BackgroundIndia has one of the world's largest burdens of cleft lip and palate (CLP), yet lacks a national outcomes registry or standardized system for cleft care evaluation. The Cleft Care India Study is a multicentric national initiative to assess current treatment outcomes for patients with non-syndromic unilateral CLP for 5-, 12-, and 20-year-old age groups.MethodsFourteen cleft care centers across India participated in this cross-sectional study. Standardized protocols for collecting data were formulated with input from the Study Steering Committee, validated through pilot testing, and employed for data collection. Data collected included intra-oral and extraoral photographs, study models, radiographs, surgical information, oral health assessments, speech recordings, hearing evaluations, psychosocial measures, and the intelligibility in context scale questionnaire. In this paper, we present the dentofacial outcomes. Skeletal relationships were analyzed using ANB, SNA, and SNB angles derived from cephalometric radiographs; dental arch relationships were evaluated using the 5-year or modified GOSLON indices; and nasolabial esthetics were assessed with the Asher-McDade index.ResultsData from 294 non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients aged 5 (n = 72), 12 (n = 155), and 20 years (n = 67) were analyzed. Reliability testing showed strong intra and inter-rater agreement for all indices and cephalometric data (class correlation coefficient > 0.9). Nearly half of 12 year olds (46.5%) and more than half of 20 year olds (58.7%) demonstrated a Class III skeletal relationship (ANB < 0). Poor to very poor dental arch relationships (score > 3) were observed in 45%, 48%, and 43% of the 5-, 12-, and 20-year groups, respectively. Nasolabial esthetic outcomes were rated poor to very poor in 24.3% of 5 year olds, 25% of 12 year olds, and 55.4% of 20 year olds.ConclusionThis multicentric cleft outcomes audit in India demonstrated suboptimal skeletal, dental, and nasolabial outcomes when benchmarked against international standards. These findings highlight an urgent need for the centralization of cleft services, implementation of systematic national outcome monitoring, and adoption of standardized multidisciplinary care pathways to improve the quality and consistency of cleft management across India.
Abstract Saliva is increasingly being recognized as a bodily fluid that can be used for quick diagnosis and to assess prognosis in a few systemic conditions. The major advantage of using saliva as a point-of-care bodily fluid is its noninvasive collection. Salivaomics, an emerging branch of diagnostic pathology, is gaining increasing importance in both the dental and medical fields. This narrative review examines the intricacies of using saliva as a diagnostic marker and the importance of salivaomics across different fields. The objectives of the study are (a) to identify salivary biomarkers in disease conditions, (b) to summarize the tools available for saliva collection, storage, and transportation, and (c) to identify techniques used for salivary biomarker processing for the assessment of clinical outcomes. The present review was conducted as per the “Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis” or PRISMA guidelines. A) Study eligibility criteria: The research questions were based on salivaomics, saliva collection, sample preparation and transportation, storage, and different techniques used for the saliva analysis. Various articles on the challenges and future of salivary diagnostics for oral cancer were also reviewed, along with those on other systemic conditions. B) Synthesis method: Different online search engines and databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) search terminologies used were “saliva,” “head and neck lesions,” “oral cancer,” “oral neoplasms,” “premalignancies,” “potentially malignant disorders” “biomarkers,” “diagnosis,” “saliva collection methods,” “saliva sample preparation,” “salivary transportation,” “method of saliva storage,” “techniques for analysis of saliva,” “current challenges in saliva diagnostics” and “future challenges.” Boolean operators used were “AND” or “OR” for the article search. The data extraction involved collecting information on objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions from the articles selected for the review. A total of 100 journal publications were identified following a literature search, oof which 26 articles were finalized for review. The published articles demonstrate the usefulness of saliva for diagnosis and follow-up in patients undergoing long-term follow-up or treatment protocols. Limitations of this paper include a lack of sufficient publications based on real-time quantitative data suggestive of salivaomics in patient management. In conclusion, this narrative review paper covers various techniques for collecting saliva samples, their methods of transportation and storage, and the analytical tools and biomarkers currently being studied for identifying different diseases and conditions affecting the body. Hence, one can utilize salivary biomarkers to assess patients for different clinical conditions and to customize treatment plans.
Background: Research is required for up gradation of different aspects of Dental Sciences that include clinical skills, material sciences, technological advancements and newer patient treatment protocols. The present study aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practice in research among postgraduate students in dental colleges of North India. Materials and methods: This was questionnaire-based prospective and cross-sectional survey study conducted on 2000 postgraduate students of all subjects of Dentistry in a Dental college and hospital. Ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee prior to distribution of pre-validated study questionnaire. A Google form was designed after thorough reviewing by four independent subject experts involved in postgraduate Dental teaching and training. A final questionnaire was prepared after reaching upon common consensus. A pilot testing was performed questionnaire on smaller sized sample. The Google form was distributed among the study participants by WhatsApp and electronic mails. The study questionnaire was formulated in English language and comprised of two parts: a) Part A (Knowledge) and b) Part B (Attitude and practice). Part A questions were associated with subjects familiarity with research in dentistry and how the research can be incorporated in dental practice while Part B contained questions concerning one’s intentions regarding learning of research process and respondents’ attitude with respect to incorporating research as essential part of postgraduate training program. Statistical analysis: Collected data was analyzed by use of software, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 22.0 (SPSS v.22.0) for Windows (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Descriptive statistical analysis was used for defining characteristics of studied variables in form of numbers and percentages. ‘One Way Anova - F test’ was employed for establishing an association between variables, Statistical significance was considered if p < 0.05. Results: Age range of studied post-graduates was between 27-35 years and 66% respondents were females. 60% postgraduate students belonged to private Dental colleges while 40% belonged to public sector. 79.6 % of post-graduate students responded positively regarding research as an important component of postgraduate curriculum. 99% of students were aware of ethical committees at institutes. 98% students had good level of knowledge regarding different ethical guidelines that have been laid down by national and international agencies.50% postgraduate students were of the belief that Institutional Research Ethics Committees delays research mainly because of revisions and/or rejections. 89 % post-graduate students were positive regarding research training. 100% postgraduates knew that written informed consent is mandatory before starting any research-based study. Conclusion: In the present study most of the students had good knowledge regarding research and followed the ethical guidelines related to research
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), primarily acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are microbial metabolites generated through the fermentation of dietary fibers by the gut microbiota and are increasingly recognized as critical regulators of host immune homeostasis. Beyond their metabolic roles, SCFAs exert potent immunomodulatory effects across mucosal tissues, including the periodontium, by shaping both innate and adaptive immune responses. This review synthesizes current evidence on the dual roles of SCFAs in periodontal health and disease, with particular emphasis on the contrasting effects of systemically derived versus locally accumulated SCFAs within periodontal tissues. Gut-derived SCFAs absorbed into the circulation modulate immune function through activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPR41, GPR43, and GPR109A) and inhibition of histone deacetylases. These pathways promote regulatory T cell differentiation, skew macrophage polarization toward anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes, and regulate neutrophil and dendritic cell activity. These effects support immune tolerance, epithelial barrier integrity, and resolution of inflammation, thereby contributing to periodontal homeostasis. In contrast, SCFAs produced locally within periodontal pockets can reach millimolar concentrations that disrupt epithelial and fibroblast function, induce oxidative stress, and amplify inflammatory signalling, ultimately driving tissue destruction and disease progression. Emerging evidence links gut microbial composition and systemic SCFA availability to periodontal inflammation through immune and neuroimmune crosstalk, supporting a biologically plausible gut-oral axis. Translational strategies aimed at harnessing the immunoregulatory properties of SCFAs are critically evaluated in this review. While these approaches are promising, challenges related to dosing, delivery, inter-individual variability, and limited human interventional data remain, underscoring the need for rigorously designed translational studies.
Background: In modern society, the pursuit of a beautiful smile significantly influences personal and social interactions. Patients increasingly seek treatment to enhance smile esthetics, where gingival appearance plays a vital role in the overall esthetic outcome, especially in fixed prosthodontic restorations. Proper treatment planning and maintenance of optimal gingival health are essential for achieving desirable results. Aim: This study aimed to assess the self-awareness and satisfaction of young adults regarding their gingival esthetics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 195 young adults aged 18–28 years. Participants completed a self-administered smile esthetics self-perception questionnaire, consisting of 11 questions related to their gingival esthetics. Responses were calculated as Yes, No, Didn’t notice, or Maybe. Frequencies and percentages were calculated, and comparisons were performed using the Chi-square test, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Over half of the participants expressed awareness and satisfaction for Q1 (65.6%), Q2 (59.5%), Q3 (67.2%), and Q8 (60%). Q2 (Do you think people around you have a better smile?) had the highest percentage of “Maybe” responses (20%), indicating uncertainty. Gender differences were significant for Q2, Q3, Q8, and Q9. Other questions showed no significant differences ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings emphasized the need for integrating both functional and esthetic considerations in dental practice to better meet patient expectations regarding gingival esthetics.
