Assessment of Photodynamic Inactivation against Periodontal Bacteria Mediated by a Chitosan Hydrogel in a 3D Gingival Model.

Chitosan hydrogels containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and toluidine blue O were prepared and assessed for their mucoadhesive property and antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI). Increased HPMC content in the hydrogels resulted in increased mucoadhesiveness. Furthermore, we developed a simple In Vitro 3D gingival model resembling the oral periodontal pocket to culture the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis). The PDI efficacy of chitosan hydrogel was examined against periodontal biofilms cultured in this 3D gingival model. We found that the PDI effectiveness was limited due to leaving some of the innermost bacteria alive at the non-illuminated site. Using this 3D gingival model, we further optimized PDI procedures with various adjustments of light energy and irradiation sites. The PDI efficacy of the chitosan hydrogel against periodontal biofilms can significantly improve via four sides of irradiation. In conclusion, this study not only showed the clinical applicability of this chitosan hydrogel but also the importance of the light irradiation pattern in performing PDI for periodontal disease.

Clinical assessment of disease severity in recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral mucosal diseases in many parts of the world. However, there is very limited published clinical evidence for the therapies used in this condition. This could be partly due to the difficulty in evaluating the efficacy of oral ulcer treatment objectively. In this paper, we present a method for assessing and monitoring the severity of oral ulcers before and after treatment. METHODS: Six ulcer characteristics, number, size, duration, ulcer-free period, site and pain, were used to generate an ulcer severity score (USS). The scores for 223 RAS patients were determined, and 79 were scored again after 3-month therapy with topical betamethasone. RESULTS: The scores for the minor RAS group were between 18 and 43 (mean 29.2 ± 5.3). The mean score in the major ulcers group (range: 28-60, mean 39.9 ± 6.1) was significantly greater than in the minor group (P < 0.001). The herpetiform recurrent ulcers score range was wide (range: 18-57, mean 36.6 ± 8.4). The mean severity score decreased significantly after treatment (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The USS was indicative of the disease activity in recurrent oral ulceration. It helped in assessing the efficacy of therapy, as the change in the numerical score reflected the change in ulcer severity in response to treatment. This tool may well prove to be of value in clinical management, research and in clinical trials.

Cytological assessment of healing palatal donor site wounds and grafted gingival wounds after application of ozonated oil: an eighteen-month randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to assess the therapeutic effects of topical ozonated oil on early healing of free gingival graft surgical sites. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty subjects were entered into this triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, designed to evaluate the efficacy of ozonated oil on free gingival graft surgical wounds. Subjects were assigned to either the ozone group, in which ozonated oil was applied to the surgical wound, or the control group, in which non-ozonated oil was used as a control. Patients were postoperatively evaluated by cytological analysis. Cytological analysis consisted of the keratinisation and superficial cell indices measured at baseline, after 24 h, on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day and 2, 3, 8 and 18 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Cytological results showed that there was a significant (p < 0.001) improvement in epithelial healing by the 7th, 14th and 21st day and 2, 3 and 8 months postoperatively in the ozone group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The present study showed significant improvement in epithelial healing and gingival health after topical application of ozone-treated plant oil to gingival surgical sites.

[Desquamative gingivitis: etiopathogenetic and clinical assessment]. / La gengivite desquamativa: inquadramento etiopatogenetico e clinico.

The aetiopathogenetic, diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of a particular form of gingival condition given various names in the past but presently defined as "chronic desquamative gingivitis" have been examined. Desquamative gingivitis is an uncommon clinical condition whose aetiology remains uncertain. It has therefore not yet been definitely established wether it is a specific entity or whether, as is confirmed by much clinical evidence and laboratory data, it is merely an oral clinical sign of dermatological type pathologies (pemphigus vulgaris, benign mucosal pemphigoid, bullous pemphigoid, erosive lichen ruber planus, psoriasis).