Faezeh Sadeghi Haris

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may exhibit increased oral health vulnerabilities. This study aimed to compare salivary pH, dental and periodontal health, and salivary Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis counts between SLE patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: A case‐control study included 20 SLE patients and 20 healthy controls matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and geographic region. All SLE patients had at least one year since diagnosis and met the Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) definition (SLEDAI ≤4, no major organ activity, PGA ≤1, prednisone ≤7.5 mg/day, and no recent flare). Medication profiles were not systematically recorded, although patients maintained standard‐of‐care therapies as per their rheumatologists’ prescriptions. Participants brushed at least once daily; smokers and individuals with xerostomia were excluded. Dental (DMFT) and periodontal (GBI, CAL) indices and plaque index were assessed. Unstimulated saliva was collected to measure pH and quantify S. mutans and P. gingivalis counts using PCR. Results: No significant differences were observed in overall DMFT, decayed or filled teeth, GBI, CAL, or P. gingivalis counts ( p > 0.05). Within the limits of the sample size, SLE patients had a higher number of missing teeth and significantly increased S. mutans counts ( p < 0.05). Salivary pH was significantly lower in the SLE group ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Tooth loss in SLE may be related to caries rather than periodontal disease, potentially influenced by lower salivary pH and elevated S. mutans levels. Altered salivary composition may contribute to increased caries risk even in the absence of xerostomia. Clinical relevance: These findings emphasize proactive caries prevention in SLE. Strategies such as hydration guidance, pH‐regulating mouthwashes, and xylitol‐containing products may be beneficial, although their efficacy in SLE populations was not tested.

Introduction: Some recent studies have suggested that antioxidants, particularly lycopene, may improve periodontal treatment outcomes. However, conflicting past results regarding its effects highlight the need for further research. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of oral lycopene supplementation as an adjunctive therapy in nonsurgical periodontal treatment for patients with periodontitis. Methods: In this parallel clinical trial, 42 patients aged 25 to 55 with moderate to severe periodontitis and no recent history of periodontal treatment were randomly assigned to two groups after matching for mean age, sex, periodontal disease severity, and antioxidant capacity. One group received lycopene supplementation (15 mg/day) and phase I periodontal therapy. In contrast, the other group received a placebo (containing 1 g of corn starch) and phase I periodontal therapy. Periodontal parameters, including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and bleeding index (BI), as well as serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, were assessed at baseline and after two months. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in periodontal parameters after two months. However, the lycopene group demonstrated greater reductions in probing depth (P = 0.009), clinical attachment loss (P = 0.015), bleeding index (P = 0.237), and MDA levels (P = 0.199) compared to the placebo group, confirming its positive effect in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation associated with periodontitis. Conclusion: Oral lycopene supplementation was associated with better clinical outcomes than the placebo as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. It may be recommended as part of a periodontal treatment plan to enhance periodontitis management.

The aim of this parallel clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of propolis-containing chewing gum and mouthwash in reducing gingival inflammation in patients with gingivitis referred to the Periodontology Department of Yazd Dental School in 2022. For this purpose, a total of 20 patients were randomly assigned to either the mouthwash group or the chewing gum group. Plaque index (PI), papillary bleeding index (PBI), and gingival index (GI) were recorded before and after one week of using the assigned product, followed by scaling and root planing (SRP). Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, T-Test, Mann-Whitney, Paired Samples, and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests. Both groups showed significant reduction in PI (p-value = 0.0001), PBI (p-value = 0.0001), and GI (p-value = 0.003 for chewing gum group and p-value = 0.006 for mouthwash group). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of PI (p-value = 0.686), PBI (p-value = 0.737), and GI (p-value = 1.000). It can be concluded that both propolis-containing chewing gum and mouthwash can effectively reduce dental plaque, papillary bleeding, and gingival inflammation in patients with gingivitis. No significant difference was observed between the two products in terms of effectiveness. The study was registered at IRCT (IRCT20220420054592N1).It was retrospectively registered on 11/6/2022.