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Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a master regulator and is required for the effective coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis supporting both skeletal development and postnatal bone repair. A direct role for VEGF in intramembranous-derived osteoblast growth and differentiation is not clear. We investigated the expression of primary alveolar osteoblast VEGF receptors and the subsequent effects on mineralization and nodule formation in vitro following VEGFR inhibition.Methods: Primary human alveolar osteoblasts (HAOBs) were cultured in the presence of VEGF receptor inhibitors, exogenous VEGF or the bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid. VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 mRNA expression and nodule formation following 21 days of culture. VEGFR1 protein expression was examined using immunofluorescence after 48 h.Results: The HAOBs expressed high levels of VEGF and VEGFR1 protein but VEGFR2 was not detected. The VEGFR1/2 inhibitors, ZM306416 and KRN633, lead to a dose-dependent decrease in mineralization. Treatment with zoledronic acid showed no difference in HAOB VEGF receptor expression.Conclusion: VEGF/VEGFR1 pathway appears to be important for intramembranous-derived osteoblast differentiation and maturation in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental education is a unique form of health professional education. This is because the clinical training component largely occurs within the dental school and involves students carrying out irreversible patient interventions early in their education. Perhaps not surprisingly, previous research indicates that dental education (and particularly the clinical component) is stressful for many students. In their responses to an annual clinical learning environment survey, final-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students at the University of Otago have suggested that teaching staff play a key role in mitigating or compounding stressors associated with students' clinical work. In 2007-2009 questionnaire responses, students identified the kinds of staff feedback which they found constructive or unhelpful while working in patient clinic settings, described their responses to feedback received, and identified ways in which students' clinical learning experiences might be improved. This paper outlines 2007-2009 University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry clinical learning environment survey findings, and relates these to the literature on effective teaching and clinical teaching. It then describes programmatic changes and research initiatives developed in response to student feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries and periodontal disease are the most common oral conditions experienced by adults today. The treatment of these diseases by the dental team can only be performed when patients attend dental practices. There is recognition that the preventive measures patients perform at home between dental visits is of vital importance in the control of these diseases. Water fluoridation and fluoridated toothpastes have made enormous progress into the prevention of dental caries worldwide. However, prevention of periodontal disease is yet to enjoy the same success. A number of toothpastes have been developed for the prevention and control of periodontal disease. One such toothpaste - containing triclosan/copolymer - has been thoroughly researched. The literature pertaining to the efficacy, mode of action and safety of triclosan/copolymer toothpaste has been reviewed. A MEDLINE search identified 198 articles dated from 1989 to 2008. The findings of this body of research are discussed and conclusions regarding the efficacy of triclosan/copolymer toothpaste in the home-care management of periodontal disease are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity is known to regulate the immune response. The present study was carried out to determine the effect ofl- N6-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine (l-nil), an iNOS inhibitor, on the induction of immune response to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide in mice. Material and Methods: BALB/c mice were sham-immunized (group I), immunized with A. actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide (group II) or treated withl-nil and immunized with A. actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide (group III). All animals were then challenged with viable A. actinomycetemcomitans. The levels of serum nitric oxide (NO), specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) isotypes and both interferon-[gamma] and interleukin-4, as well as spleen cell-derived iNOS activity, before and after bacterial challenge, were assessed. The diameter of skin lesions was also determined. Serum and spleen cells from the above groups were adoptively transferred to the recipients that were then subsequently challenged with live bacteria. Results: Treatment withl-nil suppressed serum NO and splenic iNOS activity, but enhanced serum-specific IgG2a antibody and interferon-[gamma] levels. The lesions inl-nil-treated mice healed much more rapidly. Transfer with serum and cells froml-nil-treated and A. actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide-immunized donors resulted in rapid healing of the lesions in the recipients. Conclusion: It is suggested that treatment withl-NIL in mice immunized with A. actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide may shift the immune response towards a protective T helper 1-like immunity against A. actinomycetemcomitans-induced infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant associations between atherosclerosis and both Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontopathogen, and the respiratory pathogen, Chlamydia pneumoniae, have been shown. Many individuals with evidence of atherosclerosis demonstrate seropositivity to these pathogens. The aim of the present study was to examine the atherogenic effect of repeated immunizations with either or both of these agents, and to determine if molecular mimicry of bacterial heat-shock protein (HSP), termed GroEL, and host (h) HSP60 was involved. Atherogenesis was examined in apolipoprotein-E-deficient (-/-) mice following intraperitoneal immunizations with P. gingivalis, C. pneumoniae, P. gingivalis, and C. pneumoniae or vehicle. Lesion area in the proximal aorta and levels of serum antibodies to P. gingivalis, C. pneumoniae, and GroEL were measured. The increased pathogen burden of P. gingivalis, but not of C. pneumoniae, enhanced atherosclerosis. hHSP60 was detected in lesions, and in P. gingivalis-immunized mice, lesion development was correlated with anti-GroEL antibody levels, supporting the involvement of molecular mimicry between GroEL and hHSP60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The present study describes the natural history of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia over a 5-year period and the effect of a triclosan/copolymer dentifrice on these organisms in a normal adult population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Subgingival plaque samples were collected from 504 adult volunteers. Probing pocket depths (PPD) and relative attachment levels were measured using an automated probe. Participants were matched for disease status (CPI), plaque index, age and gender, and allocated to receive either a triclosan/copolymer or placebo dentifrice. Re-examination and subgingival plaque sampling was repeated after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years. P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. intermedia were detected and quantitated using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression and generalised linear modelling were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: This 5-year longitudinal study showed considerable volatility in acquisition and loss (below the level of detection) of all three organisms in this population. Relatively few subjects had these organisms on multiple occasions. While P. gingivalis was related to loss of attachment and to PPD >/=3.5 mm, there was no relationship between A. actinomycetemcomitans or P. intermedia and disease progression over the 5 years of the study. Smokers with P. gingivalis had more PPD >/=3.5 mm than smokers without this organism. There was no significant effect of the triclosan dentifrice on P. gingivalis or A. actinomycetemcomitans. Subjects using triclosan were more likely to have P. intermedia than those not using the dentifrice; however this did not translate into these subjects having higher levels of P. intermedia and its presence was uniform showing no signs of increasing over the course of the study. CONCLUSION: The present 5-year longitudinal study has shown the transient nature of colonisation with P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. intermedia in a normal adult population. The use of a triclosan-containing dentifrice did not lead to an overgrowth of these organisms. The clinical effect of the dentifrice would appear to be independent of its antimicrobial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of unsupervised, long-term use of a 0.3% triclosan/2% copolymer dentifrice on the progression of periodontal disease in a general adult population. METHODS: Five hundred and four volunteers were enrolled in a double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Participants were matched for disease status, plaque index, age and gender. At the baseline examination, probing pocket depths and relative attachment levels were recorded and participants were assigned to either the test or control group. Re-examinations took place after 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. Subgingival plaque samples were collected at each examination and assayed for Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia. A generalised linear model was used to analyse the data, with a number of covariates thought to influence the responses included as the possible confounding effects. RESULTS: The triclosan/copolymer dentifrice had a significant effect in subjects with interproximal probing depths > or =3.5 mm, where it significantly reduced the number of sites with probing depths > or =3.5 mm at the following examination, when compared with the control group (p<0.001). Furthermore, this effect increased with increasing numbers of affected sites. There was no effect of the triclosan/copolymer dentifrice in individuals without probing depths > or =3.5 mm at the previous examination. Other factors significantly affecting probing pocket depths (PPD) included increasing age, smoking and presence of P. gingivalis. PPD > or =3.5 mm were positively associated with loss of attachment some 2 years later. CONCLUSION: This study showed that in a normal adult population, unsupervised use of a triclosan/copolymer dentifrice is effective in slowing the progression of periodontal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of field emission scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectrography (SEM-EDS) to identify silver solder 'tattoo.' STUDY DESIGN: SEM-EDS was used to analyze material present in the connective tissue of a patient who presented with bilateral pigmentation of the mandibular lingual gingiva adjacent to the first molars. No dental restorations were present. RESULTS: SEM-EDS analysis identified silver, with no evidence of tin, copper, or mercury. The patient was wearing an orthodontic appliance where brackets had been soldered to the archwire with silver solder. It is hypothesed that the solder underwent electrolytic corrosion with subsequent regrouping of silver ions in the submucosa leading to blue-gray discoloration. CONCLUSION: Spectrography proved to be a powerful diagnostic tool in identifying the metal within the oral mucosa. Attention is drawn to this newly described lesion, which should be included as a differential diagnosis for pigmented oral mucosal lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "The effect of infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis on atherogenesis in a murine model" by P. J. Ford, E. Gemmell, P. S. Bird, and G. J. Seymour is presented.

Background: Excess weight (EW), especially in women of childbearing age, those who are pregnant, as well as postpartum, is a problem worldwide. Fat accumulation deregulates the inflammatory response, contributing to the development of health problems, such as periodontitis. This study investigated the association between EW and periodontitis during pregnancy., Methods: A cross-sectional, multicenter study involved 1745 postpartum women in Brazil. Socioeconomic-demographic data, gestational history, lifestyle behavior, and general and oral health conditions were obtained. Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) was collected from medical records with EW being the exposure. Both tooth loss and clinical attachment level (CAL) were evaluated, and the presence of periodontitis was the outcome. Logistic regression, odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI), and quantile regression, beta coefficient and 95% CI, estimated the association between EW (BMI) and periodontitis and its combined effect with tooth loss ≥3, as dichotomous and continuous variables (CAL and tooth loss), with 5% significance level., Results: The EW was 27.7% prevalent and periodontitis was 11.7%. There was a positive association between EW and periodontitis: OR adjusted :1.39; 95% CI:1.01;1.92 and between EW and periodontitis combined with tooth loss ≥3: OR adjusted :1.73; 95% CI:1.36;2.20. The adjusted association between EW and periodontitis as continuous variables was also positive, showing that for each unit of increased BMI, there was an elevation in the mean CAL (p = 0.04) and tooth loss (p < 0.01), with statistical significance., Conclusions: There was a moderate association between EW and periodontitis during pregnancy, with an even greater association of pregnant women with EW presenting periodontitis combined with tooth loss., (© 2024 American Academy of Periodontology.)

Background: The treatment of leprosy reactions (LRs) involves thalidomide, corticosteroids, and other immunomodulatory medications. This study evaluated the effect of these treatments on the association between periodontitis and LRs, as well as factors associated with LRs., Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 283 individuals followed at a leprosy outpatient clinic in Brazil. The case group was comprised of 158 individuals presenting type 1 or type 2 LRs, and the control group of 125 leprosy individuals without reactions. A complete oral examination was performed to diagnose periodontitis, the independent variable. Antireaction medication used was collected from medical records, and participants were classified according to the use of prednisone and/or thalidomide, time of use, or non-use of medication. Socioeconomic-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle covariables were collected by interview. Unconditional logistic regression analysis by subgroups evaluated the effect of antireaction medication on the association between periodontitis and LRs, estimating the odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval (OR; 95% CI)., Results: A relationship between periodontitis and LRs was observed only in the subgroup using the association prednisone and thalidomide: OR adjusted  = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.11-0.95. Conversely, more severe periodontal clinical parameters were observed in cases versus controls. Several socioeconomic, health conditions, and lifestyle factors were associated with the presence of LRs., Conclusions: Although periodontal disease indicators were worse among the cases, the findings showed a negative relationship between periodontitis and LRs in individuals receiving associated prednisone and thalidomide. These medications appear to influence the inflammatory cascade between diseases, modifying and masking the manifestations of periodontitis., (© 2024 American Academy of Periodontology.)

Background: Dyslipidemia, a silent multifactorial condition, is characterized by changes in blood lipid levels, affecting all socioeconomic strata, increasing the risk for atherosclerotic diseases. This study investigated whether there is an association between dyslipidemia and the combined exposure of periodontitis plus the number of remaining teeth, gingival bleeding, or caries., Methods: A two-center cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1270 individuals, with a minimum age of 18 years. Socioeconomic and demographic data, health conditions, lifestyle parameters, and anthropometric, biochemical, and oral clinical examinations were performed. The exposures considered were the presence of periodontitis, dental caries, number of remaining teeth, and gingival bleeding. The outcome was dyslipidemia as defined by the Brazilian Guidelines on Dyslipidemia and Prevention of Atherosclerosis. The combined associations between periodontitis plus other oral health conditions and dyslipidemia were estimated using confounder-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR single , PR multiple , for single and multiple covariable adjustments) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), in a Poisson regression model with robust variance., Results: The occurrence of dyslipidemia was 70.1% and periodontitis was 84.1%. A positive association between periodontitis and dyslipidemia existed: PR single  = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.01-1.26. Combined exposure of periodontitis plus <11 remaining teeth (PR multiple  = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.05-1.43), as well as combined exposure of periodontitis plus ≥10% gingival bleeding and <11 remaining teeth (PR multiple  = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.03-1.44), represented greater probabilities of 23% and 22% of individuals having a diagnosis of dyslipidemia., Conclusion: Periodontitis combined with fewer than 11 teeth doubled the likelihood of being diagnosed with dyslipidemia., (© 2023 American Academy of Periodontology.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between salivary anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis IgA antibodies and the leprosy reaction. The levels of salivary anti - P. gingivalis IgA antibodies, together with salivary flow and pH were measured in individuals diagnosed with leprosy and associated with the development of the leprosy reaction. Saliva was collected from 202 individuals diagnosed with leprosy at a reference leprosy treatment center, 106 cases with the leprosy reaction and 96 controls without the leprosy reaction. Anti - P. gingivalis IgA was evaluated by indirect immunoenzyme assay. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the association between antibody levels and the leprosy reaction. There was a positive statistically significant association between the levels of anti - P. gingivalis IgA and the presence of the leprosy reaction, controlling for confounders: age, sex, level of education and alcoholic beverage consumption: OR ajusted : 2.55; IC 95%: 1.34-4.87. Individuals with leprosy who had high levels of salivary anti - P. gingivalis IgA had approximately twice as many chances of developing the leprosy reaction. The findings suggest a possible relationship between salivary anti - P. gingivalis IgA antibodies and the leprosy reaction., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The Interleukin (IL)-33 is important in several inflammatory diseases and its cellular receptor is the Interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1), also called suppression of tumorigenicity 2 ligand (ST2L). This study investigated associations between single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the IL33 gene and in the IL1RL1 (ST2) gene with periodontitis. Additionally, aimed to determine the role of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) relative amount in the subgingival biofilm in these associations. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 506 individuals that answered a structured questionnaire used to collect their health status, socioeconomic-demographic, and behavioral characteristics. Periodontal examination was performed to determine the presence and severity of periodontitis, and subgingival biofilm samples were collected to quantify the relative amount of Aa by real time polymerase chain reaction. Human genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood cells and SNV genotyping was performed. Logistic regression estimated the association measurements, odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (95%CI), between the IL33 and ST2 genes with periodontitis, and subgroup analyses assessed the relative amount of Aa in these associations. 23% of individuals had periodontitis. Adjusted measurements showed a statistically significant inverse association between two SNVs of the ST2; rs148548829 (C allele) and rs10206753 (G allele). These two alleles together with a third SNV, the rs11693204 (A allele), were inversely associated with moderate periodontitis. One SNV of the IL33 gene also showed a statistically significant inverse association with moderate periodontitis. Nine SNVs of the ST2 gene were inversely associated with the relative amount of Aa. In the high Aa subgroup, there was a direct association between 11 SNVs of the ST2 gene and moderate periodontitis and two SNVs of the ST2 gene and severe periodontitis, and eight SNVs of the ST2 gene and periodontitis. These exploratory findings of genetic variants in IL-33/ST2 axis support the concept that the different tissue responses among individuals with periodontitis may be modulated by the host's genetics, influencing the physiopathology of the disease., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Trindade et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) have been shown to be crucial in the pathogenesis and response to treatment in various cancers. However, such response has not been profiled in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most frequent form of cancer in the head and neck region. Cell lines derived from OSCC (SCC4, SCC15 and SCC25) and normal oral mucosa (OKF4, OKF6 and OKP7) were subjected to tunicamycin-induced ER stress (2.5 μg/mL for 24 h) after which the differential regulation of 84 key UPR/ER stress genes were assessed using Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression of the transcription factors SREBP1 and CREB3L3, and the activation of SREBP1, were examined using ELISA and a transcription factor assay. The expression of DDIT3 was immunohistochemically verified in OSCC tissue samples. SREBP1 and CREB3L3 were significantly up-regulated in OSCC with and without tunicamycin-induced ER stress. A significantly higher level of SREBP1 transcriptional activation was observed in OSCC. Apoptosis-associated genes (DDIT3, HTRA4 and HSPA1L) were also significantly up-regulated in OSCC upon ER stress induction. The findings demonstrated the involvement of UPR and ER stress in the pathogenesis of OSCC through the identification of apoptosis-associated genes (DDIT3, HSPA1L and HTRA4) and regulators of metabolism (SREBP1 and CREB3L3) as the key factors differentiating between normal and malignant oral keratinocytes., (Copyright © 2022 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Maternal hyperglycemia, periodontitis, and adverse gestational outcomes are important health problems. The present study investigated the hypothesis that periodontitis and the glycemic level of mothers may have opposing influences on birth weight (BW). This study evaluated the effect of high glycemic levels, albeit within the normal range, on the association between periodontitis and low birth weight (LBW)., Methods: A total of 732 women took part in this case-control study; 172 were mothers of children with LBW <2,500 g, and 560 were mothers of children with BW ≥2,500 g. The BW of newborns was obtained from medical records, and information on socioeconomic-demographic, lifestyle behavior were obtained through interviews. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were evaluated, and full-mouth periodontal examination was carried out within 7 days postpartum. Hierarchical and logistic regression analysis evaluated the effect of glycemic levels on the association between periodontitis and LBW by subgroups, estimating odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)., Results: In the group with HbA1c levels <5.6%, a statistically significant relationship existed between periodontitis and LBW. Using the Centre for Disease Control/American Academy of Periodontics criteria, the OR adjusted was 1.55; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.31; using the Gomes-Filho et al. criteria the OR adjusted was 1.91; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.45. In the group with higher HbA1c levels but still within the normal range (≥5.6% and <6.5%), the findings showed no association between periodontitis and LBW., Conclusion: Higher maternal glycemic levels within the normal range, inferior to those indicative of gestational diabetes, diabetes mellitus, or hyperglycemia, and periodontitis have opposing effects on BW, altering the association magnitude., (© 2021 American Academy of Periodontology.)

Objective: To investigate the association between the severity of periodontitis (exposure) and dyslipidemia (outcome)., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of users of public health services. Periodontitis was defined using the Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the American Academy of Periodontology criteria. Lipid evaluation used data on systemic biomarkers. Dyslipidemia diagnosis was based on the Guidelines of total cardiovascular risk of the World Health Organization. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured, and socioeconomic-demographic, lifestyle behavior factors, general and oral health conditions of the participants were collected. Hierarchical and logistic regression analyzes were used to determine the association between the exposures and the outcome. Odds Ratios, unadjusted and adjusted, and 95% confidence intervals were estimated., Results: Of 1,011 individuals examined, 75.17% had dyslipidemia, and 84.17% had periodontitis, 0.2% with mild, 48.56% moderate, and 35.41% severe disease. The association between periodontitis and dyslipidemia was maintained through hierarchical analysis and in the multiple regression modeling, showing that the occurrences of dyslipidemia in the group with periodontitis, and its moderate and severe levels, were, respectively, 14%, 30%, and 16% higher compared with those without periodontitis., Conclusions: The results showed a positive association between moderate and severe periodontitis and dyslipidemia., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to estimate the association of HIV-1 infection under highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on the clinical parameters of periodontitis., Materials and Methods: A total of 205 patients were divided in two groups: 74 HIV + and 131 HIV - . Periodontal probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and visible supragingival biofilm (VSB) were recorded. The association of HIV-1 infection with the presence of at least 3 sites with PPD ≥ 5 mm and/or CAL ≥ 4 mm in non-adjacent teeth was estimated using binary logistic regression models., Results: The variables HIV-1 infection (OR = 5.53, p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 2.45-13.64), age [range 35-50 years old (OR = 5.73, p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 2.49-13.20); > 50 years old (OR = 6.29, p = 0.002, 95% CI: 1.94-20.42)], and VSB (OR = 23.68, p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 8.07-69.53) showed a significant direct association with BOP outcome., Conclusions: HIV-1 infection under HAART did not have association with the presence of at least 3 sites with PPD ≥ 5 mm and/or CAL ≥ 4 mm. However, HIV patients on HAART had direct association of HIV-1 infection with BOP and an inverse association with PPD., Clinical Relevance: These results support that monitoring gingival bleeding associated with oral prophylaxis would be beneficial in the prevention and management of periodontitis in HIV-1 patients on HAART., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of a personalised oral health education program, in combination with routine dental treatment, on serum biomarkers of systemic disease compared to dental treatment alone in a population from a low-socioeconomic community with poor oral health., Methods: This secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial involved 295 participants (mean age, 45.4 ± 11 years) assigned to two groups. One group received dental treatment combined with the Oral Health Education Program (OHEPDT), while the second group (DT) received dental care without the Education Program. Serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and HbA1c levels were analysed at baseline and after 12 months. Changes in diet, smoking and alcohol consumption were also determined., Results: No intergroup differences were observed for the lipid profile and HbA1c levels. A reduction in the hsCRP levels at the 12-month follow-up was observed in the OHEPDT group, which was significantly different from the DT group (p = 0.01). Multivariate modelling indicated that baseline hsCRP levels (p = 0.000), baseline body mass index (p = 0.000), and higher consumption of vegetables (p = 0.021) predicted a reduction in hsCRP levels., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that personalised oral health education combined with routine dental treatment was associated with a significant reduction in hsCRP levels subsequent to dietary behavioural changes. These findings suggest that personalised oral health education in combined with routine dental treatment may have beneficial effects on general health., Clinical Significance: The strategy for developing an oral health program that involves education of the modifiable common risk factors for general health has beneficial effects and should be one of the priority components of these programs to improve oral and general health, particularly for at-risk communities., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

While periodontal disease is associated with many risk factors, socioeconomically disadvantaged communities experience the highest disease burden. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized oral health education program, in combination with routine dental treatment, in participants from a low socioeconomic community. We used a randomized, controlled, examiner-blinded clinical trial. A total of 579 participants (aged 18-60 years) were randomly grouped: the intervention group (n = 292) received a personalized oral health education program in combination with routine dental care and the control group (n = 287) received routine dental care. All participants were assessed for improvement in oral health care behaviors, dental plaque, and periodontal status at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. We found a significant drop ( p < 0.001) in the plaque indices, Periodontal Probing Depths (PPD) and Bleeding on Probing (BOP) between baseline and the 12-month follow-up for both groups. For BOP, the number of sites positive was significantly different between baseline and the 24-month follow-up ( p = 0.037). No differences were found between the two groups for any evaluated clinical outcome. The personalized oral health education program used in the current study did not appear to add significant improvement to clinical outcomes of periodontal health compared with routine restorative dental care per se.

Objective: To determine the association between the presence of periodontal pathogens and low birthweight., Methods: This observational and case-control study consisted of mothers of infants weighing <2,500g (Group A), and mothers of newborns weighing ≥2,500g (Group B), born at Hospital da Mulher in Feira de Santana (BA), Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire covering demographic data, gestational history and aspects related to general and oral health was employed postpartum. Following a complete periodontal examination, biofilm samples were collected at six sites in the mouth. The participants were further categorized in terms of presence or absence of periodontitis. Differences between the groups were determined using Pearson's χ 2 test, odds ratio, and confidence intervals were obtained using the Mantel-Haenszel test., Results: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia and Prevotella intermedia were detected by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 303 postpartum women were evaluated, 224 (73.9%) in Group B. Statistically significant differences between the groups were found for age, body mass index and history of previous low birthweight babies. Group A had a higher frequency of periodontitis (33.34%) than Group B (16.22%). P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were detected more frequently among women with periodontitis (74.19% and 88.70%, respectively)., Conclusion: In this population, there was no association between the presence of maternal periodontal pathogens and the occurrence of low birthweight infants.

Objective: This study estimated the association between stress and periodontitis., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 621 individuals. Information about individuals was obtained through a questionnaire. Stress was evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale. The diagnosis of periodontitis was based on a complete periodontal examination including clinical attachment level, probing depth, and bleeding on probing. Prevalence ratios (PR), crude and adjusted, and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated by Poisson regression analysis., Results: In the final sample, 48.47% (301) of the individuals were classified as having stress, of which, 23.92% (72) had the diagnosis of periodontitis. Association measurements between stress and probing depth ≥ 4 mm (PR adjusted  = 1.28, 95%CI [1.04 to 1.58]), stress and clinical attachment level ≥ 5 mm (PR adjusted  = 1.15, 95%CI [1.01 to 1.31]), and stress and periodontitis (PR adjusted  = 1.36, 95%CI [1.01 to 1.83]) showed that the frequency of these outcomes among those exposed to stress was 15-36% higher than those without the condition of stress, after adjustment for age, sex, schooling level, current smoking habit, pulmonary disease, and body mass index., Conclusions: The findings showed positive association between exposure to stress and the presence of periodontitis, reaffirming the need to prevent and control stress., Clinical Relevance: Although there are limitations in this study, the results showed that an association exists between stress and periodontitis, signaling the necessity of a multidisciplinary attention when considering the psychological status in the management of oral and general health conditions of the individual.

Background and Aim: This study compared the oral bacteriome between HIV-1-infected and non-HIV-1-infected Brazilian children/teenagers., Methods: Whole saliva, biofilm from the dorsal surface of the tongue and biofilm from supragingival and subgingival sites were collected from 27 HIV-1-infected and 30 non-HIV-1-infected individuals. Bacterial genomic DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology (Ion Torrent)., Results: In the supragingival biofilm, the phylum Firmicutes and genus Streptococcus sp. were more frequent in HIV-1-infected (95% and 78%, respectively) than in non-HIV-1-infected individuals (40% and 24%, respectively). In the subgingival biofilm of HIV-infected participants, the relative abundance of the Veillonella sp. and Prevotella sp. genera were higher than in non-HIV-1-infected participants. On the tongue, the genera with greater relative abundance in HIV-1-infected individuals were Neisseria sp. (21%). In saliva, the difference of the genus Prevotella sp. between non-HIV-1-infected and HIV-1-infected individuals was 15% and 7%, respectively. The Chao index revealed an increase in the richness of both sub- and supragingival biofilms in the HIV-1-infected samples compared with non-HIV-1-infected samples., Conclusion: HIV-1-infected children/teenagers have a higher frequency of the phyla Firmicutes and genus Streptococcus, and their oral microbiome shows more complexity than that of non-HIV-1-infected children/teenagers., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Both dental caries and periodontal disease, as isolated conditions, can generate limitations and disabilities with negative repercussions on the individual's quality of life, but the combination of both oral diseases has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the combined exposure to dental caries and periodontitis and the impact on oral health-related quality of life., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 306 individuals seen in the public health services in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The individuals were divided into three groups: individuals without caries and periodontitis (n = 60), those with caries or periodontitis separately (n = 155), and those with both caries and periodontitis (n = 91). Information regarding sociodemographic, health conditions, behavioral aspects, and health-care characteristics were obtained through structured questionnaires. Oral clinical examination was performed to evaluate dental caries (decayed, missing, and filled teeth DMFT) and periodontal status including bleeding on probing, visible plaque index, probing depth, and clinical attachment level. The impact of oral health on quality of life was measured using the Brazilian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14)., Results: In terms of the OHIP-14, the mean ±SD and median of the severity scores were 11.07 ±9.45 and 9, respectively, and mean ±SD of the extension score: 1.78 ±2.27. The adjusted association measurement showed that in individuals exposed simultaneously to caries and periodontitis, the occurrence of the impact on quality of life was 63% greater than among those without these diseases., Conclusions: The results suggest that the combined occurrence of dental caries and periodontitis is associated with a significant impact on oral health-related quality of life when compared with absence of these oral diseases., (© 2018 American Academy of Periodontology.)