We studied the prevention of bacterial endocarditis, lowering the incidence of transient bacteremia by administering antimicrobial agents prior to tooth extractions. In Japan, the regimen recommends oral administration of amoxicillin (AMPC) to moderate-risk patients.
In the present study, one dose of 750mg of amoxicillin was administered orally to four healthy volunteers. Afterward, blood concentrations of the drugs were measured by bioassay. A pharamacokinetic study was performed using one compartment model.

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We investigated the antimicrobial activity of ampicillin, panipenem, and ofloxacin against oral Streptococci, which were isolated from odontogenic infections, adherent to solid phase. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC^AD) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC^AD) for 10 oral Streptococci (S. mitis, 2 strains ; S. sanguis, 5; S. salivarius, 1; S. mutans, 1; S. oxalis, 1) that were adhered to the bottom of multi-well plastic tissue culture plates, were determined. The results were as follows: MIC^AD, 0.025*12.5li g/mL, and MBC^AD, 200->400μg/mL, for ampicillin; MIC^AD, <0.025-0.025μg/mL, and MBC^AD, 12.5 -> 400μg/mL, for panipenem; and MICAD, <0.025-1.56μg/mL, and MBC^AD, 50-> 400μg/mL, for ofloxacin. From the results above, it is clear that oral Streptococci can show a much higher MBC^ADthan MIC^ADwhen adhering to solid phase, although there are some differences according to the antibiotics and strains studied.

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The efffect of Cevimeline (SNI-2011), a novel muscarinic receptor agonist, that is, (± ) -cis-2-methylspilo [1, 3-oxathiolane-5, 3'-quinuclidine] hydrochloride hemihydrate, on salivary secretion was studied in streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic mice. Three weeks after induction of diabetes, saliva flow, protein secretion, and amylase activity were measured. Saliva was collected from the oral cavity at intervals of 5 min, over 20 min, following injection of 10mg/kg of Cevimeline.
Single intraperitoneal injection of Cevimeline stimulated salivary flow in the STZ diabetic mice. However, the volume was significantly decreased compared with the control mice, approximately half of the control mice. Protein concentration in the secreted saliva was increased in the diabetic mice group compared with the control mice group. In amylase activity, when the activity was indicated as unit/mL, a single injection of Cevimeline induced a significantly high value in the diabetic mice. However, the total amylase secretion over 20 min tended to decrease in the diabetic mice, despite that the total salivary protein secretion over 20 min was increased.
This study demonstrated the effects of single administration of Cevimeline in STZinduced diabetic mice, and suggested usefulness for patients with salivary gland dysfunction.

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Around a century ago, Dr. Paul Ehrlick said, “There are only two choices: either to identify a causative organism, to attack it thoroughly, or to give empiric therapy.”His words still hold true. To identify causative organisms in the shortest period possible is most important. In this sense, the Gram's staining is a great help to detect causative organisms so that we can choose the most appropriate antimicrobial agents. We would like to report on some cases of odontogenic infections. Sample pus collected by needle aspiration from the closed abscess and immediately spread on a glass plate, was submitted for Gram's staining. When also possible, part of the samples is sent for laboratory identification in our hospital. We would also like to explain the procedure of the method with some pictures. The first priority is the quality of samples. Unless a sample is in good condition, the identification is impossible. The second is the technique to spread the sample thin on the glass plate. Even though in some cases we fail to get a good result for various reasons, we would like to emphasize the usefulness of this Gram's stain method, especially for those who do not have any means to detect causative organisms.

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Pilocarpine is a parasympathomimetic agonist and one of the most extensively studied salivary stimulants. Salivary hypofunction patients require long-term administration of secretagogues, but little is known about the effects of chronic administration of pilocarpine on saliva secretion. Hence, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of chronic administration of pilocarpine on saliva secretion in streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic mice.
Four weeks after induction of diabetes, saliva flow rate, protein concentration, and amylase activity were measured, by collecting saliva from the oral cavity over 30 min following an injection of pilocarpine. The effects of 7 days of pilocarpine administration were compared with the effects of a single injection.
Saliva flow following a single intraperitoneal pilocarpine injection was significantly lower in the STZ diabetic mice than the control mice (buffer injection) . With chronic administration of pilocarpine, the rate of saliva release increased significantly in the first 10-min period following injection, both in the diabetic and control mice, compared with the single pilocarpine injection results.
The total amylase secretion over 30 min induced by a single injection of pilocarpine was not reduced in diabetic mice, despite a decrease in total salivary protein secretion. After chronic administration of pilocarpine, protein secretion increased both in the diabetic and control mice, compared with single injection levels. Chronic administration tended to increase total amylase activity in the control mice, but not the diabetic mice.
The present study has clarified the effects of chronic administration of pilocarpine, and suggests that pilocarpine may be beneficial for patients with salivary gland dysfunction.

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Hard oxidized water is obtained through electrolysis of water with a small amount of sodium chloride. We examined the bactericidal effect of hard oxidized water, to investigate the possibility of using hard oxidized water and an ultrasonic device to wash a toothbrush. The results revealed that hard oxidized water had a strong bactericidal effect for anaerobic bacteria on a toothbrush. Moreover, it was revealed that use of the ultrasonic device increased the bactericidal effect. The findings suggest that hard oxidized water is useful for washing a toothbrush.

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The purpose of this study was to discuss the evidence of off-label use in oral therapeutics and pharmacology.
We made a fact-finding study of off-label uses of medicines, by questionnaire, in a dental practice survey of 18 private dental college and university hospitals in Japan, and inquired into evidence in the literature, and tried to check the treatise on clinical studies with the type of evidence by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) .
The total number of off-label uses were 61 cases, as a result of the fact-finding study. The 21 treatises on case reports written from 1967 to 1999 of Cepharanthin (trouble in oral mucosa), which was often used, were obtained. They were considered to correspond with level III by AHCPR.
It is hoped that the indication is spread by clinical studies of the height-grade evidence in dental practice after this.

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