Teratogenic effects of the interaction acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and ethanol: morphologic and morphometric evaluation of the lingual epithelium in rat fetuses.

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the teratogenic effects of the interaction between acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and ethanol on the epithelium of the lingual mucosa in rat fetuses. On the 10th pregnancy day, a single intraperitoneal ethanol dose (2.96 g/kg body weight) (Group I), ASA (200 mg/kg body weight) (Group II) and ASA plus ethanol, in the same doses (Group III), or saline (Group IV - control), were administrated. The epithelial alterations were assessed by means of histological and morphometric methods, on posterior dorsal, anterior dorsal and ventral regions of the tongue. ASA reduced, in rat fetuses, the ethanol deleterious effects on nuclear size in the epithelial prickle cell of the lingual mucosa. On the other hand, ASA did not influence the effects of ethanol in both epithelial layers of the lingual mucosa, when the nuclear shape, cell volume or epithelial layers thickness were evaluated.

Relationship between the presence or absence of gingival bleeding and the enzymatic BANA test.

When periodontal disease started to be considered a bacterial infection mainly mediated by subgingival plaque, the basic problem faced by periodontists was the identification and/or quantification of periodontopathogenic bacteria. However, clinical methods continue to be of great value for the diagnosis of periodontal disease. In the present study we show a significant correlation between an index widely used in clinical practice, the Gingival Index of Löe (1967), based on the presence or absence of bleeding on probing, and the methodology of the BANA test for the detection of the specific enzymatic activity of microorganisms involved in periodontal disease. More sensitive and specific clinical parameters, taken together with other microbiologic methods, will be useful in daily clinical practice even before periodontal treatment.

Comparative 6-month clinical study of a subepithelial connective tissue graft and acellular dermal matrix graft for the treatment of gingival recession.

BACKGROUND: Different techniques have been proposed for the treatment of gingival recessions. This study compared the clinical results of gingival recession treatment using a subepithelial connective tissue graft and an acellular dermal matrix allograft. METHODS: Nine patients with bilateral Miller Class I or II gingival recessions were selected. A total of 30 recessions were treated and randomly assigned to the test group and the contralateral recession to the control group. In the control group, the exposed root surfaces were treated by the placement of a connective tissue graft in combination with a coronally positioned flap; in the test group, an acellular dermal matrix allograft was used as a substitute for palatal donor tissue. Probing depth, clinical attachment level, gingival recession, and width of keratinized tissue were measured 2 weeks prior to surgery and 3 and 6 months postsurgery. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the test group and the control group in terms of recession reduction, clinical attachment gain, and reduction in probing depth. The control group had a statistically significant increased area of keratinized tissue after 3 months compared to the test group. Both procedures, however, produced an increase in keratinized tissue after 6 months, with no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: The acellular dermal matrix allograft may be a substitute for palatal donor tissue in root coverage procedures.

Correlation between the CPITN score and anaerobic periodontal infections assessed by BANA assay.

In the present investigation the ability of subgingival plaque to hydrolyze BANA (Perioscan) was correlated with CPITN scores. Among 281 sites investigated, 136 had a CPITN equal to 2 with a highly significant positive BANA value (107 sites). A CPITN equal to 3 was also significantly BANA positive (90 sites). These findings clearly demonstrate the relationship between CPITN and anaerobic microorganisms (BANA positive).

Immediate implants placed into infected sites: a histomorphometric study in dogs.

The study the effect of chronically infected sites on the immediate placement of implants, periapical lesions were induced in the third and fourth premolars of four dogs and the contralateral teeth were used as controls. Nine months after the induction of periapical lesions, experimental and control teeth were extracted, and 28 IMZ implants were immediately placed. After a healing period of 12 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, the hemimandibles were removed, and specimens were prepared to be hard-sectioned and stained with toluidine blue. All areas healed without inflammation or exudation and all implants were clinically immobile and were radiographically determined to be surrounded by normal-appearing bone. Histologically, there were no signs of infection, and the histomorphometric analyses revealed that 28.6% and 38.7% had osseointegrated for the experimental and control implants, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant. It was concluded that chronically infected sites, such as those showing signs of periapical pathosis, may not be a contraindication for immediate implants, if certain clinical measures and preoperative and postoperative care are taken.

Relationship between clinical probing depth and reactivity to the BANA test of samples of subgingival microbiota from patients with periodontitis.

The enzymatic test BANA (N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-naphthylamide) was used to analyze the subgingival microbiota of 28 patients aged 26 to 55 years old with a diagnosis of adult periodontitis. Samples were collected with periodontal curettes at 513 sites, with a mean number of sites of 18.3 +/- 8.8 per patient. The results of the BANA test were correlated with the initial measurements of pocket depth. The data showed a statistically significant correlation between increasing probing depth and a positive BANA test. BANA test detected the presence of BANA-positive microorganisms at sites of < 3 mm probing depth in a statistically significant proportion. Negative (BANA 1) and weakly positive (BANA 2) BANA tests were inversely correlated with increasing pocket depth, and positive (BANA 3) BANA tests were directly correlated with increasing pocket depth. On the basis of the presents results, we consider the BANA test to be of practical applicability in periodontal clinical practice and to represent an important auxiliary diagnostic tool for patients with adult periodontitis.

Similarities of periodontal clinical and microbiological parameters in mother-child pairs.

The aim of this study was to verify the association between children and their mothers (N = 28) for periodontal clinical and microbiological measures. Periodontal clinical parameters (probing depth and bleeding on probing) were obtained from six reference teeth from each mother-child pair. In addition, subgingival plaque samples taken from the same reference teeth were collected and placed on the Perioscan test for the detection of Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Bacteroides forsythus. There were statistically significant differences between children and mothers regarding probing depth; there was an overall tendency for mothers to exhibit average probing depths greater than their children. In contrast, if a child had a bleeding site, the respective site on the mother usually also bled on probing, implying that there was an association in terms of bleeding between the mother-child pairs. Similar findings were observed for the Perioscan test. It is concluded that the occurrence of bleeding and periodontal anaerobic infections (as determined by the Perioscan test) were similar in reference teeth of mother-child pairs. These data suggest that parents with periodontal disease may serve as a reservoir of periodontopathic organisms for their children.

Periodontal disease progression in type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients (NIDDM). Part II--Microbiological analysis using the BANA test.

The periodontal condition of 30 type II non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients (NIDDM) was evaluated and compared to that of 30 non-diabetic patients (age range, 30-77 years). Glycosylated hemoglobin and fasting glucose tests were used to measure the metabolic control of the patients, and the BANA (N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-naphthylamide) test was used to analyze subgingival microbiota. At the end of the study, the diabetic group was subdivided into three groups according to the degree of diabetic control: controlled, moderately controlled and poorly controlled. The non-parametric chi square test was used for statistical analyses: BANA test--no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups when analyzed as a whole. When the diabetic patients were subdivided and compared to the control group, significance was detected (P < 0.01) in the total frequencies of the BANA scores (negative, moderately positive and positive: 1, 2, and 3, respectively) in the 5-, 6-, and 7-mm pockets and also in the 4-mm pockets in the poorly controlled group.

Compliance with supportive periodontal therapy.

Analysis of 1,280 private patient records from a periodontal clinic showed poor compliance with supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Data were analyzed according to sex, age, and type of treatment (with or without periodontal surgery). Analysis showed that 25.2% of the patients never returned and among those who report for SPT, only 40.1% did so regularly; the percent of surgical cases was greater (70.7%) and those patients had better compliance (77.6%); compliance of women was greater (76.5%); abandonment of supportive periodontal treatment was high (66.7%), and compliance increased with age. Several suggestions concerning clinical procedures are offered with the objective of motivating patients to give the necessary importance to supportive periodontal therapy.