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Objectives: This study aimed to explore the levels of salivary interleukin-6 (IL-6) in children diagnosed with Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and Rampant Caries (RC). Additionally, it sought to determine whether salivary IL-6 levels vary with the increased activity or number of carious lesions in children with ECC and RC. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at RAK College of Dental Sciences (RAKCODS), Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Ethical approval was obtained, and 100 children aged 4 to 12 years were selected. Participants were divided into ECC and RC groups, each containing study and control subgroups of 25 children each. The study groups were children who had active carious lesions and the control groups were those children who had no active carious lesions. All of these children were screened and included as a part of the community engagement of the clinics. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed for IL-6 levels using an ELISA kit. Dental examinations and data collection adhered to standardized procedures, including specific clinical criteria for diagnosing ECC and RC and calibrated examiners to ensure consistent clinical assessments. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare salivary IL-6 levels between the study and control groups of each RC and ECC group and a test was also performed to assess the relationship between salivary IL-6 levels and the severity of dental caries. Results: This study found significantly higher mean salivary IL-6 levels in children with ECC (19.023 pg/mL) and RC (21.45 pg/mL) compared to their respective control groups (ECC: 6.42 pg/mL, RC: 11.43 pg/mL), with p-values < 0.0001. Strong positive correlations were observed between IL-6 levels and increased caries activity or severity, with Pearson’s correlation coefficients of 0.961 for ECC and 0.954 for RC. Conclusions: This study concludes that significantly elevated salivary IL-6 levels are observed in children with ECC and RC. Furthermore, salivary IL-6 levels were found to rise in correlation with the increase in number of carious lesions. These findings support the potential of salivary IL-6 as a biomarker for assessing caries severity and highlight the need for future research to explore diverse populations and additional clinical parameters.

Periodontal disease is a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition that impacts over a billion people worldwide, leading to substantial tooth loss, reduced quality of life, and heightened systemic health risks. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence regarding the global burden of periodontal disease, its established associations with systemic conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, respiratory infections, and neurodegenerative disorders, and its significant socioeconomic implications. The review focused on the following research question: What is the global burden of periodontal disease, and how do its systemic and socioeconomic implications necessitate integrated public health strategies? A structured search of the PubMed, Scopus, and WHO databases from 2000 to 2024 was conducted to identify relevant literature using key terms, including “periodontal disease”, “global burden”, “systemic inflammation”, and “public health strategies”. Out of 312 initially identified articles, 175 satisfied the inclusion criteria for the final synthesis. The findings underscore the significance of periodontal disease as a modifiable risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases, the influence of healthcare disparities on disease progression, and the critical necessity for integrated public health strategies to mitigate the global burden of periodontal disease and its consequences. The review concludes that coordinated policy reform, health system integration, and enhanced research efforts are crucial for mitigating the global burden of periodontal disease and advancing health equity.

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that destroys the tooth-supporting structures due to the host’s immune response to microbial biofilms. Traditional periodontal treatments, such as scaling and root planing, pharmacological interventions, and surgical procedures, have significant limitations, including difficulty accessing deep periodontal pockets, biofilm recolonization, and the development of antibiotic resistance. In light of these challenges, natural bioactive compounds derived from plants, herbs, and other natural sources offer a promising alternative due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and tissue-regenerative properties. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms through which bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), baicalin, carvacrol, berberine, essential oils, and Gum Arabic, exert therapeutic effects in periodontal disease. Bioactive compounds inhibit critical inflammatory pathways like NF-κB, JAK/STAT, and MAPK while activating protective pathways such as Nrf2/ARE, reducing cytokine production and oxidative stress. They also inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), preventing tissue degradation and promoting healing. In addition, these compounds have demonstrated the potential to disrupt bacterial biofilms by interfering with quorum sensing, targeting bacterial cell membranes, and enhancing antibiotic efficacy.Bioactive compounds also modulate the immune system by shifting the balance from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory responses and promoting efferocytosis, which helps resolve inflammation and supports tissue regeneration. However, despite the promising potential of these compounds, challenges related to their poor bioavailability, stability in the oral cavity, and the absence of large-scale clinical trials need to be addressed. Future strategies should prioritize the development of advanced delivery systems like nanoparticles and hydrogels to enhance bioavailability and sustain release, alongside long-term studies to assess the effects of these compounds in human populations. Furthermore, combining bioactive compounds with traditional treatments could provide synergistic benefits in managing periodontal disease. This review aims to explore the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive compounds in managing periodontal disease, emphasizing their molecular mechanisms of action and offering insights into their integration with conventional therapies for a more comprehensive approach to periodontal health.

Periodontal diseases, chronic inflammatory conditions affecting oral health, are primarily driven by microbial plaque biofilm and the body’s inflammatory response, leading to tissue damage and potential tooth loss. These diseases have significant physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts, necessitating effective management strategies that include early diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and innovative therapeutic approaches. Recent advancements in biomanufacturing have facilitated the development of natural bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, and peptides, which exhibit antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue regenerative properties. This review explores the biomanufacturing processes—microbial fermentation, plant cell cultures, and enzymatic synthesis—and their roles in producing these bioactive compounds for managing periodontal diseases. The integration of these natural compounds into periodontal therapy offers promising alternatives to traditional treatments, potentially overcoming issues like antibiotic resistance and the disruption of the natural microbiota, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Multidrug-resistant periodontal pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum present growing challenges to conventional antibiotic therapy, driving the search for alternative or adjunctive approaches. Polyphenolic compounds, derived from a wide range of plant sources, have emerged as promising candidates because of their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and host-modulatory properties. A broad review of studies published between 2010 and 2025 highlights the multitargeted mechanisms of key polyphenols, including epigallocatechin-3-gallate, curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin. These compounds disrupt bacterial membranes, inhibit efflux pumps, downregulate virulence genes, and interfere with quorum-sensing pathways and biofilm maturation, while also attenuating NF-κB signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Several investigations demonstrate synergistic effects with antibiotics, enhancing membrane permeability, biofilm penetration, and dose-sparing efficacy. At the same time, advances in nanotechnology—such as nanoparticles, liposomes, mucoadhesive systems, and smart gels—have begun to overcome the inherent challenges of poor solubility, instability, and short oral residence that limit the therapeutic use of polyphenols. Despite these encouraging developments, variability in extraction methods, lack of standardization, and a scarcity of large, well-designed clinical trials remain significant obstacles to translation. Overall, the accumulating evidence suggests that polyphenols hold strong potential as sustainable adjuncts for managing resistant periodontal infections, offering dual benefits of antimicrobial activity and host modulation. Future progress will depend on harmonizing formulations, refining targeted delivery, and validating outcomes in robust clinical settings.

The recent reemergence of the monkeypox pandemic in non-endemic regions has raised serious concerns regarding the possibility of a global outbreak. The study employed various modules of the Schrodinger suite through Maestro V 14.1 for molecular docking, MD simulations, MM-GBSA, and FMO. To explore the drug potential of Kabasura Kudineer against the key proteins of the Mpox virus: E5, poxin, and DNA polymerase, a total of 982 chemical constituents belonging to this herbal formulation were investigated. The molecular docking studies revealed that chlorogenic acid, chebulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and citric acid had high binding affinities for E5, with docking scores of −13.3289, −11.3933, −9.8999, and −9.59471 kcal/mol, respectively. Likewise, caffeic acid, citric acid, and plumbagic acid have good binding affinities for poxin with docking scores of −8.49023, −6.80386 and −5.91719 kcal/mol, respectively. Plumbagic acid and delphinidin have considerable binding affinities for DNA polymerase with docking scores of −7.57867 and −7.55301 kcal/mol, respectively. In the MD simulation, chlorogenic acid, chebulic acid, citric acid, and rosmarinic acid exhibited remarkable stability with strong binding affinities for the E5, poxin and DNA polymerase. We further explored the stability of the E5 complexes by calculating the binding free energy every 20 ns for 100 ns. The ΔG bind values of chlorogenic acid, chebulic acid, and rosmarinic acid were 61.10, 78.14, and 75.49 kcal/mol at 0 ns. Hence, the research suggests that this formulation has antiviral potential against Monkeypox and can be used to inhibit viral replication in hosts and boost the antiviral immune response.

Background/Objectives: Whiter teeth are widely accepted as the most beautiful. With the growing demand for whiter teeth, several manufacturers have launched different brands of whitening toothpaste claiming to be effective in removing tooth stains and whitening teeth. The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the whitening effect of eight over-the-counter available toothpastes by measuring the changes in color using a digital colorimeter in a simulated staining–brushing cycle model. Methods: A total of 32 extracted bovine enamel were polished with 1000–2000 grit SIC paper and immersed in a tea staining solution for 30 min at 37 °C to create extrinsic staining. The specimens were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 4) and subjected to a staining–brushing cycle for 2 weeks. During this period, the specimens were stained for 5 min twice, brushed for 2 min twice per day, and immersed in artificial saliva for the remaining time. The colors of the enamel surfaces L*, a*, and b* were recorded, and the color difference (ΔE) was measured before the treatment and after 1 and 2 weeks of the staining–brushing cycle. Results: The repeated measures showed a significant reduction of (ΔE) after 1 week of the staining–brushing cycle in all eight experimental groups (p < 0.05). The (ΔE) was significantly reduced after the second week of the staining–brushing cycle in groups 1, 3, and 5 (p < 0.05). However, it was insignificant in groups 2, 6, 7, and 8 (p > 0.05). Among the tested materials, group 1 showed the highest and group 8 showed the lowest teeth-whitening effects. Conclusions: The over-the-counter toothpaste used in this study showed effective teeth-whitening. Charcoal-based toothpaste showed the highest efficiency in teeth whitening.

Background The ongoing conflict in Sudan has severely disrupted dental service delivery, highlighting the urgent need for alternative communication between patients and dental professionals. In this context, tele-dentistry has emerged as a critical, yet underexplored, solution for sustaining oral healthcare delivery. This study aimed to assess the acceptance and readiness for tele-dentistry among dental professionals in Sudan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 497 Sudanese dental professionals using a self-administered questionnaire based on the Tele-dentistry Acceptance Survey– Dentist Version (TAS-D). Data were analysed using R statistical software (version 4.3.2). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Bivariate analyses were conducted using the Wilcoxon rank-sum and Pearson’s Chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of acceptance of tele-dentistry. Results Overall, 59.8% ( n  = 297) of respondents reported a favourable attitude toward the future use of tele-dentistry. Acceptance of tele-dentistry use was significantly associated with academic qualification and work setting. Denttal professionals with an MSc degree had higher odds of acceptance compared to those with a BDS (OR = 3.00, 95% CI: 1.39–7.10, p  = 0.007). Working in an academic setting also increased the likelihood of acceptance (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.18–2.59, p  = 0.005). Conversely, specialists were less likely to accept tele-dentistry than general practitioners (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.15–0.90, p  = 0.033). Stratified analysis indicated that academic qualification and work setting remained significant predictors only among general practitioners. Conclusions A significant proportion of Sudanese dental professionals favour the use of tele -dentistry in the future, particularly those with postgraduate qualifications and those working in academic settings. These findings provide important insights to guide the development of tele-dentistry policies and capacity-building initiatives in Sudan.

Background: S3-level clinical practice guidelines represent the highest standard of evidence-based healthcare, integrating systematic reviews, formal evidence grading, and structured expert consensus. In periodontology, current S3-level guidelines provide robust recommendations for the management of stage I–III periodontitis. However, increasing clinical complexity, emerging diagnostic technologies, and the need for patient-centred and implementation-oriented care highlight important gaps that warrant further methodological refinement. Objective: This review aims to critically appraise the conceptual foundations, strengths, and limitations of existing S3-level periodontal guidelines and to propose a structured roadmap for the development of next-generation S3 guidance. Methods: A narrative and methodological review was conducted focusing on key European S3-level guidelines in periodontology and endodontics, with emphasis on guideline methodology, evidence grading, outcome prioritization, and consensus processes. Results: Current S3-level periodontal guidelines demonstrate strong methodological rigor but show limited coverage of stage IV periodontitis, peri-implant diseases, and endo–perio lesions. In addition, emerging domains such as biomarker-based diagnostics, artificial intelligence-assisted decision support, and implementation science are not yet systematically integrated. Conclusions: Future S3-level periodontal guidelines should incorporate clinical complexity, patient-reported outcomes, precision diagnostics, digital technologies, and real-world implementation strategies to enhance personalization, transparency, and clinical impact.

Periodontal diseases are chronic inflammatory conditions influenced by bacterial biofilm formation and host immune responses, affecting millions worldwide. Traditional treatments like mechanical debridement and systemic antibiotics often face limitations, including biofilm resilience and antibiotic resistance. Gum Arabic (GA), a natural exudate from Acacia trees, presents a promising alternative with its anti-biofilm and anti-inflammatory properties. This review highlights the role of GA in periodontal therapy, particularly its ability to interfere with quorum sensing (QS) pathways, specifically the AI-2 signaling system used by key periodontal pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis , Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans , and Fusobacterium nucleatum . By disrupting QS, GA inhibits biofilm formation, reduces bacterial virulence, and promotes a balanced oral microbiome. GA's prebiotic properties also encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria, enhancing the host's immune response while preserving the systemic microbiome. Clinical studies demonstrate GA's effectiveness as an adjunct in periodontal therapy, with significant reductions in plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation, and bleeding. This highlights GA's potential as a natural therapeutic agent, offering an effective, antibiotic-sparing option in managing periodontal disease. However, further research is warranted to fully establish GA's role in comprehensive periodontal care and its long-term benefits.