On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) as a pandemic. Until an effective treatment or a vaccine is developed, the current recommendations are to contain the disease, and control its transmission. It is now clear that the primary mode of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission is aerosol/droplet spread, and by contacting virus‐contaminated surfaces acting as fomites (inanimate vectors). Furthermore, recent data indicate that the live virus particles are present in saliva, and, more alarmingly, asymptomatic individuals may transmit the infection. By virtue of the nature of the practice of dentistry where intrinsically, a high volume of aerosols is produced, as well as the close proximity of dentists and patients during treatment, dentists and allied health staff are considered the highest risk health professional group for acquiring SARS‐CoV‐2 during patient management. Therefore, several organizations and specialty associations have proposed guidelines and recommendations for limiting the transmission of SARS‐COV‐2 from carriers to dentists and vice versa. This paper aims to provide a review of these guidelines, and concludes with a brief look at how the practice of dentistry may be impacted by COVID‐19, in the post‐pandemic era.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a growing pandemic associated with metabolic dysregulation and chronic inflammation. Meteorin-like hormone (METRNL) is an adipomyokine that is linked to T2D. Our objective was to evaluate the changes in METRNL levels in T2D and obesity and assess the association of METRNL levels with irisin. Overall, 228 Arab individuals were enrolled. Plasma levels of METRNL and irisin were assessed using immunoassay. Plasma levels of METRNL and irisin were significantly higher in T2D patients than in non-diabetic patients (p < 0.05). When the population was stratified based on obesity, METRNL and irisin levels were significantly higher in obese than in non-obese individuals (p < 0.05). We found a significant positive correlation between METRNL and irisin (r = 0.233 and p = 0.001). Additionally, METRNL and irisin showed significant correlation with various metabolic biomarkers associated with T2D and Obesity. Our data shows elevated METRNL plasma levels in individuals with T2D, further exacerbated with obesity. Additionally, a strong positive association was observed between METRNL and irisin. Further studies are necessary to examine the role of these proteins in T2D and obesity, against their ethnic background and to understand the mechanistic significance of their possible interplay.

To prevent re-infection and provide a hermetic seal of the root canal system, an endodontist must aim to produce a void-free obturation. This review aimed to compare the completeness of root canal obturation between the two most prevalent methods—cold lateral condensation and warm gutta-percha techniques—using micro-CT (PROSPERO reg no. 249815). Materials and Methods: A search of Scopus, Embase, PubMed (Medline via PubMed), and Web of Science databases was done without any time restriction according to the PRISMA protocol. Articles that compared both techniques and were published in English were included. Data was extracted and the risk of bias was assessed using an adapted tool based on previous studies. Results: A total of 141 studies were identified by the search. Following the screening and selection of articles, 9 studies were included for review. Data was extracted manually and tabulated. Most studies had a moderate risk of bias. None determined operator skill in both methods before comparison. The data extracted from the included studies suggests that both techniques produce voids in the obturation. The thermoplasticized gutta-percha techniques may result in fewer voids compared to cold lateral condensation. Conclusion: Considering the limitations of the included studies, it was concluded that neither technique could completely obturate the root canal. Thermoplasticized gutta-percha techniques showed better outcomes despite a possible learning bias in favor of cold lateral condensation. Establishing operator skills before comparison may help reduce this bias.

Advances have been made in identifying dental stem cells and their differentiation potential. Five different types of dental stem cells have been isolated from dental soft tissues: dental pulp, apical papilla, dental follicle and periodontal ligament. The characteristic features of these cells have been explored. They express various arrays of biomarkers including those specific for mesenchymal and/or embryonic stem cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that these stem cells varied in their proliferation and differentiation potential. Recent studies have demonstrated their wide range of plasticity and their potential use for regenerative medicine and dentistry. This article summarizes information available on the different types of dental stem cells and discusses their potential use in regenerative medicine.