Chronic alcohol and nicotine consumption as catalyst for systemic inflammatory storm and bone destruction in apical periodontitis.

AIM: To assess the periapical alveolar bone pattern and the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, biochemical markers and metabolites in rats subjected to chronic alcohol and nicotine consumption and induced apical periodontitis. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Control, Alcohol, Nicotine and Alcohol+Nicotine. The alcohol groups were exposed to self-administration of a 25% alcohol solution, while the other groups were given only filtered water. The nicotine groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of a nicotine solution (0.19 µL of nicotine/mL), whereas the other groups received saline solution. Periapical lesions were induced by exposing the pulps of the left mandibular first molars for 28 days. After euthanasia, the mandibles were removed and the percentage bone volume, bone mineral density, trabecular thickness, trabecular separation and trabecular number of the periapical bone were measured using micro-computed tomography images. Serum samples were collected for analysis of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α), biochemical and metabolomic analysis. Statistical analysis was performed with a significance level of 5%. Nonparametric data were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's test, while one-way anova followed by Tukey's test was performed for parametric data. RESULTS: The groups exposed to alcohol or nicotine consumption exhibited an altered bone pattern indicating lower bone density and higher levels of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α compared to the Control group (p < .05). Significant differences were observed among the groups in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, creatinine, albumin, uric acid, bilirubin and calcium. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant differences in glycine, phosphocholine, lysine, lactate, valine, pyruvate and lipids (CH2 CH2 CO), n(CH2 ) and n(CH3 ). Most of these parameters were even more altered in the simultaneous consumption of both substances compared to single consumption. CONCLUSION: Alcohol and nicotine chronic consumption altered several metabolic markers, impaired liver and kidney function, increased the production of systemic proinflammatory mediators and harmed the periapical bone microarchitecture in the presence of apical periodontitis. The simultaneous consumption of alcohol and nicotine intensified these detrimental effects.

Disinfectant effectiveness of chlorhexidine gel compared to sodium hypochlorite: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

This study aimed to compare the disinfectant ability of chlorhexidine (CHX) gel and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Systematic searches were conducted from inception until December 8th, 2022 (MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Grey Literature databases). Only randomized clinical trials were included. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tools for randomized trials were used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-analyses were performed. The overall quality of evidence was assessed through the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. Six studies were included. Five had a low risk of bias and 1 had some concerns. Three studies assessed bacterial reduction. Two were included in the meta-analysis for bacterial reduction (mean difference, 75.03 [confidence interval, CI, -271.15, 421.22], p = 0.67; I2 = 74%); and 3 in the meta-analysis for cultivable bacteria after chemomechanical preparation (odds ratio, 1.03 [CI, 0.20, 5.31], P = 0.98; I2 = 49%). Five studies assessed endotoxin reduction. Three were included in a meta-analysis (mean difference, 20.59 [CI, -36.41, 77.59], p = 0.48; I2 = 74%). There seems to be no difference in the disinfectant ability of CHX gel and NaOCl, but further research is necessary.

Zoledronic Acid Modulates Cytokine Expression and Mitigates Bone Loss during the Development of Induced Apical Periodontitis in a Mice Model.

INTRODUCTION: Bisphosphonates are antiresorptive drugs used worldwide to treat systemic bone pathologies. This study aimed to assess the impact of zoledronic acid on the progression of induced apical periodontitis and the expression of cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-10, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in a mouse model. METHODS: Sixteen female isogenic BALB/c mice 6 weeks of age were distributed into 2 groups: mice with induced apical periodontitis (the AP group, n = 8) and mice with induced apical periodontitis treated with zoledronic acid (the AP-ZA group, n = 8). The AP-ZA group received a dose of 125 µg/kg zoledronic acid diluted in sterile saline solution administered intraperitoneally once a week for 4 weeks before pulp exposure, whereas the AP group received only saline solution. Pulp exposures were performed on the maxillary first molars for the induction of apical periodontitis, and mice were euthanized after 7 and 21 days. The jaws were collected; scanned using micro-computed tomographic imaging; and processed for polymerase chain reaction analysis of IL-1ß, IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α. The Student t test was performed for parametric data, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for nonparametric data. The level of significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: Micro-computed tomographic imaging revealed higher bone resorption in the AP group compared with the AP-ZA group at both time points (P < .05). Real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated higher TNF-α expression in the AP group at both time points and higher IL-6 and IL-1ß expression in the AP group at the 7- and 21-day time points, respectively, compared with the AP-ZA group (P < .05). No differences were observed regarding IL-10 expression between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Zoledronic acid had significant anti-inflammatory and antiresorptive effects on apical periodontitis in mice.

Association between Apical Periodontitis and Chronic Diseases: An Umbrella Review.

Introduction: To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) that evaluated the association between apical periodontitis (AP) and chronic diseases. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was performed in the databases PubMed, Virtual Health Library, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science and Open Grey. SRs that evaluated the association between any chronic disease and AP, and that had performed a valid risk of bias assessment were included. The AMSTAR-2 tool was used for quality assessment and each included systematic review received a final categorization as having "high", "moderate", "low", or "critically low" quality. Results: Nine studies that met the eligibility criteria were included. The diseases investigated were cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, HIV, osteoporosis, chronic liver disease, blood disorders and autoimmune diseases. The systematic reviews included in this umbrella review showed a 'low' to 'high' quality of evidence. Conclusion: There are substantial heterogeneity and several methodological concerns in the included studies. It was observed a positive association between diabetes mellitus and apical periodontitis with limited evidence, no association between HIV and apical periodontitis and a positive association between apical periodontitis and cardiovascular disease, blood disorders, chronic liver disease, osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases with moderate evidence.

Volumetric changes in root canal sealers in ex vivo and a novel animal model approach.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the volumetric change of root canal sealers through micro-computed tomographic analysis using a novel in vivo model and to compare the results with those obtained using an ex vivo test. METHODOLOGY: Eighteen single-rooted teeth were cut to 5 mm length from the root apex. The root canals were uniformly enlarged and filled with EndoSequence BC Sealer or AH Plus Jet root canal sealers. Samples were stored at 37°C and 95% relative humidity for 24 h and then scanned with a micro-CT device. Twelve samples (n = 6 for each sealer) were implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of Wistar rats, while six samples (n = 3 for each sealer) were immersed in 20 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37°C at neutral pH. After 7 and 30 days, teeth were removed from subcutaneous tissue or PBS and rescanned. Statistical analysis of volume changes was performed using Shapiro-Wilk's test and independent t-test (p < .05). RESULTS: AH Plus Jet had smaller volume changes (-2.2 to +0.77%) than EndoSequence BC Sealer (-2.0 to +4.0%) (p < .05), in the two tested models. The volume of the root canal sealers decreased over time (p < .05), in vivo. AH Plus Jet results varied between the in vivo and ex vivo results (p < .05), while EndoSequence BC Sealer presented similar volume losses for both experimental models (p > .05). CONCLUSION: EndoSequence BC Sealer lost more volume than AH Plus Jet. The experimental conditions influenced the volumetric change of AH Plus Jet but not the EndoSequence BC Sealer. The ex vivo model should be further explored as a methodological alternative to assess the volumetric changes of root canal sealers without causing harm to animals.

pH influences the volumetric change of calcium silicate- and epoxy resin-based root canal sealers: An ex vivo micro-CT study.

This study assessed the influence of pH variation on the volumetric change of EndoSequence BC Sealer compared to AH Plus Jet. Eighteen single-rooted teeth were uniformly prepared and filled with one of the sealers. After 24-h storing, samples were scanned in a micro-CT device. Then, roots were immersed in 20 ml phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with pH of 5, 7 or 12 at 37°C for 7 and 30 days and rescanned. Statistical analysis was performed using Shapiro-Wilk's test, one-way ANOVA and Tukey's or Student's t-tests (p < 0.05). Differences between sealers were observed only at neutral pH and after 30 days of acidic pH exposure, with a higher loss of EndoSequence (p < 0.05). After 7 days, alkaline pH reduced and increased the volumetric loss of EndoSequence and AH Plus, respectively, compared to neutral pH (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that the pH directly influenced the volumetric change of both tested root canal sealers in different ways.

Ten years of minimally invasive access cavities in Endodontics: a bibliometric analysis of the 25 most-cited studies.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the main features of the 25 most-cited articles in minimally invasive access cavities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search was conducted on the Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science 'All Databases' to identify the most-cited articles related to this topic. Citation counts were cross-matched with data from Elsevier's Scopus and Google Scholar. Information about authors, contributing institutions and countries, year and journal of publication, study design and topic, access cavity, and keywords were analyzed. RESULTS: The top 25 most-cited articles received a total of 572 (Web of Science), 1,160 (Google Scholar) and 631 (Scopus) citations. It was observed a positive significant association between the number of citations and age of publication (r = 0.6907, p < 0.0001); however, there was no significant association regarding citation density and age of publication (r = -0.2631, p = 0.2038). The Journal of Endodontics made the highest contribution (n = 15, 60%). The United States had the largest number of publications (n = 7) followed by Brazil (n = 4), with the most contributions from the University of Tennessee and Grande Rio University (n = 3), respectively. The highest number of most-cited articles were ex vivo studies (n = 16), and 'fracture resistance' was the major topic studied (n = 10). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a growing interest for researchers in the field of minimally invasive access cavities. Future trends are focused on the expansion of collaborative networks and the conduction of laboratory studies on under-investigated parameters.

Antibacterial Efficacy of Triple Antibiotic Medication With Macrogol (3Mix-MP), Traditional Triple Antibiotic Paste, Calcium Hydroxide, and Ethanol Extract of Propolis: An Intratubular Dentin Ex Vivo Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopic Study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of antibacterial activity of medications used in regenerative endodontic treatment. METHODS: Sixty-seven dentin cylinders of single-rooted teeth were contaminated with a culture of Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212; American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, VA) for 5 days. Samples were divided into 1 control group and the following experimental groups according to the medication applied: traditional triple antibiotic paste (TAP), clindamycin-modified TAP (mTAP), triple antibiotic medication with macrogol (3Mix-MP), clindamycin-modified 3Mix-MP (m3Mix-MP), calcium hydroxide (CH), and ethanol extract of propolis (EEP). After 14 days, the medications were removed, and the samples were submitted to confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis to quantify the percentage of viable bacteria. The distribution of data was confirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests were used for intergroup comparisons, and the Wilcoxon test was used for comparison between superficial and deep antibacterial efficacy for the same medication. The level of significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS: 3Mix-MP and m3Mix-MP presented significantly higher antibacterial efficacy compared with the other tested medications (P < .05), except for mTAP. mTAP was more effective than TAP (P < .05). The antibacterial efficacy of EEP and CH did not differ significantly from TAP and mTAP (P > .05). All medications showed effective antibacterial action compared with the control group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: 3Mix-MP and m3Mix-MP, which present extremely high concentrations of antibiotics (1500 mg/mL), were not more effective than mTAP at the concentration recommended by the American Association of Endodontists (5 mg/mL). Moreover, CH and EEP were as effective as TAP and mTAP.

Does the type of endodontic access influence in the cyclic fatigue resistance of reciprocating instruments?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to compare the cyclic fatigue resistance of Reciproc R25 (R25) and Reciproc Blue R25 (R25B) instruments, after simulated clinical use in traditional (TradAC) and ultraconservative (UltraAC) endodontic access cavities. METHODS: Forty mandibular molars were randomly assigned into the following groups, according to the type of access and instrument to be used: TradAC and R25, TradAC and R25B, UltraAC and R25, and UltraAC and R25B. Teeth were accessed accordingly, and the root canals were prepared using "RECIPROC ALL" kinematics. The cyclic fatigue resistance of the forty used instruments was obtained measuring the time to fracture in an artificial stainless-steel canal. Ten brand new R25 and R25B were used as control groups. The fracture surfaces and the side cutting edges of the instruments were examined with a scanning electron microscope. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests with a significance level of P < 0.05. RESULTS: R25B instruments showed significantly higher cyclic fatigue resistance than R25, regardless of the access cavity type (P < 0.05). No differences were observed in the cyclic fatigue resistance between instruments without simulated clinical use and used in TradAC (P > 0.05). R25 and R25B used in UltraAC showed significantly lower cyclic fatigue resistance compared with the instruments used in TradAC and without simulated clinical use (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: R25B files showed improved cyclic fatigue resistance than R25. The use of R25B and R25 files in mandibular molars with UltraACs decreased their cyclic fatigue resistance, compared with TradAC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of Reciproc and Reciproc Blue files in mandibular molars with ultra-conservative endodontic access cavities reduced their cyclic fatigue resistance. Clinicians should be aware about the reduced cyclic fatigue resistance of these files when used in mandibular molars with UltraAC, due to the synergistic effect of access angulation and severe curvature induced in the endodontic files.

Efeito do consumo de álcool no desenvolvimento de lesão periapical induzida em ratos: uma análise microtomográfica / The Effect of Alcohol Consumption on the Development of Periapical Lesion Induced in Rats: a Micro-CT Analysis

Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do consumo crônico de álcool no aumento da destruição óssea periapical em ratos. Material e métodos: Foram selecionados 12 ratos machos da linhagem Wistar, aleatoriamente divididos nos grupos controle e álcool (n=6). Os ratos do grupo álcool foram submetidos à auto-administração de solução alcoólica contendo 25% de álcool puro. O grupo controle recebeu apenas água filtrada durante o estudo. Após as 5 semanas de adaptação do grupo álcool, todos os ratos foram anestesiados e a polpa dos seus primeiros molares inferiores esquerdos foi exposta à cavidade oral para indução da lesão periapical. Após 28 dias de exposição pulpar, os ratos foram sacrificados por sobredose de anestesia, e suas mandíbulas foram removidas e seccionadas para avaliação microtomográfica. As hemimandíbulas esquerdas foram fixadas e escaneadas no microtomógrafo SkyScan 1173 (Bruker, Kontich, Belgium). O tamanho da lesão periradicular foi medido a partir das imagens de microtomografia computadorizada (micro-CT), onde foram calculados a área de superfície e o volume da lesão. Também foram avaliadas a taxa percentual de ganho de peso e a ingestão de sólidos/líquidos dos grupos. Os dados foram estatisticamente analisados utilizando o teste t de Student (p<0,05). Resultados: Os animais do grupo controle tiveram uma maior taxa percentual de ganho de peso corporal e de ingestão tanto de sólidos como de líquidos (p<0,05). As lesões periapicais apresentaram maior volume e maior área nos animais do grupo álcool, em comparação ao grupo controle (p<0,05). Conclusão: O consumo crônico de álcool contribuiu para o aumento da destruição óssea periapical em casos de periodontite apical.

Objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of alcohol consumption on the increase of periapical bone destruction in rats. Material and Methods: the sample included 12 Wistar male rats, randomly assigned into a control group and an alcohol group (n=6). Rats in the alcohol group were submitted to self-administration of a 25% pure alcoholic solution. The control group received only filtered water throughout the study. After 5 weeks of adaptation to the alcohol dose, all animals were anesthetized and the pulps of their mandibular left first molar were exposed to the oral cavity to induce periapical lesion. Twenty-eight days after the pulp exposure, those rats were euthanized due to overdose of anesthesia and their mandibles were removed and sectioned to obtain a micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) scan. The rats' left hemimandibles were fixed and scanned on the SkyScan 1173 (Bruker, Konitch, Belgium) microtomograph. The size of the periradicular lesions was measured from the images obtained on the micro-CT and the surface area and volume were calculated. It was also evaluated the weight gain rate and the ingestion of solid/liquid of both groups. Data were analyzed by the Student's t-test (p<0.05). Results: the control group showed higher rates of weight gain and ingested more solid and liquid than the alcohol group (p<0.05). Periapical lesions found in the alcohol group had higher volume and surface area than the ones of the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: the chronic consumption of alcohol contributed to the increase of periapical bone destruction in cases of apical periodontitis