"Use of lasers in the nonsurgical treatment of peri-implantitis: a systematic review of the literature".

BACKGROUND: Peri-implantitis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation of the tissue surrounding an implant. The aim of this systematic review of the literature is to assess the effect of the use of lasers in the nonsurgical treatment of peri-implantitis in order to estimate its benefits compared to conventional therapies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: the review's protocol has been registered on PROSPERO international prospective register. The research strategy was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria were: in vivo studies, written in English, measurements of clinical parameters, minimum follow-up at 6 months and with nonsurgical control group, studies about photodynamic therapy, randomized clinical trial, and clinical trial. Electronic (on Pubmed, Cochrane, LILACS and EPC databases) and manual searches (in articles' referencies) were conducted until July 2021. Risk of bias was assessed for each reference thanks to the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. RESULTS: A total of 12 randomized clinical trials, with a high level of evidence, were selected and investigated in this systematic review. A table summarizes data extracted from these articles. It appears that the parameters improve favorably by using lasers, but without any significant difference. CONCLUSION: in accordance with the analysis of studies, our results show that laser therapy with specific characteristics allows to obtain beneficial therapeutic effects on wound healing in the short and the medium-term concerning the clinical parameters in the nonsurgical treatment of peri-implantitis. Concerning its long-term usefulness, it has yet to be confirmed. However, its benefits remains limited since the results agree that the effects of the laser are similar to those obtained by using conventional therapy.

Impact of haptic simulators in preclinical dental education: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Haptic technologies have opened a new avenue in preclinical dental education, with evidence that they can be used to improve student performance. The aim of this systematic review was to (1) determine the effect of haptic simulators on motor skill acquisition during preclinical dental training, (2) explore students' perception, and (3) explore the ability of haptic systems to distinguish users based on their initial level of manual dexterity. METHODS: A comprehensive search of articles published up to February 2023 was performed using five databases (i.e., PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) and specialized journals. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 2020 guidelines were followed, and the risk of bias was assessed. Only studies on the application of haptic simulators in dentistry preclinical training were included. Qualitative synthesis of data was performed, and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID = CRD42022337177). RESULTS: Twenty-three clinical studies, including 1303 participants, were included. The authors observed a statistically significant improvement in dental students' motor skills in various dental specialties, such as restorative dentistry, pediatric, prosthodontics, periodontics, implantology, and dental surgery, after haptic training. Haptic technologies were perceived well by all participants, with encouraging data regarding their ability to differentiate users according to their initial level of manual dexterity. CONCLUSIONS: Our work suggests that haptic simulators can significantly improve motor skill acquisition in preclinical dental training. This new digital technology, which was well perceived by the participants, also showed encouraging results in discriminating users according to their level of experience.

Knowledge and Practice Behaviours of Obstetricians/Gynecologists and Midwives Concerning Periodontal Health and Pregnancy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the level of knowledge of prenatal health professionals concerning the relationship between periodontal diseases and pregnancy complications, as well as their professional implications in the oral health field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to obstetricians/gynecologists, interns specialised in obstetrics/gynecology, midwives, and student midwives at Loire Atlantique and Vendée hospitals (France). The questionnaire included 5 sociodemographic questions and 14 questions regarding the level of knowledge about the relationship between periodontal diseases and pregnancy complications as well as the professionals' level of involvement in oral health care. RESULTS: Twenty-three obstetricians/gynecologists and 55 midwives responded to the questionnaire. Preterm delivery and chorioamnionitis were the most frequently mentioned complications of pregnancy, whereas the risk of pre-eclampsia was rarely mentioned. Half of the professionals said they were aware of the oral manifestations of pregnancy. Gingivitis and an increased risk of caries were the most frequently mentioned items, whereas epulis was the least frequently mentioned item. The level of involvement of prenatal care practitioners in oral health care was limited due to a lack of competence and time. Nevertheless, 64% of the participants discussed the risks of poor oral hygiene with their patients. CONCLUSION: There is good knowledge among French gynecologists/obstetricians and midwives regarding the oral manifestations of pregnancy. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the links between periodontal diseases and pregnancy complications. The involvement and behaviour of pregnancy professionals in the oral health field is inadequate. The present survey highlights the need to improve the initial and continuing education of obstetricians and midwives on this topic.

The Effectiveness of the Addition of Platelet-Rich Fibrin to Bovine Xenografts in Sinus and Bone Ridge Augmentation: A Systematic Review.

Dental implants sometimes need bone augmentation to recreate an adequate bone height and volume. Numerous bone augmentation techniques have been described, and, currently, the most commonly used bone graft procedure is xenografts with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM). The addition of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) to DBBM has already shown better performance than DBBM alone in restoring intrabony periodontal defects, but the role of PRF in preimplantation bone grafts is still not clear. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of the adjunction of PRF or L-PRF to DBBM in bone ridge augmentation procedures. Clinical randomized controlled studies using PRF associated with DBBM were included. In April 2023, three electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science) were searched. The search strategy was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias assessments were performed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. A total of seven articles were included and analyzed. The results show no statistically significant effect of PRF added to DBBM compared to DBBM alone in the sinus lift procedure but do show an effect in the reduction in bone graft resorption in one study of mandibular guided bone regeneration.

Marginal and internal fit of five-unit zirconia-based fixed dental prostheses fabricated with digital scans and conventional impressions: A comparative in vitro study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the marginal and internal fit of five-unit zirconia-based fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) fabricated using digital scans and conventional impressions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine master models with three zirconia abutments were scanned with an intraoral scanner (test group), and nine conventional impressions (control group) of these same models were also made. The stone casts from these impressions were scanned with a laboratory extraoral scanner (D700, 3Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark). A total of 18 five-unit zirconia-based FDP frameworks (test group, n = 9; control group, n = 9) were manufactured. Marginal and internal fit (in µm) were evaluated using the replica method under micro-computed tomography. Analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare continuous variables across two groups. A level of p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation of the marginal fit was 95.03 ± 12.74 µm in the test group and 106.02 ± 14.51 µm in the control group. The lowest marginal mean value was observed in the test group, with a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (F = 14.56, p < 0.05). The mean ± standard deviation of the internal fit was 103.61 ± 9.32 and 106.38 ± 7.64 µm, respectively, in the test and control groups, with no statistically significant difference (F = 1.56, p > 0.05). The mean values of both groups were clinically acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The five-unit zirconia-based FDPs fabricated with digital scans showed better fit than those in the conventional impression group. Within the limitations of this study, these results are encouraging, and continued progress in the digital field should allow for more accurate long-span restorations.

Effects of wearing removable dentures and aging on palatal mucosa blood flow by laser doppler.

Aim: The purpose of this work is to analyze the effects of removable dental prostheses and aging on blood microcirculation in the palatal mucosa. Settings and Design: Blood flow was measured in two groups using the Laser Doppler Flowmeter at three specific anatomical sites: Retro incisive papilla, medial raphe, and Schroeder area. Materials and Methods: Group 1 included young, healthy dentulous individuals (mean age: 23 ± 3 years), and Group 2 contained elderly edentulous individuals (mean age: 62 ± 11.69 years). For Group 1, measurements were taken in a single session; for Group 2, the measurements were taken in two sessions: The first just before the prosthetic load (E1) and again 1 week after new dentures were provider (E2). Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analyses were performed using SAS software, Version 9.4 of the SAS System for Windows, Copyright © 2017 SAS Institute Inc. (Cary, NC, USA). A P < 0.05 was classified as statistically significant. Results: Measurements of blood flow of the palatal mucosa showed that the healthy young dentulous participants had significantly lower perfusion unit values than the elderly edentulous participants at all three anatomical sites (P < 0.05). For Group 2, the comparisons between the measurements taken before (E1) and after (E2) new dentures were provided showed no significant differences. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the process of aging significantly modifies the blood flow of the palatal mucosa while wearing removable dental prostheses does not modify the blood flow of the palatal mucosa in a 1week period. These results are not influenced by systemic pathology (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular diseases) or smoking.

Current Data on Oral Peri-Implant and Periodontal Microbiota and Its Pathological Changes: A Systematic Review.

The 5- and 10-year implant success rates in dentistry are nearly 90%. Prevalence of peri-implant diseases is 10% for peri-implantitis and 50% for peri-implant mucositis. To better understand these inflammatory pathologies of infectious origin, it is important to know if the composition of the peri-implant microbiota is comparable with the periodontal microbiota in healthy and pathological conditions. New generation sequencing (NGS) is a recent metagenomic method that analyzes the overall microorganisms present in an ecological niche by exploiting their genome. These methods are of two types: 16S rRNA sequencing and the shotgun technique. For several years, they have been used to explore the oral, periodontal, and, more specifically, peri-implant microbiota. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the recent results of these new explorations by comparing the periodontal and peri-implant microbiota in patients with healthy and diseased sites and to explore the microbiological characteristics of peri-implantitis. A better knowledge of the composition of the peri-implant microbiota would enable us to optimize our therapeutic strategies. An electronic systematic search was performed using the medical databases PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect, and Periodontology 2000. The selected articles were published between January 2015 and March 2021. Inclusion criteria included clinical studies comparing healthy and pathological periodontal and peri-implant microbiota exclusively using 16S rRNA sequencing or shotgun sequencing, with enrolled populations free of systemic pathology, and studies without substantial bias. Eight articles were selected and reviewed. All of them used 16S rRNA sequencing exclusively. The assessment of these articles demonstrates the specific character of the peri-implant microbiota in comparison with the periodontal microbiota in healthy and pathological conditions. Indeed, peri-implant diseases are defined by dysbiotic bacterial communities that vary from one individual to another, including known periodontopathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.) and genera less mentioned in the periodontal disease pattern such as Filifactor alocis. Examination of peri-implant microbiota with 16S rRNA sequencing reveals differences between the periodontal and peri-implant microbiota under healthy and pathological conditions in terms of diversity and composition. The pattern of dysbiotic drift is preserved in periodontal and peri-implant diseases, but when comparing the different types of pathological sites, the peri-implant microbiota has a specificity in the presence of bacteria proper to peri-implantitis and different relative proportions of the microorganisms present.

Papillary Reconstruction using Hyaluronic Acid: A Review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to analyse the use of hyaluronic acid injection in the interdental space to reconstruct the papilla in animal models and humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases were searched up to May 2022, and additional hand searching was performed. The search strategy was implemented according to the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria were: studies written in English, studies using hyaluronic acid, in vivo studies, studies with a precise number of specimens, case series with ≥6 patients, and studies published after 2010. The risk of bias was assessed for each study that could be evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 19 articles were selected and reviewed in this review. Due to the great heterogeneity of the protocols and materials, comparison between studies was not possible. However, using this technique, the studies found statistically significant improvements in most cases. The filling percentages ranged from 19% to 100%. Regarding patient satisfaction, the few studies that evaluated this parameter found statistically significant results with most patients willing to repeat the experience. Regarding side effects, only two studies reported them. Moreover, the procedure does not seem to be very painful. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that hyaluronic acid injections seem to be effective in reconstructing papillary volume. However, to date, too few clinical trials with a high level of proof have been conducted on this technique. Future studies will have to work on the size of the sample, the concentration of the product, the number of injections and the injection method.

Association Between Periodontitis and Preterm Birth in a Cohort of Pregnant Women in Ivory Coast.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between periodontitis and preterm birth in Ivory Coast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort study including 446 volunteers (pregnant women) aged 15-50 years was performed in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of the University Hospital Center of Cocody-Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Socioeconomic and periodontal status was obtained during pregnancy. After delivery, obstetric data was collected. Periodontitis was diagnosed according to the new 2018 EFP/AAP classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions, as follows: a subject presenting with interdental CAL at two non-adjacent teeth or buccal/oral CAL ≥ 3 mm with pocketing > 3 mm was diagnosed with periodontitis. Any birth before the 37th week was considered a preterm birth (PTB). RESULTS: The prevalence of periodontitis and preterm birth were 59.47% and 18.34%, respectively. Periodontitis was mainly stage 1. PTB was statistically significantly higher in pregnant women with periodontitis compared to women without periodontitis (p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis showed that periodontitis was associated with PTB (p = 0.0002). Logistic regression showed that periodontitis is a risk factor for preterm birth (OR = 3.62; 95% CI: 1.80-7.31; p = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that periodontitis is an additional risk factor for preterm birth in Ivory Coast.

Prevalence and risk indicators for severe periodontitis in Côte d'Ivoire.

Background: The present study evaluated the prevalence of severe periodontitis (SP) and determined the possible relevant risk factors among patients referred to the Periodontology Department at the Dental Care Center of the Odontostomatology Training and Research Unit of Abidjan, in Côte d'Ivoire. Methods: This retrospective observational study was based on 1087 patients data aged 18‒80 years, who were treated in the periodontology department from December 2008 to December 2018. Severe periodontitis (stages III or IV) was defined as interdental clinical attachment loss (CAL)>5 mm at two non-adjacent teeth. Two groups were considered: patients with severe periodontitis (test) or without severe periodontitis (control). Differences between the two groups were tested using the chi-squared test and ANOVA. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was used to model the relationship between the severity of periodontitis and covariables as potential risk indicators. Results: 43.4% of patients had severe periodontitis with a mean CAL of 6.89 mm. SP was associated with age (P=0.004), socioeconomic status (P=0.005), smoking habits (P=0.000), brushing frequency (P=0.000), the number of mobile teeth (P<0.001), and the number of lost teeth (P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that having at least five mobile teeth (OR= 4.11, 95% CI: 2.95‒5.73) and/or five missing teeth (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.85‒3.66) were independent risk indicators for severe periodontal disease. Conclusion: This Ivorian sample presented a high prevalence of severe periodontal diseases. Therefore, proper public health measures would allow early detection, with targeted and effective treatment of the Ivorian population.

Implant-supported removable partial dentures compared to conventional dentures: A systematic review and meta-analysis of quality of life, patient satisfaction, and biomechanical complications.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare implant-supported removable partial dentures (ISRPDs) with distal extension removable partial dentures (DERPDs) in terms of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs: patients' quality of life and satisfaction) and to determine mechanical and biological complications associated with ISRPDs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search was performed on four databases to identify studies treating Kennedy class I or II edentulous patients and which compared ISRPDs with DERPDs in terms of PROMS and studies, which evaluated mechanical and biological complications associated ISRPDs. Two authors independently extracted data on quality of life, patient satisfaction, and biomechanical complications from these studies. The risk of bias was assessed for each study, and for PROMs, the authors performed a meta-analysis by using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included based on the selection criteria. The difference in mean scores for quality of life (30.5 ± 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.9-36.1) and patient satisfaction (-20.8 ± 0.2; 95% CI, -23.7 to -17.8) between treatments with conventional and implant-supported removable dentures was statistically significant (p < .05). Implant-supported removable dentures improved patients' overall quality of life and satisfaction. Some mechanical and biological complications, such as clasp adjustment, abutment or implant loosening, marginal bone resorption, and peri-implant mucositis, were noted in ISRPDs during patient follow-up. Studies assessing PROMs were very heterogeneous (I2 = 65%, p = .85; I2 = 75%, p = .88). CONCLUSIONS: ISRPDs significantly improved quality of life and patient satisfaction. Some mechanical and biological complications have been associated with ISRPDs treatment, requiring regular monitoring of patients to avoid the occurrence of these complications.

Comparative assessment of complete-coverage, fixed tooth-supported prostheses fabricated from digital scans or conventional impressions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Intraoral scanners have significantly improved over the last decade. Nevertheless, data comparing intraoral digital scans with conventional impressions are sparse. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the impact of impression technique (digital scans versus conventional impressions) on the clinical time, patient comfort, and marginal fit of tooth-supported prostheses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors conducted a literature search based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework in 3 databases to identify clinical trials with no language or date restrictions. The mean clinical time, patient comfort, and marginal fit values of each study were independently extracted by 2 review authors and categorized according to the scanning or impression method. The authors assessed the study-level risk of bias. RESULTS: A total of 16 clinical studies met the inclusion criteria. The mean clinical time was statistically similar for digital scan procedures (784 ±252 seconds) and for conventional impression methods (1125 ±159 seconds) (P>.05). The digital scan techniques were more comfortable for patients than conventional impressions; the mean visual analog scale score was 67.8 ±21.7 for digital scans and 39.6 ±9.3 for conventional impressions (P<.05). The mean marginal fit was 80.9 ±31.9 µm and 92.1 ±35.4 µm for digital scan and conventional impressions, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Digital scan techniques are comparable with conventional impressions in terms of clinical time and marginal fit but are more comfortable for patients than conventional impression techniques.

Effect of 970 nm low-level laser therapy on orthodontic tooth movement during Class II intermaxillary elastics treatment: a RCT.

This prospective randomized clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effect of low-level laser therapy on tooth movement during Class II intermaxillary elastics treatment. Forty-two patients with Class II malocclusion were included, and their maxillary quadrants were allocated into two groups: treatment with an active diode laser and a placebo group. In each group, the time taken to obtain Class I occlusion after 6 months, rate of movement, total displacement of the maxillary canine to Class I occlusion and pain were recorded. The time to reach Class I occlusion in the active laser group (2.46 ± 2.1 months) was not significantly different from that in the placebo group (2.48 ± 2.0 months) (p = 0.938). Interestingly, the total distance of movement on the active laser side (2.27 ± 1.5 mm) was significantly greater than that on the placebo side (1.64 ± 1.3 mm) (p = 0.009). The pain levels on days 1, 2 and 3 were not significantly different between the laser and placebo sections. The rate of distance change toward Class I occlusion in the laser group (1.1 ± 0.7 mm/month) was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (0.74 ± 0.6 mm/month) (p = 0.037). Low-level laser therapy (970 nm) did not reduce the time needed to obtain Class I occlusion, but a significant acceleration in tooth movement was observed in the irradiated group.Trial registration: NCT02181439. Registered 04 July 2014- https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=cinelaser .

Subgingival Microbiota and Cytokines Profile Changes in Patients with Periodontitis: A Pilot Study Comparing Healthy and Diseased Sites in the Same Oral Cavities.

Periodontitis is a common condition characterized by an exacerbated pro-inflammatory response, which leads to tissue destruction and, ultimately, alveolar bone loss. In this pilot study, we assess the microbiota composition and cytokine profile changes in patients with stage III/IV, grade B/C periodontitis, specifically by comparing healthy and diseased sites in the same oral cavity. Overall, we found that microbiota architecture was significantly disrupted between diseased and healthy sites, and that the clustering was driven, in part, by the increased relative abundances of Synergistetes in diseased sites, as well as the increased abundances of Firmicutes in healthy sites. We also observed that diseased sites were enriched in Synergistetes, TM7, SR1, Spirochaetes, Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria, and depleted in Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Actinobacteria compared to healthy sites. We found that Interleukin-1b, Interleukin-4, Interleukin-10, and Interleukin-17A were significantly overexpressed in diseased sites, whereas Interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha do not differ significantly between healthy and diseased sites. Here, we observed concomitant changes in the subgingival plaque microbiota and cytokines profile, suggesting that this combined alteration could contribute to the pathobiology of periodontitis.

Combination of bone substitutes and vectors in periodontology and implantology: A systematic review.

The aim of the systematic review was to analyze the use of combination of bone substitutes and vectors in periodontology and implantology among animals models and humans. Electronic databases were searched, and additional hand search was performed. The research strategy was achieved according to the PRISMA guidelines. The including criteria were: combination of bone substitutes and vectors, in vivo studies, a precise number of specimens, histological and radiographic analysis, written in English. The risk of bias was evaluated for individual studies. Thirty-two articles were selected and investigated in this systematic review. The results do not show a superiority of the use of composite biomaterial in comparison with simple biomaterial but suggest the efficacity of their utilization as a carrier of bioactive agents. Future studies need to identify the suitable association of bone substitutes and vectors and explore interest in their use such as the support of growth factors.

Periodontal Diseases and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Review of Two Decades of Clinical Research.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the literature and chart the clinical studies that have focused on periodontal diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes since 1996. Materials and Methods: Medline, Cinahl, and Cochrane databases were searched for original studies focused on pregnancy outcomes and periodontal status in humans. The most recent search was conducted on April 30, 2020. Results: Of the 633 articles identified, 232 articles (n = 119,774 participants) were selected for analysis. The majority of studies highlighted a statistically significant association between periodontal diseases and preterm birth (71 of 111 articles; 63.96%), low birth weight (46 of 64 articles; 71.87%), preterm low birth weight (29 of 49 articles; 59.18%), preeclampsia (31 of 45 articles; 68.89%) and other pregnancy complications, such as preterm, prelabor rupture of membranes (17 of 26 articles; 65.38%). Geographical analysis revealed that clinical studies were conducted in 51 countries, primarily in the United States (42 studies, 18.10%), Brazil (33 studies, 14.22%) and India (25 studies, 10.78%). Irrespective of geographical location, analysis showed various degrees of evidence of a relationship between periodontal diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: The majority of the studies found a statistically significant link between periodontal diseases and some complications of pregnancy. The strength of such a link varies according to type of study, type of variable and outcome measure selected.

Periodontitis, erectile dysfunction, reproductive hormones, and semen quality: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that periodontitis may affect male sexual health (MSH) (erectile function, production of sex hormones, and semen quality). However, a limited number of clinical studies demonstrate the association between MSH and periodontitis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between periodontitis and MSF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive systematic review of the published literature in MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from the earliest available online indexing year until October 2020 was performed, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Keywords related to periodontitis were combined with words describing MSH. RESULT: A total of 19 studies were included and discussed in the systematic review. The number of study participants ranged from 53 to 197,136 individuals, aged between 18 and 95 years (mean age, 41.2 years). Six studies did not report the age of the participants. Out of nine studies, eight found a significant association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and periodontitis. Only three studies evaluated the association between sex hormone levels and periodontitis, and two of these studies showed that patients with periodontitis are expected to exhibit higher levels of testosterone. Finally, out of five studies, two demonstrated a significant association between semen quality and periodontitis. DISCUSSION: The findings in this review were limited by the quality and the few available studies. Results from the observational studies might have been affected by recall bias and confounded by cofactors. CONCLUSION: The results of this systematic review revealed a significant association between periodontitis and ED, although the responsible mechanisms remain unclear. The potential associations between sex hormone levels, semen quality, and periodontitis are yet to be demonstrated. In order to improve patient management, dentists and physicians need to be aware of the association between male sexual health problems and periodontitis.

Another Look at the Contribution of Oral Microbiota to the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Narrative Review.

Although autoimmunity contributes to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), several lines of evidence challenge the dogma that it is mainly an autoimmune disorder. As RA-associated human leukocyte antigens shape microbiomes and increase the risk of dysbiosis in mucosae, RA might rather be induced by epigenetic changes in long-lived synovial presenting cells, stressed by excessive translocations into joints of bacteria from the poorly cultivable gut, lung, or oral microbiota (in the same way as more pathogenic bacteria can lead to "reactive arthritis"). This narrative review (i) lists evidence supporting this scenario, including the identification of DNA from oral and gut microbiota in the RA synovium (but in also healthy synovia), and the possibility of translocation through blood, from mucosae to joints, of microbiota, either directly from the oral cavity or from the gut, following an increase of gut permeability worsened by migration within the gut of oral bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis; (ii) suggests other methodologies for future works other than cross-sectional studies of periodontal microbiota in cohorts of patients with RA versus controls, namely, longitudinal studies of oral, gut, blood, and synovial microbiota combined with transcriptomic analyses of immune cells in individual patients at risk of RA, and in overt RA, before, during, and following flares of RA.

Effect of Reinforced Oral Hygiene on Periodontally Healthy Dental Students: A Four-year Follow-up Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: In periodontally healthy individuals, mean crevicular depth ranges from 1 to 3 mm. This depth threshold has been used as an indicator to differentiate a physiological dentoalveolar sulcus from a periodontal pocket needing further treatment. Because many studies have shown the important contribution of oral hygiene status to periodontal health, the purpose of this study was to explore the clinical effect of reinforced oral hygiene on the periodontal status of periodontitis-free dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our longitudinal observational clinical study, we assessed the periodontal status of healthy individuals attending the dental school by measuring the periodontal pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and plaque index. The follow-up reassessment was carried out four years later at the end of the dental curriculum. RESULTS: The study showed that oral hygiene improvement led to a slight but significant reduction in the mean sulcus depth (-0.049 mm; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Reinforcement of oral hygiene contributes to the reduction of probing depth even in periodontally healthy patients.