Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the dental status of alcoholics; to evaluate the relationship of unstimulated and stimulated saliva pH on their decayed/missing/filled teeth (DMFT); and to evaluate the relationship of unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate on their DMFT. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients treated for alcohol dependency (n=70; mean age 41.7 years) and a control group of non-alcoholics (n=70; mean age 39.1 years). Examinations for dental caries were conducted using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and questionnaires. The correlation between nominal variables was determined using χ 2 test (α=0.05). The correlation between interval variables was determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Result: The mean DMFT was similar in alcoholics (14.40) and the control group (13.44) (p>0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation between alcoholism and unstimulated salivary flow rate (p<0.05), but no relationship on DMFT was recorded. No statistically significant differences were found between alcoholics and controls in terms of stimulated salivary flow rate (p>0.05) or stimulated salivary flow on DMFT (p>0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation between alcoholism and the pH value of stimulated saliva (p<0.01). There was no correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and the number of carious lesions (p>0.05). Conclusions: No major differences were found with respect to overall DMFT in alcoholics compared to the control group. Alcoholism and stimulated salivary flow rate showed no correlation. Unstimulated salivary flow rate as well as the pH values of both unstimulated and stimulated saliva, were lower in the alcoholic group.

CD14 is a co-receptor involved in the recognition of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, the latter known to cause dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine whether soluble CD14 (sCD14) in saliva was associated with caries activity and the collection method from the saliva. The study included 55 participants aged 20 to 40 years, 30 with dental caries and 25 caries-free controls. We collected 110 saliva samples in total, 55 of resting saliva and 55 of mechanically stimulated saliva. Median levels of sCD14, measured with a matrix-matched enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), were higher in the caries-active than in the caries-free group in either resting (203.3 vs.167.9 ng mL ; P<0.01). Hyposalivation was observed only in the caries-active group (10 and 13 % in stimulated and resting saliva, respectively). Higher salivary sCD14 levels and secretion rates were clearly associated with dental caries and resting saliva. Future studies should focus on the clinical utility of salivary sCD14 as a potential biomarker and predictor of future caries events.

Svrha ovog istraživanja bila je procijeniti in vitro učinkovitost ozona na suspenziju triju različitih vrsta bakterija inokluiranih u obrađene korijenske kanale ekstrahiranih ljudskih zubi. Materijal i metode: Ozon je proizveden od aspiriranog zraka uporabom specijalne KP brizgalice visokofrekvencijskoga generatora ozona Ozonytron (Biozonix, München, Njemačka) s pomoću dielektričnog barijernog izboja, te nastavka na štrcaljki postavljenog u pripremljeni korijenski kanal. Ispitivani su mikroorganizmi Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus i Staphyloccocus epidermidis. Rezultati: Ni jedna metoda nije pokazala 100-postotnu učinkovitost u eliminaciji navedenih bakterija u suspenziji. Primjena ozona značajno je smanjila ukupan broj mikroorganizama (89,3 %), te broj svake vrste bakterija posebno (Staphyloccocus aureus-94,0 %; Staphyloccocus epidermidis-88,6 % i Enterococcus faecalis-79,7 %). Ozon proizveden KP brizgalicom bio je statistički znatno učinkovitiji u eliminaciji Staphyloccocus aureus i Staphyloccocus epidermidis u usporedbi s NaOCl-om kao pozitivnom kontrolom. Zaključak: Ukupan broj Enterococcus faecalis bio je statistički manji, no bez značajne statističke razlike između ispitivane i pozitivne kontrolne skupine. Između triju vrsta bakterija u suspenziji, primjena KP štrcaljke pokazala je najmanju učinkovitost u eliminaciji Enterococcus faecalis.