Journal of Medical Sciences and Technical Health

Dental cavities, an infectious ailment, are characterized by mineral erosion within the teeth, resulting in the creation of holes. This condition, also known as tooth decay, is fundamentally triggered by a triangular relationship. This involves the presence of carbohydrates, the activity of bacteria that cause decay within plaque, and the natural vulnerability of the hard surfaces of teeth. mouths are home to a variety of bacteria, including some that can lead to tooth decay, often referred to as cariogenic bacteria, these are considered the primary factor in the occurrence of tooth caries. In this study, 50 samples were collected using a wooden stick by rubbing the local lesion or the gum margin associated with the teeth. The other samples were obtained from teeth extracted in dental clinic. The specimens sterilized were put in sterile containers made specifically for this use with the dentist's help. The samples were sent over to the microbiology lab, where they were grown on MacConkey agar, blood agar, and mannitol salt agar. Every plate was maintained at 37 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. After this incubation time, we noticed some visible growth on the inoculated plates, and we took note of the colony morphology. The isolates were identified using standard microbiological techniques, which involved looking at the colonies' appearance and performing Gram staining. The microbiological analysis revealed that Gram-positive bacteria, identified through culturing techniques, were predominantly represented by Streptococcus spp. This bacterial type constituted the majority, appearing in 50% (44 out of the total number of tooth samples). Subsequent in frequency were Staphylococcus spp., found in 29.5% (26 samples), and Enterococcus faecalis, present in 20.5% (18 samples). Conversely, the observed proportion of Gram-negative bacteria was less extensive when contrasted to their Gram-positive counterparts. Among them, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was prevalent, encompassing 54.54% (12 samples) of the detected isolates. The lowest rate of prevalence in the examined instances of dental caries was observed for E. coli, showing a presence of 45.45% (or 10 samples).

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious pathogen that continues to cause substantial global morbidity and mortality. This cross-sectional study evaluated 100 confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to the Epidemiological Monitoring Unit at the Emergency Department of Baqubah Teaching Hospital, Diyala Province, beween December 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022. The cohort included 66 males and 34 females, aged 20-80 years. Laboratory testing confirmed diagnoses, and blood samples were analyzed to determine ABO blood group distribution. Findings revealed that 25.6% of patients tested positive, with a recovery rate of 69.99% and a mortality rate of 4.41%. Males represented 70% of cases, with the highest prevalence (30%) observed among individuals aged 60–80 years. Most cases (78%) originated from the Baqubah district. The predominant symptoms were fever (88%), shortness of breath (80%), and headache (81%). Regarding blood group distribution, O+ was most frequent (26%), followed by A+ (21%), AB+ (16%), and B+ (13%). A high infection rate (46.3%) was recorded among males aged 60–80 years, with fever, cough, and dyspnea as the main clinical manifestations. The results suggest that blood groups O+ and A+ may be associated with increased susceptibility to COVID-19 infection

Background: Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gingiva induced primarily by dental plaque, which may advance to periodontitis if left untreated. Enhancement of oral hygiene by patient instruction and encouragement is essential, yet research addressing short-term outcomes in a variety of age groups is scarce.


Objective: To assess the immediate efficacy of oral hygiene education (OHI) and motivation on gingival inflammation and plaque control in adults of different age groups.


Methods: This was a longitudinal study included 50 patients, aged 18–53 years, who presented at the Department of Dentistry, Bilad Al-Rafidain University College, diagnosed with gingivitis. Participants received a 30-minute OHI session once (Bass technique demonstration, plaque disclosure, motivational counseling). Baseline and a follow-up measurement, a week after intervention, were applied to measure PI, GI, and BOP%. We used paired t-tests and chi-square tests to look at the data, with a significance level of p < 0.05.


Results: We found that there was a statistically significant decrease in by 76.0% (4.756 ± 0.21 to 1.139 ± 0.14, p < 0.001), GI decreased by 47.2% (5.63 ± 0.24 to 2.97 ± 0.25, p < 0.001), and BOP% decreased by 38.6% (40.54 ± 2.52 to 24.88 ± 1.96, p < 0.001).


Conclusion: A single, well-structured OHI session reduced plaque accumulation and gingivitis by a week. These findings are in favor of the use of motivational, chairside OHI as a highly effective short-term intervention in decreasing periodontal disease, although longer-term follow-up is called for.

This study investigated the roles of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB), and gastrin hormone in colorectal cancer pathogenesis and their potential associations with H. pylori infection. In a cross-sectional study of 40 patients with colorectal symptoms, serum gastrin and PGE2 levels were measured by the ELISA technique, H. pylori seropositivity was evaluated, and evaluated COX-2/NF-κB expression via immunohistochemistry. The results found: High median of gastrin (118 pg/mL) and PGE2 (174.5 pg/mL) and a high COX-2 expression of 47.5% and NF-kB levels of 27.5% and no association between H. pylori status and gastrin/PGE2 levels (p>0.05). Histologically, adenocarcinoma (27.5) and inflammatory conditions (15) prevailed. These findings indicate that COX-2/PGE2 and NF-kB signaling is increased in colorectal disease without considering the H. pylori, and NF-kB signaling is associated with inflammatory biomarkers and gastrin receptor expression. The results show possible disease stratification and therapeutic targeting of biomarker patterns

Hygienic and aseptic conditions in medical and health facilities are a factor of high importance. Recently, some cases of post-surgery infections were noticed even with strict and professional disinfection protocols. This triggers the presumption of a hidden infection source which may be due to the construction-reconstruction cycle of a biofilm. While this phenomenon is well studied and treated in some places in operating theatres; namely, equipment with water flow inside, the infections may be sourced from other parts or surfaces which must be determined.


In order to investigate, biofilm existence on surfaces in operating rooms was tested using traditional crystal violet assay. After that, coupons were fixed in selected places in the same rooms to affirm and quantify biofilm existence. Finally, the source of pollution was investigated confirming that it comes from cleaning water buckets as one of other less sources.


Results show that biofilms establish on various surfaces in surgical operating theaters as a result of errors in primary cleaning associated with the fact that disinfection protocols were targeting planktonic, not biofilm bacteria. This suggests rendering the current disinfection protocols to include biofilm

The research offers inexpensive, Iraqi-accessible, and high-quality alternative raw materials for porcelain used in dental and bone implants that are suitable for their production. in addition to other porcelain oxides (CaO, K2O, SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3), which may be found in some raw clay materials, the use of soda carbonate (Na2CO3) as a binding material is also employed. The measurement of porosity, density, diametrical strength, hardness, and thermal expansion coefficient showed a decrease in porosity and an increase in density, diametrical strength, hardness, and thermal expansion coefficient with an increase in soda carbonate percentage. This means the soda carbonates are forming glass phases to bond the granules with each other and increase the convergence between the granulose boundaries and close the internal spaces.