Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aims: Candida is an opportunistic pathogen that causes illness in people with a defective or weakened condition. Infectious diseases (periodontal diseases) are inflammatory and malignant inflammation of the dental-gum complex, in which the growth of biofilms caused by Candida glabrata, Parapseilosis and Tropikalis is less than Candida albicans. Brown algae Sargasum is more compatible with human medicines due to having a natural origin than chemical drugs and has less side effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular characteristics of Candida species isolated from periodontal infections and the effect of Sargassum glaucescens extract on biofilm gene expression using Real-Time-PCR.
Materials and Methods: Oral samples of periodontal infection were collected from the referred patients. To isolate the candidate species, the specimens were cultured on a Sabouraud dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol (SDAc). The extracted DNA was extracted from colonies grown from Kit and Glass pearl. Grown chickens were identified by specific primers by PCR-RFLP method. In order to detect the expression of als genes in Candida isolates, RNA extraction was performed using Phenol-Chloroform and Pearl glass, and the CLSI-M27-A2 method was used to evaluate the effect of Sargasum glaucescens extract of algae.
Results: The results showed that the expression of als gene in periodontal infection is higher than other genes. Another role is als in the formation of Candida albicans biofilm. The minimum inhibitory concentration of fungal growth was 256 μg/ml by algae extract. Sargasum glaucescens reduced the expression of als gene expression by about 62% in the sample.
Conclusion: Sargasum glaucescens algae possesses specific pharmacological properties and antimicrobial and antimicrobial effects. The results of the study using Real Time PCR showed that expression of als gene in isolated studied with Sargasum algae extract was lower than untreated isolates. Thus, this indicated the positive role of treatment by sargasum glaucescens extract in reducing the expression of biofilm gene in isolates.

Background and Aims: Incorrect prescription of antibiotics for odontogenic infections can endanger patients' lives. This study aimed to determine the pattern of antibiotic prescription by general dentists in Tehran and to compare it with the guidelines recommended by maxillofacial surgeons at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2019.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 141 randomly selected dentists in Tehran. The dentists reported their antibiotic prescriptions for various odontogenic infections by completing a questionnaire. The frequency of prescribed antibiotics was calculated considering the severity of the infection, penicillin sensitivity, pregnancy and lactation status of women, and children. These were compared with the guidelines suggested by 15 maxillofacial surgery specialists at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Descriptive analysis and binary logistic regression were used. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25.
Results: Among patients sensitive to penicillin with severe infection, 61% of the dentists prescribed the correct medication. The correct prescription rate was 0% in patients with severe infection, 24.82% in pregnant and lactating women with mild infection, 65.24% in children with mild infection, 62.41% in patients with mild infection and penicillin sensitivity, 36.69% in children with severe infection, and 33.82% in pregnant and lactating women with severe infection. The results showed that older dentists were significantly more likely prescribe antibiotics correctly for odontogenic infections (P=0.036, B=0.28).
Conclusion: General dentists in Tehran did not optimally prescribe antibiotics for odontogenic infections. Therefore, training courses to improve their clinical performance are essential.