Short-term effects of povidone iodine and sodium fluoride therapy on plaque levels and microbiome diversity.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of short-term changes in the oral microbial ecology of dental plaque and plaque levels after topical treatment of a combination of 10% povidone iodine (PI) and 5% sodium fluoride varnish (FV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single group design intervention study on 12 pediatric patients, who underwent two baseline plaques samplings before the intervention, were enrolled in the study. A modified mixed dentition Silness-Löe plaque index score was used to assess plaque accumulation and microbial composition was assessed by amplicon sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA V4 region. RESULTS: Dental plaque accumulation (P = 0.0424) was reduced after 1 week using PI/FV application. This reduction was not observed between the two double-baseline visits. 16S rRNA analysis showed that the single PI/FV therapy did not have dramatic shifts in the plaque microbiome community depicted by hierarchical cluster and principle component analysis. More subtle changes were found when analyzing the Shannon diversity index after the application of PI/FV vs two baselines prior to combination therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The bacteria within the dental biofilms showed resilience in maintaining the overall community diversity but reduced biofilm accumulation following PI/FV therapy. Repeated uses of PI/FV may augment plaque control during dental rehabilitation in children.

[The beta-endorphin level in climacteric women]. / Der beta-Endorphinspiegel im Klimakterium.

UNLABELLED: Hot flushes are not caused by a hypergonadotrophinemia. Peaks of gonadotrophin in the serum do not coincide with the cutaneously measured hot flushes. There is an occurrence of hot flushes in hypophysectomized women as well. GnRH and other neurotransmitters (beta-endorphin?) effect the thermoregulation. - HYPOTHESIS: During the climacteric period changes of neurotransmitters, a decrease of catecholestrogens, a decrease of alpha-2-adrenoceptor activity and the ceasing of the ovarian steroid production lead to changes of the endogenous opiate activity and thus to disturbances of the thermoregulation resulting in the occurrence of hot flushes. Low beta-endorphin levels in the peripheral plasma, which increase again after a treatment with estrogens, are found during the climacteric period. On the other hand women with severe hot flushes as an expression of a stress event show enormously increased beta-endorphin values, which normalize again after a hormone substitution therapy, effected by still unknown neuroendocrinological feedback mechanisms.