Tobacco smoking is associated with poor peri-implant health. The effect of waterpipe smoking was of largely the same extent as that of cigarette smoking. Higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in tobacco smokers may propose increased peri-implant inflammatory process which could play a principal role in the progression of peri-implant tissue damage.

Objectives. To explore the association between obesity and dental caries in children and adolescents. Furthermore, to consider the possible reasons behind this relationship. Methods. A database search for papers published between January 2015 and May 2018, inclusive, addressing the association between obesity and dental caries was conducted. A review and critical appraisal of all included studies was performed. Results. Twenty-six studies were included in this review from different populations worldwide. Eight studies assessed the primary dentition, nine studies were conducted on permanent dentition, and remaining nine studies on both dentitions. The results regarding the association between obesity and dental caries were conflicting and inconsistent. Nine studies concluded that there was no relationship between obesity and dental caries. A positive association was reported in five studies, while the inverse association was reported in eleven studies. Studies included in this review had significant variations in methodology and the investigated cofactors. Possible explanations of the controversial association between obesity and dental caries are discussed in this review. Conclusion. Both obesity and dental caries are multifactorial diseases, and their association is far more complex that can be explained by a single common risk factor, presenting evidence for the complexity of this association.

BackgroundPreterm birth (PTB), birth at <37 weeks of gestation, is a significant global public health problem. World-wide, about 15 million babies are born preterm each year resulting in more than a million deaths of children. Preterm neonates are more prone to problems and need intensive care hospitalization. Health issues may persist through early adulthood and even be carried on to the next generation. Majority (70 %) of PTBs are spontaneous with about a half without any apparent cause and the other half associated with a number of risk factors. Genetic factors are one of the significant risks for PTB. The focus of this review is on single nucleotide gene polymorphisms (SNPs) that are reported to be associated with PTB.ResultsA comprehensive evaluation of studies on SNPs known to confer potential risk of PTB was done by performing a targeted PubMed search for the years 2007–2015 and systematically reviewing all relevant studies. Evaluation of 92 studies identified 119 candidate genes with SNPs that had potential association with PTB. The genes were associated with functions of a wide spectrum of tissue and cell types such as endocrine, tissue remodeling, vascular, metabolic, and immune and inflammatory systems.ConclusionsA number of potential functional candidate gene variants have been reported that predispose women for PTB. Understanding the complex genomic landscape of PTB needs high-throughput genome sequencing methods such as whole-exome sequencing and whole-genome sequencing approaches that will significantly enhance the understanding of PTB. Identification of high risk women, avoidance of possible risk factors, and provision of personalized health care are important to manage PTB.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3089-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The bactericidal efficacy of aPDT as an adjunct to SRP against periodontal pathogens in periodontal disease remains debatable.

Summary Background The aim of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods This systematic review aimed to address the following focused question: “Is PDT effective in the treatment of symptomatic OLP?” Indexed databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched up to and including August 2017. Results Six clinical studies were included. The risk of bias was considered high in 5 studies and moderate in one study. Parameters of PDT such as wavelengths, energy fluence, power density and exposure time ranged between 320‐660 nm, 120 J/cm2, 130 mW/cm2, and 70‐150 seconds, respectively. The follow‐up period ranged from 4 to 48 weeks. All included studies reporting clinical scores showed that PDT was effective in the treatment of OLP in adult patients at follow‐up. However, PDT did not show significant improvement when compared with steroid therapy. Conclusion Photodynamic therapy appears to have some effect in the symptomatic treatment of OLP in adult patients. However, further randomized controlled trials with long follow‐up period, standardized PDT parameters, and comparing the efficacy of PDT with steroid therapy are warranted to obtain strong conclusions in this regard.