Antibody response to BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in gingival crevicular fluid.

BACKGROUND: This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the antibody responses in non-invasive gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and unstimulated whole saliva to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike unit 1 receptor-binding domain (S1-RBD) protein following administration of the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine. METHODS: This longitudinal study recruited 37 participants with no prior COVID-19 exposure (eight people recruited prior to the COVID-19 pandemic - labeled pre-COVID, 16 vaccinated and 13 non-vaccinated participants). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine antibody levels against S1-RBD in saliva (n=90) and GCF (n=80) samples obtained at 1 and 3 weeks after dose 1, and 3 days, 7 days, and 3 weeks after dose 2. To determine previous SARS-CoV-2 infection status, anti-nucleocapsid (N) Ig levels were determined in samples from the pre-COVID (saliva as reference), non-vaccinated (saliva and GCF), and vaccinated (saliva and GCF) participants at 1-week post-dose 1 using ELISA. RESULTS: Salivary levels of anti-N antibodies measured in samples from vaccinated and nonvaccinated participants were comparable to those in pre-COVID saliva samples collected between October 2018 and September 2019, thus confirming that all study participants had no prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, the levels of anti-S1-RBD antibodies peaked at 3 weeks after dose 2 in both saliva and GCF for all three immunoglobulin isotypes. Notably, the concentration of anti-S1-RBD antibodies in GCF was significantly higher than in saliva at all time points. CONCLUSION: This study establishes GCF and saliva as viable alternative non-invasive sources to monitor levels of antibodies following vaccination, with GCF demonstrating feasibility as a biofluid source for the detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 S1-RBD antigen.

Prevalence of oral tori and exostosis in Malaysian population - A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Oral tori and exostosis are non-pathological bony protuberances seen on the alveolar surfaces of the jaw bones. These are commonly seen on the palatal surfaces of the maxilla [torus palatinus (TP)] and around the premolars in the lingual surface of the mandible [torus mandibularis (TM)]. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of tori/exostosis in the Malaysian population. METHODOLOGY: A total of 2666 patients were examined for the presence of tori and exostosis in the maxilla and mandible and were categorized into TP, TM, and exostosis (facial/labial). Collected data was analysed for obtaining descriptive statistics. RESULTS: 882 subjects were noticed with oral tori/exostosis among the population studied with a prevalence rate of 33%. TP was seen more in females (35%), compared to males (20%), and this difference was statistically significant (p value < 0.001). Highest prevalence of TP was seen in Malays (43%), followed by Chinese (31%) and Indians (21%), which was statistically significant (p value < 0.00). DISCUSSION: High prevalence of tori and exostosis was seen in the population studied. Though harmless, in certain circumstances, their presence necessitates changes in the denture design during fabrication of prosthesis, which the dentist should be mindful.

Low levels of caries in aggressive periodontitis: A literature review.

This article is a traditional literature review on caries levels in aggressive periodontitis. Aggressive periodontitis generally affects systemically healthy individuals aged <30 years (older individuals can also be affected) and is characterized by a young age of onset, rapid rate of disease progression, and familial aggregation of cases. Dental caries is caused by the dissolution of enamel by acid-producing bacteria present in the plaque biofilm, especially when the biofilm reaches critical mass due to improper oral hygiene. The association between caries level and aggressive periodontitis has long been debated. Initial research indicated that caries levels were high in patients with aggressive periodontitis, but high-quality studies have consistently shown that caries and aggressive periodontitis are inversely related. A recent in vitro study showed that Streptococcus mutans was killed more readily in the saliva of patients with aggressive periodontitis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans positivity than in patients with A. actinomycetemcomitans negativity. Other mechanisms possibly explaining the inverse relationship between caries and aggressive periodontitis in cases of Down's syndrome are also discussed in this literature review. The usefulness of caries level in the diagnosis of aggressive periodontitis in developing countries such as India, where the disease is diagnosed primarily on the basis of clinical and radiographic features and familial history is also discussed.