Aerosol generation in dental practice is a significant concern in infection control. This study aimed to investigate the strategies for controlling and preventing aerosol-generated microbes during dental procedures. A comprehensive literature search was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines through electronic databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Scopus) for studies reporting interventions, including mouthwash and suction devices, that were effective against pathogens generated during dental procedures. Predefined criteria identified eligible studies. Pooled efficacy was estimated using RevMan 5.4's random-effects model.Quality assessments were performed using RoB-2.0 and the Robvis web application. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 19 papers. Cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, botanical medicines, and suction devices are the most used dental therapies to minimise microbial contamination. Overall, these treatments showed success with a pooled effectiveness of -46.64 (95% CI: -60.89 to -32.38, I2=100%, p<0.00001). This study emphasises the need for a multifaceted approach that uses antiseptic mouthwash and suction devices to reduce cross-contamination and infection transmission during aerosol-generated dental procedures, safeguarding patients and dental workforce.

Background: Some of the noise-intensive processes in dental laboratories include the finishing of crowns, bridges, and removable partial dentures; blowing out workpieces with steam and compressed air; and deflating casting rings. High sound pressure levels are also present in dental vibrators, polishing equipment, and sandblasters. The aim of this study was to Evaluation of the effect of noise production in dental technology laboratory on dental technician hearing capacity. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 120 dental technicians were chosen. Otoscopic evaluation and the Weber test were used to establish if they had sensorineural or transmission hearing loss at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz, respectively. Then an OAER (objective auditory evoked response) and PTA (clinical aurimeter) test were administered (Neurosoft, Russia). The whole procedure was carried out by an audiologist and an ENT specialist. Results: The PTA results showed that the patient had mild hearing impairment overall, with the loss being more severe in the left ear than in the right. The OAE test results revealed that in-ear of the left side, 84.5% of subjects passed and 15.5% of subjects struggled and were referred to an ear specialist, whereas in the right ear, 82.7% of subjects passed and 17.3% struggled and were referred to an ear specialist. According to this study, in a right-handed study participant, the ear on the left side is more vulnerable than the right side. Differences in the mean hearing threshold at 4000 and 6000 Hz in the left ear were statistically significant in the groups of workers with eleven to fifteen years of practical experience and twenty-one to twenty-five years of practical experience, respectively (Minervini, et al. J Clin Med 12:2652, 2023). Conclusions: A statistically meaningful threshold shift from 4000 to 6000 Hz is observed as the working experience grows, and this is suggestive of sensorineural hearing impairment brought on by the noisy dental environment.

Candida albicans adhesion and biofilm formation on prosthetic surfaces drive denture-associated candidiasis and are unaffected by traditional fungicidal treatments. Pre-emptive prevention of fungal attachment to prosthetic devices is a rational strategy to avoid recurrent infections. We utilized a mechanism-based computational pipeline to screen peptides with activity centred on inhibiting fungal adhesion instead of viability. We chose two colonization-relevant targets: agglutinin-like protein 3 (Als3), involved in surface attachment, and 1,3-β-glucan synthase (GS), involved in glucan-dependent biofilm-support processes. Peptides were ranked using protein-peptide docking, 100-ns molecular dynamics simulations, and MM/PBSA binding free energy calculations to determine metrics of interface coverage, interaction persistence, and dynamic energetic favourability. We found that tachystatin consistently and stably occupied the highest proportion of adhesion-related interfaces on both Als3 and GS. Tachystatin dynamics demonstrated lower residue-level fluctuations in functionally relevant residues and preservation of hydrogen bonds throughout the simulation. MM/PBSA assessments revealed favourable and consistent binding energetics facilitated by van der Waals forces. These findings suggest that the peptide may comparatively maintain interface occupancy consistent with a potential steric hindrance effect at adhesion-relevant regions. The selected control peptides failed to occupy the predicted interfaces and demonstrated inadequate stabilities. Targeting Als3-mediated adhesion together with GS-associated biofilm-support processes represent a promising preventive strategy for denture-associated candidiasis. Tachystatin emerged as the most promising peptide within this comparative computational screen and may warrant further evaluation as a candidate for reducing biofilm formation on dental prosthetics Overall, this interaction- and simulation-based framework may support antimicrobial peptide selection focused on biofilm prevention.

Environmental sustainability (ES) is a key competency in healthcare education; however, the incorporation of ES into dental curricula in Saudi Arabia (SA)

Zirconia has been widely used for frameworks of fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a relatively new high-performance polymer. Currently, laboratory data comparing their performance are sparse and limited. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the in vitro mechanical and interfacial performance of PEEK versus zirconia FDP frameworks. The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases were searched up until March 2025. Studies were included if they were in vitro studies directly comparing PEEK and zirconia FDP frameworks. Outcomes reported by studies included fracture strength, marginal gap, and shear bond strength. Risk of bias assessments were completed using the Quality Assessment Tool for In Vitro Studies (QUIN). Meta-analyses (RevMan 5.4) were performed using random-effects models (α=.05). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework was used to determine certainty of evidence. Fourteen studies were included in the review. Significantly greater fracture strength values were reported for zirconia than PEEK (pooled effect size -1.77; 95% CI -2.52 to -1.02; P<.001; I²=95%). A lower marginal gap was also shown for zirconia compared with PEEK, although PEEK had higher shear bond strength than zirconia. High methodological heterogeneity was seen among studies and the certainty of evidence was low. Zirconia FDP frameworks exhibited higher fracture resistance while PEEK had more favorable bonding behavior in vitro. Results for marginal fit were varied. Since these were in vitro observations of material characteristics, these results should be viewed as hypothesis generating and not as predictors of clinical performance. Clinical research is necessary to validate these results.