Increasing attention has been paid to the possible link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis over the past decade. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of five periopathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), and Prevotella intermedia (P.i.) in atheromatous plaques obtained from the carotid and coronary arteries in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and carotid endarterectomy. Group I (carotid arteries) consisted of 30 patients (mean age: 54.5 ± 14.8), and group II (coronary arteries) consisted of 28 patients (mean age: 63 ± 12.1). Clinical periodontal examinations consisted of plaque index, gingival index, sulcus bleeding index, and periodontal probing depth and were performed on the day of vascular surgery. The presence of periopathogens in periodontal pockets and atherosclerotic vessels was detected using polymerase chain reaction. In both subgingival plaque and atherosclerotic plaque of carotid arteries, P.g., A.a., T.f., T.d., and P.i. were detected in 26.7%, 6.7%, 66.7%, 10.0%, and 20.0%, respectively, while for coronary arteries, P.g. was detected in 39.3%, A.a. in 25%, T.f. in 46.4%, T.d. in 7.1%, and P.i. in 35.7%. The presence of five periopathogens in carotid and coronary atherosclerotic vessels showed correlation in regard to the degree of periodontal inflammation. The present study suggests the relationship between periodontal pathogenic bacteria and atherogenesis. Further studies are necessary in relation to the prevention or treatment of periodontal disease that would result in reduced mortality and morbidity associated with atherosclerosis.

Aim: Through the use of CBCT images, many unidentified features of impacted canines can be easily resolved. The potential collision of impacted maxillary canines and adjacent teeth could lead to root resorption (RR). The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence, location and severity of RR on adjacent teeth caused by impacted maxillary canines and the association between the adjacent teeth and the features of maxillary impacted canines on CBCT. Methods: This study examined 89 subjects with 108 maxillary impacted canines, having had no previous orthodontic treatment (mean age: 18.3 ± 4.1 years). The following impacted-canine-related parameters were analyzed on the CBCT images: location; RR levels on adjacent teeth; occlusal line and midline distances of impacted canines; and the angulations of impacted canines to the midline, lateral incisor and occlusal line. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between RR and the measured parameters on CBCT. Results: In this study, we found that the majority of our patients with impacted maxillary canines were female (62.5%). Of the total 108 maxillary impacted canines, 60.2% resorbed the adjacent teeth of the affected quadrants. Lateral incisors were the most affected (34.3%). The mean age of subjects with RR was 16.7 ± 3.5 years. The frequency of RR was statistically significantly higher in female subjects (40.4%). Slight RR was the most frequent (30.5%) and the highest incidence noted at the apical third of the root (29.6%). Regarding the impacted maxillary canine angulation to the midline and adjacent tooth, higher values of angulation caused severe forms of RR (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The sensitivity of CBCT allows for the accurate diagnosis of the location and the degree of RR, alongside the angulation and distance of impacted canines to adjacent teeth. The association between the linear and angular features of the impacted maxillary canines and RR was confirmed.

Introduction/Objective. Molar-incisor hypomnineralization (MIH) is relatively common developmental anomaly characterized by hypomineralized enamel defects in the first permanent molars and incisors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypomineralization of the first permanent molars and incisors in children aged eight and 10 years who live in the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija. Methods. The study included 712 respondents, 289 of whom aged eight (40.6%) and 423 of whom aged 10 years (59.4%). Criteria according to Weerheijm were used for diagnosis of hypomineralization and the severity of changes was determined. Results. The frequency of hypomineralized changes in the first permanent molars and incisors of the examined children in this area was 12.2%. It was lower in children aged eight years (10.7%) compared to those aged 10 (13.2%). Demarcated enamel opacity was more common in younger children, whereas both atypical restoration and tooth extraction due to hypomineralization were more common in older children. Mild form is more common in children aged eight years, whereas both severe form and severe form with extracted teeth are more common in children aged 10 years. The results indicate that the first permanent molars were most commonly affected by MIH changes. Conclusion. The percentage of the respondents with MIH changes in the northern part of Kosovo and Metohija, which is 12.2%, is not negligible and points to the necessity of early diagnosis in order to prevent and reduce the complications of the condition by timely prevention and treatment.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with impaired wound healing and increased oxidative stress, posing a significant challenge in dental wound healing. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has emerged as a potential regenerative treatment to enhance tissue repair. This study aims to investigate the effects of LLLT on oral mucosal wound healing and oxidative stress markers in rats with DM. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 108) were divided into six equal groups (healthy and diabetic, with or without mucosal ulcers, with or without LLLT). DM was induced with alloxan, and standardized mucosal ulcers were created. Every other day for 10 days, LLLT (6 J/cm²) was applied, and tissue samples were collected after 3, 7, and 10 days. Wound healing was assessed by planimetry, while systemic biochemical analyses included total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and oxidative stress index (OSI). Results: LLLT significantly accelerated oral ulcer closure and showed between-group differences in redox markers. In healthy rats, LLLT increased wound closure on day 7 (p = 0.018). In diabetic rats, LLLT improved closure on day 3 (p = 0.035) and on day 7 (p = 0.001). Across groups, oxidative markers differed significantly (e.g., TOS on day 10 overall, p = 0.011; OSI on day 10 overall, p = 0.047; SOD p < 0.001 at all time points). In diabetic rats, on day 10, median TOS was lower with LLLT (p = 0.004). Conclusions: LLLT enhances oral wound healing and restores redox balance in diabetic rats, which supports the potential usage of LLLT as an adjunctive therapy for managing oral lesions in diabetic patients.

Frequent occurrence of dental caries and periodontal diseases, especially gingivitis, in school-aged children, is becoming one of the most important problems in oral pathology, although they all can be brought under control through health education and implementation of preventive and prophylactic measures. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of dental caries and gingivitis in children, aged 12 years, attending primary schools in Kosovska Mitrovica, as an urban area, and schools in Gračanica and Laplje Selo, as rural areas. The study included 227 schoolchildren, aged 12 years, divided into two groups. One group, 129 of them, consisted of children from primary schools in Kosovska Mitrovica, as urban areas. The other group, 98 of them, consisted of children from primary schools in Gračanica and Laplje Selo, as rural areas. Klein-Palmer DMFT system (D-Decayed, M-Missing, F-filled) was used to estimate the prevalence of dental caries, while Silness-Löe plaque index, Löe-Silness gingival index and Muhlemann sulcus bleeding index were used to estimate the level of oral hygiene, gingival status and severity of gingival inflammation. The average number of permanent teeth with caries per respondent (DMFT) was 4.6 in total, for all children. The average value of DMFT in children from urban areas was 3.8, and 5.3 in children from rural areas. SiC Index was 7.9. The average value of the plaque index (PI) was 1.53±0.61, of the gingival index (GI)1.05±0.58 and of the bleeding index (BI) 0.64±0.59. The established state of oral health and periodontium in examined children points to the necessity of applying modern preventive and prophylactic measures in order to improve the oral health and increase the motivation for the overall health care.

Introduction/Aim. Dental caries present a health problem in all ages, but it is especially significant in the earliest age of children. Early childhood caries can be developed immediately after eruption of deciduous teeth, resulting in many complications such as tooth extraction, which is reflected to the quality of life and health. Early childhood caries is influenced by a large number of predictors. Considering that data of predictors for the development of deciduous teeth caries are scarce, the aim of this paper was to determine the prevalence of deciduous teeth caries and detect predictors for the development of early childhood caries. Methods. Our survey includes 117 children aged 3 to 6 years, both sexes from the territory of Kosovska Mitrovica and Zvecan. All respondents were surveyed, providing general data on respondents, including children and parents. A dental examination was performed in all children. Established state of teeth health level was inserted into special research boards that are in line with the recommendations of the WHO. Results. According to the full structure, there were 49.6% of boys and 50.4% of girls. Healthy teeth were present at 25 (21.4%) children, reversible changes were present at 19 (16.2%), while 73 (62.4%) of children had irreversible carious changes of teeth. The model of multivariate ordinal logistic regression includes those predictors of teeth health level that were statistically significant at the significance level of 0.05 in models of univariate ordinal logistic regression. Predictors detected as most important are sweets consummation, sleeping with baby bottle, 6 and more meals per day, frequent usage of medical syrups, daily frequency of child’s teeth brushing, frequency of child’s independent teeth brushing, usage of non-fluoride toothpaste, a lack of professional fluoride application and mouth breathing. Conclusion. This research contributed to the detection of a large number of predictors which are most important for development of early childhood caries. In order to reduce the risk of caries development, it is necessary to act in more spheres, which certainly requires the planning and implementation of preventive and prophylactic dental programs.