Background: Salivary pH plays a critical role in oral health by influencing enamel demineralization, buffering capacity, and the ecology of oral microbiota. Essential oils such as Origanum vulgare (oregano) possess well-documented antimicrobial properties that may reduce acidogenic bacterial activity. However, the effects of edible delivery systems like jellies on salivary pH modulation and their potential interactions with hormonal states remain poorly understood. Methods: This study evaluated the in vitro antimicrobial activity of an oregano-oil-based jelly formulation against standard bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Escherichia coli) and fungal (Candida albicans) strains using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Additionally, a human trial (n = 91) measured salivary pH before and after administration of the oregano-oil jelly. Participants were characterized by age, smoking status, menopausal status, and presence of menstruation. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of final salivary pH. Results: The oregano-oil jelly demonstrated strong in vitro antimicrobial activity, with inhibition zones up to 8 mm for E. coli and C. albicans. In vivo, mean unstimulated salivary pH increased from 6.94 to 7.07 overall, indicating a mild alkalinizing effect. However, menstruating participants showed a significant decrease in final pH (from 7.03 to 6.78). Multiple regression identified menstruation as a significant negative predictor (β = −0.377, p < 0.001) and initial pH as a positive predictor (β = +0.275, p = 0.002). Menopausal status was not a significant predictor, likely due to the small sample size. Conclusions: Oregano-oil jellies may represent a promising natural approach to support oral health by increasing salivary pH and providing strong antimicrobial activity. However, physiological states such as menstruation can significantly modulate this response, underscoring the importance of personalized or phase-aware oral care strategies. Further studies with larger, diverse cohorts and controlled hormonal assessments are needed to validate these findings and optimize product formulations.

Background: The treatment of bacterial dermatological diseases is currently facing major difficulties, determined by the alarming increase in the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional therapies. In this context, a viable and effective alternative is represented by the use of phytocompounds to obtain the desired therapeutic effect. The essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. stands out for its antibacterial, anti-aging, collagen synthesis stimulating and wound healing properties. However, its use is limited by certain disadvantages, such as poor stability and the risk of skin irritation due to accumulation in the dermis. Method: The process of formulating the emulgel with oregano oil respected the specific technological steps. The resulting emulgel was subjected to a series of tests, including organoleptic, stability and antimicrobial efficacy determinations. In addition, an in vivo study was conducted to confirm the lack of irritation, involving six groups of patients differentiated by age, sex and skin phenotype. Results: The test results revealed that the emulgel formulated with oregano oil is stable, has organoleptic properties and an appropriate pH for topical use. The product demonstrated antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, short-term in vivo tests (20 min—96 h) confirmed the safety and absence of skin irritation, indicating its potential as an effective alternative treatment. Conclusions: In conclusion, the emulgel with origanum oil represents an innovative formulation for topical application. The product is well tolerated by the skin and does not cause irritation, and its antibacterial properties validate it as a promising therapeutic solution.

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance has renewed interest in plant extracts, essential oils and honey as topical adjuvants, yet antimicrobial potency, host-tissue safety and formulation performance are usually reported in separate bodies of literature, and the material tested is often characterized only superficially. This structured narrative review aimed to integrate these dimensions into a single decision-oriented pathway. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection was searched using seventeen predefined strings across fourteen thematic domains, restricted to English-language articles and reviews from 2021 to 2026, with supplementary PubMed/MEDLINE searches, hand-searching, and normative documents from the issuing organizations. Results: The framework comprises seven decision domains: pre-analytical standardization of each matrix class; antibacterial and antifungal testing with matrix-specific controls; biofilm endpoints named according to what they measure; strain selection tiered from reference to clinical and resistant isolates; host safety from monolayer cytotoxicity to reconstructed human epidermis; selectivity, expressed per microorganism and extended to the resident cutaneous microbiota; and formulation performance, with permeation interpreted against a retention rather than a maximization target. Resistance under sub-inhibitory exposure forms an advanced stage. Conclusions: Progression is governed by proposed Go, Conditional Go and No-Go criteria, supported by a matrix-specific control table and a minimum reporting checklist. The framework has not been prospectively validated, and no universal selectivity threshold is proposed.

(1) Background: The restoration of posterior proximal carious lesions remains a clinical challenge, particularly in achieving a correct reconstruction of the interdental contact point. The choice of matrix system significantly influences the clinical outcome. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to a sample of 129 dental practitioners between May and June 2024. The survey assessed clinicians’ preferences and experiences regarding the use of sectional versus circumferential matrix systems in posterior restorations. (3) Results: The majority of respondents (56.6%) preferred sectional matrix systems, which were associated with a higher rate of achieving an optimal contact point (p < 0.05) and an adequate emergence profile (94.6% vs. 82.9%). Sectional matrices were also associated with fewer open contacts than circumferential systems. (4) Conclusions: Sectional matrix systems are perceived as superior in terms of achieving effective proximal contact and an optimal emergence profile. The findings support the use of these systems in Class II restorations; however, more rigorous standards are needed for evaluating interdental contact quality.

Background: In solid-organ transplant recipients, hypomagnesemia is a frequent and persistent complication, predominantly related to long-term use of calcineurin inhibitors. Oral magnesium supplementation is often ineffective due to poor adherence, gastrointestinal adverse effects, and high treatment costs. Objectives: This pilot study aimed to (i) develop a topical magnesium formulation for use in renal transplant recipients with persistent hypomagnesemia; (ii) evaluate the influence of formulation excipients on magnesium release from pharmaceutical preparations; and (iii) preliminarily assess the clinical outcomes, functional parameters, patient satisfaction, and tolerability associated with topical magnesium lipogel use in renal transplant recipients with persistent hypomagnesemia. Materials and Methods: Three lipogel formulations containing magnesium orotate, citrate, or sulfate were prepared and characterized in terms of organoleptic properties, pH, colloidal stability, and rheological behavior. In vitro magnesium release was evaluated using Franz diffusion cells. The formulation demonstrating the most favorable release profile, magnesium orotate lipogel, was administered twice daily for two months to 21 renal transplant recipients with persistent hypomagnesemia who had shown inadequate response, intolerance, or non-adherence to oral magnesium supplementation. Laboratory parameters were assessed at baseline and after treatment. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using the Lübeck questionnaire, while physical activity and exercise capacity were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and metabolic equivalent task (MET) calculations. Results: Franz cell studies demonstrated superior magnesium release from the magnesium orotate lipogel compared with the other formulations. After two months, serum magnesium levels were higher than baseline (1.554 ± 0.124 vs. 1.448 ± 0.111 mg/dL, p < 0.001), although they remained below the normal reference range. No significant changes were observed in eGFR or hsCRP. Moderate-intensity physical activity increased significantly (310.475 ± 92.505 vs. 279.286 ± 89.907 MET-min/week, p < 0.001), while vigorous-intensity activity did not change significantly. No relevant adverse effects were reported. Patient satisfaction was high across all evaluated domains, including practicability (86.6%), efficacy (96.4%), tolerability (97.1%), and trust in medical professionals (97.6%). Conclusions: In this pilot study, topical magnesium orotate lipogel was well tolerated and accepted by renal transplant recipients with persistent hypomagnesemia. Serum magnesium levels and moderate physical activity improved over the two-month observation period, although magnesium levels remained below the normal range. These preliminary findings warrant confirmation in larger, randomized, placebo-controlled studies.

Grover disease (GD), or transient acantholytic dermatosis, is an acquired acantholytic dermatosis that classically affects the trunk of older men, although persistent, recurrent and atypically distributed forms are increasingly recognised. We report a 29-year-old man with chronic-recurrent, intensely pruritic GD, with an estimated onset approximately six months before his first documented dermatologic assessment. The eruption predominantly involved the upper and lower limbs, with limited truncal involvement. Because of the atypical age and distribution, and because acantholysis was focal and minimal in individual specimens, the diagnosis rested on clinicopathological correlation across serial biopsies obtained during separate disease episodes, which showed spongiotic and acanthotic changes, focal parakeratosis, lichenoid and perivascular inflammation, and focal acantholysis with dyskeratosis. Direct immunofluorescence, performed during topical corticosteroid treatment, was nonspecific and did not support an autoimmune blistering disorder, although this result must be interpreted with caution. Laboratory investigations were unremarkable apart from a moderately elevated total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) (223.2 IU/mL), a nonspecific finding that does not establish a type 2 immune phenotype in this patient. A combined regimen of acitretin, an oral antihistamine, a topical corticosteroid and barrier-directed care was temporally associated with marked improvement, the Dermatology Life Quality Index falling from 17/30 to 5/30 over three months. We briefly review the histopathological patterns, differential diagnosis and management of GD and its emerging molecular and immunological context. This case illustrates the breadth of the clinical spectrum of GD, the diagnostic pitfalls of focal acantholysis and of immunofluorescence performed under treatment, and the need to consider GD in young patients with chronic-recurrent, predominantly extra-truncal eruptions.