Dental Plaque Research Articles

Imbalance of oral microbiome homeostasis: the relationship between microbiota and the occurrence of dental caries

BackgroundStreptococcus mutans is recognized as a key pathogen responsible for the development of dental caries. With the advancement of research on dental caries, the understanding of its pathogenic mechanism has gradually shifted from the theory of a single pathogenic bacterium to the theory of oral microecological imbalance. Acidogenic and aciduric microbial species are also recognized to participate in the initiation and progression of dental caries. This study is designed to elucidate the relationship between oral microbiome dysregulation and the initiation of dental caries.Results16 S rRNA gene sequencing of saliva and dental plaque from the Specific Pathogen Free Control group and the Specific Pathogen Free sucrose diet group revealed that a sucrose diet significantly influenced the composition of the oral microbiome. At the phylum level, the dominant microbial communities in both groups of mice were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Unclassified Bacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, statistical analysis identified significant differences in the abundance of 18 genera between the two groups. The relative abundance of the Gemella genus was significantly increased in the SPF Sucrose group. The SPF Control group and the Germ-free Control group have no differential bacterial genera in the oral microbiome. Micro-CT examination of the mandibles revealed the development of dental caries in both the SPF Sucrose group and the Germ-free Sucrose group.ConclusionsThis study indicates that a dysbiotic microbial community can lead to the development of caries. Lays the foundation for further research into the etiology of dental caries.

Metagenomic profiling of plaque microbiota in Indian subjects: identified hidden ecological tapestry.

Dental plaque biofilms are the primary etiologic factor for various chronic oral infectious diseases. In recent years, dental plaque shows enormous potential to know about an individual microbiota. Various microbiome studies of oral cavity from different geographical locations reveals abundance of microbial species. Although, the representation of Indian population in this respect is limited, which make us curious to undergo this study. This study investigates the dental plaque microbiota of North Indian individuals based on their age, gender, and dietary patterns; specifically, food preference and availability of water source using 16S rRNA metagenomics analysis. The findings from this study revealed that Streptococcus levels are high across genders, age groups, and water source, highlighting its role as a predominant dental caries associated species like Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptococcus oralis in the studied population groups. Additionally, the abundance of Actinomyces is observed higher in young individuals and females whereas Fusobacterium and Leptotrichia were high in elderly individuals. Moreover, non-vegetarians have higher abundance of Streptococcus and Fusobacterium, whereas vegetarians show higher abundance of Prevotella and Leptotrichia. The study also highlights the influence of water type on bacterial composition of dental plaque in the studied population i.e., individuals consuming underground water has high abundance of Streptococcus, whereas individuals consuming RO water exhibit elevated Prevotella and Leptotrichia. Insights emerged from the analysis illuminates the complex dynamics of microbiota in dental plaque among North Indians. This study also highlight that this variation of microbiome is influenced by age, gender, and dietary habits (vegetarian or non-vegetarian lifestyle). These results will fill a significant knowledge gap regarding the Indian dental plaque microbiome but also offer a foundation to conduct metagenome studies and potential therapeutic implications for future personalized oral health interventions.

The association of infectious and parasitic pathogens in the etiology of chronic stomatitis and feline gingivostomatitis: a multifactorial approach

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a common pathology located in the oral cavity of felines. It has a chronic nature and generally presents as intense inflammation and ulcerative and ulcerative-proliferative lesions on the oral mucosa. It is a disease considered severe and rapidly progressing. It is considered a challenge for veterinarians, as its etiology is not defined, limiting its treatment and making the prognosis guarded. Chronic gingivostomatitis is considered a multifactorial disease and may be related to different etiological agents, nutritional management, environmental stress, bacteria, viruses and a relationship with the immune system of the affected animal. The association of these factors can lead to bacterial tartar plaques, mucosal hyperemia, halitosis, sialorrhea, among others. Felines aged 7 to 10 years are the most affected, but it can occur in younger or older cats. The Persian, Siamese, Abyssinian, Himalayan and Burmese breeds have a higher incidence, and are considered by some authors to be predisposing breeds. The patient's sex is not relevant, as both are affected. The complaint of recurrences is recurrent, because, due to the challenges encountered in finding a totally efficient protocol, the result of these has presented variable reactions to the treatments used by each veterinarian, however, the surgical intervention, carried out by extracting the molar and premolar teeth, has if considered more appropriate, with the aim of preventing the proliferation of bacteria, stopping the most intense inflammation and providing the patient with quality of life. It is important to highlight, in order to clarify, that, if partial or complete removal of the teeth is necessary, the animal will continue with its normal routine, as felines are not dependent on the extracted teeth for food. It is concluded, after exposing the challenges and clinical difficulties of FCGS that the present work aims to review the literature, discuss its clinical aspects, aiming to explain the clinical part, possible treatments, recommended surgical procedures and their prognosis.

One-Step Fabrication of Water-Dispersible Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles with Immobilized Lactoferrin for Intraoral Disinfection.

Lactoferrin is a highly safe antibacterial protein found in the human body and in foods. Calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles with immobilized lactoferrin could therefore be useful as intraoral disinfectants for the prevention and treatment of dental infections because CaP is a mineral component of human teeth. In this study, we fabricated CaP nanoparticles with co-immobilized lactoferrin and heparin using a simple one-step coprecipitation process. Heparin, a negatively charged polysaccharide, was used as both an immobilizing agent for lactoferrin and a particle-dispersing agent. The immobilization efficiency for lactoferrin in the CaP nanoparticles depended on the concentrations of both the lactoferrin and heparin in the reaction solution and was over 90% under optimal conditions. The nanoparticles had a hydrodynamic diameter of about 150-200 nm and could be well dispersed in water, owing to their relatively large negative zeta potential derived from heparin. They were found to exhibit antibacterial activity against Actinomyces naeslundii, which is involved in the initial formation of dental plaque that consequently leads to dental caries and periodontal disease. These results indicate the potential of the proposed nanoparticles as intraoral disinfectants.

Deep Learning in Oral Hygiene: Automated Dental Plaque Detection via YOLO Frameworks and Quantification Using the O'Leary Index.

Background: Oral diseases such as caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis are highly prevalent worldwide and often arise from plaque. This study focuses on detecting three plaque stages-new, mature, and over-mature-using state-of-the-art YOLO architectures to enhance early intervention and reduce reliance on manual visual assessments. Methods: We compiled a dataset of 531 RGB images from 177 individuals, captured via multiple mobile devices. Each sample was treated with disclosing gel to highlight plaque types, then preprocessed for lighting and color normalization. YOLOv9, YOLOv10, and YOLOv11, in various scales, were trained to detect plaque categories, and their performance was evaluated using precision, recall, and mean Average Precision (mAP@50). Results: Among the tested models, YOLOv11m achieved the highest mAP@50 (0.713), displaying superior detection of over-mature plaque. Across all YOLO variants, older plaque was generally easier to detect than newer plaque, which can blend with gingival tissue. Applying the O'Leary index indicated that over half of the study population exhibited severe plaque levels. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of automated plaque detection with advanced YOLO models in varied imaging conditions. This approach offers potential to optimize clinical workflows, support early diagnoses, and mitigate oral health burdens in low-resource communities.

Isolation of Dental Caries Bacteria from Dental Plaque

Background : Dental caries stands out as a highly prevalent and preventable condition, identified as the leading contributor to oral discomfort and tooth loss. This condition represents a significant public health challenge that obstructs the attainment and preservation of oral health across all age demographics. The WHO has indicated that the global issue of oral disease continues to exist, even with significant advancements in the oral health of populations in various countries. Aim of study : Isolation of Dental Caries Bacteria from Dental Plaque and detection Pattern of resistance to common antibiotics in dental clinics. Methodology : Specimens collection include 75 clinical swabs (45 Male and 25 Female) isolated from dental caries patients who were admitted to Al-Kafeel teaching clinic and outpatient from dentist clinic in AL-Najaf City between November 2022 to January 2023 with age group between 30-70 years. All the specimens were labeled and transported Immediately by sterile transport swabs to the laboratory for Culture and Identification. For each patient, medical records were reviewed, which including name, gender, age, address, hospitalization, and antibiotic receiving. and immediately transport to the old . Results : The study comprised of 75 patients with dental caries , 45 patients were male while 30 patients were female , The swabs taken from dental clinics have been showed that 64 (85.3%) of specimens were gram positive bacteria and only 11 specimens (14.7%) were gram negative bacteria. The result showed that about 64 specimens from totally 75 were gram positive and the most common species were: Streptococcus mutans 20 (26.66%) , Staphylococcus aureus 15 (20%), Lactobacilli 10 (13.33%) , Staphylococcus species 8 (10.66%) , Streptococcus species 5 (6.66%) , Enterococcus faecalis 4(5.33%) , Bacillus species 2 (2.66%) and Micrococcus species 2 (2.66%). Gram negative bacteria that isolated from dental caries were only 11 . The bacterial species were : E. coli 3 (4%), K. pneumonia 2 (2.66%) , P. aeruginosa 2 (2.66%), Moraxella 1 (1.33%) and Acinetobacter baumannii 1 (1.33%). Tow specimens were unknown (2.66%) , Vitek 2 system had no results.

EDUKASI PEMANFAATAN BAHAN ALAM UNTUK KEBERSIHAN GIGI PADA WARGA KELURAHAN KALIGAWE

Background: Dental cavities or caries are ranked first in oral diseases in the world population. In Indonesia, RISKESDAS 2018 data shows that the greatest prevalence of caries is in the age groups of 5 years (93.4%), 12 years (68.8%), 15 years (68.1%), 35-44 years (92.1%) and 65-74 years (95.2%). Dental plaque control can use natural resources that are widely available in Indonesia. However, the proper use of natural materials and adequate knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of natural resource are very important for the success of dental plaque control in the community.Objective : This community service is to provide education about natural ingredients for dental health as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each ingredient to the Kaligawe Village community and provide education about oral health and the importance of maintaining dental hygiene to maintain oral homeostasis.Method: The methods used to increase community knowledge and awareness are counseling and interactive discussions.Result: The results of this community service include an increase in understanding and community interest.Conclusion: This educational activity has succeeded in increasing the knowledge and awareness of the Kaligawe Village community about the importance of dental hygiene and the use of natural substances.

Melatonin: The potential avenues in dentistry

Melatonin, the “sleep hormone,” shows significant promise in dentistry owing to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. It is beneficial for treating periodontal disorders and aiding osseointegration of dental implants. Additionally, melatonin helps to manage dental anxiety, offering an alternative to traditional sedatives. Periodontal disease is orchestrated by bacterial plaques along with an exaggerated immune-inflammatory host response. Treatment of periodontitis not only involves the removal of plaque, but also aims to minimize the cytokine load and control the reactive oxygen species burden in the tissues, which would re-establish a healthy periodontium and a balanced bone metabolism. Melatonin is known to exert beneficial effects, such as regulation of circadian rhythm, bone remodeling, and antimicrobial effects. Recent studies have demonstrated the successful use of melatonin as an adjunct to mechanical debridement for the treatment of periodontal disease. Its various uses include systemic administration of melatonin after one-stage full-mouth Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy in healthy subjects as well as patients. This article provides a summary of the various clinical applications of melatonin, describing its mechanism of action, uses, and potential avenues for future research in dentistry.

INFLUENCE OF RADIOIODINE THERAPY ON ORAL HEALTH AND SALIVARY PRODUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENTIATED THYROID CARCINOMA.

To evaluate the characteristics related to oral health and salivary production in patients with Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC) after radioiodine therapy (RIT). Cross-sectional study, which included patients with DTC after ablative and/or adjuvant RIT. Patients underwent assessment of oral health conditions, subjective assessment of xerostomia and measurement of salivary flow. Salivary glands were assessed by cervical ultrasound at the time of clinical evaluation. 67 DTC patients were included. Oral health was found very good or good in 60% of patients, 84% had no dental plaque or a slight amount, and 53% had normal-looking gums. There was a negative correlation between the salivary flow with activity of RIT ablative, number of RITs received, and total activity of radioiodine administered until oral assessment. Reduction in parotid gland volume on ultrasound was associated with greater number of times receiving RIT, longer time between RIT and patient assessment, greater 131I activity administered. Good or very good oral health was observed in 60% of patients with DTC after RIT, 15% reported hyposalivation and 13%, frequent xerostomia. Higher number and higher total activity of radioiodine administered, as well as reduction in the volume and heterogeneous texture of parotid gland on ultrasound were predictive factors of lower salivary flow.

Inactivation of S. mutans dental biofilm by using Cold Atmospheric Plasma

Abstract S. mutans cells in oral cavity could adhere to surfaces of the teeth form the bacterial biofilm, strongly resist daily cleaning and brushing. The growth of the bacterial protected by the biofilm may lead to dental plaque formation and tooth decay. Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) generated from a capillary-guided corona discharge is investigated for the inactivation of Streptococcus mutans biofilm associated with dental caries. The plasma device was optimised to generate a 4-mm plasma plume while maintaining a temperature near to ambient. The heat generated was not susceptible to thermal damage for the biofilm, as well as the oral cavity. Through experimental evaluations, the gaseous plasma plume from the CAP with a treatment durations of up to 15 minutes were responsible in reducing the S. mutans biofilm. The highest removal was achieved after 15-minute of CAP treatment. The results shown that a log-reduction of 3.08 of the cells in the S. mutans biofilm was killed during the treatment. The 10-minute treatment demonstrated a high value of log reduction at 1.79 compared to the control well. The efficacy is found to be strongly correlated to treatment duration whereby at the minimum duration of 1 minute treatment resulted a log reduction of 0.23. The outcomes of this research highlight CAP as a promising and safe approach for combating S. mutans biofilm. By offering a non-thermal alternative to traditional antimicrobial methods, CAP presents an opportunity to minimize harm to healthy tissues while effectively targeting biofilm.

Interaction between bacterial adhesins leads to coaggregation by the oral bacteria Veillonella parvula and Streptococcus gordonii.

Veillonella parvula is an unusual diderm firmicute that plays a central role in the formation of dental biofilm formation through coaggregation with many other oral bacteria. However, the molecular interactions leading to oral biofilm formation are largely unknown. In a recent study (L. Dorison, N. Béchon, C. Martin-Gallausiaux, S. Chamorro-Rodriguez, et al., mBio 15:e02171-24, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02171-24), coaggregation by V. parvula was shown to be mediated by trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs), which are large, fibrous surface proteins widespread in Gram-negative bacteria. Importantly, this study identified the binding partner protein on a coaggregating bacterium, Streptococcus gordonii, which the authors called VisA. This finding is the first time a TAA mediating coaggregation with a different type of protein has been established and suggests that specifically interacting protein partners may have coevolved multiple times to allow complex biofilm formation, as exemplified by the development of dental plaque. Understanding these interactions might lead to innovations to reduce build-up of dental plaque and associated oral diseases.

Edentulism or Poor Oral Hygiene: Which Is the Stronger Predictor for All-Cause Mortality?

Background: All-cause mortality consisting of several heterogeneous subgroups does not have a well-defined set of risk factors. Despite the well-described role of oral hygiene on mortality, the association between the condition of the existing dentition and mortality remains unclear. Therefore, we embarked on the current study to assess the association of oral hygiene self-care (OHS) with all-cause mortality. Methods: We assessed whether edentulism and the levels of OHS are associated with all-cause mortality in 476 subjects without missing values participating in the KOHH study using proportional hazard models. We designated the edentulous group as OHS0, and poor, fair, and good OHS groups as OHS1, OHS2, and OHS3, respectively. The self-reported OHS was validated against clinical measures of oral inflammation and dental cleanliness, i.e., gingival bleeding and plaque indices. We, then, compared all-cause mortality at three levels of OHS (poor, fair, good) to that of the edentulous group. To test whether the association of OHS to all-cause mortality was mediated by inflammation, we adjusted for CRP. Results: The validity of self-reported OHS was good demonstrating an inverse association with gingival inflammation and plaque index in a dose-response manner. The group with good OHS lived significantly longer, with a 50% lower risk of all-cause mortality. The Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.50 (95% confidence limit: 0.25-0.99), p = 0.045, in a model adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index, and education. Adjusting for CRP attenuated the association of OHS to all-cause mortality slightly, suggesting that this association was mediated, at least in part, by inflammation. In the final model, the poor OHS group exhibited HR = 0.98 (0.51-1.89), p = 0.95. The HR and p-value so close to 1 suggested poor OHS has a similar risk to edentulism. Conclusions: OHS was associated with reduced risk for all-cause mortality: the better OHS, the lower the risk for all-cause mortality. Poor oral hygiene showed a similar risk for all-cause mortality to edentulism.

Effects of the Oral Health Promotion Program on oral health and oral microbiota changes in diabetic elderly individuals: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundDiabetes with its highly prevalence has become a major contributor to the burden of health care costs worldwide. Recent unequivocal evidence has revealed a bidirectional link between oral health and diabetes. In this study, the effects of the Oral Health Promotion Program (OHPP) on oral hygiene, oral health-related quality of life and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic elderly were examined. Moreover, microbial changes in the saliva microbiota community were also emphatically investigated.MethodsA quasi-experiment was conducted in regionally representative communities to assess oral health and oral microbiota of the elderly diabetic participants. The participants in the intervention group (n = 26) received OHPP including three phases of cognition, intensification and consolidation during the program, when those in the control group (n = 26) received routine oral care. Clinical parameters were recorded at two different time points as before the study (T0), and 3 months after intervention onset (T1). Oral health was measured via the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire, dental plaque index, HbA1c and mastery of oral health knowledge, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from saliva samples was used to analyze the oral microbiota.ResultsThe average age of the final sample was 71.77 years (SD = 6.06), 53.8% (28/52) of whom were male. A reduction in the plaque index and improvements in oral health-related quality of life and mastery of oral health knowledge were observed in the intervention group. Meanwhile, the α-diversity of the microbiota increased in both groups, but more significant in the intervention group. PCoA analyses showed significant differences in microbial community structure in both groups, and LEfSe analyses revealed a decrease of g_Streptococcus and g_Rothia after the implementation of OHPP and a decrease of g_Streptococcusa, g_Porphyromonas, g_Gemella after the routine oral care. There was no statistically significant difference in the HbA1c level between two groups.ConclusionsOHPP superiorly contributes to the improvement of oral health and oral microbiota in elderly diabetic patients. The overarching goal is to introduce attention to the importance of good oral health as a crucial point in preventing and managing diabetes mellitus and thereby make it a meaningful contribution to public health and geriatric care.Trial registrationThis study was retrospectively registered in Chinese Clinical Trial on October 9, 2022 (ID ChiCTR2200064453).

Layer-by-layer coated probiotics with tannic acid-Ca2+ and casein phosphopeptide complexes for caries prevention and enamel remineralization.

Dental caries is a common disease resulting from tooth demineralization caused by bacterial plaque. Probiotics have shown great potential against caries by regulating the balance of oral flora. However, obstacles such as poor colonization and lysozyme sensitivity in oral cavity hinder their further application. In this study, an efficient layer-by-layer surface coating of tannic acid (TA)-Ca2+ and casein phosphopeptide (CPP) was applied to the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis (BI) with potential anti-caries activity. Multi-functionalized probiotics thus prepared (called BI@TA-Ca2+@CPP) exhibited similar growth pattern, resistance to lysozyme and enhanced colonization potential. The ability of BI@TA-Ca2+@CPP in inhibiting cariogenic biofilm formation was improved. Moreover, BI@TA-Ca2+@CPP showed excellent remineralization efficacy. In a caries-induced rat model, BI@TA-Ca2+@CPP significantly prevented the occurrence and progression of tooth decay, meanwhile showing good biocompatibility. In summary, this study underlines the importance of probiotics coating in antibiofilm and remineralization activity as a promising strategy against dental caries.

Curcumin pretreatment prevents butyrate-induced cell death and release of damage-associated molecular patterns on gingival epithelial Ca9-22 cells.

Exposure of gingival epithelial cells to butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by dental plaque bacteria, cause cell death and subsequent damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) release. We investigated the effects of curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from turmeric, on butyrate-induced human gingival epithelial Ca9-22 cell death and DAMP release. Ca9-22 cells were pretreated with curcumin before butyrate exposure. Cell death was quantified using SYTOX green dye, and histone H3 acetylation was analyzed by western blot. Conditioned media were collected to detect DAMPs by western blot. We also assessed the effects of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitor C646, instead of curcumin, on butyrate-induced cell death, DAMP release, and histone H3 acetylation, and examined the effects of curcumin pretreatment on cell death, DAMP release, and histone H3 acetylation induced by the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, valproate and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Curcumin pretreatment attenuated butyrate-induced Ca9-22 cell death, histone H3 acetylation, and release of the DAMPs. The C646 also attenuated butyrate-induced cell death, DAMP release, and histone H3 acetylation. Curcumin also suppressed cell death, DAMP release, and histone H3 acetylation triggered by the HDAC inhibitors (valproate and SAHA). Curcumin pretreatment ameliorated butyrate-induced histone H3 acetylation, cell death, and DAMP release. As elevated histone acetylation by HDAC inhibitors correlates with increased cell death, while reduced acetylation by a HAT inhibitor is associated with their attenuation, protective effects of curcumin against butyrate-induced Ca9-22 cell death and subsequent DAMP release may occur via suppression of histone acetylation.

Efficacy of Toothpaste Containing Polylysine and Funme Peptide on Oral Microbiome and Oral Health.

To evaluate the effect of the toothpaste containing ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) and funme peptide (FP) as key components on oral microbial composition and oral health. An oral microbiome study was initially carried out to analyze the variation in the oral microbiota before and after use of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) toothpaste. Subsequently, a clinical trial was independently performed to assess the efficacy of AMP toothpaste by measuring the dental plaque index (PLI), volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) levels, modified bleeding index (mBI), and bleeding on probing rate (BOP%). The application of AMP toothpaste increased the α diversity and modified β diversity of oral microbiome across 3 oral niches. AMP toothpaste increased the relative abundance of the commensal oral microbes, and attenuated the abundance of pathogenic bacteria in gingivitis patients to normal levels. The clinical trial showed 44.33% and 12.29% reductions of PLI scores in the test and control groups, respectively, and the test group exhibited a more pronounced decrease in VSC levels. The test group recorded significant reductions in mBI and BOP% by 39.09% and 24.59%, respectively, exceeding the control group's reductions of 4.63% and -0.97% (P < .05). The formulation of toothpaste with ε-PL and FP recalibrated the oral microbiome's diversity and abundance, and mitigated common oral health issues such as plaque, halitosis, and gingivitis while maintaining well safety. Oral care products containing ε-PL and FP can be used as a new treatment for improving oral microbiota and oral diseases.

Effectiveness of a Novel Oral Irrigator in Removing Artificial Dental Plaque on the Buccal and Lingual Surfaces of Preformed Metal Crowns

Effectiveness of a Novel Oral Irrigator in Removing Artificial Dental Plaque on the Buccal and Lingual Surfaces of Preformed Metal Crowns

Importance in the hygiene technique of the removable upper complete denture

The objective of the study was to identify the current awareness of total edentulous patients about prosthetic care, creating an educational proposal in colloquial language, which facilitates their understanding. Self-care, disinfection and maintenance of dental prostheses are the main topics within the rehabilitation of the edentulous patient. The research was carried out in a private office of the CABA to 50 patients with upper total dental prostheses, where staining was performed with bacterial plaque revealing solution to visualize the biofilm adhered to the prosthesis and/or the prosthetic adhesive. The patients' knowledge about the maintenance and cleaning of dental prostheses was not optimal.

Pilot Study on the Usefulness of Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence-Digital for Dental Plaque Assessment in a Rat Model of Periodontitis

Objective: This study quantifies dental plaque in an animal periodontitis model using quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D), providing fundamental data for establishing diagnostic criteria for periodontitis. Methods: Periodontitis was induced by ligating the mandibular first molars of Sprague–Dawley rats. After 18 days, QLF-D images showing the plaque on the ligatures were obtained intraorally before sacrifice and extraorally after sacrifice. The red and blue fluorescence values were measured using software, and the average red/blue (R/B) ratio was calculated for each image. Alveolar bone loss was evaluated histologically. Results: Ligation of the first molars resulted in an increase in the periodontal ligament area compared to that of the control group, demonstrating alveolar bone resorption. The extraoral lingual-side images obtained after sacrifice were reproducible and provided clear assessment criteria. The R/B ratio of the plaque accumulated on the ligatures was 1.9±0.3. Conclusions: Plaque formation, which is difficult to assess by visual inspection alone, can be evaluated using QLF-D. The animal model of periodontitis used in this study can be used to obtain preclinical data to develop future preventive and therapeutic strategies for periodontal diseases.

The effect of using toothpaste with miswak (Salvadora persica) on plaque formation and dental caries

Background: The oral cavity is the main entry point for microorganisms. Most of the causes of dental and oral damage are plaque. Plaque that appears in the oral cavity will cause various kinds of dental and oral diseases, such as caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Miswak contains antiseptic ingredients, tannic acid, and essential oils that can improve oral health by providing antibacterial effects and preventing a decrease in salivary pH. Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of using toothpaste with miswak (Salvadora persica) content on plaque formation and dental caries. Method: This research is a review article using secondary data from national and international literature published in 2016-2023. Results: Several studies have shown that miswak (Salvadora persica) has antibacterial properties that can reduce plaque and prevent dental caries in children and adults. Conclusion: Miswak possesses antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-caries qualities, which have the ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms that are responsible for maintaining dental plaque and caries.