Platelet Rich Fibrin in Periodontal Regeneration.

Periodontitis is a chronic bacterial infection resulting in destruction of the supporting structures of the teeth. Regeneration of the lost tissues has faced difficulties primarily due to the lack of support during the intricate healing processes. A surgical additive which can 'jump start' the healing process to a more predictable regenerative process is always on the wish list of any periodontist. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a second generation platelet concentrate that has been considered to be an important, easy to obtain, predictable surgical additive for periodontal regeneration. This autologous scaffold provides the much needed bio-chemical mediators which has the potential for enhancing reconstruction of the periodontium. This review article tries to understand as to why PRF would be an important link to reach predictable periodontal regeneration.

Natural Therapeutic Options in Endodontics - A Review.

Complete eradication of microbial biofilms and elimination of the smear layer are the key factors during endodontic treatment. Various chemical irrigants have been proposed in the literature for the same. The major setback with these chemical irrigants is that they are not bio-friendly to the dental and peri-radicular tissues. In the recent years, research to use natural products for root canal disinfection has gained importance. The aim of this article is to compile various herbal products that have been used as an irrigants and intracanal medicaments in the field of Endodontics to eradicate the biofilm and remove smear layer.

Periodontitis among poor rural Indian mothers increases the risk of low birth weight babies: a hospital-based case control study

PURPOSE: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the major public health problems in India. Hence, there is a need to identify risk factors that, when modified, will reduce the burden of unhealthy children on the healthcare system. The objective of this study was to determine whether periodontitis among mothers in the rural population of India is a risk factor for LBW babies. METHODS: A hospital-based case control study was conducted among 340 postpartum mothers. The cases consisted of 170 women who had given birth to babies weighing or =2,500 g. Details of the mothers were taken from the hospital records and through a personal interview, and a full-mouth periodontal examination was performed postpartum, which included probing depth, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing on six sites per tooth. RESULTS: LBW cases had a significantly worse periodontal status than the controls, having an odds ratio (OR) of 2.94 (P=0.01). The multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated that periodontal disease is a significant independent risk factor with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.85 for the LBW group (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-5.5). Other factors showing significant associations with LBW were pre-eclampsia (aOR, 4.49; 95% CI, 1.4-14.7), preterm labor (aOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 3.2-9.9), and vaginal type of delivery (aOR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.4-5.2). CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis represents a strong, independent, and clinically significant risk factor for LBW. Periodontal therapy should form a part of the antenatal preventive care among rural women in India.

Evaluation of interleukin-1beta and 8 in gutka chewers with periodontitis among a rural Indian population

PURPOSE: Smokeless tobacco-based oral-use products like gutka are popular in India. Gutka usage leads to increased periodontal destruction and inflammation; however, the relevant mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the role of gutka in periodontitis by examining its effect on the levels of interleukin (IL) 1beta and IL-8 from the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). METHODS: A total of 45 patients were enrolled in this study. Thirty patients with periodontitis (15 gutka chewers [GCP] and 15 nongutka chewers [NGC]) and 15 periodontally healthy controls (HC) were selected. The full-mouth plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and recession (RC) were recorded. The IL-1beta and IL-8 levels in the GCF of all subjects were assessed through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Quantikine). RESULTS: The IL-1beta and IL-8 levels were not significantly higher in the GCP group (IL-1beta, 369.01+/-273.44 microL; IL-8, 205.97+/-196.78 microL) as compared to those in the NGC group (IL-1beta, 195.57+/-96.85 microL; IL-8, 178.61+/-149.35 microL). More gingival RC and loss of attachment was seen among the GCP group (RC: 2.02+/-0.31, P=0.013; CAL: 4.60+/-0.56, P<0.001) than among the NGC group (RC, 1.21+/-1.15; CAL, 3.70+/-0.32); however, PD was deeper among the NGC subjects (P=0.002). PI and GI were significantly higher for the periodontitis group (P<0.001) when compared to the HC, but there was no difference among gutka chewers and non-chewers (P=0.22 and P=0.89). A positive correlation was found between the IL-8 levels and the duration of gutka chewing (r=-0.64, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Gutka chewing leads to increased gingival RC and clinical loss of attachment. There was no effect seen in the proinflammatory cytokine levels in the GCF of gutka users.

Commentary on "Relationship between maternal periodontal disease and Apgar score of newborns"

No abstract available.