Afnan Anas Nassar

Early detection of dental caries is essential to prevent disease progression and reduce treatment burden. In school settings, access to conventional dental

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) refer to injuries or conditions that affect the muscles, tendons, nerves, and other components of the musculoskeletal system, often resulting from repetitive movements, sustained static postures, or prolonged periods of sitting and standing. Dental professionals and students are particularly susceptible due to the physically demanding nature of clinical practice. These disorders can adversely affect professional performance, productivity, and overall quality of life. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors, and potential consequences of WRMSDs among dental students and professionals at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dental students and professionals at Umm Al-Qura University. Data were collected using a self-administered, structured online questionnaire designed to assess the prevalence of WRMSDs, associated risk factors, and management strategies. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Among the respondents, 67.8% were under 25 years of age, and 59.8% were female. More than half (55.6%) reported experiencing WRMSD symptoms in at least one body region during the past year, with 36.8% indicating chronic pain. The most commonly affected areas were the neck (56.9%), and lower back (52.3%). The leading contributing factors were inappropriate posture (44.8%) and prolonged sitting (29.7%). The most affected quality-of-life domains included increased stress and anxiety (33.1%), sleep disturbances (30.0%), and reduced academic or occupational performance (25.0%). Despite the high prevalence, 77% of participants did not seek professional care. The most frequently reported pain management strategies were the use of analgesics (31.4%) and engagement in physical activity (29.3%). This study demonstrates a high burden of WRMSDs among dental students and professionals, with symptoms primarily affecting the neck and lower back. Incorporating ergonomic training and structured occupational health programs into dental education and clinical practice may reduce long-term functional impairment and improve overall well-being.

Background: Gamified tools have shown promising improvements in health promotion. However, little is known about how mothers perceive their use in improving children's oral health. Aim: This qualitative study explored the insights of mothers of school‐aged children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, regarding gamification tools aimed at promoting oral hygiene. Design: Participants were selected using purposive variation sampling to capture diversity. Data were collected through semi‐structured individual interviews conducted in Arabic or English. Results: Thematic analysis revealed six key themes: engagement and motivation to play, barriers related to prolonged use, perceived usefulness, parents' concerns and conflicts, desired features, and observed effects on children's behavior. These findings reflected the varied characteristics and experiences of the participants and highlighted both the learning potential and limitations of gamified tools for oral health education. While some mothers acknowledged the positive impact of gamified tools on increasing their children's knowledge and motivation in maintaining oral hygiene, others expressed concerns regarding excessive screen time, content, and linguistic needs. Conclusions: Gamified tools appear effective in enhancing children's oral hygiene practices, as reflected by maternal observations of improved brushing habits. Nonetheless, concerns regarding screen exposure, content suitability, and cultural appropriateness emphasize the need for more customized and engaging solutions.

Aim of the study This study aimed to examine the prevalence of dental misinformation and its association with social media platforms used by individuals in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods An online survey was administered to 700 participants. The survey gathered demographic data and included questions regarding social media usage, dental health myths and facts, dietary factors that influence caries prevention, and the relationship between systemic diseases and periodontal conditions. Additionally, the survey assessed participants' knowledge of the concept of the "Hollywood smile" across various social media platforms. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used for data analysis. Results Out of 481 completed surveys, most of the participants were female (85.7%), aged 18-25 years (40.5%), held a bachelor's degree (64.9%), and resided in the Makkah region (81.1%). Snapchat was the most frequently used platform (41.6%). Approximately 60% of participants reported relying on the opinions of dentists based on their professional experience and expertise. Participants who used X (formerly Twitter) demonstrated the highest proportion of correct responses regarding dietary factors that prevent caries and systemic diseases associated with periodontal conditions (P 0.05). In contrast, WhatsApp users exhibited the lowest accuracy in their responses regarding some topics such as scaling and periodontal health, children's oral health, and the "Hollywood smile," relative to other platforms (P 0.05). Conclusions The findings suggest that individuals' understanding of dental health might be influenced by the social media platforms they engage with. These results highlight the importance of promoting dental education through reliable and evidence-based sources of oral health information to mitigate the spread of dental misinformation.

Introduction: The effect of headgear on the space available for the eruption of upper third molars needed further investigation. Only a few studies looked at the after-treatment effect of headgear on that space, and none have evaluated the long-term effect after the average age of third molar eruption. Therefore, this retrospective study evaluated the short and long-term effects of cervical headgear on the space and eruption of the maxillary third molars and their long-term eruption status. Materials and Methods: Records of Class II cases treated with cervical headgear were collected at the following time points: (T1) before treatment, (T2) after treatment, and (T3) taken at least 4 years after T2. An untreated control sample was collected from the Bolton-Brush study records. They were matched for age at each time point and malocclusion. Lateral cephalograms were used to measure the distance from the distal surface of the maxillary first molar (U6) to the pterygoid vertical plane (PTV). The third molar status at T3 was categorized into five groups: impacted, extracted, erupted, congenitally missing, and formation stage. Thirty-three cases were included in the cervical headgear group and 19 in the control group. Results: The position of U6 changed significantly between the headgear and control group at T2 but was similar at T3. In the headgear group, the U6 was significantly distalized (3.3 ±2.9 mm) between T1 and T2 (P=0.006), however, there was a significant relapse of 5.9 (±4.6) mm between T2 and T3 (P<0.001). In the control group, the distance between U6 and PTV increased significantly from T1 to T2 (4.8 ±4.4mm) with minimal change from T2 to T3 (1.5 ±4.8mm). There was no significant relationship between headgear use and third molar status (p=0.108). Conclusion: Headgear caused a temporary decrease in the U6-PTV distance that was recovered later. This decrease was not observed in the control group. Using cervical headgear to correct Class II malocclusion does not increase the risk of upper third molar impaction.

Objective. Storytelling is an educational approach that encourages learners to create imaginative conceptions and think creatively. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of storytelling on improving awareness about teledentistry among adults in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods. A single-blinded parallel group randomized controlled study with 88 adult participants from Saudi Arabia. Participants were randomized into an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). The IG received teledentistry information using a storytelling method, while the CG received a flyer containing the same information. The participants were questioned three times: P1 before the intervention, P2 immediately after the intervention, and P3 1 month later. Results. A total of 83 participants completed all study steps. No significant knowledge score differences between IG and CG at P1, P2, or P3 nor in mean differences across time points. However, significant increase from P1 to P2 ( ) and P1 to P3 ( ) via paired t-test; no change from P2 to P3 in IG (p = 0.99) or CG (p = 0.816). Storytelling was significantly more innovative and emotionally touching than conventional flyer. The study was registered with the number ISRCTN68587630. Conclusion. Storytelling was found to be a more innovative and emotionally impactful approach for promoting health compared to traditional flyers. Future studies should extend follow-up periods and explore diverse stories for external validation of this method.

Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to explore the prevalence of acute dental pain, different self-care methods done by adults to manage this pain, and the utilization of teledental platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. The study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 727 participants answered the study questionnaire, which was distributed as an online survey on different social media platforms. The modified dental pain screening questionnaire (M-DePaQ) was used to obtain dental pain-related characteristics of subjects. Also, self-care and formal-care strategies for pain relief questionnaire for most recent toothache and additional questions developed by the authors related to virtual clinics were used to determine the need for implementation of teledentistry and remote dental consultations. Data was entered in SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. Results: Around 39% out of 727 participants experienced dental pain during the COVID-19 Makkah city lockdown; 58% of them reported that the pain was related to a tooth. The majority reported that it was exaggerated with cold beverages and foods [67.1%]. A chi-square association test showed that the age group between 20-30 significantly used the Sehaty (Lean, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) application more than other age groups. Additionally, women were notably found to use home remedies more frequently than men. Furthermore, individuals with a bachelor’s degree believed more in the importance of having a virtual dental clinic during the periods of lockdown. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, acute dental pain and self-medication were found common among this study population. The practice of self-medication was also documented frequently, therefore, it is important to educate the general population on the proper way to manage dental pain. However, The use of teledentistry services was found uncommon, so to improve patient care especially when accessibility to professional treatment is difficult, the implementation of teledental services need to be considered.

The knowledge and beliefs of parents have an impact on their children’s general and oral health. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge, attitude, and behavior of parents and identify possible associated factors of early childhood caries (ECC) in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Parents aged 18 and older were invited to complete a self-administered, validated questionnaire. Questions covered demographics, knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding ECC etiology and prevention. Of the 644 parents who completed the questionnaire, 51.4% were not aware of the early signs of tooth decay, such as white lines. Pain and trauma were reported as the major reasons for a child to visit a dentist (42.4%). Only 37% of parents were aware of the importance of fissure sealant, and only 23% knew how it is applied. Compared with mothers, fathers were significantly less aware of hidden sugar and the relation between the frequency of consuming breast milk or bottled milk and caries development (p = 0.001). Similarly, fathers were more likely to believe that children could achieve effective teeth cleaning without parental assistance (p = 0.001). Preventive guidance should be provided by oral healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia to improve parents’ knowledge of ECC prevention.

Background: Dentists are obligated to provide patients with ethical and harmless treatment. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of medical ethics among dental students in two dental faculties in the Middle East. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a validated online self-administrated questionnaire was completed by dental students who started clinical training at Mansoura University, Egypt, and from Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Participants were 649 dental students. About 77% of Mansoura’s students were aware of the Hippocratic Oath compared to 89.6% of UQU students (p=0.000). No significant difference was found between the two faculties in the presence of ethical topics in their curriculum and the mode of teaching. About 67% of respondents reported obtaining written consent from UQU patients compared to only 10.5% of Mansoura’s patients. Nearly 86.3% and 63.3% of dental students at Mansoura and UQU, respectively, believed that they knew the best, irrespective of the patients’ opinion. In case of any wrongdoing during treatment, 88.7% of Mansoura’s and 93.9% of UQU students agreed to inform the patients. Regarding patient autonomy, only 51.2% and 65.3% of dental students at Mansoura and UQU, respectively, respected the patient’s wishes during treatment., The majority of students from both faculties had less knowledge regarding services and duties related to the ethical committee. Conclusion: Gaps in knowledge, attitude and practices of medical ethics were found among dental students of the two faculties, especially among Mansoura’s students. Attention should be paid to improving the present situation.