Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine 8-OHdG concentration as a biomarker of oxidant-induced DNA damage and to assess total antioxidant status (TAS) in gingival and peripheral blood during periodontal lesion. Materials and Methods: The study included 56 untreated periodontitis patients (26 with aggressive periodontitis, and 30 with chronic periodontitis (CP). The control group consisted of 25 healthy volunteers without pathological changes in the periodontium. Competitive ELISA was used to measure 8-OHdG. A colorimetric method based on the reduction of ABTS

No abstract

The recent spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its associated coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has gripped the entire international community and has caused widespread public health concerns. Despite global efforts to control the disease transmission, the outbreak is still on a rise because of fast spreading of this infection by the community. Once in the human body, SARS-CoV-2 is abundantly present in nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions of affected patients, as it is predominantly transmitted through respiratory droplets and direct contact. Therefore, dental professionals may easily encounter a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2, and need to work with tremendous caution, preventing spreading of infection. Thus, the aim of this article was to provide a brief overview of epidemiology, symptoms, and routes of transmission of this novel infection. In addition, we present specific recommendations of the Polish Dental Association for dental practice for screening of patients, infection control strategies, and patient management protocol.

Periodontitis is inextricably linked to oxidative-reductive (redox) imbalance. However, little is still known about the resultant ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid in patients with periodontitis. The multitude of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and their synergistic effects cause an interest in the evaluation of the total antioxidative capacity. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the total oxidative and antioxidative activity of gingival crevicular fluid and saliva in the periodontitis, as well as to relate these biomarkers to clinical indices of periodontopathy. Additionally, by calculating the oxidative stress index (OSI), the intensity of redox disturbances was also evaluated. Fifty-eight periodontitis patients were included in the study and divided into two subgroups depending on the severity of the disease. In the non-stimulated/stimulated saliva as well as a gingival crevicular fluid of the study group, we found significantly higher OSI and total oxidant status (TOS) as well as lower total antioxidant capacity (TAC). However, the ability to reduce iron ions (FRAP) was significantly lower only in stimulated and non-stimulated saliva of patients with periodontitis. The examined parameters correlated with the periodontium’s clinical condition, which indicates the exacerbation of the inflammatory process. However, TAC, TOS, OSI, and FRAP did not differentiate individual stages of periodontitis.

Background: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to steroid therapy in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP). Due to the lack of commercially available drug carriers, innovative proprietary solutions were used for both the photosensitiser and the steroid carrier—in the first case to shorten and in the second to extend the contact of the active substance with the mucosa. Methods: A prospective, randomised, single-blind, 12-week full contralateral split-mouth clinical trial of 30 patients with bilateral oral lichen planus was conducted. The prepared matrices were incorporated with active substances methylene blue 5% and 0,05% triamcinolone. The size of lesions, Thongprasom, ABISIS, and VAS scale were evaluated. Results: Relatively high rates of complete remission of lichen were demonstrated: immediately after treatment, 33.3% with PDT and 22.2% with triamcinolone (TA), and after 3 months, 54.2% with PDT and 62.9% with TA. After 3 months of treatment, a reduction in the area of evaluated lesions of 52.7% for PDT and 41.7% for TA was achieved. Conclusion: In situations of topical or general contraindications to oral corticosteroids, resistance to them, or the need for repeated treatment in a short period of time, PDT appears to be a very promising treatment option.

No abstract

Diagnosis of periodontopathy is complex and includes defining the cause, type, stage, and grade of periodontitis. Therefore, alternative diagnostic methods are sought to indicate the progression of inflammation or to determine the effectiveness of therapy. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) biomarkers can be particularly useful because they most likely reflect the disease process of the periodontal tissues. However, the difficulty of collecting GCF for testing is the reason for the limited use in diagnostics. Because periodontitis is the primary source of nitrogen free radicals in the oral cavity, the aim of the study was to evaluate the biomarkers of nitrosative stress (nitric oxide, peroxynitrite, and S-nitrosothiols) in GCF, non-stimulated and stimulated saliva of 90 patients with periodontitis. The study group was divided into two subgroups, depending on the stage of the disease severity. We showed a significantly higher concentration of all assessed biomarkers in the non-stimulated and stimulated saliva of patients with periodontitis. However, significant changes in GCF has been shown only for peroxynitrite. The studied biomarkers did not correlate with clinical periodontal status, which probably results from their short-duration activity and the impact on a few factors in the oral cavity. Saliva and gingival fluid are not very useful in the differential diagnosis of periodontitis.

Background Two clinical parameters, the gingival thickness (GT) and the width of keratinized tissue (WKT), describe the gingival phenotype, which is defined as the 3-dimensional volume of the gingiva. The periodontal phenotype additionally includes the thickness of the labial plate of the alveolar crest (TLPAC). Material/Methods Thirty patients with healthy periodontium on the upper canines and incisors underwent measurements for crestal, supracrestal, free gingival thickness (FGT), the alveolar crest-gingival margin (AC-GM), alveolar crest-cementoenamel junction distance, and the TLPAC at 2, 4, and 8 mm apically from the edge of the alveolar crest using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with computer-aided design and prosthetic-driven implant planning technology. For each tooth, the gingival and periodontal phenotype was evaluated on the basis of the gingival thickness, width of keratinized tissue (WKT), and TLPAC measurements. Each patient’s periodontal phenotype was evaluated according to the coronal width/length ratio of both the upper central incisors. Results The dentogingival units had varying average values for the 3 periodontal phenotypes (thin phenotype: FGT 0.65±0.06 mm, WKT 4.85±1.18 mm, AC-GM 3.17±0.64 mm, TLPAC2 0.66±0.28 mm; medium phenotype: FGT 0.87±0.07 mm, WKT 5.49±1.23 mm, AC-GM 3.36±0.65 mm, TLPAC2 0.76±0.37 mm; and thick phenotype: FGT 1.20 mm, WKT 6.00 mm, AC-GM 3.90 mm, TLPAC2 0.90 mm). Positive correlations were seen among WKT, FGT, AC-GM, and TLPAC2. Conclusions Positive correlations between the FGT and WKT, and the AC-GM distance confirm that measurements using CBCT with computer-aided design and prosthetic-driven implant planning technology can evaluate the gingival phenotype and TLPAC2 for the periodontal phenotype.