Safety and Clinical Evaluation of a Sonic Tongue Brush.

BACKGROUND: Tongue coating consists of oral bacteria, desquamated epithelium, blood cells, and food residues and is involved in periodontal disease, halitosis, and aspiration pneumonia. Recently, a tongue brush with sonic vibration was developed to clean the tongue. This comparative study examined the extent of tongue coating, its effects on the tongue, bacterial count particularly on the posterior dorsum of the tongue, and the degree of pain using a manual tongue brush and the newly developed sonic tongue brush. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients' extent of tongue coating and the quantity of bacteria were analysed before and after brushing with a sonic or manual nylon tongue brush. Moreover, the impressions of the dorsum linguae were obtained before and after brushing to establish models that were observed under a stereo microscope to evaluate tongue trauma. Pain caused during the use of these brushes was evaluated based on the numerical rating scale (NRS). RESULTS: The extent of tongue coating and number of bacteria decreased in both the sonic and manual nylon brush groups after tongue cleaning; however, no significant differences were noted. Tongue trauma evaluation revealed that the tongue surface was significantly scratched in the manual brush group compared with the sonic brush group. NRS-based pain evaluation revealed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The sonic brush was equally effective in removing tongue coating and bacteria compared with the manual brush. As the sonic brush does not cause tongue trauma, it may be considered a safe and effective cleaning tool of the tongue.

Effects of One-Stage Full-Mouth Scaling and Root Planing with Azithromycin on Diabetes and Periodontal Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Recent reports show that hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) can be lowered by improving chronic inflammation in periodontal patients with diabetes mellitus and that full-mouth scaling and root planing (FM-SRP), in combination with azithromycin (AZM) treatment, can reduce early periodontal inflammation. However, the association of FM-SRP and AZM with periodontitis and HbA1c in patients with diabetes is largely unknown. This study investigated periodontitis and HbA1c in patients with diabetes after receiving FM-SRP and AZM to evaluate which clinical parameters most reflect the diabetic condition. Fifty-one periodontal patients with diabetes mellitus were included in this study. In total, 25 patients were assigned to the FM-SRP group in which patients were treated with FM-SRP in combination with AZM, and 26 patients were assigned to the control group in which only supragingival calculus removal was performed along with the provision of oral hygiene instructions. We evaluated periodontal parameters (probing pocket depth, periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), bleeding on probing), and periodontal bacteria and biochemical parameters (HbA1c, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) at baseline (BL) and 1, 3, 6, and 9 months after treatment. Compared with BL values, the FM-SRP group showed improved clinical parameters, reduced periodontal pathogens, and significantly lower HbA1c. Inflammatory cytokines (hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) were significantly reduced one month after treatment and remained low thereafter. MCP-1 did not change significantly during the experimental period. PISA showed a strong correlation with HbA1c, hs-CRP, and TNF-α. FM-SRP, in combination with AZM, produced clinical, microbiological, and HbA1c improvements in periodontal patients with previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Additionally, PISA was shown to be a useful index for assessing the diabetic status of patients with periodontal disease.

Effect of Locally Delivered Minocycline on the Profile of Subgingival Bacterial Genera in Patients with Periodontitis: A Prospective Pilot Study.

This prospective pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of minocycline-HCl ointment (MO), locally delivered as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP), on subgingival microflora. A total of 59 periodontitis patients received SRP as an initial periodontal therapy. In the selected periodontal pockets with probing depths (PD) of 6−9 mm, the sites that exhibited a positive reaction following a bacterial test using an immunochromatographic device were subsequently treated with MO (SRP + MO group, n = 25). No additional treatment was performed at sites showing a negative reaction (SRP group, n = 34). In addition to subgingival plaque sampling, measurement of clinical parameters including PD, clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index and gingival index (GI) were performed at baseline and 4 weeks after the initial periodontal therapy. The subgingival microflora were assessed by terminal restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis. Relative to baseline values, the mean scores for PD-, CAL-, BOP-, and GI-sampled sites were significantly decreased post treatment in both groups (p < 0.01). The intra-comparisons showed a significant decrease in the counts of the genera Eubacterium, Parvimonas, Filifactor, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas, Prevotella, and unknown species in the SRP + MO group (p < 0.05). Inter-comparisons indicated a significant decrease in the genera Veillonella in the SRP + MO group (p = 0.01). Combination therapy of SRP and local MO induced a change in the subgingival microbial community: particularly, the number of Veillonella spp. was markedly reduced.

Effects of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy on Organic Solution and Root Surface In Vitro.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) is attracting attention as a new form of dental treatment. While it is primarily applied to produce an antibacterial effect, it decreases lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and protease activity. Here, we evaluated differences in the antibacterial activity of a-PDT on three types of bacteria and the effects on the organic substances (i.e., albumin and LPS). Furthermore, we investigated the effects of a-PDT on root surfaces. A FotoSan630® and toluidine blue were used to perform a-PDT in this study. We measured its antimicrobial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis. Antimicrobial testing revealed strong antimicrobial action and P. gingivalis, E. faecalis, and S. mutans were almost undetectable after 50, 120, and 100 s, respectively. In organic resolution tests, albumin was significantly decreased from 1 min after a-PDT application onward, while LPS significantly decreased at 5 min after the application. The root surfaces after a-PDT were confirmed to be cleaner than the controls without suffering any damage. Depending on the bacterial species, a-PDT exhibited antimicrobial activity against various types of bacteria and sensitivity differed. Moreover, we reported that a-PDT resolves protein and LPS, enabling the formation of a healthy root surface without any damage.

Effect of Nd: YAG laser irradiation to the temporomandibular joint on taste threshold.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The tissue absorption laser has been clinically applied to alleviate pain in various areas. It is used for pain relief from temporomandibular disease (TMD) in dentistry. Although the facial and trigeminal nerves are distributed around the temporomandibular joint, the effects of laser irradiation and absorption on the neural functions have not been directly studied. In this study, the Nd:YAG laser was applied to an area where the facial nerve passes with photonic radiation for the treatment of TMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten volunteers including seven males and three females were selected as subjects. Nd:YAG laser was irradiated area included several internal and external standard and associated acupuncture points. The chorda tympani nerve, a branch of facial nerve is distributed to the front two thirds of the tongue and is associated with the sense of taste. We evaluated the effect of laser irradiation and absorption on the taste function by means of an electric taste meter. RESULTS: No significant difference was identified in the values between before and after laser irradiation (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). CONCLUSION: It was confirmed that there was no effect on taste function while applying Nd:YAG laser irradiation around the TMD joint.

Effect of Azithromycin on Proinflammatory Cytokine Production in Gingival Fibroblasts and the Remodeling of Periodontal Tissue.

Previous reports have shown that azithromycin (AZM), a macrolide antibiotic, affects collagen synthesis and cytokine production in human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs). However, there are few reports on the effect of AZM on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPLFs). In the present study, we comparatively examined the effects of AZM on hGFs and hPLFs. We monitored the reaction of AZM under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation or no stimulation in hGFs and hPLFs. Gene expression analyses of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and Type 1 collagen were performed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Subsequently, we performed Western blotting for the analysis of the intracellular signal transduction pathway. In response to LPS stimulation, the gene expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in hGFs increased due to AZM in a concentration-dependent manner, and phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was also promoted. Additionally, AZM caused an increase in MMP-1 expression in hGFs, whereas it did not affect the expression of any of the analyzed genes in hPLFs. Our findings indicate that AZM does not affect hPLFs and acts specifically on hGFs. Thus, AZM may increase the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 under LPS stimulation to modify the inflammatory response and increase the expression of MMP-1 to promote connective tissue remodeling.

Organic resolution function and effects of platinum nanoparticles on bacteria and organic matter.

Rapid progress has been made in terms of metal nanoparticles studied in numerous fields. Metal nanoparticles have also been used in medical research, and antibacterial properties and anticancer effects have been reported. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for these effects has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the present study focused on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and examined their antibacterial properties and functional potential for decomposing organic matter, considering potential applications in the dental field. PtNPs were allowed to react with dental-related bacteria (Streptococcus mutans; Enterococcus faecalis, caries; Porphyromonas gingivalis, and endodontic and periodontal lesions). Antibacterial properties were evaluated by measuring colony formation. In addition, PtNPs were allowed to react with albumin and lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), and the functional potential to decompose organic matter was evaluated. All evaluations were performed in vitro. Colony formation in all bacterial species was completely suppressed by PtNPs at concentrations of >5 ppm. The addition of PtNPs at concentrations of >10 ppm significantly increased fragmentation and decomposition. The addition of PtNPs at concentrations of >125 pico/mL to 1 EU/mL LPS resulted in significant amounts of decomposition and elimination. The results revealed that PtNPs had antibacterial effects against dental-related bacteria and proteolytic potential to decompose proteins and LPS, an inflammatory factor associated with periodontal disease. Therefore, the use and application of PtNPs in periodontal and endodontic treatment is considered promising.

Effect of the Keratinized Mucosa Width on the Health Status of Periimplant and Contralateral Periodontal Tissues: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the width of keratinized mucosa (WKM) is associated with the health status of tissue surrounding dental implants and the contralateral teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who received implant-fixed unilateral prostheses in the premolar or molar region were recruited for the study. The following parameters were measured for each implant and contralateral tooth: WKM, gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), pus discharge, plaque accumulation (PA), gingival recession (GR), and difficulty of brushing. The effect of the WKM on the health status of the surrounding tissue was evaluated by comparing the different WKM groups (WKM < 2 mm vs WKM ≥ 2 mm). RESULTS: Implants with a WKM <2 mm demonstrated significantly greater PPD, PA, and a higher rate of BOP compared with implants with a WKM ≥2 mm. There was significantly greater GR in contralateral teeth with a WKM <2 mm compared with a WKM ≥2 mm. In addition, implant sites had a higher rate of BOP compared with the contralateral teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate keratinized mucosa decreased cleansibility of implant sites and increased mucosal inflammation. There is a possibility that PA in implant sites caused more pronounced inflammatory response compared to contralateral tooth.

Clinical Usefulness of Novel Immunochromatographic Detection Device for Porphyromonas gingivalis in Evaluating Effects of Scaling and Root Planing and Local Antimicrobial Therapy.

BACKGROUND: The authors have previously reported development of a novel immunochromatographic device (DK13-PG-001) for specific detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). In this study, clinical usefulness of the detection device during periodontal therapy is presented. METHODS: The multicenter study was conducted with 62 patients contributing 118 periodontitis sites with probing depth (PD) of 4 to 9 mm. Subgingival plaque samples were used for detection of Pg by DK13-PG-001 and the PCR-invader method at: 1) baseline (BL); 2) reevaluation (RE; after scaling and root planing); and 3) final evaluation (FE; after local drug delivery system). Periodontal examinations were performed concurrently with the test for Pg detection. Plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers against Pg were also determined in patients using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: DK13-PG-001 score and number of Pg by the PCR-invader method showed a strong correlation (r = 0.862) at three stages during periodontal therapy (n = 354). High sensitivity and specificity of DK13-PG-001, in comparison with the PCR-invader method, were shown. A significant correlation was found among device score, number of Pg by the PCR-invader method, and PD and clinical attachment level at BL and RE. Plasma IgG titers against Pg were significantly reduced at FE in comparison with BL. Weak but significant correlations between IgG titers and device scores were shown at BL and FE. CONCLUSION: Results suggest the DK13-PG-001 device is a useful tool for detection of Pg in dental offices and can aid clinical evaluation of the extent of periodontitis and therapeutic efficacy.

Bone formation by human umbilical cord perivascular cells.

We investigated the possibility of employing human umbilical perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) within the context of finding an alternative source of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) for bone tissue engineering. Since it has previously been reported that conditioned medium (CM) from osteogenic bone marrow (BM) MSCs can potentiate osteogenic differentiation in a secondary cell population, we also employed BM-MSCs to generate CM to stimulate osteogenesis in the HUCPVCs. The BM-MSCs were a commercially available immortalized human cell line. In vitro assays showed negligible levels of osteogenic gene expression in HUCPVCs compared to BM-MSC, but alkaline phosphatase was detected when HUCPVC were cultured in osteogenic medium in the presence of CM from BM-MSC. An in vivo assay employing a rat calvarial osteotomy defect, together with a collagen sponge scaffold, showed that HUCPVCs provided statistically significant bony repair compared to controls. BM-MSC loaded scaffolds were not statistically different from either controls or HUCPVCs. The addition of BM-MSC CM to HUCPVCs also produced no statistically significant difference to the bone formed by HUCPVCs alone. Our results demonstrate that the in vitro assays employed did not predict in vivo outcomes, and that the BM-MSC cell line employed, or CM from such cells, provided no osteogenic advantage over the use of HUCPVCs alone.