Sleep apnea episodes represent a problem both for the patients and for the patient�s bed partners. The objective of this study was to record the comparative effects of two types of polymeric appliances in the therapy of some mild apnea symptoms (bruxism and snoring). The effect of therapy with the used appliances was pursued on 42 patients, divided in two groups. In the first group of 21 patients, we used a custom made appliance achieved by Erkoflex disks, and in the second group of 21 patients, the preformed SomnoFit�-Oscimed polymeric appliance. The survey lasted for a 12 month period, 1 month before the insertion in mouth of the appliances and 11 months therapy with polymeric appliances. The authors� questionnaire was completed daily by the patients and their bed partners, which noted the night comfort with inserted appliances in the mouth, the existence/absence of morning pain in the area of the masseter muscle, existence/absence of the morning fatigue, respectively the maintaining, diminishing and the absence of snoring and of nocturnal bruxism. The results of the study were favorable and proved that the nocturnal therapy of bruxism and of snoring, by using these two polymeric appliances were efficient. SomnoFit� appliance performed better in reducing bruxism and snoring, but custom made Erkoflex appliances presented a greater resistance in time.

Background: There is a growing interest in the correlation between antioxidants and periodontal disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of oxidative stress and the impact of two antioxidants, curcumin and rutin, respectively, in the etiopathology of experimentally induced periodontitis in diabetic rats. Methods: Fifty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups and were induced with diabetes mellitus and periodontitis: (1) (CONTROL)—control group, (2) (DPP)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis, (3) (DPC)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with curcumin (C), (4) (DPR)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with rutin (R) and (5) (DPCR)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with C and R. We evaluated malondialdehyde (MDA) as a biomarker of oxidative stress and reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), GSH/GSSG and catalase (CAT) as biomarkers of the antioxidant capacity in blood harvested from the animals we tested. The MDA levels and CAT activities were also evaluated in the gingival tissue. Results: The control group effect was statistically significantly different from any other groups, regardless of whether or not the treatment was applied. There was also a significant difference between the untreated group and the three treatment groups for variables MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG and CAT. There was no significant difference in the mean effect for the MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG and CAT variables in the treated groups of rats with curcumin, rutin and the combination of curcumin and rutin. Conclusions: The oral administration of curcumin and rutin, single or combined, could reduce the oxidative stress and enhance the antioxidant status in hyperglycemic periodontitis rats.

Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are two pathologies that are extremely widespread worldwide and share the feature of chronic inflammation. Carvacrol is a phenolic monoterpenoid, produced by a variety of herbs, the most well-known of which is Origanum vulgare. Magnolol is a traditional polyphenolic compound isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis, mainly used in Chinese medicine. The purpose of this paper is to review the therapeutic properties of these bioactive compounds, in the treatment of periodontitis and diabetes. Based on our search strategy we conducted a literature search in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases to identify studies. A total of one hundred eighty-four papers were included in the current review. The results show that carvacrol and magnolol have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-osteoclastic, and anti-diabetic properties that benefit both pathologies. Knowledge of the multiple activities of carvacrol and magnolol can assist with the development of new treatment strategies, and the design of clinical animal and human trials will maximize the potential benefits of these extracts in subjects suffering from periodontitis or diabetes.

(1) Background: In patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia, especially moderate and severe forms, a cytokine storm may occur, characterized by the worsening of symptoms and the alteration of biological parameters on days 8–12 of the disease. The therapeutic options for cytokine storms are still controversial, requiring further clarification; (2) Methods: Our study included 344 patients with moderate and severe pneumonia admitted to the internal medicine department who developed a cytokine storm (diagnosed by clinical and biochemical criteria). In group A, 149 patients were treated with Remdesivir and Tocilizumab (together with other drugs, including corticosteroids, antibiotics and anticoagulants), and in group B, 195 patients received Remdesivir and Anakinra. Patients were monitored clinically and by laboratory tests, with the main biochemical parameters being CRP (C-reactive protein), LDH (lactic dehydrogenase) and ferritin; (3) Results: Patients were followed up from a clinical point of view and also by the measurement of CRP, LDH and ferritin at the beginning of therapy, on days three to four and on the tenth day. In both groups, we registered a clinical improvement and a decrease in the parameters of the cytokine storm. In group A, with the IL-6 antagonist Tocilizumab, the beneficial effect occurred faster; in group B, with the IL-1 antagonist Anakinra, the beneficial effect was slower. (4) Conclusions: The use of the immunomodulators, Tocilizumab and Anakinra, in the cytokine storm showed favorable effects, both clinical and biochemical.

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictive measures, which aimed to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These restrictions impacted all areas of life, including the activity of dental offices. For patients with orthodontic appliances, closing the dental offices was a major issue, as most orthodontic treatments last for more than a year and require regular checkups. The aim of this research was to assess the impact that the restrictive measures that were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and, especially, wearing a face mask had on a sample of Romanian teenagers undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 277 orthodontic patients, with ages between 12 and 17.9 years, from North-Western Romania. They completed a 9-item questionnaire. The control group consisted of 231 participants, with ages between 12 and 17.9 years. They completed an 8-item questionnaire. Results: Most patients from the study group were not worried that wearing a protective face mask would hide their braces (never—49.5%; rarely—26.7%), and their desire to undergo an orthodontic treatment was not affected by the compulsoriness of face mask wearing (never—51.6%; rarely—26%). In contrast to that, in the control group, more than 50% of the participants were worried to some degree that wearing a protective face mask would hide their smile (occasionally—29.9%; frequently—18.2%; very frequently—2.2%). The majority of the participants from the study group did not consider interrupting the orthodontic treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic (62.5%), and the majority of the participants from the control group did not consider not going to the dentist due to the COVID-19 pandemic (70.6%). Most of the participants from the study group were not happy that they had to wear a face mask, which covered their orthodontic appliances, during the orthodontic treatment (68.6%). The attitude was similar to that of the participants from the control group, who were not happy that they had to wear a face mask, that covered their smile (51.1%). In the study group, most patients did not want face mask wearing to continue to be compulsory, given the fact that their orthodontic appliances were no longer visible (52%). In the control group, the attitude was similar, with 48.1% of the participants not wanting face mask compulsoriness to be maintained. Conclusions: In conclusion, although, most patients would not like to continue wearing a face mask as a mandatory regulation, they were not concerned or negatively affected by wearing a protective face mask, even though face masks hid their braces.