The extensive use of antibiotics has resulted in the development of drug-resistant bacteria, leading to a decline in the efficacy of traditional antibiotic treatments. Essential oils (EOs) are phytopharmaceuticals, or plant-derived compounds, that possess beneficial properties such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, bacteriostatic, and bactericidal effects. In this review, we present scientific findings on the activity of EOs as an alternative therapy for common oral diseases. This narrative review provides a deeper understanding of the medicinal properties of EOs and their application in dentistry. It not only evaluates the effectiveness of these oils as antibacterial agents against common oral bacteria but also covers general information such as composition, methods of extraction, and potential toxicity. Further nonclinical and clinical studies must be conducted to determine their potential use and safety for treating oral diseases.

Our study is based on the hypothesis that the prevalence of malocclusions in children is higher in the mining areas from North-Western (NW) Romania than in other geographic areas. We also considered that the distribution of the different types of malocclusions can be correlated with environmental factors. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusions in children from the mining areas in NW Romania. Another purpose was to establish the influence of certain environmental factors such as gender, geographical area of origin, and ethnicity on the distribution of malocclusions in order to provide an epidemiological reference for the planning of preventive and treatment programs adapted to the particularity of the mining areas. This cross-sectional study was performed in 2015–2016. The study batch consisted of 960 children from the mining areas, aged 7–14 years, in the period of mixed dentition and early permanent dentition. The clinical examination was conducted by a single examiner, an orthodontic specialist (TBI), in order to avoid inter-operator bias. Occlusion was registered according to Bjoerk. Occlusal clinical signs were followed for the determination of malocclusions. Most children had malocclusions (93.5%). The percentage of anomalies was significantly higher in subjects from Rosia Montana, in girls, and in the Romanians. Data showed that Angle Class I was the most prevalent malocclusion (60.21%), followed by crowding (47.5%), midline shift (43.33%), and deep bite (28.65%). The independent association between ethnicity and total malocclusions shows that the Romanian subjects presented a 3.31 higher chance of developing malocclusions than the Romani ones. The presence of malocclusions was independently influenced by all the studied environmental factors, namely gender, geographical area, and ethnicity. Our results could be relevant for oral health policy-making, i.e., planning preventive and treatment measures of malocclusions, adapted to the peculiarity of the studied mining areas.

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the sexual dimorphism of skeletal and dental anomalies in Romanian orthodontic patients and to describe several important cephalometric measurements in patients with dental malocclusions. Materials and Methods: A total of 450 orthodontic records of patients older than 8 years were evaluated. On lateral cephalometric radiographs, the following cephalometric angles were digitally determined: SNA, SNB, ANB, FMA, IMPA, Max1-FH, SN-Go-Gn, N-A-Pog, Ar-Go-Me, and interincisal angle. The sagittal skeletal and dental malocclusions were diagnosed by two calibrated investigators. Results: The sample comprised 58% females, with a mean age of 20.07 (±8.63) years. The prevalence of dental malocclusions within the Romanian orthodontic sample taken into study was: 50.7% class I, 26.7% class II division 1, 13.3% class III, 4.7% class II, and class II division 2. The prevalence of skeletal anomalies within the Romanian orthodontic patient sample was: 43.3% class I, 28.7% class II due to retrognathic mandible, 17.3% class II due to prognathic maxilla, 8.7% class III due to prognathic mandible, and 2% class III due to retrognathic maxilla. Female patients presented more frequently with Class I or Class II division 2 malocclusion, whereas male patients more frequently exhibited Class III malocclusion. Female patients exhibited skeletal Class II more frequently due to retrognathic mandible, while skeletal Class III, due to prognathic mandible, was more common in male patients. Male patients were more frequently normodivergent, while female patients were more frequently hyperdivergent. Female patients exhibited retroclined upper incisors more frequently, whereas male patients exhibited proclined upper incisors more frequently. Most of the patients with class II division 1 malocclusion were females and exhibited the following cephalometric characteristics: a class II skeletal anomaly due to retrognathic mandible, normal SNA angle, decreased SNB angle, increased ANB angle, proclined upper incisors, proclined lower incisors, decreased interincisal angle, normal vertical growth pattern, closed mandibular angle, and convex facial profile. Most of the patients with class II division 2 malocclusion were females and exhibited the following cephalometric characteristics: a class II skeletal anomaly due to retrognathic mandible, normal SNA angle, decreased SNB angle, increased ANB angle, retroclined upper incisors, proclined lower incisors, increased interincisal angle, hypodivergent vertical growth pattern with a short face tendency, closed mandibular angle, and convex facial profile. Most of the patients with class III malocclusion were males and exhibited the following cephalometric characteristics: both class I and III skeletal anomaly due to prognathic mandible, normal SNA angle, increased SNB angle, decreased ANB angle, proclined upper incisors, normally inclined lower incisors, increased interincisal angle, hypodivergent, normal vertical growth pattern, and a short face tendency, normal mandibular angle, and balanced facial profile. Conclusions: The observed cephalometric differences between Class I, II and III malocclusions provide clinically relevant markers in vertical, sagittal, and dental dimensions that may provide descriptive reference data for similar orthodontic clinical samples.

Poor oral hygiene, in terms of gingival bleeding and increasing accumulation of plaque and calculus with increasing age, have been reported among school-aged children, in both developed- and developing countries, causing unsatisfactory oral health among children. The aim of this study was to determine oral hygiene status by calculating Oral Hygiene Index -Simplified (OHI-S), using disclosing agents, and to examine whether socio-economic and behavioral correlates of oral hygiene status, in school children from rural areas, N-W Romania. For the highlighting of the bacterial plaque were used two tone dental plaque disclosing agent, which contains Erythrosine and Brilliant Blue FCF. The OHI-S index is divided according to its values in several categories as follows: very good hygiene = OHI-S Index between 0 and 1; good hygiene = OHI-S Index between 1.1 and 2; unsatisfactory hygiene = OHI-S Index between 2.1 and 3; poor hygiene = Index OHI-S between 3.1 and 6. The average value of the OHI-S index in children in rural areas of N-W Romania was 1.78, a higher value than most of the values identified in the bibliographical references. Using disclosing agents may improve oral health status in schoolchildren, by increasing the awareness of their personal oral hygiene condition.