The objectives of this study were to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of a resin composite (RC) and a resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI) to four different bioceramic materials and to compare the effects of the immediate vs. delayed placement of restoration on the SBS. A total of 160 Teflon blocks and 40 blocks/material, were randomly filled with one of the bioceramic materials (NeoPUTTY^®, NeoMTA2^®, TotalFill^® BC RRM™ Fast Set Putty, and ProRoot^® MTA). The restoration was performed immediately or in a delayed time frame (after 7 days) using a Filtek™ Z350 XT Flowable composite (bonded to the bioceramic materials using Single bond universal 3M) or GC Fuji II LC^® RMGI. The SBS test was performed at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min, and the failure mode was evaluated under a digital microscope by one blinded examiner. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Games–Howell post hoc test was used to compare the mean SBS between the groups. The mean SBS of the bioceramic materials to RC was significantly higher than to RMGI except for ProRoot MTA (p-value 0.65). The SBS values to RC were as follows: ProRoot MTA (7.64 MPa); NeoMTA2 (8.57 MPa) which was significantly higher than both NeoPUTTY (4.04 MPa) and TotalFill^® BC RRM™ Fast Set Putty (4.38 MPa). For RMGI groups, ProRoot MTA showed the highest SBS (7.18 MPa), followed by NeoMTA2 (4.15 MPa), NeoPUTTY (1.62 MPa), and TotalFill^® BC RRM™ Fast Set Putty (1.54 MPa). The delayed timing restoration showed a significantly higher SBS than the immediate, except for the immediate RMGI restoration with MTA. To conclude, the SBS of RC to the bioceramic materials was significantly higher than RMGI, except for ProRoot MTA. Both restorative materials had a significantly higher SBS to the MTA groups in comparison to premixed bioceramics. Delayed RC restoration had a higher SBS than immediate restoration. Similarly, delayed RMGI restoration had a higher SBS than immediate restoration with premixed bioceramic but not with MTA.

Background: Identifying the risk indicators of parental dental anxiety (PDA) and oral health literacy (OHL) can help oral healthcare professionals recognise challenges in this field. Armed with the appropriate information, they can effectively engage with parents to build trust and promote early and regular child dental visits. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between PDA and OHL with the sociobehavioural characteristics of families, self-reported child oral health (presence of ≥ 1 untreated decayed teeth) and the dental visit patterns amongst children living in Al Jouf Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods: A total of 430 parents with children aged ≥ 14 years were invited using a systematic random sampling method. PDA was assessed using the Dental Anxiety Scale-Revised (DAS-R) scale, and parents’ OHL was measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry-30 (REALD-30). The relationships amongst participant characteristics, PDA and OHL were evaluated through the Chi-square and ANOVA. Additionally, binary regression analysis was conducted to identify predictor variables associated with PDA and OHL. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Children with ≥ 1 untreated decayed tooth were 2.5 times more likely to have PDA (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.37, 4.37). Children who visited the dentist in < 6 months had 93% lower likelihood to have PDA (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.07; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.18). Parents aged 20–25 years were 81% less likely to have OHL than those above 30 years (AOR = 0.19; P = 0.038). Similarly, parents with medium family income were 52% less likely to have OHL than the high-income group (AOR = 0.48; P = 0.013). Finally, parents of children who visited the dentist within < 6 months were 34 times more likely to have OHL than those whose children visited the dentist > 12 months ago (AOR = 34.94; P < 0.001). Conclusion: PDA and OHL were significantly affected by parental age, family income, the presence of ≥ 1 untreated decaying tooth and the child dental visit patterns. During a child’s first dental visit, paediatric dentists should always assess the PDA, OHL and sociobehavioural characteristics of a family by using appropriate scales and semistructured interviews.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of four different surface-coating agents on the microhardness, water sorption, and solubility of the highly viscous glass ionomer cement EQUIA Forte^® HT. Materials and methods: A total of 100 cylindrical EQUIA Forte^® HT samples were examined, with 50 tested for Vickers hardness and the other 50 for water sorption and solubility. For each test, the specimens were divided into five groups (10 specimens/group) according to coating method: Group 1—no coating (control), Group 2—EQUIA Forte^® Coat, Group 3—Single Bond™ Universal Adhesive, Group 4—ExciTE^®F adhesive, and Group 5—petroleum jelly. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Tukey’s post hoc test for multiple comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean microhardness of the coated groups was significantly higher than that of the uncoated group. Moreover, a significant difference in the microhardness value was detected between the coated groups. Furthermore, EQUIA Forte^® Coat had the highest mean hardness value. The mean water sorption at 7 days showed that EQUIA Forte^® Coat had the lowest values. In terms of water solubility, a statistically significant difference was found between no coating and all groups except EQUIA Forte^®, between Single Bond Universal Adhesive and petroleum jelly, between petroleum jelly and EQUIA Forte Coat, and between EQUIA Forte^® Coat and ExciTE^®F. Conclusions: The study revealed that all coating agents significantly increased the microhardness of EQUIA Forte^® HT, with EQUIA Forte^® Coat showing the highest hardness and the lowest water sorption values.

To assess the knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists regarding oral healthcare and oral hygiene products in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey among a sample of the community pharmacies in Riyadh city was done. The survey comprised of 23 closed-ended questions divided into five basic sections. A total of 141 pharmacists participated in this survey. About half of the respondents had not met the dentists practicing close to their pharmacies, nor were they aware of the opening times of the practice. Most of the pharmacists stocked oral health-related products, which comprised of 10-15% of their total stock. Toothpaste was the most common among the oral healthcare products stocked, followed by toothbrushes and mouth rinses. A total of 93% pharmacists expressed an interest in further developing their oral healthcare knowledge through course attendance or oral health programs. Toothache or mouth ulcers were the most common dental problem for which patients approached the pharmacists for advice. Pharmacists advised patients complaining of dental pain to consult a dentist in 43% of cases, dispensed painkiller in 44% of cases, and in 13% of cases dispensed an antibiotic. The community pharmacists in Riyadh are under-used in the promotion of oral health. There is a need for training of pharmacists and providing them with access to information on available dental service and oral health products.

BioFlx crowns (BFCs) have been introduced in the dental market, combining the flexibility of stainless steel crowns (SSCs) with the esthetic appeal of preformed zirconia crowns. However, the existing literature does not provide adequate insights regarding the retentive strength of various types of luting cement with these newly developed BFCs. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the retentive strength of BFCs and SSCs with different types of luting cement (glass ionomer cement [GIC], resin-modified glass ionomer cement [RMGIC], self-adhesive resin cement [SARC], and polycarboxylate cement [PXC]). A total of 160 standardized resin dies were fabricated and divided into two groups based on the type of crown (BFCs or SSCs). Each group was further subdivided into four subgroups (20/group) based on the luting cement used for cementing the crown on the die. A pullout test was performed using a universal testing machine to measure the retentive strength required for crown dislodgement. The residual cement in the crown was scored to determine the cement failure pattern. Data were analyzed using two-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to evaluate the interaction between the cement and the type of crown on retentive strength, followed by an independent t-test. Furthermore, Welch’s ANOVA and Dunnett’s T3 test were used to assess the impact of various types of luting cement on the retentive strength of each crown. The CFP was assessed by comparing the scores using descriptive statistics. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean retentive strength of SSCs and BFCs was the highest with SARC (560.29 ± 8.74 N; 657.72 ± 20.60 N), followed by RMGIC (534.20 ± 22.84 N; 454.90 ± 7.95 N) and GIC (435.14 ± 8.66 N; 237.68 ± 9.37 N), while the lowest was with PXC (365.67 ± 19.11 N; 131.26 ± 5.37 N). A significant difference in retention was observed between the crowns (p < 0.05). Cement failure primarily manifested as adhesive failures in the SARC and RMGIC groups; however, both adhesive and cohesive failures occurred in the GIC and PXC groups. Thus, SSCs demonstrate significantly higher retention than BFCs across all types of luting cements, except when using SARC. Within the limitations of this in vitro study, SSCs emerge as the preferred choice for full-coverage restorations that require optimal retention and durability. Nevertheless, BFCs with SARC provide a viable alternative when esthetic considerations are prioritized.

Objective: This study was intended to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of pediatricians and pharmacists about sugar free medications (SFMs) and their impact on oral health.Materials and methods: Self-administered close ended questionnaire was handed out to all pediatricians and pharmacists in five tertiary hospitals in Riyadh (King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud Medical City, King Fahad Medical City, Prince Sultan Medical Military City, Security Forces Hospital) to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice concerning SFMs.Results: Eighty-five pediatricians and 77 pharmacists participated in this study. The results showed that pediatricians and pharmacists have a good knowledge, but negative attitude toward SFMs. Only (5.9%) of pediatricians had formal undergraduate training which is significantly lower than pharmacists (15.6%) (p = 0.04). One-third of pediatricans and pharmacists prescribe or dispense SFMs. The most influencing factors toward prescription (pediatrician) of SFMs was the medical status of the patient (70.6%), while the most influencing factor of dispensing (pharmacists) SFMs was the availability in the pharmacy (64.9%). Two-third of pediatricians (67%) guide the parents about the risk associated with sugarcontaining medications (SCMs) which is significantly higher than pharmacists (p < 0.0001). Also, 53% of pediatricians recommend oral hygiene instructions when prescribing SCMs which is also significantly higher than pharmacists (p = 0.002).Conclusion: There is a considerable knowledge about SFMs and its impact on dental caries, among pediatricians and pharmacists participated in this study. However, their attitude toward prescribing or dispensing SFMs was not positive and may be linked to the gap in knowledge. Further training and education of healthcare providers regarding the use of SFMs and its negative impact on dental caries has to be reiterated.How to cite this article: Bawazir OA, Alsuwayt B, Alqahtani W, Al-Dhafiri A, Al-Shamrani M. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pediatricians and Pharmacists in Riyadh City toward the use of Sugar free Medications. J Contemp Dent Pract 2014; 15(6):755-760.