The Journal of Global Oral Health is an open access peer-reviewed international journal committed to publishing high-quality articles in the field of dental profession from across the globe.

J Indian Prosthodont Soc, Official publication of Indian Prosthodontic Society

Objectives: The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats, the world has ever faced and more than 6 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use. Chewing tobacco is a type of finely cut and ground, dried form of smokeless tobacco product. It is commonly and idiomatically known by various terms most often as chew. In addition, it is also widespread in the migrant populations from Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana. Aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the new variant of tobacco (BONDAKUTCHI), among population being surveyed at Ranipet, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Thirumalai Mission Hospital, Ranipet, Vellore. We mainly focused on a group of participants who are from zone 1. Convenience sample of 62 participants within the age group of 20–80-year-old population and both males and females were included in the study. Oral health status was assessed using the WHO pro forma (2013) and Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence. Scales for smokeless tobacco used to assess the nicotine dependency. Results: Among 62 participants, 38 were male and 24 were female. The mean age of this participant was 45.20 ± 11.03 years. Among the 62 participants, 62% of the population had a habit of using the new variant of tobacco products. Conclusion: While legislators should consider enforcing and extending existing tobacco laws to a growing new variant of tobacco, further research is required to fill gaps in the literature and provide evidence based interventions for tobacco control specialists and health-care professionals.

To explore the viability of used toothbrush as a source of gene expression and comparison of the same among tobacco, alcohol, diabetic and hypertensive subjects. Fourteen subjects with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension were allocated to Group I, 14 subjects with tobacco and alcohol habits allocated to Group II and 14 healthy subjects allocated to Group III. Genetic materials retrieved from the used toothbrush of the study subjects were assessed for genetic expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), Bcl-2-like protein 4 (BAX), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), G-protein beta-3 (GNB3), and subunit gene and transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). BAX gene showed reduced expression in tobacco and alcohol users (p=0.0497). BCL2, CDK4, and GNB3 showed no significant difference in expression in both the groups and with control. CDKN2A was expressed at a lower level in Group I and II participants. TCF7L2 showed higher expression in Group 2 participants (p=0.001). The study concluded that used toothbrush is a reliable source for genetic expression. There was no difference in BCL2, CDK4, and GNB3 gene expression between subjects with systemic disease, adverse habits and healthy controls. There is a downregulation of BAX and upregulation of TCF7L2 gene in subjects with adverse habits.