Shikha Tewari

Vitamin E Supplementation, Superoxide Dismutase Status, and Outcome of Scaling and Root Planing in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND This study investigates the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in serum and saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis (CP). In addition, the outcome of scaling and root planing (SRP) with and without vitamin E supplementation is evaluated in terms of changes in periodontal parameters and SOD activity in patients with CP. METHODS Serum and salivary SOD activity in 38 patients with CP were compared with those of 22 systemically and periodontally healthy individuals (control group). At periodontal examination, serum and saliva samples were obtained. Patients with CP were randomly divided into treatment groups 1 (TG-1) and 2 (TG-2). SRP was performed for both groups, and TG-2 also received 200 mg (300 IU) vitamin E every other day. Periodontal parameters and SOD activity were evaluated after 3 months. SOD activity was determined using an SOD assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader at 450 nm. RESULTS SOD activity in both serum (P <0.05) and saliva (P <0.001) was lower in patients with CP compared with controls. After 3 months of follow-up, SOD activity improved in both treatment groups; however, the improvement in TG-2 was higher than in TG-1, along with more improvement in periodontal parameters. Serum SOD levels in TG-2 increased even above the level of the control group. CONCLUSIONS Systemic and local SOD levels are lowered in CP. Adjunctive vitamin E supplementation improves periodontal healing as well as antioxidant defense.

Periodontal Status and Hyperlipidemia: Statin Users Versus Non-Users

BACKGROUND The association between serum lipids and periodontal disease has been studied predominantly in patients with chronic periodontitis with limited data available regarding periodontal status of patients with hyperlipidemia. Meanwhile, the impact of statins on the periodontal health of the population also remains largely underexplored. This study aims to assess the periodontal status among patients with hyperlipidemia and users of statins. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 94 patients with hyperlipidemia (50 receiving statins and 44 receiving non-pharmacologic therapy) and 46 control individuals who were normolipidemic underwent periodontal examination (plaque index, gingival index [GI], probing depth [PD], and clinical attachment level [CAL]). Biochemical parameters measured included serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. RESULTS PD and GI were significantly higher in patients with hyperlipidemia who were non-statin users compared with the normolipidemic individuals (P <0.001 [PD] and P <0.05 [GI]) and the statin group (P = 0.001 [PD] and P <0.05 [GI]). Periodontal parameters between statin users and the normolipidemic group did not differ significantly. After adjusting for confounders, positive and significant correlations were observed between PD and TG, and TC and LDL, whereas CAL shared correlation with TC and LDL. GI was correlated with TG and TC. Regression analyses revealed that whereas TC was associated significantly with PD (P <0.001), LDL showed significant association with CAL (P = 0.013). TG showed significant association with GI (P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that relative to the general population, patients with hyperlipidemia are more prone to periodontal disease. Also, within the limits of this study, statins have a positive impact on periodontal health.

Effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on serum ferritin levels: an interventional study.

BACKGROUND Ferritin, an acute-phase reactant, has been found to be elevated in many chronic inflammation-related diseases. The aim of the present study is to investigate differences in concentrations of serum ferritin in patients with and without periodontal disease before and after non-surgical periodontal therapy and correlate these values with clinical variables associated with periodontal disease. METHODS Forty-two individuals were included in this study, 20 with chronic periodontitis (CP) and 22 classified as periodontally healthy. Serum ferritin concentrations, hemoglobin levels, and periodontal parameters (probing depth [PD], clinical attachment level, gingival index, bleeding on probing, and plaque index) were recorded at baseline and 3 months after non-surgical periodontal therapy. RESULTS Patients with CP showed higher concentrations of serum ferritin than periodontally healthy controls (P <0.01). After adjustment for confounders, a positive and significant correlation was observed between serum ferritin levels and the number of sites with PD ≥ 6 mm at baseline (P <0.01). Regression analyses revealed association between deep pockets and serum ferritin levels at baseline (R(2) = 0.823). Significant reductions in serum ferritin levels were observed at the 3-month assessment after periodontal treatment (P <0.01), and the post-treatment serum ferritin values were comparable to those of controls (P >0.05). Furthermore, the post-treatment degree of change in the serum ferritin level was positively and significantly associated with improvement in PD (R(2) = 0.213, P <0.05). CONCLUSION Serum ferritin levels are raised in patients with CP and decrease to control levels post-treatment.

Impact of iron deficiency anemia on chronic periodontitis and superoxide dismutase activity: a cross-sectional study

Purpose Both chronic periodontitis (CP) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) induce oxidative stress in the body and cause an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). This study explored the SOD enzyme activity of saliva and serum in CP patients with and without IDA and analyzed the impact of IDA on CP. Methods A total of 82 patients were divided into four groups: control group (CG, 22), periodontally healthy IDA patients (IDA-PH, 20), CP patients (CP, 20), and IDA patients with CP (IDA-CP, 20). After clinical measurements and samplings, serum and salivary SOD levels were determined using an SOD assay kit. Results IDA-CP patients exhibited a higher gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and percentage (%) of sites with a clinical attachment loss (CAL) of ≥6 mm (P<0.008) than CP patients. The mean salivary and serum SOD levels were significantly lower in the IDA-PH, CP, and IDA-CP patients than in the CG group (P<0.008). A significant positive correlation between salivary and serum SOD activity was observed in IDA (P<0.05). Furthermore, serum and salivary SOD levels were significantly and negatively correlated with all periodontal parameters including the percentage of sites with CAL of 4-5 and ≥6 mm (P<0.05) except the significant correlation between salivary SOD activity and mean CAL and the percentage of sites with CAL of 4-5 mm (P>0.05) in these patients. Conclusions Within the limits of this study, it may be suggested that IDA patients with chronic periodontitis have more periodontal breakdowns than patients with chronic periodontitis. Serum and salivary SOD activity levels were lower in the IDA-PH, CP and IDA-CP groups than in the CG. Iron deficiency anemia influenced the serum SOD activity but did not seem to affect the salivary SOD activity in these patients. Graphical Abstract

Periodontal and glycemic effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes stratified by baseline HbA1c

We evaluated the effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy in 100 patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis. The participants were classified as having good (n = 48) or poor (n = 52) glycemic control and were further randomly allocated to receive either scaling and root planning treatment group or no treatment (n = 50 each). The effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy was compared among diabetic patients with good glycemic control, those with poor glycemic control, and 25 nondiabetic individuals. Periodontal and metabolic status was recorded at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. In patients receiving treatment, periodontal parameters significantly improved and HbA1c decreased by 10.8%. Improvements in gingival index and bleeding on probing were greater in the nondiabetic participants and the treated patients with good glycemic control than in the treated patients with poor glycemic control (P < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that improvement in periodontal status was independently associated with glycemic improvement. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy improved glycemic control and periodontal health in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, patients with poor baseline glycemic control had less clinical improvement than did those without diabetes and those with good glycemic control.

Periodontal status and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in polycystic ovary syndrome with and without medical treatment.

BACKGROUND Recently, some studies have revealed the effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on gingival inflammation. This cross-sectional study attempts to assess the periodontal status and systemic inflammation of women receiving medical treatment for PCOS and women newly diagnosed with PCOS. METHODS A total of 126 participants comprising 41 newly diagnosed patients with PCOS (PCOS-N), 45 patients with PCOS on medical treatment (PCOS-MT), and 40 systemically healthy controls (control group [CG]) were examined. Periodontal parameters, anthropometric parameters, and serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were recorded. RESULTS Women with newly diagnosed PCOS had increased sites with bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), waist circumference (WC), hsCRP, and prevalence of periodontitis compared with control and PCOS-MT groups (P ≤0.05). On partial correlation analysis after controlling for confounders, BOP and CAL correlated positively and significantly with hsCRP (P = 0.01 and P = 0.005). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that BOP and CAL (dependent variable) (P = 0.009/R(2) = 0.05 and P = 0.005/R(2) = 0.07, respectively) had significant association with hsCRP. Furthermore, hsCRP, when considered as outcome, also exhibited association with CAL and WC (P = 0.002/R(2) = 0.07 and P = 0.04/R(2) = 0.106). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the PCOS-N group had 2.88 times increased likelihood of having moderate periodontitis (adjusted odds ratio 2.88, 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 6.98). CONCLUSIONS Women with newly diagnosed PCOS may have increased prevalence and likelihood for periodontitis, with higher measures of periodontal inflammation and breakdown than those on medical treatment for PCOS and systemically healthy females. Furthermore, periodontal breakdown might depend on systemic inflammation and vice versa.

Necrotizing stomatitis: a possible periodontal manifestation of deferiprone-induced agranulocytosis.

Thalassemia major is a rare inherited anemia, and affected children require blood transfusions every 2-4 weeks to survive. Repeated blood transfusions lead to a build-up of toxic levels of iron in the body, causing organ damage and premature death, primarily due to iron-induced heart disease. Deferiprone is one of a few drugs that are routinely used in medicine for the treatment of iron overload in thalassemic patients. This drug is usually administered daily at high doses (50-100 mg/kg) with a very low toxicity. Agranulocytosis is the most serious side effect of deferiprone, with a reported incidence of 0.6 per 100 patient-years. We document an illustrated case report of necrotizing gingivostomatitis, an oral manifestation of agranulocytosis secondary to deferiprone use involving the gingiva and palatal mucosa of a thalassemia major patient. Various causes of precipitation of agranulocytosis in these patients and a possible relationship of necrotizing gingivostomatitis with deferiprone are highlighted in this case report.

Effect of Fluoxetine on Periodontal Status in Patients With Depression: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

BACKGROUND Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been reported to reduce periodontal disease severity in a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model. The objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of fluoxetine intake on periodontal parameters in patients with periodontitis with clinical depression. METHODS A sample of 236 patients with chronic periodontitis and clinical depression were assessed for clinical parameters of periodontal disease. Of these, 115 patients were taking fluoxetine (20 mg/day) for ≥2 months, and 121 patients were not. Participants taking fluoxetine were further analyzed for correlation between duration of drug intake and periodontal parameters. RESULTS All periodontal parameters, except plaque index, were significantly lower in participants taking fluoxetine (P <0.01). Partial correlation analysis, adjusted for confounders, revealed a significant and negative correlation between duration of fluoxetine intake and attachment loss (AL) (R(2) = -0.321, P <0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that fluoxetine intake was associated with a lower risk of having AL ≥3 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31 to 0.96) and lower odds of increased bleeding on probing (BOP) percentage values (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.97). CONCLUSION In this observational study, use of fluoxetine was associated with lower BOP percentages and reduced AL.

Micronutrients and superoxide dismutase in postmenopausal women with chronic periodontitis: a pilot interventional study

Purpose The study was aimed at investigating changes in periodontal parameters and superoxide dismutase activity triggered by root surface debridement with and without micronutrient supplementation in postmenopausal women. Methods Forty-three postmenopausal chronic periodontitis patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=22) were provided periodontal treatment in the form of scaling and root planing (SRP) and group 2 (n=21) patients received SRP along with systemic administration of micronutrient antioxidants. Patients in both groups were subjected to root surface debridement. Group 2 patients also received adjunctive micronutrient antioxidant supplementation. Serum and salivary superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity along with periodontal parameters were recorded at baseline and 3 months after therapy. Results Salivary and serum SOD values significantly (P<0.05) improved with periodontal treatment. Improvement in systemic enzymatic antioxidant status along with reduction in gingival inflammation and bleeding on probing (%) sites was significantly greater in group 2 as compared to group 1. Conclusions Adjunctive micronutrient supplements reduce periodontal inflammation and improve the status of systemic enzymatic antioxidants in postmenopausal women. Graphical Abstract

Supracrestal gingival tissue: assessing relation with periodontal biotypes in a healthy periodontium.

This cross-sectional study assessed the variability in supracrestal gingival tissue (SGT) dimensions in a healthy periodontium. SGT dimensions were evaluated for differences across various locations, tooth types, and periodontal biotypes. All measurements were made with a vernier caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. A total of 1,932 sites in 366 teeth were statistically analyzed. Median overall SGT was recorded as 3.50 mm with a range from 1.80 to 6.20 mm. The thick-flat biotype exhibited greater median SGT than the thinscalloped biotype. When planning crown lengthening surgery, periodontal biotype may have a significant role in determining SGT dimensions.