ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Bone diseases have a profound global impact, especially when the body's innate regenerative capacity falls short in the face of extensive damage. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), discovered in 2003, offer a promising solution for tissue repair, as they self-renew naturally and are easily obtainable. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), including SHEDs, are believed to promote tissue regeneration by releasing growth factors, collectively known as the secretome. AIMS: This study explored the potential of combining SHED-derived secretome with Yemeni Sidr honey to improve osteoblast and fibroblast cell viability and migration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment involved treating cell cultures of two types of rat cell lines - 7F2 osteoblast and BHK-21 fibroblast immortalized cells - with SHED-derived secretome and Yemeni Sidr honey. After the treatment, cell viability was measured using the MTT assay, which calculates OD at 590 nm. Additionally, the scratch assay was conducted to evaluate cell migration, and ImageJ software was used for data processing. RESULTS: The findings indicated that combining SHED-derived secretome and Yemeni Sidr honey enhanced osteoblast and fibroblast cell viability and migration. Furthermore, the study highlighted the difference in the stimulative potential of SHED-derived secretome, Yemeni Sidr honey, and their combination, on the viability and migration of the cultured cells. CONCLUSION: The research concludes that combining SHED-derived secretome with Yemeni Sidr honey has the potential to promote cell viability and migration in in-vitro settings. The synergistic application of these substances has been found to be more effective -when combined in a dose-dependent manner- than their counterparts. Overall, the current study serves as a foundation for further investigations to establish if the explored substance has any useful clinical applications.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The "Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP)" approach is crucial in health system. Appreciating the current KAP status will reveal the extent of the efficiency of applied health strategies, and subsequently help to determine the appropriate health policy to be employed for improving the health indicators of a given disease/condition, including Oral Cancer (OC). This large-scale cross-sectional study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice on OC among senior dental students in Yemen. METHODS: A pre-validated online questionnaire was used for data collection. It consisted of a series of close-ended questions on knowledge, attitudes and practices related to OC. Yemeni dental students in clinical levels (4th and 5th years) from nine dental schools based in four major cities were invited to complete the survey. The SPSS Version 28.0 was used for data analysis. Differences by different grouping factors were assessed by Chi-squared and Mann Whitney-U tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 927 students completed the questionnaire: a response rate of 43%. While the majority identified smoking (93.8%), and smokeless tobacco (92.1%) as potential risk factors of OC, only 76.2% recognized sun exposure as a risk factor for lip cancer and only 50% were aware of old age as a risk factor of OC. Regarding clinical signs of OC, 84.1% reported that OC can present as non-healing ulcer, but only two thirds of the participants recognized that OC can present as a white and/or red lesion. With respect to practices, although 92.1% reported asking their patients regarding oral habits, only 78% reported they regularly carry out a soft tissue examination. Only 54.5% of the participants considered themselves to be well-trained to provide smoking cessation advice, and 21% were confident regarding their knowledge on OC. The 5th year students showed significantly better knowledge and practices than the 4th year students did (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study suggests significant gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices of senior dental students in Yemen regarding OC. The findings also underscore the urgent need to improve OC teaching and training of undergraduate dental students, and to provide periodic well-structured continuing professional development activities for dental professionals.
