RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of extra virgin olive (EVO) oil and fruity oil for the treatment of gingivitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 75 patients over 18 years of age with gingivitis induced by plaque bacteria was divided into three groups: study group A, with extra virgin olive oil; study group B, with fruity oil; and control group C. In the two study groups, EVO oil was administered as a mouthwash to patients with gingival inflammation. The protocol included a daily application of the product for 30 days, with three recalls 15 days apart. Clinical parameters of plaque formation and gingivitis, including plaque index (PI) and bleeding index (BI), were assessed at each recall and scored on a specific periodontal chart. The control group received no mouthwash treatment in addition to normal daily oral hygiene procedures, and the same clinical parameters as the study group were evaluated. Data were evaluated using SPSS 27.0 software for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Then, the pre- and post-treatment values of the groups were compared using Student's t-test, setting p < 0.05 as the significance level. RESULTS: Comparison of the three groups showed that extra-virgin olive oil was an adjuvant in the treatment of gingival inflammation, improving PI and BI. In group A, the mean plaque index showed a 48% reduction, and the bleeding index showed a 64% reduction after 30 days. In group B, the mean plaque index showed a 35% reduction and a bleeding index reduction of 43% after 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: The collected data showed significant improvements in the formation of bacterial plaque and gingivitis. The exact mechanism of such treatment is still to be elucidated. As a result of this, further studies with a different sample of patients than those used and a comparison with other products need to be addressed to verify and demonstrate the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of the components of this natural product.
RESUMO
Stress is a physiological response of the body to stressful life events but may not be when the individual is persistently exposed to the stress trigger, and it negatively affects certain physiological functions, thus triggering psychosomatic diseases. In literature, chronic stress and inadequate coping strategies are found to mediate the risk and development of periodontitis; mechanisms have therefore been proposed to explain the effects of stress on the periodontium. Since stress is a prevalent problem in modern life and given the importance of maintaining oral health, the present literature review aimed to estimate the association between stress and periodontal disease. The research question adopted is the following: "Are psychological stress and periodontal disease related?" The search was conducted in August 2022 and limited to articles in electronic databases from 2017 to 2022 in English, excluding reviews and literature reviews. From the electronic databases, a total of 532 articles were identified and became 306 after reviews and duplicates were removed. An additional bibliographic search was conducted through the same electronic databases, controlled terms and keywords including only systematic reviews, which were previously excluded. Through the bibliography cited in the systematic reviews, an additional 18 articles were identified, with a new total of 324. As a result of reading the title and abstract of these 324 articles, an additional 295 were excluded. Reading the full text of the remaining 29 studies, 2 articles were excluded due to non-adherence to the eligibility criteria. The remaining 27 results were included in our literature review. It has been suggested in the literature that adverse socioeconomic conditions elicit a stress response, which can trigger periodontal inflammation. Most of the 27 articles included in the study confirm and demonstrate a positive association between psychological stress and periodontal disease. Numerous studies have shown the mechanisms through which chronic stress negatively affects periodontal tissues. Therefore, in the light of the results obtained from this review, it is important that oral health professionals, also for general health purposes, consider stress factors among the risk factors of periodontal disease, its severity and decreased efficacy of treatments. It is therefore advisable to act preventively through the interception of chronic stress.
