Relationship between CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline and initial periodontal treatment efficacy in patients undergoing treatment for HIV infection: A retrospective observational study.

AIM: To retrospectively investigate the relationship between the CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline and the efficacy of the initial periodontal treatment of patients undergoing treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with chronic periodontitis who had undergone periodontal examination at baseline and after the initial periodontal treatment were enrolled. PISA was calculated from the periodontal probing depth and bleeding on probing, and the ratio of PISA after treatment to that at baseline (PISA response ratio) was calculated. Groups with a response ratio of <1 and ≥1 were defined as the improvement and the non-improvement groups, respectively. RESULTS: PISA after the initial periodontal treatment significantly decreased compared with that at baseline (p < .05). A weak negative correlation was found between the PISA response ratio and CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline (p < .05). The CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline were significantly higher in the improvement group than in the non-improvement group (p < .05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline was an independent factor that affects the PISA (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The higher the CD4+ T-cell counts at baseline in patients undergoing treatment for HIV infection, the more effective the initial periodontal treatment.

Utility of intraoral scanner imaging for dental plaque detection.

Purpose: Oral hygiene, maintained through plaque control, helps prevent periodontal disease and dental caries. This study was conducted to examine the accuracy of plaque detection with an intraoral scanner (IOS) compared to images captured with an optical camera. Materials and Methods: To examine the effect of color tone, artificial tooth resin samples were stained red, blue, and green, after which images were acquired with a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IOS device. Stained surface ratios were then determined and compared. Additionally, the deviation rate of the IOS relative to the DSLR camera was computed for each color. In the clinical study, following plaque staining with red disclosing solution, the staining was captured by the DSLR and IOS devices, and the stained area on each image was measured. Results: The stained surface ratios did not differ significantly between DSLR and IOS images for any color group. Additionally, the deviation rate did not vary significantly across colors. In the clinical test, the stained plaque appeared slightly lighter in color, and the delineation of the stained areas less distinct, on the IOS compared to the DSLR images. However, the stained surface ratio was significantly higher in the IOS than in the DSLR group. Conclusion: When employing IOS with dental plaque staining, the impact of color was minimal, suggesting that the traditional red stain remains suitable for plaque detection. IOS images appeared relatively blurred and enlarged relative to the true state of the teeth, due to inferior sharpness compared to camera images.

Comparison of plaque control record measurements obtained using intraoral scanner and direct visualization.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoral scanner (IOS) can acquire three-dimensional color images of teeth. Thus, the detection of areas with plaque adhesion stained by plaque-disclosing solutions using an IOS could be a potential oral hygiene evaluation method. This study aimed to verify the usefulness of obtaining O'Leary's plaque control record (PCR) measurements using an IOS in clinical practice. METHODS: Twenty patients with >20% PCR measurements who underwent oral prophylaxis were enrolled in this study. A plaque-disclosing gel was applied to stain the areas with plaque adhesion, and the dentition was scanned using the IOS. The PCR values obtained via the direct method and those obtained using the digital image were compared for the entire dentition, maxillary total area, the labial and palatal aspects of the maxillary anterior teeth, the buccal and palatal aspects of the maxillary posterior teeth, mandibular total area, the labial and lingual aspects of the mandibular anterior teeth, and the buccal and lingual aspects of the mandibular posterior teeth. RESULTS: The IOS group tended to have higher values than the direct observation group. The labial and palatal aspect of the maxillary anterior teeth, the labial and lingual aspects of the mandibular anterior teeth did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: Plaque adhesion was visualized easily and conclusively using an IOS. As the large tip size often hinders its use, it is necessary to develop a smaller IOS tip in the future.

Microbial differences between active and remission peri-implantitis.

Peri-implantitis has a polymicrobial etiology and is a major cause of dental implant loss. Various clinical protocols for its prevention and treatment have been proposed; however, some cases show a rapid progression with non-resolving clinical symptoms. To clear a means of differentiating between such cases, the implants with peri-implantitis in this study were categorized as the active group and the remission group and that two kinds of samples were obtained from the same subjects (n = 20). The microbiome was analyzed through pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. From LEfSe results, Porphyomonas, Fusobacterium, Treponema, Tannerella, and other periodontal pathogens were abundant in the active group, while lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillales and Bifidobacterium) were abundant in the remission group.

Use of an intraoral scanner to evaluate oral health.

The purpose of this study was to determine if intraoral scanners (IOS) are useful for dental hygiene instruction. The dental plaque of eight volunteers with healthy dentition was stained with a plaque-disclosing solution, and the O'Leary Plaque Control Record (PCR) was measured by direct observation and by evaluating IOS images. PCR values were higher for IOS images than for direct observation. The difference was greatest for the lingual surface of mandibular anterior teeth. Use of IOS for dental plaque examination might be useful as a novel method for dental hygiene instruction.

Oxidative stress in the ischemic and non-ischemic parts of the rat liver after two-thirds ischemia/reperfusion.

Rat liver was subjected to two-thirds warm ischemia for 45 min and reperfusion (I/R) to evaluate the resulting oxidative stress. The plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were significantly higher than those in the sham group 1.5-24 h after I/R, showing extensive liver cell death. The level of oxidative stress was compared between the ischemic and non-ischemic regions based on the change in antioxidative vitamins C and E. The vitamin C level was significantly decreased during I/R in both the ischemic and non-ischemic regions 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after the start of reperfusion, showing enhanced oxidative stress even in the non-ischemic lobules. This decrease of vitamin C in the ischemic region was significantly higher than that in the non-ischemic lobules, while the vitamin E content was decreased only in the ischemic lobes, demonstrating higher oxidative stress in the ischemic region than that in the non-ischemic region. Early transient activation of cytoprotective extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) was apparent in both the ischemic and non-ischemic lobules, reflecting oxidative stress in both regions. Early transient activation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) was only apparent in the ischemic region, corresponding to extensive oxidative stress and liver cell death. These results demonstrate that significant oxidative stress was induced, but that JNK leading to cell death was not activated in the non-ischemic part of the liver.