Introduction: Chlorhexidine mouthrinses have widely been recognized for their contribution in maintaining plaque control. Most of them contain alcohol that makes them impractical for many patients. Alcohol-free mouthwashes may have fewer side effects but may be less efficient. The current study was aimed to compare the effectiveness and side effects of chlorhexidine mouthrinses with and without alcohol. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind clinical trial, 32 patients with moderate and severe gingivitis were recruited. For all patients, full prophylactic procedures, such as removal of plaque, calculus, and stains on the teeth, were performed. Each patient was asked to use 15 mL of the mouthrinse for 60 s twice daily. The patients were divided into two groups, one group used Hexidine (0.12% chlorhexidine and 10% ethanol) mouthwash and the other group used Epimax (0.12% chlorhexidine and 0.05% sodium fluoride) mouthwash. After 14 days, plaque (PI), gingival (GI), and stain indices were analyzed. The obtained data were analyzed by using SPSS 16 using covariance [Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)] and t-test. Results: Both mouthwashes significantly reduced the mean scores of plaque (P < 0.0001) and gingival (P < 0.032) indices after 2 weeks; however, Hexidine mouthrinse was shown to be more effective. The extent of stain was the comparable in both groups. While Epimax mouthrinse caused severe stains on the teeth, Hexidine mouthrinse caused burning mouth. Conclusion: Although Epimax mouthwash did not show any side effects, it was less suitable and caused more dental stain. Ethanol-free Hexidine mouthwash seems to be more proper for gingivitis, but its side effects are required to be taken into consideration.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bone resorption inhibitors, doxycycline (DOX) and erythromycin (EM), on osseous wound healing in rat alveolar socket. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 45 8–10-week-old male Wistar rats had their maxillary right molar extracted. They were divided into three groups of 15. In Group 1 normal saline, Group 2 DOX, and Group 3 EM were administered at the doses of 5 ml/kg/day, 5 mg/kg/day, and 2 mg/kg/day, respectively, for 7 consecutive days. The rats were sacrificed 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to evaluate the mRNA expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) and immunohistochemical staining for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) to determine osteoclasts. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test using SPSS version 20. Significant level was set at 0.05. Results: The results showed that when drug-treated groups compared to control groups, RANKL gene expression significantly decreased, TRAP⁺ cells decreased on day 7. The RANKL/OPG ratios in the first two weeks in the test groups were significantly lower than the control group. There was no significant difference in the studied indices between DOX and EM groups. Conclusion: Following administration of DOX and EM, the number of osteoclasts and RANKL/OPG ratio decreased suggesting their anti-osteoclastogenesis activity. These two drugs have no advantage over each other in increasing the bone formation.

Background. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of "a combined systemic and nonsurgical periodontal treatment" in eradicating gastric Helicobacter pylori in patients having the bacterium within their subgingival biofilm. Methods. This randomized clinical trial (RCT) investigated 102 patients diagnosed with peptic ulcer or dyspepsia and a positive stomach test for H. pylori infection (G+). Participants with a negative test for oral infection received only triple therapy (G3, n=38), and those positive for oral infection were randomly allocated to one of the two treatment regimens: a 14-day course of triple therapy (comprising antibiotics, antimicrobials, and proton pump inhibitors) alongside periodontal therapy (G1, n=32) or triple therapy alone (G2, n=32). The effectiveness of H. pylori eradication was assessed four weeks after treatment using the H. pylori stool antigen (stool Ag) test. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22. Results. In the G2 and G3 groups, triple therapy achieved success rates of 52% and 84%, respectively. When periodontal therapy was integrated with triple therapy in the G1 group, the success rate was 80%. Significant differences were observed between the G1 and G2 groups (P=0.037) and also between the G3 and G2 groups (P=0.015). Conversely, no significant difference was found between the G1 and G3 groups (P>0.05). Conclusion. Periodontal therapy has the potential to substantially increase the efficacy of H. pylori eradication regimens for gastric infections.

Background. The present study evaluated the synergistic effect of 808 nm and 660 nm diode lasers on the processes of healing and pain management following crown lengthening surgery. Methods. This randomized clinical trial involved 20 patients who underwent surgical crown lengthening on both sides of their jaw. Following the surgery, one tooth from each patient was randomly assigned to either the case group (irradiated with 808 nm and 660 nm diode lasers as photobiomodulation [PBM] therapy) or the control group (laser device remained switched off). The early healing index (EHI), comprising clinical signs of inflammation (CSI), clinical signs of homeostasis (CSH), and clinical signs of re-epithelialization (CSR), was assessed on days 3 and 7. Pain severity was quantified on the day of surgery and 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery using a visual analog scale. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Results. No significant differences were observed in CSR on days 3 (P=0.18) and 7 (P=1.0), nor in CSI on day 3 (P=0.477) after surgery. However, a significant difference was identified in CSI on day 7 and in CSH on both days 3 and 7 (P<0.05) after surgery. Furthermore, the level of postoperative pain demonstrated a significant difference (P≤0.005). Conclusion. PBM demonstrably enhanced CSI by day 7 and improved CSH by days 3 and 7, in addition to decreasing postoperative pain.

Objectives: Objectives: The present research aimed to evaluate the potential of three-dimensional (3D) poly lactic acid (PLA) microstrut scaffolds, surface-modified with nanocomposite gelatin-forsterite fibrous layers possessing porosities of 40% and 70%, to facilitate bone regeneration and angiogenesis in a rat model. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six rats, each with a surgically created cranial defect measuring 4mm in radius, were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three experimental groups: A 40% scaffold group (G1), a 70% scaffold group (G2), and a control group receiving no scaffold (G3). Animals were euthanized at either 4 or 8 weeks post-surgery. Histological analysis using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to observe the tissue response and bone formation within the surgical defects. Histomorphometric assessment was employed to quantify the percentage of newly formed woven and lamellar bone in each group. Results: The mean percentages of total bone formation at 4 weeks were 33.55±4.32%, 37.76±6.20%, and 33.66±2.30% in groups G1, G2, and G3, respectively. At 8 weeks, the corresponding mean percentages were 34.25±1.94%, 37.33±4.30%, and 35.16±3.68% for the same groups. Statical analysis revealed a significant difference in angiogenesis between G1and G2 at 8 weeks (p≤0.01). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that the fabricated scaffold exhibited the capacity to facilitate osseous tissue development and promote osteoblast adhesion and infiltration. The scaffolds with 70% porosity showed superior performance in total bone formation compared to those with 40% porosity. This novel scaffold design holds promise for enhancing both angiogenesis and osteogenesis processes