Is the Level of Nitric Oxide in the Dental Follicular Tissues of Impacted Third Molars With a History of Recurrent Pericoronitis a True Marker of Oxidative Stress?

PURPOSE: Nitric oxide (NO) is an indicator of oxidative stress in several tissues. Its role in dental follicular (DF) tissues of impacted third molars with a history of recurrent pericoronitis is not well elucidated. The present study compared NO levels between inflamed and noninflamed DF tissues of impacted third molars with a history of recurrent pericoronitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed. The study sample included inflamed DF tissues (test group) with certain local inflammatory symptoms, such as pain, tenderness, swelling, and erythema and noninflamed DF tissues (control group) without local inflammatory symptoms of impacted mandibular third molars. Each patient contributed only 1 specimen to the samples. All tissues samples were biochemically investigated for NO levels as an indicator of oxidative stress. The primary predictor variable was inflammatory status; secondary predictor variables were age and gender. The primary outcome variable was NO level. Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The test group consisted of 57 patients (28 men, 29 women; mean age, 23.28 ± 5.16 yr) and the control group consisted of 57 patients (30 men, 27 women; mean age, 23.02 ± 5.42 yr). No relevant intergroup differences were noted for demographic findings such as age and gender. NO levels were significantly higher in inflamed DF tissues of impacted third molars than in noninflamed DF tissues (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that NO might be used as an indicator of oxidative stress and the necessity to remove impacted mandibular third molars with a history of recurrent pericoronitis.

Salivary levels of HNP 1-3 are related to oral ulcer activity in Behçet's disease.

BACKGROUND: Saliva contains antimicrobial peptides derived from oral epithelium as well as neutrophils in the innate immune response. The aim of this study was to examine the association between salivary human neutrophil peptide (HNP) 1-3 levels originating from neutrophils and oral ulcers in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: Ninety-five patients with BD (F/M: 39/56; mean age: 38.7 ± 11.9 years) and 53 healthy controls (HC; F/M: 23/30; mean age: 35.2 ± 10.1 years) were included in the study. The disease control group (F/M: 20/33; mean age: 33.7 ± 10.7 years) was comprised of patients with oral infection regarding endodontic infection (n = 32) and pericoronitis (n = 21). Salivary HNP 1-3 levels of groups were measured in unstimulated samples by ELISA (Hycult, the Netherlands). RESULTS: A statistically significant increase was found in salivary HNP 1-3 levels of patients with BD (2268.28 ± 1216.38 µg/ml) compared with HC (1836.49 ± 857.76 µg/ml), patients with endodontic infection (849.9 ± 376.1 µg/ml), and patients with pericoronitis (824.3 ± 284.02 µg/ml; P = 0.024, 0.000 and 0.000, respectively). The ratio of active oral ulcer (100%, n = 14) was higher in low HNP 1-3 levels (≤ 1000 µg/ml) than the others (66.7%, n = 54) in active patients with BD (P = 0.008). Moreover, salivary HNP 1-3 levels were significantly lower in patients with endodontic infection and patients with pericoronitis compared with those in the HC group and patients with BD (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: A decrease in salivary HNP 1-3 levels might be a biological factor for predisposition to oral ulcers in patients with BD and oral infection in healthy patients.

Interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and TGF-beta in follicular tissue of impacted third molars.

The clinical evaluation and management of impacted third molars remain challenging. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible associations between follicular tissue cytokines and radiographic manifestations of impacted third molar. The population included 72 patients who underwent surgical extraction of impacted third molars. All these patients underwent a preliminary panoramic radiograph. Levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) in tissue extracts were determined using ELISA. There were no significant differences between bony and tissue impaction as regards IL-1ß, IL-6 and TGF-ß levels. Moreover, the same results were obtained as far as the amount of pericoronal space and the presence or absence of a history of pericoronitis are concerned. These results suggest that radiographic findings or a history of pericoronitis are not associated with levels of expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing surgical removal of impacted third molars. However, further studies are needed to address the possibility of variability during disease progression.

[The clinico-biophysical parallels of mixed saliva in odontogenic inflammatory diseases]. / Kliniko-biofizicheskie paralleli smeshannoi sliuny pri odontogennykh vospalitel'nykh zabolevaniiakh.

Mixed salivary pools of 102 patients suffering from odontogenic inflammations were examined in microwave field over the period of 3 to 42 days from the disease onset. Immunoglobulins of the three main classes were measured in these salivary pools starting from the fourth through the 28th day of the disease. Graphs reflecting the time course of the coefficient of biophysical parameters and immunoglobulin levels in patients' mixed saliva were plotted and a mathematical model of an odontogenic inflammation described for the first time, and the markers of the phases of these inflammations defined.