The Protective Role Antioxidant of Vitamin C in the Prevention of oral Disease: A Scoping Review of Current Literature.

This review meticulously examined the connection between vitamin C and periodontal disease, as well as the potential of vitamin C to prevent this condition. To gather relevant data, comprehensive electronic searches were conducted across various databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, focusing on studies that explored the relationship between vitamin C and periodontal disease in individuals aged between 18 and above. From an initial pool of 421 articles, 14 were ultimately chosen for detailed analysis. This selection encompassed seven cross-sectional studies, two case-control studies, two cohort studies, and three randomized controlled trials. The analysis of these studies revealed a consistent negative association between vitamin C intake, as well as its levels in the blood, and the incidence of periodontal disease across all seven cross-sectional studies. This indicates that higher vitamin C intake and blood levels are linked to a decreased risk of developing periodontal disease. In the two case-control studies, individuals suffering from periodontitis were found to have both a lower intake of vitamin C and reduced levels of vitamin C in their blood compared to those without the disease, further underscoring the potential protective role of vitamin C against periodontal disease. The progression of periodontal disease was observed to be more rapid in patients with lower dietary intake or blood levels of vitamin C compared to controls. Regarding the effects of vitamin C administration as an intervention, there was an improvement noted in gingival bleeding among patients with gingivitis; however, no significant benefits were observed in cases of periodontitis, specifically concerning alveolar bone absorption. Through the meticulous examination of available studies, this systematic review underscores the notion that adequate vitamin C intake and maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin C in the blood can contribute significantly to reducing the risk of periodontal disease.

Investigation of alveolar osteitis and the effectiveness of laser treatment: a unified Meta-analysis and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Post-tooth extraction, dry socket is a frequently encountered complication, causing substantial pain and hindering the healing process. Conventional approaches to manage this condition have traditionally involved the use of antiseptic dressings to diminish bacterial presence and facilitate healing. This study aims to assess the efficacy of laser therapy in the symptomatic treatment of alveolitis. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, focusing on publications from 1998 to 31/01/2024 using relevant keywords. The combination of "laser" and "dry socket" was executed through the boolean connection AND. RESULTS: At the conclusion of the study, a total of 50 studies were identified across the three search engines, with only three selected for the current systematic study and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that laser treatment proves effective in addressing alveolitis compared to Alvogyl. However, the correlation between the two was not highly significant. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that laser therapy may serve as a viable alternative to traditional treatments for dry socket. This minimally invasive procedure has the potential to alleviate pain and promote healing with fewer associated side effects."

Managing Dental Phobia in Children with the Use of Virtual Reality: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature.

BACKGROUND: It is common today to encounter anxiety in patients facing dental treatment. Virtual reality (VR) is presented as a high-performing and innovative procedure because it can distract patients undergoing dental procedures or prepare them for such treatments. In addition, this meta-analysis has gathered evidence on VR and its ability to reduce dental anxiety in pediatric patients undergoing different treatments. METHODS: The major Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched for scientific articles published up to 2023. Studies in which VR was used for children and adults as a measure against anxiety during dental treatments were included. VR was defined as a three-dimensional place where patients experience a sense of immersion as they find themselves in attractive and interactive environments that detach them from reality. Anxiety and pain were examined and measured during dental treatments in which VR was used by comparing them with standard care situations. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were identified, of which eleven met the inclusion criteria. The effect of VR was studied mainly in the pediatric population as a distractive method. Only two studies (not significant) on an adult population were considered. CONCLUSIONS: this review shows that VR is an excellent distraction method that is effective in reducing anxiety before dental treatment; however, due to the few studies in this area, further research on VR as a tool to prepare patients for dental treatment is needed.

Cariogenic Risk and COVID-19 Lockdown in a Paediatric Population.

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 disease COVID-19 pandemic caused several lifestyle changes, especially among younger people. The study aimed to describe the impact of eating habits, lifestyle, and home oral hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic, on the cariogenic risk in the Italian paediatric population, by using an online survey. The survey was conducted through a virtual questionnaire divided into four parts: child personal and anthropometric data; oral health; child dietary habits (KIDMED test); and child lifestyle, before and during COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown, only 18.6% of the participants had high adherence to a Mediterranean diet, recording an increase in sweets consumption and the number of meals (p < 0.001). In terms of lifestyle, the percentage of moderately and vigorously active children decreased (41.4% and 5.0%, respectively) (p = 0.014). The percentage of children sleeping more than 9 h increased (p < 0.001). They watched more television programs (p < 0.001). Regarding oral hygiene, children did not change their brushing habits (p = 0.225). The percentage of children using non-fluoridated toothpaste was higher (6.4%), and no changes were observed (p > 0.05). In some cases, dental pain and abscesses were declared (10% and 2.7%, respectively). This study confirms the need for campaigns to promote hygiene and dental care in combination with food education for a correct habit and promotion of a healthy and sustainable dietary style.

Potential Effects of a Modified Mediterranean Diet on Body Composition in Lipoedema.

Lipoedema is a subcutaneous adipose tissue disease characterized by the increase in the amount and structure of fat mass (FM) in specific areas, causing pain and discomfort. 95% of patients fail to lose weight in the lipoedema areas. The study was conducted to evaluate body composition and general health status modification in a group of lipoedema patients (LIPPY) and a control group (CTRL) after four weeks of a modified Mediterranean diet therapy (mMeD). A total of 29 subjects were included in the data analysis, divided in two groups: 14 LIPPY and 15 CTRL. After the mMeD, both groups significantly decreased their weight and body mass index; the CTRL also showed a reduction of all the circumferences and all FM's compartments. LIPPY showed a decrease of FM in upper and lower limbs. No significant differences in Δ% between the groups were observed for the lean mass (LM). In LIPPY, an increase in the patients' ability to perform various daily physical activities related to the loss of arms' and legs' fat was observed. According to the European Quality of Life scale, the possibility for LIPPY subjects to perform simple daily activities with less fatigue, pain and anxiety is highlighted. Further long-term studies are recommended to confirm the mMeD as a good strategy for Lipoedema treatment.

Mediterranean Personalized Diet Combined with Physical Activity Therapy for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in Italian Women.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and inflammatory risk indexes are used to calculate the exposure to morbidity. Most of them are suggested by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association to predict the risk of CVDs diagnosis in primary prevention, instead of treating the ongoing pathology. Prevention starts from habit changes with the prescription of diet and physical activity (PA). The aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of a personalized Mediterranean Diet (MD) and a PA intervention, on the risk indexes Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP) and Fatty Liver Index (FLI) in a population of women at risk of CVDs with different pathological conditions. After treatment, patients achieved the best results in body composition (BC) and laboratory tests. The BC analysis showed a significant reduction of total body Fat Mass (FM). CVDs risk indexes significantly decreased, except for Neutrophil/Lymphocyte (NLR) and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratios (PLR). The reduction of the CVDs indexes associated with lipid profile was linked to both weight and FM decrease. AIP and LAP were significantly reduced when losing fat mass and body weight, respectively. A personalized MD therapy plus a PA program led to body weight loss, BC remodelling and risk indexes reduction.

COVID-19: Is there a role for immunonutrition in obese patient?

On December 12, 2019 a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, triggering a pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in humans (COVID-19). Today, the scientific community is investing all the resources available to find any therapy and prevention strategies to defeat COVID-19. In this context, immunonutrition can play a pivotal role in improving immune responses against viral infections. Immunonutrition has been based on the concept that malnutrition impairs immune function. Therefore, immunonutrition involves feeding enriched with various pharmaconutrients (Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C, Arginine, Glutamine, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin, E and Vitamin D) to modulate inflammatory responses, acquired immune response and to improve patient outcomes. In literature, significant evidences indicate that obesity, a malnutrition state, negatively impacts on immune system functionality and on host defense, impairing protection from infections. Immunonutrients can promote patient recovery by inhibiting inflammatory responses and regulating immune function. Immune system dysfunction is considered to increase the risk of viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, and was observed in different pathological situations. Obese patients develop severe COVID-19 sequelae, due to the high concentrations of TNF-α, MCP-1 and IL-6 produced in the meantime by visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue and by innate immunity. Moreover, leptin, released by adipose tissue, helps to increase inflammatory milieu with a dysregulation of the immune response. Additionally, gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the maturation, development and functions of both innate and adaptive immune system, as well as contributing to develop obese phenotype. The gut microbiota has been shown to affect lung health through a vital crosstalk between gut microbiota and lungs, called the "gut-lung axis". This axis communicates through a bi-directional pathway in which endotoxins, or microbial metabolites, may affect the lung through the blood and when inflammation occurs in the lung, this in turn can affect the gut microbiota. Therefore, the modulation of gut microbiota in obese COVID-19 patients can play a key role in immunonutrition therapeutic strategy. This umbrella review seeks to answer the question of whether a nutritional approach can be used to enhance the immune system's response to obesity in obese patients affected by COVID-19.

Role of Personalized Nutrition in Chronic-Degenerative Diseases.

Human nutrition is a branch of medicine based on foods biochemical interactions with the human body. The phenotypic transition from health to disease status can be attributed to changes in genes and/or protein expression. For this reason, a new discipline has been developed called "-omic science". In this review, we analyzed the role of "-omics sciences" (nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, proteomics and metabolomics) in the health status and as possible therapeutic tool in chronic degenerative diseases. In particular, we focused on the role of nutrigenetics and the relationship between eating habits, changes in the DNA sequence and the onset of nutrition-related diseases. Moreover, we examined nutrigenomics and the effect of nutrients on gene expression. We perused the role of proteomics and metabolomics in personalized nutrition. In this scenario, we analyzed also how dysbiosis of gut microbiota can influence the onset and progression of chronic degenerative diseases. Moreover, nutrients influencing and regulating gene activity, both directly and indirectly, paves the way for personalized nutrition that plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of chronic degenerative diseases.