The purpose of the work was to study the activity of the carious process in people of different ages using the assessment of the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System index. Materials and methods. The study involved 53 people who were divided into groups: group 1 – 16 people aged 18 to 25 years, group 2 – 20 people aged 26 to 35 years and group 3 – 17 people aged 36 to 45 years. The intensity of caries was determined using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth index. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System index was used to assess the activity of carious lesions. Results. The indicators of the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth index in the group of people aged 18-25 years significantly differed (p <0.05) from the indicators in the group of people aged 26-45 years. In the group of people aged 36-45 years the indicators were higher than in the group of people aged 26-45 years, but no significant difference (p˃0.05) was found. In the group of people aged 18-25 years the share of filled teeth was 61.5%, teeth affected by caries were found in 29.4%, and removed teeth – in 9.1%. In the group of people aged 26-45 years, the rate of filled teeth was lower compared to people of the 1st group, the share of carious teeth increased up to 35.0%, and the number of removed teeth increased up to 16.4%. In the group of people aged 36-45 years the share of teeth affected by caries was lower than in the 1st and 2nd groups and was equal to 27.3%, the share of filled teeth was 46.2%, which is lower than in other groups, but the share of removed teeth was the highest of the groups which were examined and was 26.5%. The results indicate a rapid increase in the intensity of caries in patients of main working age, namely persons of the 2nd and 3rd groups compared with persons of young working age of the 1st group. The study of the depth of caries in enamel and dentin according to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System showed that in patients aged 18-25 years, from all teeth which are affected by caries in 71.4% enamel caries was found, which averaged 1.81 ± 0.2 teeth and in 28.6% – dentin lesions, which was an average of 0.68 ± 0.2. In patients aged 26-35 years, codes 1-3 accounted for 41.0% of affected teeth (mean 2.05 ± 0.1 teeth) and code 4-6 accounted for 59.0% of affected teeth (average 2.95 ± 0.2 teeth). In patients of the oldest age group, the number of teeth affected by caries with a code of 1-3 was 27.9% (average of 1.12 ± 0.1 teeth) and with a code of 4-6 was 72.1% (average of 2.88 ± 0.2 teeth). Conclusion. As the age of patients increases, the proportion of filled teeth decreases, but the proportion of removed teeth increases. The highest percentage of teeth affected by caries was found in the 3rd group. As the age of patients increases, both the average number of carious teeth and the number of teeth with damage dentin increase

The purpose of the study was to analyze literature sources containing information about defensins, cysteine-rich cationic amphipathic peptides produced by circulating white blood cells and tissue cells. This review describes the antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of defensins, as well as their molecular and cellular interactions. These substances, which are present on the epithelium and body fluids, are active against bacteria, fungi and viruses, as well as produced by immune and epithelial cells. These natural antimicrobial cationic peptides play an important role in innate and adaptive immunity. Defensins are divided into alpha and beta families. Alpha-defensins (α-defensins) are found in neutrophils, macrophages and Paneth cells in the intestine. Beta-defensins (β-defensins) are secreted by most leukocytes and epithelial cells. Extensive antimicrobial activity and multifaceted immunomodulatory functions of defensins confirm their role in innate immunity as the main protective component of the human body against bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Thus, they are key effector molecules in protecting the organism from infection due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Their common antimicrobial function is the formation of destructive pores in the membranes of pathogens, including enveloped viruses. Antiviral activity includes the direct effect of defensin on viral envelopes, glycoproteins and capsids. Binding and modulation of host cell surface receptors and disruption of intracellular signaling by defensins may also inhibit virus replication. These peptides block infection with enveloped and non-enveloped viruses by aggregating particles, blocking receptor binding, inhibiting virus penetration or depletion of particles, inhibiting stem cell signaling, or viral gene expression. In addition, defensins may function as chemokines to enhance and alter adaptive immune responses by exhibiting an indirect antiviral mechanism. Conclusion. However, sources of scientific information have shown that defensins attract immune cells and modulate adaptive immune responses. It has also been shown that defensins can both induce inflammation and suppress inflammatory responses by acting on certain cells through various mechanisms. Due to this, they can be used as one of the markers in the development of inflammatory diseases of the mouth and oropharynx. The main drugs that activate the production of defensins are probiotics, vitamin D and leukotriene B4. This expands the possibility of their use as a new class of non-toxic antimicrobials and immunomodulators