Direct and transdentinal (indirect) antibacterial activity of commercially available dental gel formulations against Streptococcus mutans.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the direct and transdentinal (indirect) agar diffusion antibacterial activity of different commercially available antibacterial dental gel formulations against Streptococcus mutans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The commercially available dental gel formulations were Corsodyl® (COG, 1% chlorhexidine), Cervitec® (CEG, 0.2% chlorhexidine + 0.2% sodium fluoride), Forever Bright® (FOB, aloe vera), Gengigel® (GEG, 0.2% hyaluronic acid), 35% phosphoric acid gel and distilled water (control). Direct agar diffusion was performed by isolating three wells from brain-heart infusion agar plates using sterile glass pipettes attached to a vacuum pump and adding 0.1 ml of the gels to each well. Transdentinal (indirect) agar diffusion was performed by applying gel to 0.2- and 0.5-mm-thick human dentin discs previously etched with phosphoric acid and rinsed with distilled water. Zones formed around the wells and the dentin discs were measured and analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests with Bonferroni correction (p < 0.01). RESULTS: Direct agar diffusion tests showed significant differences among all gel formulations (p < 0.01) except for COG and CEG (p > 0.01). COG and CEG exhibited higher antibacterial effects compared to FOB and GEG (p < 0.01) in both direct and transdentinal (indirect) testing procedures. GEG did not show any antimicrobial activity in transdentinal (indirect) testing. CONCLUSION: Commercially available dental gels inhibited S. mutans, which may indicate their potential as cavity disinfectants.

Comparison of the effects of new folkloric hemostatic agent on peripheral nerve function: an electrophysiologic study in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the effects of a new folkloric medicinal plant extract on peripheral nerve function compared with oxidized regenerated cellulose (OC) and bovine collagen (BC). STUDY DESIGN: Under ketamine anesthesia a total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rat right sciatic nerves were identified. Animals were randomly divided into 5 groups: OC, BC, ankaferd blood stopper (ABS), and negative and positive control groups. The recordings of nerve potentials were carried out using an electrophysiologic data acquisition system. After the application of substances, the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was recorded for immediate (30 min), early (120 min), and delayed (3 wk) effects on nerve function. RESULTS: Statistically, differences were not found among the hemostatic agents (OC, BC, and ABS) at baseline and all tested periods (early, immediate, and delayed; P > .05). The positive control group exhibited lower NCV values compared with the other solutions at the 30-minute period (P < .05) as well as the other tested time periods (P > .05). OC exhibited NCV values closer to the positive control group at 120 minutes (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Folkloric medicinal hemostatic agent could be considered as an acceptable hemostatic material without resulting in any serious peripheral nerve function alterations. The possible desirable effects of bovine collagen and undesirable effects of oxidized cellulose on peripheral nerve function should not be overlooked.

Comparison of pre-emptive ibuprofen, paracetamol, and placebo administration in reducing post-operative pain in primary tooth extraction.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates preliminary investigations that a pre-emptive analgesia administration may reduce post-extraction pain. AIM: This prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial was planned to compare the efficacy of the pre-emptive administration of ibuprofen, paracetamol, and placebo in reducing post-extraction pain in children. DESIGN: Forty-five children, ages 6-12, who needed primary mandibular molar tooth extraction were treated in paediatric dental clinics, with treatment preceded by local anaesthesia and analgesic drugs during the preoperative period. A five-face scale was used to evaluate pain reaction during the injection, extraction, and post-operative period. Self-report scores were recorded when the local anaesthesia had been administered in soft tissues and both before and after the extraction was completed. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests (with Bonferroni correction paired t-test as the post hoc test) were used at a confidence level of 95%. RESULTS: The use of pre-emptive analgesics showed lower scores compared to the placebo, irrespective of the age, weight, gender of the child, and the number of teeth extracted during the study period. Additionally, ibuprofen exhibited lower pain scores (P < 0.05) compared to paracetamol at the 15-min (P < 0.001) and 4-h (P < 0.009) periods. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative use of ibuprofen and paracetamol may provide a pre-emptive analgesic effect in paediatric patients who receive adequate analgesia during mandibular primary tooth extraction.