Roles of PCSK9 in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are FDA-approved drugs recommended for high-risk patients with LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) levels ≥ 70 mg/dl. Several studies have also investigated the relationship between PCSK9 and periodontitis. Specifically, studies have investigated the association between periodontitis and periodontal PCSK9 levels in humans, and periodontium status in PCSK9-knockout versus wild-type mice. While a positive association between periodontitis and periodontal PCSK9 levels has been noted, the findings on the comparison of periodontium status between PCSK9-knockout and wild-type mice have been inconsistent. Different methodologies among these studies may explain this discrepancy. Future experimental studies on the impact of pharmacological PCSK9 inhibition on periodontal status as well as observational studies comparing periodontium status between patients receiving PCSK9 inhibitors and those receiving other lipid-lowering drugs will shed light on the role of PCSK9 in periodontal health and disease.

Is Curcumin a Safe and Effective Therapeutic in the Treatment against Oral Lichen Planus?

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic mucocutaneous, immunological disease that occurs more frequently in the buccal mucosa of middle-aged female patients. OLP's standard treatment is topical or systemic corticosteroids. Due to corticosteroids' numerous potential side effects, there is an effort to find an alternative treatment. One alternative treatment is curcumin. Several studies have investigated the effectiveness and safety of curcumin in OLP patients. In this review, we summarized the literature focusing on the effectiveness and safety of curcumin in OLP patients. Our review of clinical trials revealed that either 6000 mg/day curcumin, 80 mg/day nano-curcumin, or 1% curcumin oral gel 6 times/day offered benefits in the treatment of OLP.