Prediabetes Associates with Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Activation and Contributes to the Rapid Destruction of Periodontal Tissues.

Objective:  The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between periodontitis, potential periodontitis oral fluid biomarkers, and prediabetes.

Materials And Methods:  This study included 150 Greek adults aged 25 to 78 years who were tested with an Hemoglobin A1C (HBA1c) diagnostic system, an active-matrix metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8) point-of-care (PoC) test, and several salivary biomarkers enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests and gelatin zymography. A full-mouth clinical examination was performed to assess their periodontal and oral health status.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic training and psychosocial well-being of undergraduate dental students in Nigeria.

Background: Most educational institutions in Nigeria were shut down for a long while at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as a preventive measure, and this affected dental students' academic and clinical training.

Aim: To determine the influence of the pandemic on the academic, clinical training, and psychosocial well-being of dental students in Nigeria.

Subjects And Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate dental students in clinical years in Nigerian dental schools.

Association of Periodontal Disease with Hypertension in Nigerian Patients: A Comparative Study.

Background: Periodontal diseases are chronic and inflammatory in nature, and have been associated with hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension is prevalent among Nigerians. However, controlled studies on the relationship between hypertension and periodontal disease in Nigeria are limited.

aMMP-8 Oral Fluid PoC Test in Relation to Oral and Systemic Diseases.

The manuscript uses the previously published literature and highlights the benefits of active-matrix metalloproteinase (aMMP)-8 chairside/point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic tools as adjunctive measures in oral and systemic diseases. Previous studies suggest that as a biomarker, aMMP-8 is more precise than total MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-13, MMP-7, MMP-1, calprotectin, myeloperoxidase (MPO), human neutrophil elastase (HNE), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and bleeding of probing (BOP). Therefore, aMMP-8 could be implemented as the needed key biomarker for the new disease classification for both periodontitis and peri-implantitis.

Ability of matrix metalloproteinase-8 biosensor, IFMA, and ELISA immunoassays to differentiate between periodontal health, gingivitis, and periodontitis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic utility of an MMP-8 biosensor assay in differentiating periodontal health from gingivitis and periodontitis and compare it with an established time-resolved immunofluorescence assay (IFMA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Background: Currently available antibody-based assays display a wide variability in their ability to accurately measure matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) levels in saliva.

Methods: Salivary MMP-8 levels were analyzed in 189 systemically healthy participants using an antibody-based biosensor prototype that operates using a surface acoustic wave technology and compared with IFMA and ELISA antibody assays.

The COVID-19 pandemic and dental residency training in Nigeria.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging effects on dental practice across the world. In particular, if has also affected the training of dental residents, who are specialists in training. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perception and attitude of dental residents in Nigeria to the pandemic and its perceived impact on the dental residency training programme across the country.

Periodontal disease and targeted prevention using aMMP-8 point-of-care oral fluid analytics in the COVID-19 era.

Periodontal disease is a chronic multifactorial infectious and inflammatory disease associated with several chronic systemic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease and so on. These same systemic diseases have been associated with severe COVID-19 infections. Several recent studies have suggested hypotheses for the potential association between periodontal disease and severe COVID-19.

Nigerian undergraduate dental students' knowledge, perception, and attitude to COVID-19 and infection control practices.

Purpose/objectives: The current coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected most countries. Infection, Prevention, and Control training is important in mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The closure of universities by the Nigerian government has hampered academic activities of dental students.

aMMP-8 Point-of-Care/Chairside Oral Fluid Technology as a Rapid, Non-Invasive Tool for Periodontitis and Peri-Implantitis Screening in a Medical Care Setting.

This communication article addresses currently available rapid non-invasive methods to screen and detect periodontitis and dental peri-implantitis. In this regard, oral fluid biomarkers have been researched extensively but self-reported oral health (SROH)-questionnaires have also been developed. Both alternatives may offer a quick and easy way to screen and detect diseased patients.

On the diagnostic discrimination ability of mouthrinse and salivary aMMP-8 point-of-care testing regarding periodontal health and disease.

This study investigated the diagnostic utility of mouthrinse and saliva in aMMP-8 measurements to analyze patients' risk for active periodontal tissue destruction and progression of periodontal disease among 47 adolescents. Results show that measurements from mouthrinse produce better discrimination and should be used instead of saliva measurements.

Association of Elevated C-Reactive Protein with Severe Periodontitis in Hypertensive Patients in Lagos, Nigeria: A Pilot Study.

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown that individuals with chronic periodontitis have a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular complications, which might be attributed to the increased production of inflammatory cytokines initiated by the complex microbiota in dental biofilm.

Aim: The study aims to evaluate the association between chronic periodontitis and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in a group of hypertensive individuals in Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: The investigator enrolled 50 hypertensive patients with chronic periodontitis into the study from the medical outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

Effect of Calcium Channel Blockers on Gingival Tissues in Hypertensive Patients in Lagos, Nigeria: A Pilot Study.

Background: Long-term treatment of common chronic cardiac conditions such as hypertension with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) has long been associated with gingival hyperplasia. This oral side effect may affect esthetics and function, yet often overlooked and therefore underreported among Nigerians.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the association of CCBs with gingival overgrowth (GO) in hypertensive patients.

Periodontal status and its association with self-reported hypertension in non-medical staff in a university teaching hospital in Nigeria.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests a relationship between periodontal disease and non-communicable systemic diseases with rising prevalence in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive.

Objectives: To determine the periodontal status and its association with self-reported hypertension among non-medical staff in a university teaching hospital in Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among non-medical staff using self-administered questionnaires and periodontal clinical examination between July and August 2013.

Undergraduate dental education in Nigeria: perceptions of dental students and recent dental graduates.

Background: Students’ perception of their education is a subject that has received very little attention by those providing dental school education. This is more so in the Nigerian environment, where limited research has been carried out in dental education, particularly with respect to the students’ perspectives on the quality of training received.

Objective: Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of dental students and recent dental graduates in Nigeria on their level of satisfaction with the quality of academic and clinical training received in their respective dental schools and the challenges faced in receiving this training.

Association between periodontal diseases and systemic illnesses: A survey among internal medicine residents in Nigeria.

Objective: To assess internal medicine residents' knowledge of associations between periodontal disease and systemic illnesses, and attitudes toward patients' periodontal health.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among internal medicine residents attending the Faculty of Internal Medicine 2014 Update Course organized by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. Participants came from all over the country.

Comparative periodontal status of human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients and controls in a dedicated human immunodeficiency virus clinic in Nigeria.

Background: There are diverse reports on the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive persons. Few studies have been carried out in developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study was aimed at comparing the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis of HIV-seropositive patients with that of HIV-seronegative persons using the community periodontal index (CPI).

Self-Reported Medical Conditions and Oral Health Status of Patients seen in a Nigerian Dental Clinic.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of self-reported medical conditions among patients attending a dental clinic in Nigeria.

Subjects And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Oral Diagnosis Clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect bio-data and history of medical conditions.

PERIODONTAL SYSTEMIC INTERACTION: PERCEPTION, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG MEDICAL DOCTORS IN NIGERIA.

Background: Periodontal diseases (PD) impact the outcome of some systemic illnesses. Medical doctors' knowledge and practices regarding this association may influence the effective management of their patients. This has been understudied among Nigerian doctors.

PERIODONTAL SYSTEMIC INTERACTION: PERCEPTION, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG MEDICAL DOCTORS IN NIGERIA.

Background: Periodontal diseases (PD) impact the outcome of some systemic illnesses. Medical doctors' knowledge and practices regarding this association may influence the effective management of their patients. This has been understudied among Nigerian doctors.

Could periodontitis affect time to conception?

Background: Chronic periodontitis is gaining increasing prominence as a potential influnce on systemic health. Time to conception has been recently investigated in relation to chronic periodontitis among Caucasians. The authors set out to replicate the study among Nigerian pregnant women.

Another reason for impeccable oral hygiene: oral hygiene-sperm count link.

Objectives: 1. To investigate the relationship between periodontitis and infertility. 2.

Periodontitis & sub-fertility; opinions and practices of Nigerian specialists.

Background: Increasing evidence in the emerging field of periodontal medicine continues to stimulate research to verify the association between chronic periodontitis and general health. The link between chronic periodontitis and sub-fertility has not been well-investigated except for a handful of reports spanned over several decades.

Methods: As a prelude to a series of observational and interventional studies, 119 specialists and doctors participated in an online survey to ascertain their practices and opinions about this link.

Clinical correlates of a lateral-flow immunoassay oral risk indicator.

Background: The aim of the present study is to investigate the clinical correlates of a novel lateral-flow immunoassay with bleeding on probing (BOP), oral hygiene, and periodontal probing depth. This report offers a simple, rapid, and highly sensitive tool that addresses two issues important to periodontists: 1) detecting active periodontitis, and 2) predicting chronic periodontitis.

Methods: Seventy-six of 86 males requiring seminal fluid analysis as part of a separate study were serially recruited into the study.