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Introduction: The position of the canine has a key role in facial harmony, dental aesthetics, functional occlusion, and health of temperomandibular joint. Maxillary canine impaction is the second most common tooth after third molars impaction. Maxillary canines are more prone to impaction due to longer path of eruption. Settings and Design: All the patients were examined in the Dental Chair light and referred to the department of Oral Radiology for Orthopantomogram. Yamamoto's classification was used to classify maxillary canine impaction. Position of mandibular canine from cement-enamel junction was used for mandibular canine impaction. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 2300 patients who consulted the orthodontic department from January 2018 to July 2022. Orthopantomogram of each patient was examined for canine impaction, retained deciduous teeth, cyst, and other anomalies. The incidence and pattern of canine impaction was assessed. Statistical Analysis: The data was then statistically analyzed using Graph Pad Prism software. The incidence of impacted canine was evaluated. The effect of gender was evaluated using a t-test. Results: A total of 2300 subjects were examined out of which 52 individuals were diagnosed with canine impaction. The incidence of canine impaction among orthodontic patients is 2.26%. The amount of canine impaction in females (60%) is higher than males (40%). The ratio of canine impaction of the maxilla and mandible is 2.5. Conclusion: The incidence of canine impaction was found to be 2.26 percent in the tribal dominant population of Jharkhand. Type II (50%) pattern in the maxilla and Level A (57%) impaction in the mandible was found to be the highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral cancer (OC), which happens to be one of the leading causes of death in the Indian population, is caused primarily by tobacco use, although other factors are also responsible. Serum vitamin B12 is important in maintaining the immune system and also repairing the damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of cells. The aim of our study was to evaluate the serum B12 levels in patients with OC and look for any association between the two. Methods: One hundred subjects were selected for the study and divided into two groups: group A having OC (including cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), verrucous carcinoma and oropharyngeal carcinoma; 50 patients) and group B had age‑ and gender‑matched healthy controls (50 healthy volunteers). Patients diagnosed clinically and histopathologically confirmed as OC were selected for the study. All the patients were subjected to haematological investigation to assess serum vitamin B12. Results: Males subjects in the 4th and 5th decades of life were predominantly affected. Serum vitamin B12 was significantly increased in OC patients when compared with controls, which was statistically significant. The mean serum vitamin B12 was slightly higher in males than in females, which was statistically non‑significant. Conclusion: Our study found increased vitamin B12 levels in OC patients, and it was statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) has been associated with increased stress both etiologically and as a consequence. The current pandemic of COVID-19 infection has impacted the personal, social, and occupational spheres of people's lives and has negatively affected mental health. People with existing chronic medical illnesses may be more vulnerable to the stressful effects of the ongoing pandemic. This study was conducted on patients with CAD during the COVID-19 pandemic to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress, the factors associated with distress, and their coping mechanisms. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kerala in the cardiology department. After informed consent was obtained from the patients with CAD, sociodemographic details were collected, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10 scale) was administered to assess psychological distress and the Brief COPE scale was administered to assess their coping mechanisms. Results: Among 50 patients who participated, the prevalence of psychological distress was 50%. The factors associated with distress were female gender, semiskilled occupation, incomplete COVID-19 vaccination status, exposure of family to COVID-19, experiencing financial difficulties, and experiencing difficulty acquiring medications prescribed for CAD. Religion and acceptance were the most common coping strategies applied by the patients and acceptance was found to be a better coping strategy than religion. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of psychological distress among patients with CAD during the pandemic, owing to the emotional, financial, and familial instability faced during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19, the economic crisis brought about by the pandemic, and the health policies laid down for the containment of the virus, have a negative effect on the mental health of the people. Pregnant women represent a high-risk group, being particularly susceptible to stress and emotional instability. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of psychological distress in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study done in a tertiary care center in Kerala between June and July 2021. All the pregnant women attending the obstetric department, after taking their informed consent were assessed with a pro forma to collect their sociodemographic details and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to assess their psychological distress. The association between sociodemographic variables and distress was assessed using the Chi-square test. Results: A total of 66 pregnant women were studied. Fourteen (21.2%) were noted to have psychological distress. Three (4.5%) and 6 (9.1%) were in moderate and severe distress, respectively. None of these women were known to have any psychiatric illness. Psychological distress was more prevalent among homemakers compared to employed pregnant women (P = 0.134), more in primi, compared to second and third gravida (P = 0.825) and more in pregnant women in the second trimester compared to women in the first and third trimesters (P = 0.296). Conclusion: Psychological distress is highly prevalent in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need for health policies to decrease its negative impact on the health of pregnant women, mothers, and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 22-year-old male presented with borderline intelligence, visual and auditory hallucinations, and an obsessive urge to bite. He was investigated for organic pathology in view of visual hallucinations and his magnetic resonance imaging study showed enlarged Virchow-Robin Space, which are fluid-filled spaces that surround small blood vessels and capillaries in the brain. He had no facial dysmorphic features or autistic features. Literature reports that this finding is associated with dementias in elderly, obsessions, and auditory hallucinations, but there is little data on its association with visual hallucinations, or intellectual impairment in the young. He responded well to a combination of medications and psychosocial approaches. Neuroimaging offers a noninvasive, reproducible method to better understand the clinical associations and accumulate evidence base in young patients presenting with intellectual impairment and behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The people around the world are concerned about the aesthetic oral-facial structures as it is more important in interpersonal interactions and dictates vocal, physical, and emotional communication. Aims: The present study was conducted to assess the severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among 12-15-year-old school children of Patna, Eastern India. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study design was used to assess the severity of malocclusion using Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) index among 12-15-year-old school-going children. Methods and Material: A specially prepared and pretested format, exclusively designed for recording all the required and relevant general information and other clinical findings was used in the study. The sample size consisted of 902 children from middle schools (Government and Private) in Patna. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square test was done for the categorical data to compare differences between two independent groups. Data were presented as Mean ± SD and "P" value of less than 0.05 was accepted as indicating significance. Results: Around 5.3% had a DAI score of ≤25 which signifies that there is "no abnormality or may have minor malocclusion"; 15.3% had a DAI score of 26-30 which signifies that there is "definite malocclusion"; 6% had a DAI score of 31-35 which signifies that there is "severe malocclusion" and 4% had a DAI score of ≥36 which signifies that there is "very severe or handicapping malocclusion". The finding was more commonly seen among 14 years age group. Conclusions: It can be concluded from the present study that the prevalence of malocclusion is reasonable high in this part of the region, and it is very important to bring in more awareness at the school level as primary prevention can be the most effective tool in control this menace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Student psychological health has been an increasing concern. The COVID-19 pandemic situation has brought this vulnerable population into renewed focus. Objective: Our study aims to conduct a timely assessment of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college graduates and postgraduates. Methodology: We conducted online survey with 550 students to understand the effects of the pandemic on their psychology and well-being. The data were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: Of the 550 students, 138 (71%) indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak. When asked about how the lockdown in COVID-19 situation affecting them, 97% said that it is severely affecting them. When asked about what the problems do you faced during online class, 5% said the Internet, 83.8% said noninteractive, and 11.2% said lack of explanatory mediums. When asked about number of hours spent on the Internet, 100% said more than 10 h. When asked about the activities to keep yourself busy during lockdown in COVID-19 situation, 37% said social media followed by 23% who mentioned cooking. Conclusion: Due to the long-lasting pandemic situation and onerous measures such as lockdown and stay-at-home orders, the COVID-19 pandemic brings negative impacts on education. The findings of our study highlight the urgent need to develop interventions and preventive strategies to address the psychological health of college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Maintenance of meticulous oral health practices is critical for patients who are under orthodontic treatment as failure to do so can result in deterioration of periodontal health. Thus, the present study was commenced to assess dental negligence and oral health status among patients undergoing orthodontic treatment using dental neglect scale (DNS) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was planned and carried out among the 40 patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. The study comprised of two questionnaires, one was close-ended questionnaire which consisted of questions regarding patient practice in maintenance of oral health and other questionnaire comprised of DNS followed by examination of oral hygiene status using Oral Hygiene Index Simplified. Data so obtained were subjected to analysis using SPSS version 20 and Chi-square test was used to statistically analyze data with P < 0.05 regarded as a statistically significant value. Results: The present study revealed that 63% among the studied orthodontic patients brushed once daily, 26% brushed twice daily, and 11% brushed thrice. About one-fourth was using brush with soft bristles and only 9% among the respondents used interdental aids. Data revealed positive correlation between DNS and oral hygiene index-simplified score with P < 0.05. Conclusion: The present study found that less frequency of brushing, rinsing mouth, and eating sticky and hard food can be attributed to self-neglect of the orthodontic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Significance of viral infections detected by reverse-transcriptase - multiplex PCR on hospital-related outcomes in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."