Efficacy of scaling and root planning with periodontal endoscopy for residual pockets in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Residual pockets are a risk factor of periodontitis progression. This study evaluated the efficacy of periodontal endoscopy (PE) during scaling and root planning (SRP) of residual pockets in chronic periodontitis patients after initial periodontal treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in systemically healthy subjects presenting at least three residual pockets with a probing depth (PD) ≥ 5 mm in each quadrant. Subjects were randomly allocated to one of two trial groups using a computer-generated program: SRP + PE (test group) or SRP alone (control group). Clinical parameters (PD, clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PLI)) were then measured at baseline, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 1629 sites in 37 patients were examined. Both treatments significantly improved all clinical outcomes (PD, CAL, BOP, and PLI) from baseline to 6 months (P < 0.05), although greater reductions in PD and PLI were observed in the test group at both 3- (PD: 3.45 ± 0.56 vs. 4.14 ± 0.59 mm; PLI: 0.55 ± 0.23 vs. 0.73 ± 0.27) and 6-month follow-up (PD: 3.12 ± 0.63 vs. 4.0 ± 0.68 mm; PLI: 0.49 ± 0.21 vs. 0.72 ± 0.28, respectively; P = 0.001 for PD and P = 0.021 for PLI). No significant differences in CAL or BOP were observed. CONCLUSIONS: SRP + PE resulted in significant reductions in PD and PLI compared to SRP alone in residual pockets with a PD ≥ 5 mm. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings highlight the benefits of SRP + PE, supporting use as an alternative strategy in nonsurgical periodontal treatment.

[Effect of triple antibiotic paste on microorganisms in root canals of deciduous teeth].

PURPOSE: To analyze the effect of triple antibiotic paste on root canal microorganisms in periapical periodontitis of different stages. METHODS: Eighty-nine children with periapical periodontitis of deciduous teeth in Department of Stomatology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from April 2017 to April 2020 were enrolled, and divided into two groups according to the clinical symptoms and root X-ray films, i.e., acute inflammation group and chronic inflammation group. Samples of infected root canals were collected for bacterial identification, isolation and purification. The detection of microorganisms in the infected root canal and the composition of anaerobic microorganisms were analyzed in both groups. Disk diffusion method was used to observe antimicrobial effects of triple antibiotic paste and calcium hydroxide against common anaerobic bacteria, and the sensitivity of different anaerobic bacteria to triple antibiotic paste. Statistical analysis was completed by SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: The microorganisms in both groups were mainly anaerobic bacteria. The detection rates of aerobes and anaerobic bacteria in the infected root canals had no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The top five anaerobes detected in infected root canals were Peptostreptococcus, Bacteroidetes, Enterococcus faecalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The detection rates of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Bacteroidetes in infected root canal of acute inflammation group were significantly higher than those of chronic inflammation group, and the detection rate of Enterococcus faecalis was significantly lower than that of chronic inflammation group(P<0.05). The bacteriostatic circle diameter of triple antibiotic paste against Peptostreptococcus, Bacteroidetes, Enterococcus faecalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum was significantly larger than that of calcium hydroxide(P<0.05). The sensitivity of different anaerobic bacteria to triple antibiotic paste was highest in Enterococcus faecalis, followed by Peptostreptococcus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroidetes(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Triple antibiotic paste has good antimicrobial effect on the common bacteria in the infected root canal of acute and chronic periapical periodontitis.

Can gingival crevicular blood effectively screen for diabetes in Chinese patients with moderate to severe periodontitis? A pilot study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The early diagnosis of diabetes is essential for the prevention of complications. Periodontitis has been identified as the sixth complication of diabetes and chair-side screening may improve diagnosis of diabetes. This study evaluated whether gingival crevicular blood (GCB) available during routine periodontal examination can be used to screen for diabetes in Chinese patients with moderate to severe periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Finger-stick blood (FSB) and GCB were collected from patients (18 with diabetes and 42 without diabetes) during routine periodontal probing and analyzed for glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. RESULTS: In the diabetic group, the mean glucose levels in GCB and FSB were 12.21 ±â€¯3.86 and 12.61 ±â€¯4.19 mmol/L respectively, while those of the non-diabetic group were 6.14 ±â€¯0.85 and 6.15 ±â€¯0.87 mmol/L, respectively. The average HbA1c values of the diabetic group were 7.72% ±â€¯1.71% and 7.89% ±â€¯1.78% in GCB and FSB, respectively, while those of the non-diabetic group were 5.28% ±â€¯0.31% and 5.23% ±â€¯0.32%, respectively. Highly significant correlations were found between GCB and FSB glucose levels (r = 0.993 for the diabetic group, and r = 0.977 for the non-diabetic group) and between GCB and FSB HbA1c levels (r = 0.977 for the diabetic group, and r = 0.829 for the non-diabetic group). CONCLUSION: Our study results indicate that GCB available during routine periodontal examination may be acceptable for the analyses of blood glucose and HbA1c levels. The approach is suitable for screening undiagnosed diabetes in a dental setting.

TROP2 increases growth and metastasis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Most malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which is a type of highly malignant tumor with a propensity for forming distant metastases. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a transmembrane protein that is overexpressed in several types of tumor cells, although its role and regulatory mechanism in OSCC have not been determined. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of TROP2 in human OSCC cell lines. The present study demonstrated that TROP2 protein expression was upregulated in OSCC cell lines. Transfection of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting TROP2 (sh­TROP2) reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cell lines, whereas overexpression of TROP2 increased proliferation, migration and invasion. sh­TROP2 transfection in OSCC cell lines inhibited tumor growth in OSCC mouse models. Furthermore, TROP2 expression activated the phosphoinositide 3­kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway in human OSCC cells. These results suggest that TROP2 induces cell growth, migration and invasion through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in OSCC cells.