BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis are common chronic
inflammatory conditions. Recent studies showed a beneficial effect of periodontal
treatment on the severity of active RA. This study was undertaken to further
examine the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on the signs and
symptoms of RA in patients treated with or without anti-tumor necrosis
factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) medications. The effect of anti-TNF-alpha therapy
on periodontitis also was assessed. METHODS: Forty participants diagnosed with
moderate/severe RA (under treatment for RA) and severe periodontitis were
randomly assigned to receive initial non-surgical periodontal therapy with
scaling/root planing and oral hygiene instructions (n = 20) or no periodontal
therapy (n = 20). To control RA, all participants had been using
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and 20 had also been using anti-TNF-alpha
before randomization. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL),
bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), RA disease
activity score 28 (DAS28), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured
at baseline and 6 weeks later. Linear mixed models were used to identify
significant differences between subjects who received periodontal treatment and
those who did not. RESULTS: Patients receiving periodontal treatment showed a
significant decrease in the mean DAS28, ESR (P <0.001), and serum TNF-alpha (P
<0.05). There was no statistically significant decrease in these parameters in
patients not receiving periodontal treatment. Anti-TNF-alpha therapy resulted in 
a significant improvement in CAL, PD, BOP, and GI. CONCLUSIONS: Non-surgical
periodontal therapy had a beneficial effect on the signs and symptoms of RA,
regardless of the medications used to treat this condition. Anti-TNF-alpha
therapy without periodontal treatment had no significant effect on the
periodontal condition.

Periodontal therapy reduces the severity of active rheumatoid arthritis in patients treated with or without tumor necrosis factor inhibitors

Periodontal diseases in the child and adolescent

Pathology of dental caries

Comparison of Implant Stability Using Resonance Frequency Analysis: Osteotome Versus Conventional Drilling.

Oral microbiology with basic microbiology and immunology

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic multisystemic disease which can lead to significant deformities and functional disability. Objectives: is to estimate level of salivary Leptin, flow rate and pH of saliva among group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to treatment. Patients and methods: Study design ;a case control study included Fifty women patients with rheumatoid arthritis; twenty-five on Methotrexate treatment and twenty-five on combination treatment of Methotrexate and Etanercept selected as study groups with an age range (30-40) years old and twenty-five gender, age and Body Mass Index matched healthy looking persons were selected as control. Collection of unstimulated salivary samples was carried out under standard conditions then salivary flow rate, pH in addition salivary Leptin was estimated Results after adjustment for age, gender and body mass index; mean salivary flow rate was highest among rheumatoid arthritis cases on combination treatment (Etanercept and Methotrexate) =0.4±0.202 ml/min and least significant difference test between groups was statistically significant (p< 0.05). The mean salivary pH was highest among rheumatoid arthritis cases on combination treatment (Etanercept and Methotrexate) =7.1±0.29; however the differences between groups failed to reach the level of statistical significance. The median of salivary Leptin was highest among rheumatoid arthritis cases on Methotrexate =0.65ng/ml without statistically significant difference between groups, furthermore the salivary levels of Leptin in this study reveals weak correlation with disease activity score 28 r=0.127/p=0.42 among rheumatoid arthritis patients.  Conclusions: the whole unstimulated salivary flow rate was higher among rheumatoid arthritis cases on combination treatment (Etanercept and Methotrexate) revealing improvements in salivary gland functions, the study also concluded that salivary Leptin level is of low importance to assess disease activity to rheumatoid arthritis patients . Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, salivary flow rate, salivary Leptin

/pdf/salivary-leptin-ph-and-flow-rate-among-a-group-of-patients-51sus0ig0j.pdf

Salivary Leptin, pH and Flow Rate Among a Group of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis In Iraq

Background: The socioeconomic is important factor that effect in the severity and prevalence of most predominant and wide spread oral disease named dental caries, since this oral disease effects children, adolescents, adults and elderly peoples especially in developing countries as in Iraq.This survey was aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to socioeconomic status. 
Materials and Methods: This oral health survey was conducted among primary and secondary school students aged 12 years old in Dewanyiah governorate in Iraq. The total sample composed of 804 (401 boys and 403 girls) selected randomly from different schools in Dewanyiah governorate. Diagnosis and recording of dental caries was assessed according to the criteria described by WHO (1997).The modification of Kuppuswamy's index (1976) was applied for measurement of socioeconomic status.
Results: The most of low socioeconomic category was occupied by rural students. The prevalence of dental caries was 70.65 % for the total sample. The mean DMFT was equal to (1.83 ± 0.068) and DMFS (2.89 ± 0.126). No significant difference was seen between socioeconomic status and DMFS.
Conclusion: A high prevalence of dental caries was recorded. Socioeconomic status may affect dental caries indicating the need for public and health preventive programs among school students.

/pdf/socioeconomic-status-in-relation-to-dental-caries-in-4gvas934qh.pdf

Socioeconomic status in relation to dental caries in Dewanyiah governorate among 12 years old school students

Background: Oral health is a mirror of general health. During pregnancy, oral health is affected by changes in saliva and oral hygiene measures which may lead to more dental caries.
Objective: Assess oral health status in relation to salivary antimicrobial peptides in pregnant women.
Subjects and Method: This cross sectional study was carried out in different primary health care centers in Rusafa sectors/ Baghdad city. The total sample included was 80 women (their  age range from 21-30). The study group consisted of 40 pregnant women: half of them were in the first trimester and  others were in third trimester, while the control group included 40 non-pregnant married females. Dental Plaque was recorded according to simplified oral hygiene index. Dental caries were diagnosed by using WHO (2013) criteria. Unstimulated salivary samples were collected. Chemical analysis of salivary samples was performed for the detection of human β-Defensin 2.
Results: The current study revealed that dental caries experiences (decayed surfaces(DS), missed surfaces (MS) and decayed, missing, filled surfaces(DMFS)) were higher among pregnant than non-pregnant females especially in the third trimester, add percentage with no significant differences, while filled surfaces (FS) were higher in the control group with also no significant difference. Regarding plaque index, results revealed that pregnant women had higher plaque index than non-pregnant women, with significant higher per-centage (53.3%) in the third trimester, P value = 0.027. The salivary human β-Defensin 2 was higher among the pregnant group in the third trimester with statistically no significant difference.
Conclusion: More plaque accumulation during pregnancy may explain the higher preva-lence of dental caries as the dental plaque considered to be the chief contributing factor in dental caries.

/pdf/oral-health-status-in-relation-to-salivary-antimicrobial-227ix8dc.pdf

Oral Health Status in relation to Salivary Antimicrobial Peptide in Pregnant Women

Background: Passive smoking and dental caries affect the integrity of the health of individuals and both of them affected by sociodemographic characteristics of those individuals. This research aimed to investigate the severity of dental caries in relation to salivary magnesium and zinc of stimulated whole saliva of a group of 10 years passive smokers in comparison with normal subjects.
Materials and methods: the study group included 40 subjects (20boys and 20 girls), with an age of 10 years of passive smokers determined by a questionnaire. The control group included 40 normal subjects of the same gender and age of the study group. The diagnosis and recording of dental caries was measured by (D1-4MFS & d1-4mfs) index according to the criteria of Muhleman (1976). The collection of stimulated whole saliva was performed under standardized condition. The salivary samples were chemically analyzed for measuring of Zn and Mg.
Results: The caries experience among study group was lower than that of control group for primary dentition but without significant difference while for permanent dentition it was equal. Salivary magnesium ions concentration was lower among study group compared with control group with high significant difference. Concerning salivary zinc ion concentration it was higher among study group with high significant difference among females and significant among males. Among males of study group, magnesium correlated negatively significantly with D1, the same correlation was recorded among females where it was with D1and D2 while it was correlated positively highly significantly with d1 of control group and significantly with d1 and D3 among males of control group. For salivary zinc it was correlated negatively highly significantly with D3 of study group.
Conclusion: Passive smoking has no effects on dental caries rather than it affects certain salivary constituents.

/pdf/the-dental-caries-and-some-salivary-constituents-among-a-1wjj82e18g.pdf

The Dental Caries and Some Salivary Constituents among a Group of Ten Years Iraqi Passive Smokers

Background: A case-control study design revealeda relationship between the present of fluoride, and the reduction of dental caries and the increase prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis .The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to dental fluorosis among school children in Al-Muthana'a Governorate.
Materials and methods: It was conducted among primary school students aged 12 years old, the age was taken according to the criteria of World Health Organization (1997) (1).The number of students was selected in each sector of control group according to number of schools in that sector .Sectors of control group which depend on water of river as source of drinking water. Case group which include AL-Salman sector that depend on underground water as source of drinking water includestudents in all area of Al- Salman sector in 4 schools 
Results: Results showed that the prevalence of dental fluorosis in case group, is (60.6%) and the mean of maximal fluorosis index (1.15 ±0.12) .In control group, the prevalence of dental fluorosis is (49.0%) and the mean of maximal fluorosis index (0.73±0.4) .The DMFS/DMFT values of dental caries for case sample (3.83± 0.44) (2.31± 0.22), while for control DMFS/DMFT is (5.95±0.26) (3.41±0.13) respectively with significantly difference. The prevalence of caries free in case sample is 23.6% while for control is 8.4% with significantly difference between case and control.
Conclusions:A study revealed that a high prevalence of dental fluorosis, dental caries thus there is a need for preventive programs among those children.

Athraa M. Al-Waheb

Papers

Salivary Leptin, pH and Flow Rate Among a Group of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis In Iraq

Socioeconomic status in relation to dental caries in Dewanyiah governorate among 12 years old school students

Oral Health Status in relation to Salivary Antimicrobial Peptide in Pregnant Women

The Dental Caries and Some Salivary Constituents among a Group of Ten Years Iraqi Passive Smokers

Dental fluorosis, dental caries, and treatment needs in Al-Muthana'a governorate among 12 years old students