Oral digestion of a complex-carbohydrate cereal: effects of stress and relaxation on physiological and salivary measures.

A comprehensive study was undertaken with 12 dental hygiene students to ascertain whether the time of chewing or the degree of relaxation is more important in the oral digestion of complex carbohydrates. In addition, we studied whether the effects of stress and relaxation on salivary alpha-amylase activity was corroborated by physiologic measures. The dental hygiene students chewed an oat cereal for either 20 or 60 s while under two different orders of stress and relaxation conditions: 1) stress/20 s, stress/60 s, relax/20 s, relax/60 s; and 2) relax/20 s, relax/60 s, stress/20 s, stress/60 s.

Stress, relaxation and saliva: a follow-up study involving clinical endodontic patients.

Dentally induced stress and relaxation-induced anxiety reduction recently have been correlated with salivary changes in private patients treated by a solo endodontist. Hypnosis was shown to be more effective than local anesthesia in anxiety reduction. Dental students and clinic patients were employed in this study in an attempt to replicate the previous findings.

Stress, relaxation, and saliva: a pilot study involving endodontic patients.

Thirty-four endodontic patients completed dental anxiety questionnaires and had saliva samples taken prior to and at the conclusion of their initial endodontic treatment. Pain and anxiety were managed with local anesthesia, nitrous oxide--oxygen psychosedation, hypnosis, and meditation, either alone or in combination. For most patients, by the conclusion of the treatment, anxiety had decreased, salivary volume had increased, and salivary protein was reduced.

The comparative analysis of clinically normal and inflamed human gingiva. Study 1: Protein separation by anionic and cationic disc gel electrophoresis.

Homogenates were prepared from sections of both clinically normal and clinically inflamed human gingival tissue. After centrifugation, supernatants were quantitated for protein and subjected to anionic and cationic electrophoresis. Samples of gingival blood and venous blood were similarly subjected to electrophoresis.

A rapid chairside test for the severity of periodontal disease using gingival fluid.

A study was done in an attempt to develop a simple test for the severity of periodontal disease. Gingival fluid collected on filter paper was tested for protein content, and the resulting color was compared to standard color filters. Tissue was excised and prepared for histologic examination.