Background/purpose The prescription of antibiotics as an adjunct to mechanical periodontal therapy in patients with severe periodontitis is recommended; however, the side effects of antibiotics are a major concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lycopene (Lyc) antioxidant gel versus minocycline hydrochloride microspheres (ARISTIN) as an adjunct to the nonsurgical treatment of periodontitis. Materials and methods Three identical periodontal pockets/patient received root surface debridement followed by the random application of either ARISTIN, Lyc, or placebo gel (control, Ctrl). Clinical parameters, plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment loss, were recorded at the baseline and after 30 days. Additionally, the levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), matrix metallopeptidase 9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP1) in gingival crevicular fluid samples were assessed at the same time points. Results Twenty-three patients with periodontitis completed the study. Both ARISTIN and Lyc treatments showed significantly greater gains in attachment (1.94 ± 1.33 and 1.72 ± 0.88, respectively) than the Ctrl treatment (1.04 ± 0.96). Compared with those in the Ctrl, only ARISTIN showed a significant reduction in IL-8 level, whereas TIMP1 levels were significantly upregulated in the Lyc gel and ARISTIN sites. The effect size estimation indicated that Lyc gel exhibited considerably greater efficacy than the Ctrl gel. Conclusion Lyc gel and ARISTIN offer almost equal improvement in both clinical and biochemical parameters of periodontitis.

Aim: This study aims to assess the oral presentation in hemodialysis patients using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs). Material and method: Forty Iraqi patients were involved in this study aged 22 to 66 years. The selected patients were admitted to the hemodialysis center in Al-Karama teaching hospital. All patients were on dialysis for 3-4 hours/week for 5 years. HAD scale was applied with an oral examination for all patients. Results: Bordered line and abnormal cases for HAD scale shared the same oral manifestation, including caries, attrition, abrasion, gingivitis, and coated tongue, with a percentage prevalence of 55, 90, 35, 50, and 60%, respectively. Depression has more impact than anxiety on developing an oral disease in hemodialysis patients for all diagnosed oral diseases. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety are directly associated with developing caries, attrition, abrasion, gingivitis, and coated tongue. Moreover, depression was more effective in developing the disease. Clinical significance: HAD scale was a very effective evaluation tool for anxiety and depression. Hemodialysis patients should take into consideration anxiety and depression with oral changes.