METHODS: This study included 3 groups with 15 orthodontic patients in each. The control group included patients who had no probiotic treatment, the subjects in the kefir group consumed 2 × 100 ml of kefir (Atatürk Orman Ciftligi, Ankara, Turkey) per day, and the subjects in the toothpaste group brushed their teeth with toothpaste with probiotic content (GD toothpaste; Dental Asia Manufacturing, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia) twice a day. Samples were collected at 3 times: beginning of the study, 3 weeks later, and 6 weeks later. The salivary flow rate, buffer capacity, and Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus levels in the saliva were evaluated. Chair-side kits were used to determine the S mutans and Lactobacillus levels.
RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease was observed in the salivary S mutans and Lactobacillus levels in the kefir and toothpaste groups compared with the control group (P <0.05). A statistically significant increase was observed in the toothpaste group compared with the control and kefir groups in buffer capacity. Changes in the salivary flow rate were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The regular use of probiotics during fixed orthodontic treatment reduces the S mutans and Lactobacillus levels in the saliva.
AIMS: This study carried out from June 2008 to March 2009 to find the relation between environmental tobacco smoke, stress and miscarriage and preterm births.
METHODS: A total of 33 subjects consisted of multiparous pregnant women that were in their early third trimester were chosen for this investigation. Subjects were divided into test group women with adverse pregnancy outcome, control group women with successful pregnancy. Four ml of unstimulated whole saliva were collected. The concentrations of cotinine and cortisol were evaluated using commercially available ELISA kit.
RESULTS: Pregnancies in which the average standardized cortisol during history of previous miscarriage(s) which occurred within 6th-27th week or/and history of preterm labor which occurred within 28th-36th weeks of gestation, demonstrated higher cortisol level (1.0201 ± 0.1855 ng/ml) compared to control group 0.9757 ± 0.2860 ng/ml (P = 0.323); statistical analysis showed no significant differences. Women of control group were more likely to be environmental tobacco smoke exposed (1.2714 ± 1.7639 ng/ml) than women with miscarriage and preterm births (0.9889 ± 0.5498 ng/ml).
CONCLUSION: The results from this primarily study demonstrated no association between cotinine, cortisol, miscarriage and preterm births.
METHODS: Two-fold serial micro-dilution method was used to measure minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of aqueous extracts of Gt, Sp and their combinations. Adsorption to hexadecane was used to determine the cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) of bacterial cells. Glass beads were used to mimic the hard tissue surfaces, and were coated with saliva to develop experimental pellicles for the adhesion of the primary colonizing bacteria.
RESULTS: Gt aqueous extracts exhibited better anti-plaque effect than Sp aqueous extracts. Their combination, equivalent to 1/4 and 1/2 of MIC values of Gt and Sp extracts respectively, showed synergistic anti-plaque properties with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) equal to 0.75. This combination was found to significantly reduce CSH (p<0.05) and lower the adherence ability (p<0.003) towards experimental pellicles.
CONCLUSION: Combination between Gt and Sp aqueous extracts exhibited synergistic anti-plaque activity, and could be used as a useful active agent to produce oral health care products.