Stefano Eramo

Methamphetamine abuse and "meth mouth" in Europe

With easy chemical synthesis from its precursor, methamphetamine (MA) is now widespread in many countries. The abuse of methamphetamine is associated with several negative effects on health, because MA is a neurotoxin and a dangerous central nervous system stimulant. It changes levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, releasing dopamine and inhibiting nor epinephrine uptake which increases sympathetic nervous system activity and can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension and tachypnea. The consequences of MA abuse are clearly manifested in oral diseases (like “meth mouth”) which is characterised by extensive caries, teeth grinding with ensuing dental wear and trismus. The present review was designed to fill the gap in knowledge about methamphetamine abuse in the European Union (EU) and to illustrate the main clinical effects of prolonged use. After describing the pharmacology and systemic effects of methamphetamine and concentrating on its effects on the mouth, the present review compares the epidemiology and incidence of abuse in the world, particularly the USA and the EU. Key words:Methamphetamine, “Meth mouth”, drug abuse, oral health.

Nanomaterials for Tissue Engineering In Dentistry

The tissue engineering (TE) of dental oral tissue is facing significant changes in clinical treatments in dentistry. TE is based on a stem cell, signaling molecule, and scaffold triad that must be known and calibrated with attention to specific sectors in dentistry. This review article shows a summary of micro- and nanomorphological characteristics of dental tissues, of stem cells available in the oral region, of signaling molecules usable in TE, and of scaffolds available to guide partial or total reconstruction of hard, soft, periodontal, and bone tissues. Some scaffoldless techniques used in TE are also presented. Then actual and future roles of nanotechnologies about TE in dentistry are presented.

Fine-tuning of Th17 Cytokines in Periodontal Disease by IL-10

Periodontitis (PD) is a chronic disease caused by the host inflammatory response to bacteria colonizing the oral cavity. In addition to tolerance to oral microbiome, a fine-tuned balance of IL-10 levels is critical to efficiently mount antimicrobial resistance without causing immunopathology. Clinical and animal studies support that adaptive T-helper (Th) cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of alveolar bone destruction in PD. However, it remains unclear what type of Th response is related to human PD progression and what role IL-10 has on this process. We addressed the contribution of IL-10 in limiting Th1 and Th17 inflammatory response in murine and human PD. Through a combination of basic and translational approaches involving selected cytokine-deficient mice as well as human genetic epidemiology, our results demonstrate the requirement for IL-10 in fine-tuning the levels of Th17 (IL-17A and IL-17F) cytokines in experimental and human PD. Of novelty, we found that IL-17F correlated with protection in murine and human PD and was positively regulated by IL-10. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the protective role for IL-17F in PD, its positive regulation by IL-10, and the potential differential role for IL-17A and IL-17F in periodontal disease.

Scanning Electron Microscopy Evaluation of Dental Root Resorption Associated With Granuloma.

The inflammatory resorption of dental root apex (i.e., the process of removal of cementum and/or dentine through the activity of resorbing cells) may show different configurations and damage the apical root structure. As knowing the morphology of resorption areas of human teeth is essential for the success of endodontic treatments, we investigated the apical resorption by scanning electron microscopy, focusing on roots with granulomas. A total of 30 teeth (with penetrating carious lesions and chronic periapical lesions) were examined, the apical third of the roots were removed and analyzed to estimate periforaminal and foraminal resorption, shape and morphology of foramen resorption, centering of the periforaminal resorption area, and diameters of each apical foramen. Periforaminal resorption was present in all samples, whereas foraminal resorption was present in 92% of cases (mainly funnel shaped). Lacunae were observed in the foraminal resorption area with an average diameter of 35±14 μm. The major and minor diameters of the foramina in teeth with resorption were 443 and 313 μm, respectively (higher than in healthy teeth). This result indicates an expansion of the apical diameters caused by the pathology, which could encourage a different clinical instrumentation for these teeth.

Recenti acquisizioni in tema di irrigazione canalare: analisi al microscopio elettronico a scansione.

Riassunto Obiettivi Il presente lavoro intende valutare, utilizzando il microscopio elettronico a scansione (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, FESEM), le proprieta detergenti di quattro diversi irriganti canalari in elementi dentari estratti. Materiali e metodi Venti elementi dentari monoradicolati, estratti per motivi parodontali, sono stati sottoposti ad alesaggio biomeccanico e irrigazione canalare con quattro diverse soluzioni testate, ovvero: irrigante 1, ipoclorito di sodio (NaOCl) al 5%; irrigante 2, cetrimide + clorexidina (Cetrexidin, Gaba Vebas, Roma); irrigante 3, acido etilendiamminotetracetico (EDTA); irrigante 4, doxiciclina + acido citrico + glicole di polipropilene (Tetraclean, Ogna Laboratori Farmaceutici, Muggio, MB). Tutti i campioni, dopo essere stati opportunamente disidratati e metallizzati, sono stati osservati al FESEM con catodo a emissione di campo (Supra™, Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Jena, DE) in modo da valutare il grado di detersione ottenuto in corrispondenza del terzo medio e apicale del canale. Risultati I risultati dello studio hanno mostrato un eccellente potere detergente, a livello del terzo medio del canale, da parte dell’irrigante 2, meno efficace invece a livello del terzo apicale. Buona, anche se inferiore rispetto a quella dell’irrigante 2, e risultata la capacita detergente dell’irrigante 1 e dell’irrigante 3 in corrispondenza del terzo medio del canale; limitata anche per loro la rimozione di smear-layer in corrispondenza del terzo apicale. L’irrigante 4 non ha evidenziato una buona capacita detergente ne a livello del terzo medio ne a livello del terzo apicale del canale. Conclusioni La procedura di irrigazione sembra svolgere un ruolo chiave nel successo della terapia canalare; tuttavia, durante un trattamento endodontico non e possibile utilizzare un’unica soluzione irrigante bensi diverse sostanze contemporaneamente, ciascuna con un ruolo specifico nella detersione dell’endodonto.