The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of ozone therapy in the treatment of stage II and stage III periodontitis. This prospective split-mouth study selected patients who were diagnosed with either stage II or stage III periodontitis. All patients were treated with scaling and root-planing (SRP) on the control side and SRP with ozone therapy on the test side. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), O’Leary plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) scores were recorded at baseline and six weeks after the SRP treatment. A total of 46 patients were selected for this study, including 31 males and 15 females. All periodontal variables (PD, CAL, PI, and BOP) showed significant changes (p < 0.0001) from baseline to six weeks. Moreover, significant changes (PD = 0.0001, CAL = 0.0001, PI = 0.042 and BOP = 0.0001) were also observed between the control and test sides. Gender showed no significance on periodontal variables (p > 0.05) except PD on the test side (p = 0.030). In addition, periodontal stages and grades showed no significant changes (p > 0.05) in any periodontal variables on both sides. Ozone therapy significantly improves the periodontal condition compared to SRP treatment alone. However, the stages and grades of periodontitis do not influence the outcome of ozone therapy.

E-cigs(E-cigs) use is increasing worldwide. Recent studies suggest that E-cigs contain harmful elements that could lead to adverse oral health outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of E-cigs smoking on periodontal health among current male smokers in Al-Kharj city in Saudi Arabia by assessing periodontal parameters and proinflammatory cytokine levels. Fifty-three male individuals (25 E-smokers and 28 non-smokers) participated in the study. This study compared periodontal parameters, including the plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and marginal bone loss (MBL), as well as levels of unstimulated whole saliva (UWS), interleukin IL-1B, and IL-6, between E-smokers and non-smokers. The E-cigs users consumed approximately 432.6 ± 425.22 puffs on average daily, with a nicotine content of approximately 45.2 ± 11.23 mg on average. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of BOP and PI. A statistically significant difference was detected in PPD and CAL (p < 0.05) between the two groups, in which the PPD (4.10 ± 1.87) and CAL (2.72 ± 0.89) were greater in E-smokers. The mean MBL was also higher among E-smokers, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mean cytokine IL-1B level was found to be (640.75 ± 138.78) among non-smokers and (889.05 ± 540.56) among E-smokers, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, while IL-1B had shown a significant difference between groups in the bivariate analysis (t-test), its association with E-cigs use became non-significant in the multivariate model (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02, p = 0.194). The mean IL-6 level among non-smokers was (19.49 ± 11.90) and among E-smokers, it was (17.07 ± 8.21). And, this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This study revealed that E-cigs smoking had a negative effect on periodontal status (especially PPD, CAL and MBL). These results may contribute to the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases and tissue destruction. Efforts must be made to educate and create awareness among patients and the general community regarding the risks associated with E-cigs usage especially in young populations.

There is a notable increase in the usage of social media platforms, especially for health communication, as more clinicians and patients count on this kind of technology. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the perception and attitude toward social media (SM) use for professionalism and dental practice promotion among periodontal specialists working in Saudi Arabia (KSA). Electronic surveys were distributed in person or online using WhatsApp, Snapchat or Email from October 2022 until March 2023. The questionnaire was targeting periodontists in KSA, and it consists of three parts: the first part includes sociodemographic and professional data; the second part asks about the daily usage of SM in dental practice; and the third part asks about the periodontist's opinion about SM usage. Descriptive data were presented as numbers and percentages. The association between the demographic variables and the means of periodontists’ opinions was tested using Pearson’s chi-square test. Any value equal to or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 121 responses were received from the periodontists. Most of the participants were in the 36–45 age group, with a percentage of 40.5%. In terms of gender, males made up 52.9% of the population, while females made up 47.1%, and the majority of the participants were consultants. The most common SM platform used by periodontists for daily using and dental practice promotion was Snapchat (56.2%), followed by Instagram and Twitter (54.5% and 49.6%, respectively). There was a significant difference in proportions among Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok between older and younger periodontists, with a p value < 0.05. There was no significant difference between the gender of the participants and their opinions regarding the usage of SM. This study highlighted the effectiveness of SM in the promotion of dental practices and the discipline of periodontics, as more clinicians and patients rely on this kind of technology. These online platforms can improve periodontal practice in terms of dental health education, counseling, advertising, and oral health services.

Objective: To evaluate the short‐term effectiveness of adjunctive ozone therapy combined with scaling and root planing (SRP) in smokers with Stages II and III periodontitis. Methods: This prospective randomized split‐mouth study included 26 smokers with Stages II or III periodontitis. In each participant, one side received SRP alone (control) and the contralateral side received SRP plus ozone therapy (test). Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PI) were recorded at baseline and 6 weeks. Paired t ‐tests were initially used then more appropriately account for the split‐mouth design and repeated measurements within the same participant, linear mixed‐effects models were then fitted. Adjusted models additionally included age, periodontitis stage, smoking duration, and smoking. Results: The mean age of participants was 35.23 ± 8.64 years, and the mean number of teeth was 26.76 ± 4.50. All clinical parameters improved after treatment. In mixed‐model analyses, baseline values were comparable between study and control sides. In the adjusted model, the ozone‐treated side showed significantly greater additional improvement than the control side for PD ( β = −0.346 mm, 95% CI: −0.633 to −0.059; p = 0.019), CAL ( β = −0.462 mm, 95% CI: −0.713 to −0.211; p < 0.001), BOP ( β = −0.063, 95% CI: −0.108 to −0.018; p = 0.007), and PI ( β = −0.077, 95% CI: −0.129 to −0.025; p = 0.004). Conclusion: The adjunctive use of ozonated water with SRP was associated with greater short‐term improvements in periodontal clinical parameters compared with SRP alone in smokers with Stages II and III periodontitis. Clinical Relevance: Smoker’s experience severe forms of periodontitis. Ozone demonstrated positive effects in reducing plaque‐related outcomes when used as an adjunct to SRP.

Background/Objectives: Oral nicotine pouches (ONPs) have rapidly gained popularity as a novel nicotine delivery method. However, data on ONP use, awareness, and associated beliefs in Saudi Arabia remain limited. This study aimed to investigate these aspects among adults in Riyadh region. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2024 involving 831 Saudi adults (age ≥ 18 years). Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing ONP awareness, prevalence, beliefs, and susceptibility as well as potential associated ONP use symptoms. Logistic and multinomial regression models were employed to analyze the associations between these variables. Results: Overall, 59.3% of participants reported awareness of ONPs, and 14.2% having used them. Males were more aware (ORadj= 1.97, p< 0.0001) and user (ORadj= 2.86, p= 0.03) of ONP than females. Similarly, younger adults (aged 18-29 and 30-39 years) demonstrated higher ONP awareness (ORadj= 4.67 and 4.88, respectively, both p< 0.0001) and use (ORadj= 6.91, p< 0.002 and 6.12, p< 0.003, respectively) compared to older adults (+40 years). Additionally, 95.8% of ONP users were smokers, more likely to be cigarette (ORadj= 9.53, p< 0.0001) or e-cigarette (ORadj= 8.43, p< 0.0001) smokers. Approximately 60% of participants demonstrated susceptibility to ONP use, characterized by curiosity, limited knowledge of health risks, and potential willingness to use. Favorable beliefs about ONPs were more prevalent among users. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the frequency of ONP use and the likelihood of experiencing associated symptom (r= 0.3, p= 0.0009). Conclusions: Given that 95.8% of ONP users in this study were current smokers, these findings suggest a potential future role for ONPs as a harm reduction strategy within the context of smoking cessation in Saudi population in Riyadh. However, continuous surveillance and targeted public health interventions are crucial to mitigate the potential negative consequences associated with ONP use.