Background: In Iraqi communities, the workers considered the largest population groups, so increasing their dental education by increasing the care for their dental health knowledge and behavior is very important, the present study was aimed to evaluate the gingival health and oral hygiene in relation to knowledge and behavior among a group of a workers selected randomly from Al Fedaa company in Baghdad city.Materials and methods: A sample of 110 workers (65 men and 45 women) included in this study, a questionnaire used to evaluate their oral health knowledge and behavior. The gingival health condition of the workers was examined by using Loe and Silness index (1963), Silness and Loe index (1964) was used to asses plaque quantity, and Ramfjord index (1959) used to asses calculus quantity, SPSS version 18 was used to analyze the data of the study statistically.Results: This study showed that no significant differences between plaque, calculus, and gingival index with the education degree of the workers. About the knowledge the result showed no significant differences in questions asking about type and characteristic of dental caries, best type of tooth paste, brushing technique. There is a significant differences found in questions regarding gingival health and bleeding. The behavior of the workers showed no significant differences in questions regarding quantity of brushing teeth, using assistant aid, better time for eating sweet, while there is a significant difference in question about smoking and gingival health and duration of brushing time.Conclusion: Increasing the dental education by using the help of social media, schools, and national educational programs will improve the dental knowledge and behavior which affect positively on the oral hygiene

Behavior --- oral hygiene --- knowledge

The aim of the study is to evaluate the oral hygiene and gingival health and to find if there is any variation between sex and age groups among adults aged 21–80 years in Thamar–Yemen. A sample of 224 individuals aged 21– 80 years (177 males and 47 females) were examined using plaque index by Silness and Löe (1964) and gingival index by Löe and Silness (1963). The results showed that the mean plaque score for the total sample was 1.15; the plaque index was increasing with age significantly. Males reported higher means than females with statistical significant difference in the 3rd, and 5th age groups; while at the 4th age group the females reported significantly higher plaque scores than males. The mean gingival score for the total sample was low (0.84) and it was increasing with age significantly. The mean gingival score was slightly better in males than females with statistical significant difference in all age groups except the 5th age group where the females showed better gingival health. Therefore, the objective of dental health education to those adults is to improve the effectiveness of oral hygiene practice by tooth brushing and interdental aids.

Oral hygiene --- gingival health --- adults --- Oral hygiene --- gingival health --- adults

Background: Tinea capitis is most common of all cutaneous mycoses in children in developed and undeveloped regionsObjectives: to describe the prevalence of Tinea capitis among primary school children in Baghdad governorate in relation to certain socio-demographic characteristicsMethods: A total of 2160 school children were randomly selected from 30 primary schools in both urban and rural areas of Baghdad. Data collection was extended from 10th of Feb. to the 26th of April, 2004. A self administered questionnaire form was distributed to each selected student to be filled by his parents. Wood’s light was used confirm the diagnosis of Tinea capitis.Results: The prevalence of Tinea capitis 0.1%. Cases of Tinea capitis were diagnosed among male children only, living in rural areas, among children living in crowded conditions. Their families with low educational level of fathers and mothersConclusion: prevalence rate reflect the improvement in hygienic and socio- economic status in Baghdad, Iraq. Keywords: Tinea capitis, Hygiene, Baghdad, school

Tinea capitis --- Hygiene --- Baghdad --- school

Background: Diabetes can affect the health of the teeth and the surrounding structures that are increased the risk of developing periodontal disease that resulting destruction of the bone and the periodontal tissues that lead to greater teeth loss than those without diabetes.
Objectives: The aim of this study to compare the teeth loss of the diabetic and non-diabetic patients considering the age, sex , duration of the disease and oral health behaviors.
Methods: Teeth loss of 67 adult diabetics and 67 non-diabetic patients of age 45-74 years old were examined also diabetic group was compared according to the duration of the disease. The oral health behavior including the frequency of the tooth brush per day, cleaning method, and tobacco use were compared among the diabetic and non-diabetic groups.
Results: There is highest significant difference in mean number of the teeth loss between the diabetics and non diabetics with non significant difference between the patients of more than 10 years and less than 10 years of the duration. The diabetics showed significantly higher frequency of the tooth brush and tobacco use than non-diabetic group and the teeth loss decreased with increased the frequency of the tooth brush.
Conclusions: The teeth loss was greater in diabetics than non-diabetics, when the duration of the disease was increased there was increased in teeth loss. The study indicated that diabetic subjects should improve their oral hygiene practices.
Keywords: Teeth loss, diabetic patients, oral hygiene.

Teeth loss --- diabetic patients --- oral hygiene.

Thalassemia major is no longer a disease of childhood. Life expectancy of these patients has increased as a result of the dramatic change in medical management of thalassemia major in the past two decades. As patients with thalassemia major become older, their needs also are changed. Patients now face new issues, such as having families, obtaining higher education, and securing employment, which need more care and attention for their appearance in general and dental health in special.The aim of this study was to compare the dental maturity and integrity of a group of patients with β thalassaemia major with age and sex matched healthy controls in Baghdad.For this cross sectional study, a convenient sample of 100 (72 males and 28 females) thalassemic patients who were attending the thalassemia centers in AL-Karama and Ebin-AL Balady hospital was involved. The age of the patients ranged from 6 to15 years. A similar number, of healthy individuals matching with age and gender, was selected as control.Plaque, calculus, and gingival indices as well as decayed, missed and filled surfaces indicator are significantly different in thalaessaemic patients in comparison to control group. The thalaessaemic patients also demonstrated a delay in the development of their dentition.The thalassemic patients demonstrated a delay in the development of their dentition. The mean difference between chronologic and dental age was found to be statistically significant

Keywords: Oral hygiene --- Dental caries --- Prevention