Clinical evaluation of chlorhexidine and essential oils for adjunctive effects in ultrasonic instrumentation of furcation involvements: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Probiotics and metabolites regulate the oral and gut microbiome composition as host modulation agents in periodontitis: A narrative review

Periodontitis is defined as an oral bacterial dysbiosis-induced persistent inflammation on dental supporting tissue resulting in periodontal tissue breakdown and alveolar bone destruction. The disease is initiated by the interaction between periodontopathogens and the host immune system. Its development and severity can be associated with several systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Moreover, the latest research has suggested that the oral and gut microbiome hypothesis lays the oral and systemic connection mechanism. Bacterial homeostasis and restoration in the oral cavity and intestine become therapeutics concepts. Concerning the treatment of periodontitis, a local inflammatory condition, prolonged systemic administration of antibiotics is no longer recommended due to bacterial resistance issues. Probiotics and several bioactive metabolites have been widely investigated to address the needs of host modulation therapy in periodontitis. Evidence suggests that the use of probiotics helps downregulate the inflammation process through the regulation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the production of fatty acid, targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS). In brief, several herbals have anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Consistently, improvement of periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and gingival index (GI) was seen in a group given melatonin as an adjunct treatment. In all, this review will highlight host modulation agents regarding periodontitis therapy, plausible mechanisms on how probiotics and metabolites work on periodontal restoration, and their reported studies. Limitations given by published studies will be elaborated, while future directions will be proposed.

Effectiveness of tea tree oil versus chlorhexidine in the treatment of periodontal diseases: a systematic review

Background Plaque biofilm that adheres to tooth surfaces and gingiva is the main aetiology of periodontitis. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is considered as a gold standard anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis agent but it has side effects such as permanent staining of teeth and dysgeusia. Tea tree oil (TTO) is an essential oil extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia. Many studies have reported that TTO exerts strong antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities.Primary study objective The review aims to answer the question of whether TTO (intervention) is a viable alternative to CHX (comparator) for the management of gingival and periodontal disease (outcomes) in adolescents and adults (population).Methods/design The following search terms were used in PubMed, Scopus, Proquest, Web of Science, EBSCO (dentistry and open access), Cochrane database, Clinical.gov.org and ctri.nic.in to search for relevant articles: patients with periodontal disease; OR periodontitis; OR gingivitis; OR gingival inflammation; AND essential oil; OR tea tree oil; OR Melaleuca alternifolia; AND chlorhexidine; AND reduction in gingival index; OR reduction in plaque index; OR reduction in bleeding from gums. The initial check for the title and abstract screening followed by removal of duplicates in Mendeley Reference Manager (version 1.19.4) based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria were performed.Primary outcome measures Parameters such as plaque index (PI), plaque surface score, gingival index (GI), bleeding index or bleeding as measured by % of sites with bleeding on probing (BOP) or bleeding scores, papillary bleeding index (PBI), were the primary outcomes considered.Results TTO is found to be superior to CHX in reducing signs of gingival inflammation; however, CHX is superior to TTO in inhibiting plaque formation, probably due to its increased substantivity.Conclusion TTO may be used as an alternative to CHX for reduction of gingival inflammation in conjunction with efficient plaque control measures.

Diagnosis and Management of Furcation Lesions in Dogs - A Review

The furcation is the anatomic area where the roots divide on a multirooted tooth. Periodontal disease causing alveolar bone loss can lead to furcation lesions of various stages. Once furcation involvement has occurred, the area can be more difficult to clean or treat due to the complex anatomy and morphology of furcations. Teeth with short root trunks, longer tooth roots, and roots with wide furcation entrance areas/degrees of separation and wide root divergence are considered better candidates for long term maintenance. Dog teeth possess many of these advantageous anatomic features compared to human teeth. Treatment options for teeth with furcation lesions include: closed debridement, open debridement, furcation plasty, tunneling, partial tooth or root resection, root separation (hemisection or trisection), regenerative therapies, or exodontia. There are many factors to consider in determining treatment options. The favorable and unfavorable characteristics for maintenance of teeth with furcation lesions are summarized. Home care and ongoing professional care are important aspects of periodontal disease control for any patient. Studies of systemic and local antibiotic therapies in human patients have not demonstrated reduction of furcation stages, and probiotic effects at furcation sites have not been specifically examined. Human review studies show that most molar teeth once deemed "hopeless" due to stage 3 furcation lesions can be maintained for at least 5 to 15 years with supportive periodontal therapy. Similar long term studies in dogs are needed to improve the evidence-based management of canine patients with furcation lesions.

Effects of Essential Oils and Selected Compounds from Lamiaceae Family as Adjutants on the Treatment of Subjects with Periodontitis and Cardiovascular Risk

Essential oils from different plant species were found to contain different compounds exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects with the potential to be a valid alternative to conventional chemotherapy that is limited in long-term use due to its serious side effects. Generally, the first mechanism by which an organism counteracts injurious stimuli is inflammation, which is considered a part of the innate immune system. Periodontitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease caused by a dysbiosis in the subgingival microbiome that triggers an exacerbated immune response of the host. The immune–inflammatory component leads to the destruction of gingival and alveolar bone tissue. The main anti-inflammation strategies negatively modulate the inflammatory pathways and the involvement of inflammatory mediators by interfering with the gene’s expression or on the activity of some enzymes and so affecting the release of proinflammatory cytokines. These effects are a possible target from an effective and safe approach, suing plant-derived anti-inflammatory agents. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current evidence about the effects of essentials oils from derived from plants of the Lamiaceae family as complementary agents for the treatment of subjects with periodontitis and their possible effect on the cardiovascular risk of these patients.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study on the clinical and microbial effects of an essential oil mouth rinse used by patients in supportive periodontal care

AIM

This 3-month double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study evaluated the clinical and microbial effects of an essential oil mouth rinse used as an adjunct to mechanical plaque control by patients in supportive periodontal care.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Fifty patients were randomly allocated to an essential oil group (Listerine(®) Coolmint; Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ, USA) or placebo group to rinse twice per day as an adjunct to mechanical plaque control. At baseline and after 3 months, plaque index (PI), gingivitis index (GI), probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing (BoP) and clinical attachment level were registered. Subgingival plaque samples were collected for the detection and quantification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Micromonas micros, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium genus and Streptococcus mutans by means of real-time PCR (qPCR). Patient's compliance, satisfaction and side effects were registered.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients in the essential oil group (mean age: 57) and 21 in the placebo group (mean age: 55) with acceptable oral hygiene at intake (mean PI <1.5 on a scale of 5) adhered to the study protocol. Gingivitis index, PI and BoP significantly reduced over time (P ≤ 0.029); however, between group analyses revealed no significant differences. There was no significant change over time neither in detection frequency nor load for any of the microbiota. Daily rinsing with an essential oil rinse was found safe and perceived beneficial by the patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients in supportive periodontal care who are fairly compliant with oral hygiene may not benefit from additional mouth rinsing using an essential oil solution.