The control of Candida albicans biofilm formation on dentures made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is an important challenge due to the high resistance to antifungal drugs. Interestingly, the natural compounds undecylenic acid (UDA) and farnesol (FAR) both prevent C. albicans biofilm formation and could have a synergetic effect. We therefore modified PMMA with a combination of UDA and FAR (UDA+FAR), aiming to obtain the antifungal PMMA_UDA+FAR composites. Equal concentrations of FAR and UDA were added to PMMA to reach 3%, 6%, and 9% in total of both compounds in composites. The physico-chemical properties of the composites were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and water contact angle measurement. The antifungal activity of the composites was tested on both biofilm and planktonic cells with an XTT test 0 and 6 days after the composites’ preparation. The effect of the UDA+FAR combination on C. albicans filamentation was studied in agar containing 0.0125% and 0.4% UDA+FAR after 24 h and 48 h of incubation. The results showed the presence of UDA and FAR on the composite and decreases in the water contact angle and metabolic activity of both the biofilm and planktonic cells at both time points at non-toxic UDA+FAR concentrations. Thus, the modification of PMMA with a combination of UDA+FAR reduces C. albicans biofilm formation on dentures and could be a promising anti-Candida strategy.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the impact of the gingival chemical–mechanical retraction procedure on the value of the gingival index (GI) and salivary concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The importance of this clinical study is that it provides an exact conclusion regarding the behaviour of the gingival tissue after the application of an impregnated retraction cord in the gingival sulcus of the subjects. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted as a prospective clinical study. The study included 60 subjects divided into two experimental groups, i.e., with and without tooth preparation. Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the retraction agent used. The parameters were measured before, one day after, and three days after the retraction procedure. Results: One day after the application of both gingival retraction agents in both study groups, there was a statistically significant increase in the value of the GI and the salivary concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α (p < 0.001) compared to the values at the beginning of the study. After 72 h, the values decreased in comparison to those from the second observation period, but they remained statistically significantly higher than the initial values of the study (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The study showed moderate inflammation of the gingival tissue one day after the retraction procedure, which decreased over time. Higher values of the studied parameters were observed with the application of the ferric sulphate-based retraction agent.

Background: Numerous plant-derived products have shown notable potential in preclinical studies and traditional use for the management of periodontitis, although clinical studies validating their efficacy remain scarce. The present study investigated the efficacy of a polyherbal phytopreparation as an adjunctive therapy to scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with periodontitis, and further examined its underlying mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic behavior, and toxicological profile using in silico approaches. Methods: Eighty patients with moderate periodontitis (stage II, grade A) were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group (n = 40) treated with SRP alone, and an experimental group (n = 40) receiving SRP followed by topical phytotherapeutic treatment with the polyherbal Tinctura paradentoica^®. Efficacy was evaluated using the gingival index, periodontal pocket depth, and cytomorphometric analysis of gingival cells before treatment and one month after. The in silico analysis, guided by HPLC profiling, included MolDock-based docking to assess interactions of bioactive compounds with cyclooxygenase isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 as anti-inflammatory targets, and evaluation of their pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties (ADME/Tox) using SwissADME, ProTox-3.0, and pkCSM. Results: Compared with SRP treatment, the experimental treatment significantly reduced the gingival index and periodontal pocket depth (p < 0.05), as well as the assessed cytomorphometric parameters (nuclear area, perimeter, and Feret’s diameter values) (p < 0.001). Rerank analysis revealed van der Waals-driven isoform selectivity: compact phenolic acids and aglycones favored COX-1, whereas bulky glycosides (e.g., rutin, narcissoside) were optimized for COX-2, with luteolin-7-O-glucoside showing near-balanced engagement. The ADME/Tox analysis indicated generally favorable pharmacokinetic and safety characteristics of phenolic compounds from the phytopreparation, including low systemic absorption and no predicted mutagenicity or skin sensitization potential. Conclusions: The topical application of the polyherbal phytopreparation demonstrated significant potential to enhance the efficacy of conventional SRP therapy by promoting the regression of gingival inflammation in patients with moderate periodontitis, further supported by in silico findings.

Impacted mandibular third molars present a common challenge in oral surgery, often associated with postoperative complications such as delayed healing and periodontal defects; therefore, optimizing adjunctive therapies is clinically important. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and preoperative azithromycin in modulating inflammation and enhancing wound healing following surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. In this prospective clinical study, healthy subjects aged 18–50 years were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group receiving standard postoperative amoxicillin therapy, a PRF group receiving PRF with standard therapy, and a PRF-plus-azithromycin group receiving PRF, standard therapy, and a single preoperative dose of azithromycin. Clinical parameters were assessed and cytomorphometric analysis was performed preoperatively and postoperatively. Clinical parameters generally improved over time in all groups (p < 0.001). Differences between groups were observed for interincisal distance, Landry Index, and pain scores, with a trend toward more favorable outcomes in the combined-therapy group. Cytomorphometric analysis revealed cellular alterations in the control group, relative stability in the PRF group, and intermediate changes in the combined-therapy group. Within the limitations of this study, the combination of PRF and preoperative azithromycin showed potential benefits in several postoperative outcomes. However, given the study design and sample characteristics, these findings should be considered preliminary and require confirmation in larger prospective studies before definitive clinical recommendations can be made.

Background/Objectives: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a common oral potentially malignant disorder, but prediction of malignant progression remains challenging. This study investigated miR-21-5p and miR-21-3p expression in healthy oral mucosa, OL with epithelial dysplasia, and early oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), together with clinicopathological associations. Methods: Sixty participants were divided into three groups: exposure-free healthy controls (n = 20), histopathologically confirmed OL with epithelial dysplasia (n = 20), and early OSCC (pT1–2N0M0; n = 20). Expression was quantified by RT-qPCR and evaluated using exploratory correlation, regression, Welch’s ANOVA, and Games–Howell comparisons. Results: miR-21-5p differed significantly among groups (p < 0.001). Expression was lower in OL than in healthy controls and early OSCC (both p < 0.001), whereas early OSCC and controls did not differ (p = 0.997). miR-21-5p was inversely associated with dysplasia grade (Spearman’s ρ = −0.54, p = 0.013; unstandardized regression coefficient B = −0.646, p = 0.017). miR-21-3p was numerically higher in early OSCC, but its overall group difference was not significant (p = 0.051). Conclusions: The two mature miR-21 strands showed distinct, non-linear expression patterns across the three groups. These findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating; the cross-sectional design does not establish predictive or prognostic value, and validation in larger longitudinal cohorts is required. The unexpected miR-21-5p pattern remains unexplained and requires independent validation.

Background/Objectives: This exploratory study aimed to investigate potential differences and associations between salivary hBD-2 levels and dental caries, as well as between unstimulated salivary pH and salivary hBD-2 levels, in children with primary and permanent dentition, aiming to profile these two dentition-development groups. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included children with primary (n = 75) and permanent dentition (n = 78). Data were collected by surveying mothers and clinically exam ining their children. Unstimulated saliva samples of the children were collected to determine salivary pH and hBD-2 levels. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between the examined variables. Results: Children with permanent dentition had a significantly higher mean salivary hBD-2 level (p = 0.044), while children with primary dentition had a significantly higher mean unstimulated saliva pH (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was determined between salivary hBD-2 levels and dental caries, nor between unstimulated saliva pH and dental caries in either group of study participants (hBD-2: p = 0.515 and 0.224; pH: p = 0.121 and 0.061, respectively). A significant negative association between salivary hBD-2 peptide levels and unstimulated saliva pH in children with permanent dentition was revealed (r_s = −0.230, p = 0.043). Conclusions: Salivary hBD-2 levels were higher in children with permanent dentition, with an inverse association with unstimulated saliva pH observed only in this group. No significant correlation was found between salivary hBD-2 levels and dental caries. Further well-designed studies are needed to better understand dentition or age-related variations in salivary hBD-2 levels, their association with unstimulated salivary pH, and their potential as a caries biomarker.