including improved productivity and accessibility, they also raise concerns about accuracy, bias, and the potential for plagiarism, underscoring the need for clear guidelines and ethical standards in their use.

The increasing prevalence of AI-generated content in academic and professional writing has led to a notable rise in similarity indices reported by plagiarism detection tools. This trend is primarily due to AI models like ChatGPT producing text that closely mirror existing literature in structure and phrasing, even without direct copying. As a result, plagiarism detection systems often flag AI-generated content for high similarity, complicating the assessment of originality.

To tackle the issue of distinguishing between human and AI-written content, various detection tools have been created. For example, Copyleaks uses sophisticated algorithms to study writing styles and reports high accuracy in identifying AI-generated material. GPTZero examines features such as perplexity and burstiness to estimate whether text was written by a human or an AI. Similarly, Originality.ai offers a combined approach, checking for both AI involvement and plagiarism to provide a detailed evaluation of a text’s originality.

However, the effectiveness of these detection tools varies, and their accuracy is subject to ongoing evaluation. As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, continuous refinement of detection methodologies is essential to ensure reliable differentiation between human and AI-authored text.

In conclusion, while AI tools like ChatGPT offer significant benefits in enhancing productivity and accessibility in content creation, they also present challenges in maintaining academic integrity. The rise in AI-generated content necessitates the development of clear guidelines and ethical standards to address issues related to plagiarism and originality. Ongoing evaluation and refinement of detection tools are crucial to uphold the integrity of academic and professional writing in the age of AI.

As AI tools become more common in writing and research, it's important to update our copyright laws to keep up with these changes. This means working together—lawmakers, legal experts, technology developers, and content creators—to create clear rules about who owns what when AI is involved. We need to ensure that the data used to train AI is handled transparently and ethically. By setting these standards, we can protect the rights of human creators while also embracing the benefits that AI brings. The goal is to make AI a helpful assistant that enhances human creativity, not something that replaces or undermines it.