MANIFESTATIONS OF DISEASES OF THE ORAL MUCOSA OF PATIENTS IN THE ADJARA REGION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

The aim of this study was to describe manifestations of diseases of the oral mucosa of patients in the Adjara region during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recruited 55 patients, 25 women (45.5%) and 30 men (54.5%), aged between 18 and 89 years with confirmed COVID-19 at different stages of severity. After obtaining informed consent, we examined their mouths and recorded clinical findings. Forty percent of the patients had at least 1 oral lesion. The most common lesions were candidiasis and ulcers (7 patients each); 2 patients had enanthems. Geographic tongue and caviar tongue were also observed. Altered taste, dry mouth, and painful/burning mouth were noted in 60%, 27.3%, and 36.4% of patients, respectively. Oral mucosal alterations and lesions were prevalent in this series of COVID-19 patients. An altered taste and a painful/burning mouth were common symptoms. For the first time, we performed a description of the oral cavity of patients diagnosed with COVID 19 in the Adjara region. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The variable "age" was compared using the Student's t-test and P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

ANALYSIS OF RISK FACTORS FOR MAJOR DENTAL DISEASES IN THE STUDENT POPULATION.

Nowadays, the reduction of widespread dental diseases (caries and periodontitis) is still crucial and appears to be both a medical and social concern. The aim of this study was an investigation of dental health status, determination of leading risk factors, and determination of preventive measures among the students of the Adjara region. Clinical studies were conducted on 392 students aged 18-25 years. The methodology provided by WHO was used to determine the epidemiological data on the prevalence of dental caries. The BOP (Bleeding on probing) method was used to determine the prevalence of inflammatory periodontal diseases. Oral hygiene status was assessed by OHI-S (Simplified Oral Hygiene Index). A survey of students was conducted to determine the impact of various factors. In the study group, caries prevalence equaled 97.04%, the intensity was 5.68±0.21, gingivitis prevalence was 75.4%, and oral hygiene condition was 1.9±0.06. Hygienic condition is correlated with caries and periodontal diseases (p<0.05). A statistically reliable relationship was revealed with hygiene knowledge, nutritional factors, etc. It is necessary to improve treatment and prevention measures among students and adolescents in the region through the implementation of social programs and sanitary educational measures.

[STUDY OF ANTIVIRAL AND IMMUNECORRECTIVE EFFECTS OF LAZOLEX IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT HERPETIC STOMATITIS].

At present, our country continues intensive research to find and introduce into practice new natural medicinal preparations made from ecologically clean endemic plants of Georgia. An example of such studies in the Iveria-Pharma company is the domestic drug Lazolex (extract of the pericarpium of an unripe walnut), which has passed the necessary preclinical tests and began to be used in the clinic as an antiherpetic agent. On healthy volunteers, we found positive immunotropic effects of Lazolex. Therefore, we considered it necessary to study the antiviral effect of the drug and its immunomodulatory properties in a clinical setting, specifically in chronic herpetic stomatitis. First of all, it was shown that the state of the patients' immune system was in a clear correlation with the severity of the herpes process, i.e. the most severe immunosuppression was recorded in patients with severe stomatitis. The double effect of the drug is to significantly increase the results of antiviral treatment and immunorehabilitation of patients. As a result of a parallel study of Zovirax and Lazolex, a high clinical activity of both drugs was recorded. However, the presence of pronounced immuno-corrective properties in Lazolex manifested itself in an improvement in the quality of patient treatment: active tissue regeneration and a significant decrease in the timing of exacerbation of local herpetic lesions, an increase in the duration of remission. Conducted clinical, laboratory and immunological studies allow us to recommend Lazolex for active use in dental practice for viral diseases.