Metformin pre-conditioning enhances the angiogenic ability of the secretome of dental pulp stem cells.

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of metformin on the angiogenic ability of secretomes from dental pulp stem cells. The stem cells were obtained from the dental pulp (DPSCs) (n = 3) using the explant culture method. We treated the DPSCs with different concentrations of metformin and assessed the expression of the angiogenesis-related genes. We also tested the angiogenic effect of the secretomes on the yolk sac membrane of the chick embryos by counting the quaternary blood vessel formations on the yolk sac membrane. We found that metformin treatment enhanced the angiogenic potential of the stem cell secretome in a dose-dependent manner. This was evidenced by the increase in the quaternary blood vessel formations in the yolk sac membrane with lower to higher concentrations of metformin. Pre-treatment with metformin modulates the angiogenic potential of the stem cell-conditioned media in a dose-dependent manner. The augmentation of the angiogenic potential of the DPSCs can aid regeneration, especially in scenarios requiring the regeneration of vacuoles.

Antibiotics for Periodontal Infections: Biological and Clinical Perspectives.

AIM: The review is to highlight the use of antibiotics in periodontal infections and prevent indiscriminate use of antibiotics. BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is the most common disease of the periodontal attachment apparatus, and its etiological factor can be related to the existence of virulent microorganisms in the dental plaque biofilm which harbors millions of microorganisms. In addition, the pathogenesis of this disease is greatly influenced by the host immune response that leads to the cyclic destruction and healing pattern. REVIEW RESULTS: Periodontitis is mostly treated through mechanical debridement using surgical and nonsurgical therapy. However, many times, this treatment does not render desired results due to poor patient compliance, altered immune response, or other host-related factors. This leads to the administration of antibiotics as an adjunct to mechanical debridement. Antibiotics are useful in eliminating periodontopathic microbes, but these agents should be cautiously used and prescribed only if indicated. CONCLUSION: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics can lead to unforeseen adverse effects as well as the development of resistant strains of microorganisms. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Hence, it is crucial for the dentists to know the indications, contraindications, undesirable effects, correct choice, and dosage of the antimicrobial agent before prescribing it to their patients thereby ensuring the success of periodontal therapy. Thus, the clinician should keep in mind that the antibiotics are merely adjuncts to mechanical therapy and not its replacement.

Knowledge and Role of Paediatricians/Paediatric Residents in Infant Oral Healthcare and Dental Home across Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The prevention of oral diseases in children is highly achievable through providing early exposure to oral healthcare habits, which would make children more receptive towards dental services. A cross-sectional study used a structured, self-explanatory questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge and role of 190 paediatricians and paediatric residents towards infant oral healthcare and the dental home across Saudi Arabia. The authors sent a link to the questionnaire, comprising 36 questions, by email, as a Google e-form. The response rate obtained was 87.36%. A major proportion (95.8%) of the respondents considered that paediatricians play an important role in promoting oral health. Around 45.8% of the practitioners recommended tooth brushing after the eruption of the first tooth. About 38% of the practitioners were unaware of the children's first dental visit. The majority (95.2%) agreed that there should be an increased awareness regarding home dental habits. Most of them (78.3%) examined the oral cavity for dental problems as a part of routine childcare, and the majority (75.3%) admitted that they did not evaluate fluoride needs. A statistically significant higher mean knowledge score was observed for practitioners with more than 30 years of experience (9.35 ± 2.29), and there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.486) between the knowledge score and mean score for the role of paediatric practitioners. Overall, the study concluded that the knowledge of paediatricians and paediatric residents in SA towards infant oral healthcare and the dental home was inadequate, and their role in maintaining oral health was found to be moderately satisfactory.

Dental care and personal protective measures for dentists and non-dental health care workers.

As a pathogen spread primarily by the respiratory route COVID-19 infection not only poses significant risks to health care workers, but to dentists and dental health care workers, owing to the potential prolonged exposure and proximity to patients. This holds true for non-dentist health care workers who often in the setting of emergency departments and urgent care centers are tasked with addressing oral symptoms including abscesses, damaged teeth, jaw injuries and other dental urgencies. Infection control practice guidelines were evaluated for COVID-19 infection prevention in a dental setting. In this brief review, protective measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection for dentists and non-dentist health care providers will be introduced. This includes patient evaluation, personal and patient protective equipment use, sterilization and disinfection protocols.

Current trends and future prospects of chemical management of oral biofilms.

Oral biofilm, a tribulation encountered on a general basis is known to associate and contribute to many oral and systemic diseases. Eradication of these biofilms is a primary step in treatment of the underlying malady. Management of a biofilm is governed by various factors: the microenvironment within a biofilm, bond between the adhered surface and the biofilm, location of the biofilm, access to the biofilm for removal. Though annihilation is the priority, the mode of approach to achieve the same is equally important, because biofilm's heterogenic nature and location govern the strategical treatment required. Literature supports that the consequences of oral biofilms is not restricted to its home ground, but disseminated to other systems of the body. This contemplates us to procure knowledge on its development, structure and progression to aim its eradication. Therefore, this review attempts to recognize the type of biofilm based on location and enumerate all the possible chemical modes of management for the specific type of oral biofilms encountered. In addition, to the traditional strategies prescribed or administered, newer approaches which are gaining popularity due to their ease and efficiency are also addressed. Frontiers in the above field, under investigation and promising in near future are also compiled. Thus, the present review aims to provide a comprehensive elucidation of chemical management of oral biofilms, both the conventional and novel approaches under investigation.