This study aimed to determine the effect of green tea mouthwash on oral malodor, plaque, and gingival inflammation. Gingivitis subjects who had over 80 parts per billion of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) in the morning breath were randomly assigned into green tea or placebo mouthwash group. At baseline, VSC, Plaque Index (PI) and Papillary Bleeding Index (PBI) were recorded. Participants were rinsed with the assigned mouthwash, and VSC level was remeasured at 30 minutes and 3 hours postrinsing. For the following 4 weeks, participants were asked to rinse with the assigned mouthwash twice daily. VSC, PI and PBI were remeasured at day 28. It was found that, at 30 minutes and 3 hours postrinsing, VSC was reduced by 36.76% and 33.18% in the green tea group and 19.83% and 9.17% in the placebo group, respectively. At day 28, VSC was reduced by 38.61% in the green tea group and 10.86% in the placebo group. VSC level in the green tea group was significantly different when compared to the placebo. PI and PBI were significantly reduced in both groups. However, no significant difference was found between groups. In conclusion, green tea mouthwash could significantly reduce VSC level in gingivitis subjects after rinsing for 4 weeks.

Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) is the predominant water channel protein in human keratinocytes and acts as an inflammatory mediator in some lesions. A chronic, inflammatory process of periodontitis is related with a dramatic change of surrounding fluid homeostasis to plasma extravasation. The exact pattern of aquaporin (AQP) water channel expression and its mechanism in periodontal disease is still unknown. We describe herein an up-regulated AQP3 expression in the epithelial lesion with chronic periodontitis and its functional role. The levels of AQP3 expression in inflamed gingival epithelial tissues were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects. Consistent with these results, AQP3 expression (i.e., levels of mRNA and protein) in cultured rat primary gingival epithelial cells and the human gingival epithelial cell line Ca9-22 were strongly increased in response to TNF-alpha treatment through the 55 kDa TNF-alpha receptor (TNFR I). In this context, small interfering RNA- (siRNA)-mediated "aqp-3 gene silencing," which could reduce AQP3 expression by more than 65%, significantly attenuated selected proinflammatory events of ICAM-1 expression induced by TNF-alpha in Ca9-22. A sixfold increase in leukocyte adherence to TNF-alpha-stimulated epithelial cells was demonstrated by an adherence assay (P < 0.001) and pretreatment with AQP3 siRNA and anti-ICAM-1 antibody reduced leukocyte retention by 85% (P < 0.001). Our study indicates for the first time a novel important mode in the regulation of the inflammatory response through TNF-alpha/TNFR I ligation at the site of epithelial lesions by specialized membrane channel AQP3 and ICAM-1 protein, which is closely implicated in the development of periodontitis mechanisms.

MU-IRB 2008/153.0511, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00918060).

Objectives:This is an in vitro study to develop a formulation of a hypochlorite solution for root canal irrigation that lacks a chlorinated odor. The antibacterial effect, tissue dissolution efficacy, and the cytotoxicity of the solution were assessed in cell culture and were compared with those of commercial sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solutions.Materials and Methods:Trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCA) was used as the source of hypochlorite ions in solution. All required properties of the NaOCl irrigant were evaluated and compared with those of original 2.5% NaOCl solutions currently in use.Results:Our results revealed that a TCA 3.5% + 1/6 Buffer-1 solution passed the short-term stability test. Moreover, no odor of chlorine gas was detected by three independent observers. The hypochlorite ion content and pH were stable over an incubation period of 4 weeks. The new solution did not differ from commercial products in terms of the dissolution property on bovine pulpal tissue (P > 0.05). Moreover, the antibacterial effect of this solution on Enterococcus faecalis did not differ from that of the commercial products (P > 0.05). In addition, our biocompatibility analysis demonstrated no difference among the tested solutions (P > 0.05).Conclusions:According to the results of all properties tested, TCA 3.5% + 1/6 Buffer-1 could be considered an option for NaOCl irrigation with the benefit of no detectable chlorine odor.