-
International Journal of Paleopathology Jun 2024This paper assesses the relationship between the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and alveolar crest and risk factors commonly associated with periodontitis.
Periodontitis and alveolar resorption in human skeletal remains: The relationship between quantitative alveolar bone loss, occlusal wear, antemortem tooth loss, dental calculus and age at death in a low socioeconomic status, modern forensic human collection from Yucatan.
OBJECTIVE
This paper assesses the relationship between the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and alveolar crest and risk factors commonly associated with periodontitis.
MATERIALS
Eighty individuals between 28 and 92 years old with known biological sex and age were analyzed from a 20th century forensic human collection from Merida, Yucatan (Mexico).
METHODS
Macroscopic assessment, along with metric analysis, was employed using a probe.
RESULTS
Ante-mortem tooth loss was positively correlated with the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and alveolar crest, as was the presence of root calculus in females.
CONCLUSIONS
Cemento-enamel junction to alveolar crest distance is not a reliable indicator of periodontitis since it is not directly related to periodontitis-causing infectious pathogens, and since ante-mortem tooth loss can affect root exposure.
SIGNIFICANCE
This study demonstrates that a purely quantitative approach to diagnosing periodontitis in archaeological and forensic human remains can be misleading.
LIMITATIONS
The skeletal collection is only representative of the low socioeconomic class of Merida, and its female cohort is underrepresented. In addition, because the Xoclan collection is modern, limitations (particularly with respect to tooth wear) of the applicability of these interpretations to older archaeological remains exist.
SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
A combination of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of alveolar bone is needed to reliably diagnose periodontitis in skeletal populations.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Adult; Male; Mexico; Aged, 80 and over; Alveolar Bone Loss; Periodontitis; Dental Calculus; Tooth Loss; Paleopathology; Social Class; Low Socioeconomic Status
PubMed: 38447473
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2024.02.001 -
PeerJ 2024The taxonomic characterization of ancient microbiomes is a key step in the rapidly growing field of paleomicrobiology. While PCR amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA...
The taxonomic characterization of ancient microbiomes is a key step in the rapidly growing field of paleomicrobiology. While PCR amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene is a widely used technique in modern microbiota studies, this method has systematic biases when applied to ancient microbial DNA. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing has proven to be the most effective method in reconstructing taxonomic profiles of ancient dental calculus samples. Nevertheless, shotgun sequencing approaches come with inherent limitations that could be addressed through hybridization enrichment capture. When employed together, shotgun sequencing and hybridization capture have the potential to enhance the characterization of ancient microbial communities. Here, we develop, test, and apply a hybridization enrichment capture technique to selectively target 16S rRNA gene fragments from the libraries of ancient dental calculus samples generated with shotgun techniques. We simulated data sets generated from hybridization enrichment capture, indicating that taxonomic identification of fragmented and damaged 16S rRNA gene sequences was feasible. Applying this enrichment approach to 15 previously published ancient calculus samples, we observed a 334-fold increase of ancient 16S rRNA gene fragments in the enriched samples when compared to unenriched libraries. Our results suggest that 16S hybridization capture is less prone to the effects of background contamination than 16S rRNA amplification, yielding a higher percentage of on-target recovery. While our enrichment technique detected low abundant and rare taxa within a given sample, these assignments may not achieve the same level of specificity as those achieved by unenriched methods.
Topics: Humans; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Benchmarking; Genes, rRNA; Dental Calculus; Microbiota; DNA, Ancient
PubMed: 38440408
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16770 -
Clinical Oral Investigations Mar 2024To analyse three protocols in maintaining the stability of orthodontic therapy results and their effect on gingival health. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of efficacy of thermoplastic retainer with round and rectangular bonded lingual wire retainer in the mandible two years after orthodontic treatment: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse three protocols in maintaining the stability of orthodontic therapy results and their effect on gingival health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixty-six subjects (pre-therapeutic age 11-18 years; 68% female) randomly allocated into three retention groups of equal size were analysed. The first group had a 0.673 × 0.268 mm (0.027 × 0.011 inches) rectangular braided steel retention wire bonded to the lingual surfaces of all mandibular teeth from canine to canine, and the second group had a 0.406 mm (0.016 inches) round twisted steel wire. The third group was the control, without wires, and only with vacuum-formed retainers. All three groups had vacuum-formed removable retainers in the maxilla. The frequency of wire detachment/breakage/loss of retainer, the occurrence of crowding of mandibular incisors, and changes in intercanine width and gingival health were monitored.
RESULTS
Incidence and severity of relapse differed between groups (p = 0.001 and 0.049) being most common in the removable retainer group (incidence 68.2%; severity 0.7 ± 1.0 mm), followed by the round wire group (36.4%; 0.5 ± 1.2 mm) and rectangular wire group (13.6%; 0.1 ± 0.1 mm). The intercanine width decreased more without a bonded retainer (incidence 68.2%; severity 0.5 ± 0.7 mm) and with the round wire more (45.5%; 0.5 ± 0.7 mm) than with the rectangular (27.3%; 0.1 ± 0.3 mm). The difference was significant for incidence (p = 0.025), but not severity. Detaching of the wires/breakage/loss of retainer was similar. There were no significant differences in the accumulation of biofilm, calculus and gingivitis between appliances.
CONCLUSION
A rectangular wire is the most effective in retention, and the impact of retention appliances on gingival health is similar.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05121220. Registered 02 October 2021 - Retrospectively registered.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Studying guidelines for reducing relapse, proper use of materials and appliances, the behavior of retention wires according to their profile in the retention phase, and possibilities of maintaining oral health will contribute to improving the stability of orthodontic therapy results.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Mandible; Orthodontic Appliance Design; Orthodontic Appliances, Fixed; Orthodontic Retainers; Recurrence; Steel
PubMed: 38424224
DOI: 10.1007/s00784-024-05572-y -
Journal of Water and Health Feb 2024The prevalence of dental caries in peatlands and non-peatlands in West Kalimantan require preventive acts based on its natural conditions and the behavior of local...
The prevalence of dental caries in peatlands and non-peatlands in West Kalimantan require preventive acts based on its natural conditions and the behavior of local communities. The objective was to analyse risk factors for dental caries in communities living in peatlands and non-peatlands in West Kalimantan. The research is a causal comparative study with cross-sectional approach. The samples were chosen by purposive sampling technique among adolescents aged 17-27 years, who were domiciled in Pontianak City (peatland) and Bengkayang (non-peatland) all their lives. The results showed that dental caries is significantly correlated with debris in peatlands (rs = 0.289). On non-peatlands, dental caries is correlated with drinking water phosphate (rs = 0.313) and calculus (rs = 0.034). In West Kalimantan, dental caries is significantly correlated with drinking water minerals (fluoride rs = -0.243; phosphate rs = 0.260), drinking water pH (rs = 0.235), behavior (rs = -0.327), and debris (rs = 0.240). The risk factors for dental caries in peatlands and non-peatlands in West Kalimantan are pH and drinking water minerals (fluoride and calcium), debris, calculus, and behavior.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Indonesia; Dental Caries; Drinking Water; Fluorides; Risk Factors; Phosphates; Calculi; Minerals
PubMed: 38421626
DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.271 -
Ecology and Evolution Feb 2024Plants have always represented a key element in landscape delineation. Indeed, plant diversity, whose distribution is influenced by geographic/climatic variability, has...
Plants have always represented a key element in landscape delineation. Indeed, plant diversity, whose distribution is influenced by geographic/climatic variability, has affected both environmental and human ecology. The present contribution represents a multi-proxy study focused on the detection of starch, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs in ancient dental calculus collected from pre-historical individuals buried at La Sassa and Pila archaeological sites (Central Italy). The collected record suggested the potential use of plant taxa by the people living in Central Italy during the Copper-Middle Bronze Age and expanded the body of evidence reported by previous palynological and palaeoecological studies. The application of a microscopic approach provided information about domesticated crops and/or gathered wild plants and inferred considerations on ancient environments, water sources, and past health and diseases. Moreover, the research supplied data to define the natural resources (e.g., C-plant intake) and the social use of the space during that period. Another important aspect was the finding of plant clues referable to woody habitats, characterised by broad-leaved deciduous taxa and generally indicative of a warm-temperate climate and grassy vegetation. Other unusual records (e.g., diatoms, brachysclereids) participated in defining the prehistoric ecological framework. Thus, this work provides an overview on the potential of the human dental calculus analysis to delineate some features of the ancient plant ecology and biodiversity.
PubMed: 38405407
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11053 -
Journal of Conservative Dentistry and... Jan 2024The objective of the study was to compare and evaluate the depth of penetration of an epoxy resin-based sealer following a final rinse of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic...
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to compare and evaluate the depth of penetration of an epoxy resin-based sealer following a final rinse of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and 18% 1-hydroxyethylidene 1, 1-diphosphonate (HEDP), with diode laser and passive ultrasonic activation (PUI): an confocal laser scanning microscopy study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty-two extracted human mandibular premolar teeth with single root and single canal were selected. They were disinfected in 0.1% thymol solution, cleaned of calculus and soft tissues, and stored in 0.1% thymol solution till use. All teeth were radiographed and selected as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The teeth were decoronated using a diamond disk under copious water spray to acquire a standardized root length of 14 mm. Working length was established by inserting a size 10-K file into each root canal until it is visible at the apical foramen and by subtracting 1 mm from the recorded length. Instrumentation of the root canal was done till master apical file size of F3 using ProTaper universal, rotary instruments. The canals were irrigated with 2 mL of 3% sodium hypochlorite between successive files. Teeth were randomly divided into four subgroups = 12 according to the intervention. Passive ultrasonic irrigation and diode laser were used to activate the irrigants. Final irrigation was performed with distilled water. These specimens were examined using confocal laser scanning microscope (OLYMPUS FLUOVIEW FV 3000) for dentinal tubule penetration of the sealer. Two-way ANOVA test and Tukey's multiple post hoc test were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Highly significant difference was seen between the groups with EDTA and HEDP, with HEDP demonstrating the highest penetration. Among the activation techniques used in this study, PUI showed the highest penetration of the sealer. The least penetration was seen with diode laser activation and EDTA.
CONCLUSIONS
The irrigation activation techniques significantly influence the penetration of sealer into root dentinal tubules. When penetration of sealer with different irrigation techniques and irrigants was evaluated, significant greater level of sealer penetration was attained with PUI activation of HEDP.
PubMed: 38389742
DOI: 10.4103/JCDE.JCDE_221_23 -
Tissue Engineering. Part B, Reviews Apr 2024The main focus of this article is the role of lipids in biomineralization. Much of the discussion on biomineralization focuses on proteins in these decades. Indeed,...
The main focus of this article is the role of lipids in biomineralization. Much of the discussion on biomineralization focuses on proteins in these decades. Indeed, collagen and acidic noncollagenous proteins effectively serve as templates for mineralization. However, other macromolecules such as lipids and polysaccharides have received less attention despite their abundance at mineralization sites. The matrix vesicle (MV) theory is widely accepted as the induction of early mineralization. Although ion concentration within the vesicles has been discussed in the initial mineralization in this theory, the role of phospholipids that constitute the vesicle membrane has not been discussed much. Comprehensive considerations, including pathological mineralization, exist regardless of the localization of MVs, the involvement of bacteria in dental calculus formation, and biomineralization caused by marine organisms such as corals, suggesting that initial mineralization found in these biological conditions might be a common reaction relating to lipids. In contrast, despite the abundance of lipids, mineralization occurs only in the limited tissue within our body. In other words, gathering knowledge and creating a path to understanding about lipid-based mineralization is extremely important in proposing new bone disease treatment methods. This article describes how lipids influence nucleation, mineralization, and expansion during hard tissue formation.
PubMed: 38386501
DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEB.2023.0249 -
Scientific Reports Feb 2024The Neolithic communities of Eastern Sudan combined intensive pastoralism with plant exploitation as their main subsistence strategies. However, to date, it remains...
The Neolithic communities of Eastern Sudan combined intensive pastoralism with plant exploitation as their main subsistence strategies. However, to date, it remains unclear which plant species were part of the human diet during the Neolithic. This contribution presents direct data on plant consumption in Eastern Sudan from the Early to Late Neolithic, obtained through the analysis of microdebris inclusions in the dental calculus of 37 individuals, integrated by dentoalveolar pathology analysis of 78 individuals, from the sites UA53 (4th millennium BCE) and Mahal Teglinos (3rd-2nd millennium BCE), located in the Gash Delta/Kassala region. Dental calculus inclusions indicate a diverse intake of cereals, legumes, and tubers during the Middle Neolithic, thus supporting the hypothesis of high reliance on plant resources. Dentoalveolar pathologies, possibly related to the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods, have also been recorded. For the Late Neolithic, consistent with the shift towards aridity that occurred in the Middle/Late Holocene, dental calculus exclusively indicates the exploitation of sorghum and tubers-species well adapted to arid conditions-showing how the Neolithic communities modified their subsistence in response to environmental changes. Evidence of plant processing techniques, such as cooking/heating, was also revealed from the dental calculus analysis.
Topics: Humans; Sudan; Dental Calculus; Diet; Cooking; Edible Grain; Archaeology
PubMed: 38383568
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53300-z -
Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Apr 2024This computational study investigates 21 bioactive compounds from the Asteraceae family as potential inhibitors targeting the Spike protein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2....
This computational study investigates 21 bioactive compounds from the Asteraceae family as potential inhibitors targeting the Spike protein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2. Employing in silico methods and simulations, particularly CDOCKER and MM-GBSA, the study identifies two standout compounds, pterodontic acid and cichoric acid, demonstrating robust binding affinities (-46.1973 and -39.4265 kcal/mol) against the S protein. Comparative analysis with Favipiravir underscores their potential as promising inhibitors. Remarkably, these bioactives exhibit favorable ADMET properties, suggesting safety and efficacy. Molecular dynamics simulations validate their stability and interactions, signifying their potential as effective SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.
Topics: Asteraceae; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; SARS-CoV-2; Antiviral Agents; Molecular Docking Simulation
PubMed: 38369774
DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30538 -
American Journal of Orthodontics and... May 2024This study aimed to clinically evaluate the accuracy of Dental Monitoring's (DM) artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis and oral hygiene notification algorithm in...
INTRODUCTION
This study aimed to clinically evaluate the accuracy of Dental Monitoring's (DM) artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis and oral hygiene notification algorithm in identifying oral hygiene and mucogingival conditions.
METHODS
Twenty-four patients seeking orthodontic therapy were monitored by DM oral hygiene protocol during their orthodontic treatment. During the bonding appointment and at each of 10 subsequent adjustment visits, a total of 232 clinical oral examinations were performed to assess the presence of the 3 oral hygiene parameters that DM monitors. In each clinical timepoint, the subjects took an oral DM scan and received a notification regarding their current oral status at that moment in time. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated to evaluate AI and clinical assessment of plaque, gingivitis, and recession.
RESULTS
A total of 232 clinical time points have been evaluated clinically and by the DM AI algorithm. For DM's AI detection of plaque and calculus, gingivitis, and recession, the sensitivity was 0.53, 0.35, and 0.22; the specificity was 0.94, 0.96, and 0.99; and the accuracy was 0.60, 0.49, and 0.72, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
DM's oral hygiene notification algorithm has low sensitivity, high specificity, and moderate accuracy. This indicates a tendency of DM to underreport the presence of plaque, gingivitis, and recession.
Topics: Humans; Artificial Intelligence; Oral Hygiene; Female; Male; Adolescent; Algorithms; Gingivitis; Young Adult; Dental Plaque; Gingival Recession; Orthodontics, Corrective; Sensitivity and Specificity; Child; Adult
PubMed: 38363256
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2023.12.008