Introduction: The toiletry oral gel, Oralbalance^® (Laclede), contains lysozyme, lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase, and has efficacy against bacteria and fungi, as well as good moisture-retaining properties.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to clarify the antimycotic effect of the Oralbalance^® gel on the toiletry of the denture base material surface.
Materials and Methods: Five square mm and 1 mm thin specimens were made from heat curing resin (ACRON: GC), a denture base material. These specimens were soaked in a Candida albicans (ATCC18880) or C. glabrata (ATCC90030) suspension adjusted to an OD₅₃₀0.5 for 120 minutes, and then washed 3 times with PBS. In the OB group, the specimens were first coated with 25mg of Oralbalance^® gel and in the Control group, the specimens were coated with 25mg of petrolatum, then 2 ml of artificial saliva was added per minute near the specimen using a micro pump for 30 minutes. Each specimen was then washed with 1 ml of PBS 3 times and soaked in 1 ml of 1% of TRITON 100X^® (ROSCH) for 10 minutes. Then, 10 microliters of the soak solution was cultivated on CHROMagar^TM Candida (B & D Japan) for 48 hours, and the colony forming units (CFU/ml) were counted. Each specimen was observed by low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (HITACH Miniscope^® TM-1000).
Results: The CFU/ml of the OB group was significantly lower (P < 0.01, unpaired t-test) than the CFU/ml of the Control group. There were many yeast and or hyphae in the microgrooves or micro pits on the specimens from the Control group, but little or no yeast and/or hyphae on the OB group specimens.
Conclusion: The toiletry oral gel, Oralbalance^®, may have an antimitotic effect on the denture material surface.

View full abstract

Objective: Reduction of salivary gland function with aging is associated with physiological atrophy as a cause of acinary structural alterations. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that aging, age-related diseases, and lifestyle diseases are caused by oxidative stress. Therefore, it is considered that oxidative stress also occurs in salivary gland tissue in the elderly, and influences the function of saliva secretion. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress and dry mouth in the elderly.
Method: Feeling of oral dryness, oral wetness, unstimulated salivary flow rate, salivary amylase, systemic disease, and medication were examined in 27 elderly patients (65-80 years old) and 27 patients in a control group (20-40 years old). Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity of serum were also measured. Furthermore, risk factors of dry mouth in the elderly were identified.
Results: Dry mouth was present in 33.3% of the elderly group. Oxidative stress in the elderly was significantly higher than in the control, and antioxidant capacity and potentially antioxidant capacity were significantly low. Furthermore, oxidative stress and potentially antioxidant capacity were identified as risk factors for dry mouth in the elderly.
Conclusion: These results suggested that increase in oxidative stress and reduction of potential antioxidant capacity with aging are related to dry mouth in the elderly.kn-abstract=

View full abstract

Presteron (PS) is an anti-inflammatory drug. It was reported that PS had no side effects like steroids on oral administration and intramuscular injection in human. The purpose of this study was to compare the subacute toxicity of PS with a general steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone (Dex) in rat.
21 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups with 7 rats in each. The rats were injected subcutaneously for 14 days in each 0.1mL/100g body weight/day with: a control solution (saline contained CMC and Tween20), CT group; a control solution containing 16mg/mL PS, PS group; a control solution containing 0.1mg/mL Dex, Dex group.
CT group and PS group showed no difference in behavior and body weight of rats, but Dex group revealed significantly marked suppression of increasing body weight. In blood test Dex group showed significant increase of erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit. In histological Dex group was demonstrated markedly degenerative changes, but no marked change was observed with PS group.
It was indicated that Dex yields the typical steroidal side effects such as marked atrophy in adrenal gland, spleen and thymus. On the other hand, it was concluded that PS systemically exhibits no adverse effect like steroids on administration of about 20-fold clinical dose for 14 days.

View full abstract

Dry mouth is a common complaint in the elderly, mainly as a consequence of substantial medication. In this project, we carried out a questionnaire-based survey on dry mouth in elderly patients, its association with long-term medication, and the treatment of dry mouth in general dental clinics.
The results showed that at least 40% of elderly patients aged 65 years or older attending a dental clinic complained of inconvenience due to dry mouth, and this tendency was predominant in women. Among these patients, the percentage of those receiving some kind of treatment for dry mouth and those requesting treatment was 8.3%, and approximately 80% were visiting hospitals and/or clinics other than a dental clinic and taking medication.
A survey of dentists revealed that 77.7% had encountered elderly patients complaining of dry mouth, and 53.2% had actually provided treatment for it. A total of 91.4% recognized the necessity of clinical guidelines for dry mouth.

View full abstract