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Background: It is important to adhere to infection control measures in dental procedures due to direct contact with blood and saliva. During the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, regular surveillance is imperative to ensure adherence to the standards. This study aimed to assess the level of adherence to infection control guidelines in specialized dental clinics in different working shifts. Materials and Methods: This study was assessed the level of adherence of 45 selected dental departments to three main guidelines released by (I) the Center for Disease Control (CDC), (II) Ministry of Health (MOH), and (III) armed forces organization (AFO) in three different working shift. The CDC checklist had eight domains. Thus, the items of each domain were individually scored, and considering the weighting coefficient of each item, the total score was calculated. The same procedure was carried out for the two remaining guidelines. Possible effect of working shifts and different specialties on infection control practice was also calculated. Results: The mean rate of adherence was 70.7% to the CDC, 93.8% to the MOH and 84.4% to the AFO guidelines indicating that adherence to the CDC guidelines was lower than the other two domestic guidelines. Individual assessment of each item revealed that hand hygiene (39%) and safe handling and disposal of sharp instruments (46%) acquired the lowest, and sterilization (79%) and safe injection (97%) acquired the highest score according to the CDC checklist. There was no relationship between working shifts and dental specialties regarding the adherence to infection control standards. Conclusion: Dental clinics had different performances regarding infection control guidelines. Further emphasis should be placed on hand hygiene and disposal of sharp instruments.

One of the most common causes of pneumonia is Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). As with other microbial pathogens, this bacterium tends to develop resistance to various antibiotics. Amikacin and erythromycin, which are from the aminoglycoside and macrolide antibiotic families, are used to treat respiratory infections caused by P. aeruginosa.This study explored whether amikacin, erythromycin or a combination of both works better against P. aeruginosa acute lung infection.For this study, 32 rats were used. The trachea of rats was exposed aseptically and their lung was infected with P. aeruginosa through trachea. Then, according to the group, they received amikacin, erythromycin or a combination of both for 1 week. Finally, they were euthanised on the 3rd and 7th days post-infection. The macroscopic and microscopic evaluations of the lungs, kidney and liver were performed. The right lung was collected for in vivo bacteriological analysis.The amikacin group (A group) had a statistically significantly lower macroscopic and microscopic scores than the other groups (p0.05). In vivo bacteriological test revealed that the A group had significantly lower lung bacterial load (p0.05).In summary, it was concluded that amikacin could help alleviate the respiratory infection caused by P. aeruginosa solely, and it was more effective than erythromycin.

Introduction: Bacteria almost exclusively cause caries and other oral and dental diseases. This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of the alcoholic extract of Citrullus colocynthis on bacteria and fungi common in oral bacteria diseases. Method and materials: The ethanol extract and essential oil of Citrullus colocynthis were obtained via water distillation. After conducting phytochemical tests, including determination of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds of the extracts, GC-MASS test and microbial tests of the extracts were conducted on S. mutans, E. coli, S. salivarius, L. acidophilus, C. albicans, and S. aureus. The cytotoxicity test was assessed by MTT assay. Results: MIC and MBC values for S. mutans, S. salivalius, and L. acidophilus were 1.56 mg/ml and 3.12 mg/ml, respectively. Moreover, Citrullus colocynthis also has an inhibitory effect on bacteria and C. albicans at these concentrations, according to the DAD test. The survival rate of cells at concentrations of 5 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml was less than 50%, and at concentrations of 2.5 mg/ml and 1.25 mg/ml was less than 70% after 24 hours and 48 hours. Conclusion: According to the cytotoxicity results of this plant at concentrations of 1.56 mg/ml and 3.125 mg/ml, the ethanolic extract of C. colocynthis has inhibitory and lethal effects against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

Background and aim: A wide range of therapeutic properties, including anti-cancer properties, are attributed to propolis, a resinous product obtained from several plants that possess a variety of medicinal properties. A study on honeybee-produced propolis showed that in mice, it showed a significant reduction in the progression of squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck, but in humans, its role in HNSCC remains unclear. Method and materials: Propolis was sampled from two types of Iranian. Extraction was done using ethanolic extracts of propolis. The cll viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Cancer cell lines were assessed for gene expression, such as mmp-2, mmp-9, bax, and bcl-2. Results: Increased sample concentrations reduced cell viability but did not cause significant cytotoxicity. A RT-PCR indicated that the Khalkhal sample produced more effects among the two samples, and the level of bax mRNA gene expression in the Khalkhal sample was increased. With an increasing concentration of Khalkhal samples, the expression increased. Increasing Khalkhal sample concentration also reduced mRNA levels of bcl-2, mmp-2, and mmp-9. Conclusion: Khalkhal’s propolis can be considered a suitable sample for the study of antiapoptotic and proapoptotic gene expression. Additionally, it can be used as a potential candidate for inhibiting the proliferation and spread of oral cancer cells.

Multimicrobial infections caused by pathobionts are called dysbiotic multimicrobial illnesses. Commercial mouthwashes, such as chlorhexidine, have negative side effects that can prevent tooth decay and infection. The present study aimed to determine the antifungal, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity characteristics of the propolis extracts from different areas (Iran). The ethanolic extract of propolis was prepared. GC/MS carried out the characterization to determine the thymol, carvacrol, and menthol extracts, and also, total phenol and flavonoid were assed for all samples. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects were evaluated against S. mutans, S. mitis, S. salivarius, L. acidophilus, E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. The cytotoxic effect of extracts was measured on human fibroblast cells by MTT test. The MIC values in mg mL-1 were ranged as follows: S. salivarius (0.003 to 0.048), S. mutans (0.003 to 0.029), S. mitis (0.007 to 0.058), L. acidophilus (0.007 to 0.117), C. albicans (0.014 to 0.234), E. coli (0.007 to 0.058), and S. aureus (0.007 to 0.058), while MBC were, respectively, S. mutans (0.007 to 0.058), S. salivarius (0.007 to 0.117), S. mitis (0.007 to 0.117), L. acidophilus (0.014 to 0.234), C. albicans (0.029 to 0.468), E. coli (0.014 to 0.234), and S. aureus (0.007 to 0.117). Cariogenic bacteria and Candida albicans were demonstrated to be resistant to propolis extracts. Therefore, propolis extracts may make good mouthwashes.

Dental problems including cavities, periodontitis, apical periodontitis, and pulpitis are among the most cost-consuming burden for both patients and the health care system all over the world. The pathological consequences of these complications importantly lead to tooth loss causing functional and psychological conflictions for patients. The traditional treatment includes removing the impaired tooth or its restoration using hard restorative materials that are supposed to mimic the tissue of enamel or dentine whereas these materials cannot simulate the chemical, biological, or physical characteristics of a natural tooth. Therefore, different daily-progressing methods of tissue engineering (TE) are being propounded as new and promising approaches for managing dentistry conflicts. TE is now considered almost a practical, reproducible, and clinically safe therapy for regenerating different oral and dental tissues including either the whole dental organ or its various anatomical parts. TE necessarily constitutes three angles of stem cell (SC), scaffold, and essential growth factors (GFs). Generally, scaffolds can be made of decellularized scaffolds (usually containing the extra-cellular matrix (ECM) of target organs and tissues) or biologic scaffolds (containing natural polymer). The current study aims to review the studies conducted in the recent decade on decellularized and biological scaffolds and their potential applications in modern regenerative dentistry.

Tissue regeneration is a vital phenomenon in the skeletal system of human beings during their life span. The structure of bony architecture and teeth are highly dependent to this ongoing procedure to maintain their functional form. Regarding the fundamental function of our skeletal system, all the involved components are at constant risk for injuries and deformations throughout the life. Therefore, in modern medicine, promotion of bone and tooth regeneration has become a critical counter measure to correct these acquired defects. There are numerous ways to address the bone and tooth related erosive pathologies but utilization of natural compounds has gained immense popularity in recent years. These materials provide a broad spectrum of therapeutic agents with a variety of biological characteristics. In this review, a comprehensive exploration has been implemented to extract and categorize the relevant scientific evidence on this issue, based on the source of natural candidates and the potential clinical indications. Database searching presented a considerable data pool with more than 300 references in this field. According to the results, all the proposed items can be categorized in two major groups including scaffolding and osteogenesis (or dentinogenesis) induction. The clinical applicability of a number of them is properly demonstrated in clinical trials but for the rest, more examinations are required to reach a conclusive decision.

In modern dentistry, nanomaterials have strengthened their foothold among tissue engineering strategies for treating bone and dental defects due to a variety of reasons, including trauma and tumors. Besides their finest physiochemical features, the biomimetic characteristics of nanomaterials promote cell growth and stimulate tissue regeneration. The single units of these chemical substances are small-sized particles, usually between 1 to 100 nm, in an unbound state. This unbound state allows particles to constitute aggregates with one or more external dimensions and provide a high surface area. Nanomaterials have brought advances in regenerative dentistry from the laboratory to clinical practice. They are particularly used for creating novel biomimetic nanostructures for cell regeneration, targeted treatment, diagnostics, imaging, and the production of dental materials. In regenerative dentistry, nanostructured matrices and scaffolds help control cell differentiation better. Nanomaterials recapitulate the natural dental architecture and structure and form functional tissues better compared to the conventional autologous and allogenic tissues or alloplastic materials. The reason is that novel nanostructures provide an improved platform for supporting and regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. In restorative dentistry, nanomaterials are widely used in constructing nanocomposite resins, bonding agents, endodontic sealants, coating materials, and bioceramics. They are also used for making daily dental hygiene products such as mouth rinses. The present article classifies nanostructures and nanocarriers in addition to reviewing their design and applications for bone and dental regeneration.

Herbal and chemical products are used for oral care and biofilm treatment and also have been reported to be controversial in the massive trials conducted in this regard. The present review is aimed at evaluating the potential of relevant herbal and chemical products and comparing their outcomes to conventional oral care products and summarizing the current state of evidence of the antibiofilm properties of different products by evaluating studies from the past eleven years. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), essential oils (EOs), and acetylpyridinium chloride were, respectively, the most commonly studied agents in the included studies. As confirmed by all systematic reviews, CHX and EO significantly control the plaque formation and gingival indices. Fluoride is another interesting reagent in oral care products that has shown promising results of oral health improvement, but the evidence quality needs to be refined. The synergy between natural plants and chemical products should be targeted in the future to accede to the formation of new, efficient, and healthy anticaries strategies. Moreover, to discover their biofilm-interfering or biofilm-inhibiting activities, effective clinical trials are needed. In this review article, therapeutic applications of herbal/chemical materials in oral biofilm infections are discussed in recent years (2010-2022).

This study was conducted to evaluate the bone regeneration effects of collagen/strontium-doped Bioglass (BG-Sr) scaffolds. The present study comprised four parts including designing and fabricating scaffolds, characterization tests such as biodegradation, water uptake, porosity, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and SEM (Scanning electron microscope), in vitro tests such as MTT ((3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), alkaline phosphatase, calcium assay, Alizarin Red staining, and real-time PCR (Polymerase chain reaction), and ultimately in vivo and histopathological tests such as evaluating bone regeneration, mineralization with Hematoxylin-Eosin, Masson's trichrome and Alizarin Red staining, and histomorphometric studies 4, 8 and 12 weeks after implanting the scaffolds in the skull and femur of 36 rabbits. Significant reductions were observed in degradability, water absorption, and porosity in the BG-Sr samples. In vitro results showed that the synthetic scaffolds were less toxic, stimulated, and induced cell growth. The ALP (Alkaline phosphatase) activity was higher on day 14 than on day 7, and the highest calcium content was observed in the BG-Sr samples on day 14. In line with the SEM and MTT results, the DAPI (Diamidino-2-phenylindole) results confirmed cell proliferation. Moreover, osteocalcin and ALP gene expression were high in the BG-Sr group. The results of the histopathological tests showed high levels of bone formation in the BG-Sr scaffolds. As a scaffold in regenerative medicine, the BG-Sr composite can be an effective product for bone regeneration.

Synthetic scaffolds, as an alternative to allograft and xenograft scaffolds, are suitable for bone regeneration. This study aimed to synthesize a composite biomaterial of zeolite and beta-tricalcium phosphate (βTCP) to obtain a biocompatible material with physical and mechanical properties in bone regeneration. One scaffold without zeolite (βZG 0) and two scaffolds with different amounts of zeolite (βZG 1 and βZG 2) were synthesized. The scaffolds were evaluated by FTIR, XRD, compressive strength test, MTT assay, and radiographic and histological analyses. The XRD results confirmed the presence of βTCP and ZSM-5 phases in the composite scaffolds and also, indicated that the addition of gelatin decrease the crystallinity of composite scaffolds. FTIR revealed the gelatin, β-TCP and ZSM-5 functional groups in the composite structure. βZG 2 group had the maximum porosity among the scaffolds (74%) ranging in size from 61-600 µm. Compressive strength test showed that the Young’s modulus changed from 23 MPa to 59 MPa, and the zeolite nanostructure was the most influential factor responsible for this change. The MTT assay showed the superiority of βZG 2, and the macroscopic and microscopic results at 4, 8, and 12 weeks revealed the maximum bone regeneration and formation of bone trabeculae in the βZG 2 and βZG 1 groups, respectively. The zeolite scaffold showed the superior mechanical, radiographic and histological properties compared with the control and non-zeolite scaffold. βTCP/ Zeolite/ Gelatin scaffold can be an appropriate candidate for medical application in bone regeneration.

Reconstructive orthodontics is increasingly benefiting from regenerative medicine and tissue engineering strategies. The scaffolds used both in reconstruction or in the regeneration of dental/oral defects are mainly are from two sources of materials: biologic or organic. The biologic materials have been used for regeneration and functional reconstruction of defected or lost tissues. The 3D scaffold from organic materials, including; collagen and hyaluronic acid derivatives with macromolecular properties similar to natural ECM. Bone and dentine regeneration is a growing field of research in dentistry and envisions clinical promises by improving the outcomes for the treatment of craniofacial repair and replacement. This has been recently accelerated with innovative materials and bioactive molecules and growth factors using in vitro or in vivo bioreactors. Both scaffolds made from biologic and organic materials have been combined with adult stem cells with mesenchymal phenotype in a biomimicry approach to creating the more natural-like bone substitutes. This research critically reviewed the literature in the past ten years from databases (PubMed and NCBI). The review will provide an update on the impact of biologic and natural organic materials used or emerging clinically as a 3D scaffold for bone regeneration in orofacial bone defects.

Biotechnology is considered one of the most influential technologies in various areas of human life, including health, economics, and the environment. Protein engineering is one of the major biotechnology tools in the field of modification and advancement of biocatalysts capabilities. Among the most effective protein engineering methods, in particular, to improve the industrial strain capabilities, is the shuffling genome method. This study aimed to follow knowledge and biocatalysts engineering techniques based on DNA shuffling methods. In the first step, two procedures were followed (DES method and compatibility according to the concentration gradient of Diazinon) to obtain mutant strains. Acquired mutant strains from both methods were resistant to high concentrations of poison up to 3000 mg/L. The activity of these strains also demonstrated their elevated activity compared to parent samples. The highest activity was related to four strains IR1.G1, IR1.D8, IR1.D4, and IR1.D5, which were 0.234 U/ml, 0.1 U/ml, 0.098 U/ml, and 0.066 U/ml, respectively. The improved strain was obtained via the concentration gradient of the diazinon method (IRL1.G1 strain) in comparison with IRL1.D8 strain (owning highest activity through DES method) possesses excessive activity in 3000 mg/L concentration of Diazinon. The evaluated results of first-generation genome shuffling of strains (the first round of protoplast fusion) also indicated that those shuffled strains with the ability to grow in the vicinity of the toxin (3000 mg/L concentration of Diazinon) showed better activity than obtained mutated strains by both methods (concentration gradient of the toxin and the DES method). In the final stage, the best results were related to IRL1.F2, IRL1.F3, and IRL1.F1 shuffled strains with 0.541 mg/L, 0.523 mg/L, and 0.509 mg/L, respectively. The highest activity belonged to the IRL1.F2 genome shuffled strain (first round of protoplast fusion). This strain could grow in a high concentration of toxin, and also, the activity was increased 30, 3.6, and 2.3 times in comparison with the parent strain (IRL1), IRL.D8 mutant, and IRL1.G1, respectively.

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways in the lungs and is common in many countries. Studies have shown that vitamin D levels are associated with the onset and exacerbation of asthma symptoms. Given the role of vitamin D in regulating immune responses and the importance of the two major cytokines IL-4 (an inflammatory cytokine) and IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory cytokine) in immunological processes, in this study, the relationship between vitamin D intake and the level of expression of these ILs in asthmatic mice was investigated. In the case-control study performed in three groups of mice, 10 experimental asthma mice, 10 asthmatic vitamin D-treated mice, and 10 healthy mice as the control group were studied. For analyses, after RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, the expression level of two IL-4 and IL-10 genes was evaluated by real-time PCR. Finally, the results were analyzed by SPSS software. The results showed that in the control group, the expression level of IL-4 and IL-10 genes was 0.01 and 0.02, respectively. Accordingly, the expression level of the IL-4 gene in asthmatic mice and asthmatic mice treated with vitamin D was 0.6 and 0.2, respectively, while the expression level of the IL-10 in these groups was 1.2 and 2.8, respectively, which showed significant changes (p-value < 0.05) in treated mice compared to the asthmatic mice without treatment. Based on results, in asthmatic mice treated with vitamin D, a significant increase in IL-10 expression was observed (1.2 to 2.8), while IL-4 expression was decreased from 0.6 to 0.2. It appears that vitamin D supplementation in asthmatic patients by affecting T-cell maturation and increasing anti-inflammatory IL-10 and suppressing IL-4 may play a role in reducing the symptoms of asthma.

In this study, a novel Polycaprolactone suture assembled with Tadalafil was investigated to improve wound healing processes via vascular stimulation. Tadalafil/Polycaprolactone (TP) suture was developed by the electrospinning method. The designed suture was characterized by SEM, mechanical properties assessments, tensile strength measurements and the drug release study. For in vivo tests, rats were classified into two study groups. An incision was made on their back skin and they were sutured with TP suture and Polycaprolactone suture as control. Rats were sacrificed at 7 days following surgery for histopathological examinations with Hematoxylin and Eosin staining. Results of Tensile test demonstrated that the lowest tensile strength belonged to 3 and 4 % wt and the highest tensile strength belonged to 1 and 2 % wt of TP suture. The rate of Tadalafil release showed that the highest drug release was related to 3 and 4% wt which were about 125 to 210 μg during 15 days. The histopathology revealed that the number of blood vessels, collagen fibers, fibroblast, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and epithelization was remarkable in Tadalafil/Polycaprolactone group during 7-day. A novel Tadalafil/Polycaprolactone suture improved the processes of wound healing by releasing the Tadalafil drug around the sutured wound and can be used in medical applications.

Background: Oral mucositis and local pain are the negative effects of the treatment of head and neck cancer with radiotherapy. Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effect of ozonated water on the severity of mucositis and pain in (1) patients who were treated with ozonated water and (2) patients who were not treated with ozonated water. Methods: We randomly divided 93 patients with head and neck malignancy (aged 18 to 80) into three groups. Ozone-treated group 1 rinsed their mouth with 15 mL of ozonated water with a concentration of 20 - 50 ppm from the first session of radiotherapy for one minute before and after each session. Ozone-treated group 2 rinsed their mouth with 15 mL of ozonated water with a concentration of 20 - 50 ppm for three minutes and then swallowed it before and after each session. Ozone-treated groups 1 and 2 and the non-ozone-treated group received standard treatment if mucositis symptoms appeared in each patient. The minimum number of radiotherapy sessions was 30, and the minimum planned dose for each patient was 50 Gray. Anamnesis and the following clinical parameters were taken: the degree of mucositis, the use of corticosteroids, radiotherapy method, radiation dose, and Pain Visual Analog Scale. Multi-level and subgroup analyses were performed on the ozone-treated and non-ozone-treated levels. Results: The mean degrees of oral mucositis and pain were lower in the ozone-treated group 2 than in the ozone-treated group 1 and non-ozone-treated group (P < 0.05). The non-ozone-treated group had the highest degrees of oral mucositis and pain severity (P < 0.05). The Kruskal-Wallis H test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the Visual Analog Scale of sessions 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 between different groups. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the Visual Analog Scale of session 1 (χ2 (2) = 1.022, P = 0.6). This study revealed that ozonated water can be used for preemptive pain control and mucositis. This finding aligned with previous studies. Also, former research proved the safety and efficacy of ozonated water in dentistry and medical uses. Conclusions: The use of ozonated water in patients with head and neck malignancy can reduce the pain severity and oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy. It seems that ozonated water can be used as a preemptive agent in patients who receive head and neck radiotherapy.

Biomaterials applications have rapidly expanded into different fields of sciences. One of the important fields of using biomaterials is dentistry, which can facilitate implantation, surgery, and treatment of oral diseases such as peri-implantitis, periodontitis, and other dental problems. Drug delivery systems based on biocompatible materials play a vital role in the release of drugs into aim tissues of the oral cavity with minimum side effects. Therefore, scientists have studied various delivery systems to improve the efficacy and acceptability of therapeutic approaches in dental problems and oral diseases. Also, biomaterials could be utilized as carriers in biocompatible drug delivery systems. For instance, natural polymeric substances, such as gelatin, chitosan, calcium phosphate, alginate, and xanthan gum are used to prepare different forms of delivery systems. In addition, some alloys are conducted in drug complexes for the better in transportation. Delivery systems based on biomaterials are provided with different strategies, although individual biomaterial has advantages and disadvantages which have a significant influence on transportation of complex such as solubility in physiological environments or distribution in tissues. Biomaterials have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and prolonged time contact and even enhance antibiotic activities in oral infections. Moreover, these biomaterials are commonly prepared in some forms such as particulate complex, fibers, microspheres, gels, hydrogels, and injectable systems. In this review, we examined the application of biocompatible materials in drug delivery systems of oral and dental diseases or problems.

The heavy casualties associated with mass disasters necessitate substantial resources to be managed. The unexpectedly violent nature of such occurrences usually remains a problematic amount of victims that urgently require to be identified by a reliable and economical method. Conventional identification methods are inefficient in many cases such as plane crashes and fire accidents that have damaged the macrobiometric features such as fingerprints or faces. An appropriate recognition method for such cases should use features more resistant to destruction. Forensic dentistry provides the most appropriate available method for the successful identification of victims using careful techniques and precise data interpretation. Since bones and teeth are the most persistent parts of the demolished bodies in sudden mass disasters, scanning and radiographs are unrepeatable parts of forensic dentistry. Forensic dentistry as a scientific method of human remain identification has been considerably referred to be efficient in disasters. Forensic dentistry can be used for either “sex and age estimation,” “Medical biotechnology techniques,” or “identification with dental records,” etc. The present review is aimed at discussing the development and implementation of forensic dentistry methods for human identification. For this object, the literature from the last decade has been searched for the innovations in forensic dentistry for human identification based on the PubMed database.

One of the most important occupational stresses that dentists encounter in their profession is patients’ lawsuits. The present study aimed to evaluate common procedural errors that lead to lawsuits in dentistry. In the present cross-sectional study, all the patient files of three large dental clinics in Tehran were evaluated from 2014 to 2019, in which a dentist’s negligence had been confirmed by the specialty dental committee. Files with incomplete clinical data, without the dentist’s name, and the type of the lawsuit were excludeda and Finally, 107 lawsuit files were confirmed and entered the study. After extraction of the data from the existing files and completing the relevant checklist, data were analyzed with SPSS 23. Most lawsuits were of the therapeutic type (88 cases, 82%), with 34 cases (31.9%) , 26 cases (24.2%) and 19 cases (17.6%) related to prosthodontics, endodontics, and surgery, respectively. Most plaintiffs were 30–49 years of age (56 cases ,52%), and most were women (70 cases, 65%). Over half of the lawsuits had been filed against dentists with a job experience of

Dental plaque is a biofilm composed of complex microbial communities. It is the main cause of major dental diseases such as caries and periodontal diseases. In a healthy state, there is a delicate balance between the dental biofilm and host tissues. Nevertheless, due to the oral cavity changes, this biofilm can become pathogenic. The pathogenic biofilm shifts the balance from demineralization-remineralization to demineralization and results in dental caries. Dentists should consider caries as a result of biological processes of dental plaque and seek treatments for the etiologic factors, not merely look for the treatment of the outcome caused by biofilm, i.e., dental caries. Caries prevention strategies can be classified into three groups based on the role and responsibility of the individuals doing them: (1) community-based strategy, (2) dental professionals-based strategy, and (3) individual-based strategy. The community-based methods include fluoridation of water, salt, and milk. The dental professionals-based methods include professional tooth cleaning and use of varnish, fluoride gel and foam, fissure sealant, and antimicrobial agents. The individual-based (self-care) methods include the use of fluoride toothpaste, fluoride supplements, fluoride mouthwashes, fluoride gels, chlorhexidine gels and mouthwashes, slow-release fluoride devices, oral hygiene, diet control, and noncariogenic sweeteners such as xylitol. This study aimed to study the research in the recent five years (2015–2020) to identify the characteristics of dental biofilm and its role in dental caries and explore the employed approaches to prevent the related infections.

Human oral cavity (mouth) hosts a complex microbiome consisting of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and viruses. These bacteria are responsible for two common diseases of the human mouth including periodontal (gum) and dental caries (tooth decay). Dental caries is caused by plaques, which are a community of microorganisms in biofilm format. Genetic and peripheral factors lead to variations in the oral microbiome. It has known that, in commensalism and coexistence between microorganisms and the host, homeostasis in the oral microbiome is preserved. Nonetheless, under some conditions, a parasitic relationship dominates the existing situation and the rise of cariogenic microorganisms results in dental caries. Utilizing advanced molecular biology techniques, new cariogenic microorganisms species have been discovered. The oral microbiome of each person is quite distinct. Consequently, commonly taken measures for disease prevention cannot be exactly the same for other individuals. The chance for developing tooth decay in individuals is dependent on factors such as immune system and oral microbiome which itself is affected by the environmental and genetic determinants. Early detection of dental caries, assessment of risk factors and designing personalized measure let dentists control the disease and obtain desired results. It is necessary for a dentist to consider dental caries as a result of a biological process to be targeted than treating the consequences of decay cavities. In this research, we critically review the literature and discuss the role of microbial biofilms in dental caries.

Background. Dental caries is known as a multimicrobial disease. Caries are very prevalent in numerous countries, and the incidence is higher in underdeveloped countries than in developed countries. Dental caries is a major public health problem, and it is the most prevalent health problem across the world, affecting 2.4 billion people. Natural mouthwashes can be beneficial in the prevention of dental caries and oral infections without the side effects of synthetic mouthwashes. Aim. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxicity properties of sea salt from different areas of Iran. Methods and Materials. Sea salts from different areas (Urmia, Qom, and Jarquyeh) of Iran were collected. In order to define the elemental and mineralogical features of different salt samples, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was employed. Different concentrations (0.19–50 mg/mL) of sea salt were used in the antimicrobial and antibiofilm tests. The antimicrobial (MIC, MBC, MFC, and DAD tests) and antibiofilm (formation and degradation tests) effects were evaluated against L. acidophilus, S. aureus, E. coli, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. salivarius, and C. albicans. The cytotoxic effect of salts was evaluated on human gingival fibroblasts by the MTT test. Results. The range of MIC values in mg ml−1 was as follows: S. salivarius (50), S. mutans (50), S. mitis (50), L. acidophilus (12.5 to >50), C. albicans (50), E. coli (12.5 to 25), and S. aureus (12.5 to 25), while MBC values were, S. mutans (>50), S. salivarius (>50), S. mitis (>50), L. acidophilus (50 to >50), C. albicans (>50), E. coli (50), and S. aureus (50). MTT results showed that more than 50% of cell viability depends on decreasing the salt concentration (

Periodontitis and tooth decay are common dental diseases. There are some bacterial risk factors such as Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Candida albicans complications, tubers of Cyperus rotundus was used to determine the antimicrobial effect of fungi. Considering the increasing resistance of bacteria and fungi to antibiotics and their alcoholic and aqueous extracts and essential oil on Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Candida albicans, as well as an examination cytotoxicity on gingival fibroblast cells. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts and essential oil prepared from tubers of Cyperus rotundus. After bacterial and fungal cultures, the inhibition zone, Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), were studied. Cytotoxicity was also evaluated using the Methyl tetrazolium test (MTT).The results showed that Cyperus rotundus alcoholic extract had the greatest effect on inhibition of growth and death of Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. According to the present study, Cyperus rotundus extract can be considered as a suitable candidate for the treatment and prevention of periodontitis and tooth decay.

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a substantial global concern. Approved AChE inhibitors have been used for symptomatic treatment of AD. Binding of amyloid β (Aβ) to the peripheral anionic site of AChE facilitates the formation of Aβ plaques. Blocking this proposed protein–protein interaction by inhibition of the peripheral anionic site of AChE, in addition to increasing the level of ACh, reduces the Aβ aggregation and might qualify to slow down the progression of disease besides the palliative treatment. Targeting protein–protein interactions consider as one of the most challenging issues in the realm of drug design in which peptides have potentials to excel in. In the present study, we applied two virtual fragment-based and template-based approaches to design peptidic inhibitors of the PAS of AChE. Based on the in silico studies, high scored peptides p2 (WTWYGYWVW) and p10 (NHRMLTRRY) obtained from fragment-based and template-based design respectively. Regarding in vitro results, p2 (IC50 = 16 ± 3.2 μM) and p10 (IC50 = 23.6 ± 4.9 μM) showed significant AChE inhibitory effects. The molecular mechanism of inhibition studied by Lineweaver-Burk plots was mixed inhibition for both peptides. The in vitro results conformed to the in silico results and showed that both peptides occupied the CAS and PAS of AChE. The comparison of two peptide-design approaches revealed that the fragment-based design had more chemical diversity and showed priority to the template-based design. According to the obtained results, peptidic inhibitors of AChE designed by the proposed fragment-based approach might be more efficient in comparison to traditional approaches.

Since the time that human population comprehended the importance of general health maintenance and the burden of disease, there has been a search for healing properties in the natural environment. Herbal medicine is the use of plants with medical properties for prevention and treatment of conditions that can affect general health. Recently, a growing interest has been observed toward the use of traditional herbal medicine alongside synthetic modern drugs. Around 80% of the population, especially in developing countries relies on it for healthcare. Oral healthcare is considered a major part of general health. According to the world health organization (WHO), oral health is considered an important part of general health and quality of life. The utilization of natural medications for the management of pathologic oro-dental conditions can be a logical alternative to pharmaceutical methods due to their availability, low costs, and lower side effects. The current literature review aimed at exploration of the variety and extent of herbal products application in oral health maintenance including different fields of oral healthcare such as dental caries, periodontal maintenance, microbial infections, oral cancers, and inflammatory conditions.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) constitute 5% of all reported cancers. Among all, the oral cavity cancer is the most frequent type of HNC which accounts for over half of HNC cases. Mouth cancer ranks the sixth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Generally, conventional chemotherapy has shown success at decreasing relapse and metastasis rates and improves the overall prognosis. Recently, target therapy and targeted drug delivery systems have been introduced as promising treatments. The elimination of efficiency of current therapeutic strategies due to the spared cancer stem cells that cause chemotherapy resistance, relapse and metastasis. Inefficiency methodologies in the elimination of all cancer cells in the body are a major problem that remained to be resolved before to confront the new cancer therapies. Many studies imply to cancer stem cell markers as important agents for targeted anti-cancer as well as improving chemotherapy efficiencies. The potentials of targeted cancer therapy led us to search for novel markers in the mouth cancer stem cells especially in rare cancers. The aimed of this research was, first a comprehensive critical review of the previous studies on the markers of cancer stem cells in oral cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma, salivary gland cancers, and to highlight the most common cancer stem cell markers which have potential to be exploited as indicators for the preneoplastic lesion malignancy, oral cancer progression, and/or treatment prognosis.