An unhealthy diet has been implicated as risk factors for several chronic diseases that are known to be associated with oral diseases. Studies investigating the relationship between oral diseases and diet are limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to describe the relationship between healthy eating habits and oral health status. The dentistry has an important role in the diagnosis of oral diseases correlated with diet. Consistent nutrition guidelines are essential to improve health. A poor diet was significantly associated with increased odds of oral disease. Dietary advice for the prevention of oral diseases has to be a part of routine patient education practices. Inconsistencies in dietary advice may be linked to inadequate training of professionals. Literature suggests that the nutrition training of dentists and oral health training of dietitians and nutritionists is limited.

Background—chlorhexidine (CHX) is most commonly used as a chemical plaque control agent. Nevertheless, its adverse effects, including teeth discoloration, taste alteration and calculus build-up, limit its use and divert us to medicinal herbs. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential, and cytotoxic effects of Mimusops elengi Linn extract (ME) over normal human cultured adult gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Methods—in vitro phytochemical screening, total flavonoid content, antioxidant potential by DPPH and Nitric Oxide (NO) radical scavenging activity, and cytotoxic effects of ME extracts over HGF were explored. The viability of HGF cells was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), neutral red uptake, and trypan blue assay after treatment with different concentrations of CHX and ME (0.3125 to 10 µg/mL). Results—ME showed some alkaloids, glycosides, saponins and flavonoids exhibited relatively moderate-to-good antioxidant potential. Increasing the concentration of CHX and ME from 0.3125 to 10 µg/mL reduced cell viability from 29.71% to 1.07% and 96.12% to 56.02%, respectively. At higher concentrations, CHX reduced the viability of cells by 52.36-fold compared to ME, revealed by MTT assay. At 10 µg/mL concentration, the mean cell viability of CHX and ME-treated cells was 2.24% and 57.45%, respectively, revealed by a neutral red assay. The viability of CHX- and ME-treated HGF cells estimated at higher concentrations (10 µg/mL) using trypan blue assay was found to be 2.18% and 47.36%, respectively. A paired t-test showed significance (p < 0.05), and one-way ANOVA difference between the mean cell viability of CHX- and ME-treated cells at different concentrations. One-way ANOVA confirmed the significant difference between the viability of CHX- and ME-treated cells. Conclusions—The cytoprotective and antioxidant effects of ME emphasize its potential benefits. Therefore, it could emerge as a herbal alternative and adjunct to conventional oral hygiene methods, that can diminish periodontal tissue destruction.

The ideal root end filling material should form a tight seal in the root canal by adhering to the cavity walls. Several materials have been used for root end filling. The present study aims to find out and compare the bioactivity of Neo MTA Plus, Pro Root MTA White, BIODENTINE & glass ionomer cement as root end filling materials using 1% methylene blue as tracer. Materials and methods: 80 extracted human permanent maxillary anterior teeth were used in the study. They were divided into four groups. Specimens were sectioned transversely in the cervical area to separate the crown from the root. The root canal was obturated with gutta percha and zinc oxide eugenol sealers. Thereafter, each sample was resected apically by removing 3 mm of the apex and filled with different materials. Samples were kept in buffering solution at 37 °C until the recommended evaluation periods. The specimens were then suspended in 1% methylene blue for 24 h, prior to the analysis. The teeth were then sectioned, and dye penetration was examined, photographed, and evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Results: Vertical dye penetration showed significant differences across different groups. The minimum dye penetration was seen in Neo MTA plus followed by BIODENTINE, Pro Root MTA and maximum in GIC. There was no significant difference in dye penetration between Neo MTA plus and BIODENTINE both at fifteen days and one-month intervals. Conclusion: The present study suggests Neo MTA plus and BIODENTINE should be the preferred material for root end filling.

Mucormycosis is a group of infections, caused by multiple fungal species, which affect many human organs and is lethal in immunocompromised patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the current wave of mucormycosis is a challenge to medical professionals as its effects are multiplied because of the severity of COVID-19 infection. The variant of concern, Omicron, has been linked to fatal mucormycosis infections in the US and Asia. Consequently, current postdiagnostic treatments of mucormycosis have been rendered unsatisfactory. In this hour of need, a preinfection cure is needed that may prevent lethal infections in immunocompromised individuals. This study proposes a potential vaccine construct targeting mucor and rhizopus species responsible for mucormycosis infections, providing immunoprotection to immunocompromised patients. The vaccine construct, with an antigenicity score of 0.75 covering, on average, 92–98% of the world population, was designed using an immunoinformatics approach. Molecular interactions with major histocompatibility complex-1 (MHC-I), Toll-like receptors-2 (TLR2), and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), with scores of −896.0, −948.4, and −925.0, respectively, demonstrated its potential to bind with the human immune receptors. It elicited a strong predicted innate and adaptive immune response in the form of helper T (Th) cells, cytotoxic T (TC) cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and macrophages. The vaccine cloned in the pBR322 vector showed positive amplification, further solidifying its stability and potential. The proposed construct holds a promising approach as the first step towards an antimucormycosis vaccine and may contribute to minimizing postdiagnostic burdens and failures.

Background: The aim of this study was to observe the differences in periodontal microcirculation between healthy patients and patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods: Fifteen healthy patients and 15 patients with SSc were examined. Periodontal capillaroscopy was used to investigate the characteristics of microcirculation. The visibility, course, tortuosity, possible presence of microhemorrhages, average caliber of the capillary loops, and number of visible capillary loops per square millimeter were evaluated for each patient.Results: The investigation was simple, non‐invasive, and repeatable for each patient. In patients with SSc, it was possible to observe a reduced number of capillaries and a greater capillary diameter and tortuosity.Conclusions: Capillary alterations in patients with SSc are not limited to the nailfold bed but also occur in periodontal mucosa microcirculation. Such evidence could be extremely important in the pathogenesis and treatment of periodontal diseases in patients with SSc.