Efficacy of Curcumin as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in Chronic Periodontitis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

AIM: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of curcumin gel as local drug delivery post-scaling and root planing and its effect on clinical parameters like plaque, gingival scores, pocket depth, and clinical attachment level (CAL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients with two sites in the contralateral quadrants having probing pocket depths (PPDs) of ≥5 mm were selected. Full-mouth scaling and root planing (SRP) was performed followed by the application of curcumin gel on a single side. Assessment of plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), PPD, and CALs were done at the baseline and at the 4th week. RESULTS: The results revealed that there was a statistically significant reduction in PI and probing depth in the test group when compared with the control group. CAL was improved but the results were not statically significant. CONCLUSION: The local application of curcumin gel when used in conjunction with SRP showed a significant improvement in periodontal parameters and has a beneficial effect in patients with chronic periodontitis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Curcumin gel as an adjunct to SRP showed a marked improvement in restoring gingival health by an improvement in clinical parameters. It has proven properties like anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant, antiseptic, antimutagenic, and it also accelerates wound healing. It may be a more acceptable and viable option for the common man. Curcumin can be used as an effective alternative local drug delivery agent.

Compact osteoma of the maxilla: A rare case report.

Osteomas of the facial bones are a rare entity and very few cases have been reported in the literature. Osteoma is a benign osteogenic lesion with a very slow growth, characterized by proliferation of either cancellous or compact bone. This paper describes a case of a 27 year old male seeking treatment for a slowly enlarging lesion in the maxillary right anterior region. Surgical excision of the lesion was done and the histopathologic evaluation revealed dense compact bone with osteocytes in the lacunae suggestive of compact osteoma. One year followup showed no evidence of recurrence. To best of our knowledge this is the twelfth case of maxillary osteoma reported in English language literature.

Schizophrenia and periodontal disease: An oro-neural connection? A cross-sectional epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a psychosis characterized by delusions and hallucinations occurring in clear consciousness. Studies have shown that the cytokines may modulate dopaminergic metabolism and schizophrenic symptomatology in schizophrenia. Cytokine involvement in periodontal disease is also well documented. To date, however, there has been relatively little research assessing periodontal status of patients with schizophrenia. The present study was therefore mainly intended to understand the exact link, if any, between periodontal disease and schizophrenia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 250 schizophrenic patients (140 males and 110 females), between 25 and 55 years of age, were selected from the out patient department of National Institute of Mental Health and Neural Sciences, Bangalore and their periodontal status was assessed as part of this cross-sectional epidemiological survey. RESULTS: ANOVA showed that there was increased evidence of poor periodontal condition, as evidenced by gingival index and plaque index in patients who had been schizophrenic for a longer duration of time (P < 0.001). So also, higher probing pocket depths were found in schizophrenics suffering from a longer period of time than others (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although oral neglect might be a cause of poor periodontal health in schizophrenics, the possible link between periodontal diseases giving rise to schizophrenia cannot be overlooked due to the presence of cytokine activity which is present both in schizophrenia and periodontal disease.

A clinico-biochemical evaluation of the role of a herbal (Ayurvedic) immunomodulator in chronic periodontal disease: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Host modulation is fast gaining popularity as a preferred therapeutic modality for periodontal disease. Recent research in the medical field into herbal immunomodulators such as Septilin® has spurred an interest in evaluating its efficacy in periodontitis for the first time. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the immunomodulatory effects of the herbal immunomodulator Septilin® (Himalaya Drug Company, Bangalore, India) when used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in chronic periodontal disease. METHODS: Forty systemically healthy patients aged between 25 and 55 years of age and with chronic periodontitis were randomly divided into two groups. The test group was administered Septilin® tablets for two weeks following scaling and root planing whereas the control group was treated by scaling and root planing alone. Changes in gingival index (GI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and salivary tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were assessed at day 0, at two weeks, and at three and six months. RESULTS: The GI and GBI showed a statistically significant reduction at two weeks, three months and six months (P<0.001) in both groups. Salivary TNF-α level reduction was significant in the test group only (P<0.001). No significant change was found in serum CRP levels in both groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: In this pilot evaluation, Septilin® was found to be a safe and effective immunomodulator as an adjunct to routine periodontal therapy. Further long-term studies to test Septilin® on larger sections of the population are recommended.