The aim of the present study is to assess the correlation between chronic apical periodontitis and oxidative stress. In fact, chronic apical periodontitis is reactive oral disease and it may cause an imbalance between production and elimination of Reactive Chemical Species (RCS), with a greater risk for onset of paraphysiological and pathological conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A randomized group of 103 patients between 30 and 68 years of age, presenting with chronic apical periodontitis, was recruited. We assessed the oxidative balance by measuring the oxidant status by d-ROMs Test and the antioxidant status by BAP Test, before endodontic treatment and 30 and 60 days after. Patients were excluded from this study if there was no healing of chronic periodontitis.

RESULTS
On recruitment, patients affected by chronic apical periodontitis presented with higher d-ROMs Test values than the average values of healthy subjects. These values decreased by 28 ± 9% 30 days after endodontic treatment and by 35 ± 10% at 60 days.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
We observed a positive association between oxidative stress and chronic apical periodontitis. We can conclude that the presence of chronic apical periodontitis increases the risk of diseases related to an altered oxidative balance, due to the higher levels of oxidative stress.

The present study also revealed that after treatment of chronic apical periodontitis, the levels of oxidative stress tend to reduce and return to normal after 60 days.

The treatment of these lesions of endodontic origin brings the levels of oxidative stress back to normal, and reduces the risk for onset of diseases related to a condition of oxidative stress.

PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED TO OXIDATIVE STRESS SENESCENCE DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (Ischemic reperfusion injury) CANCER PULMONARY DISEASES (pulmonary emphysema, interstitial fibrosis) LIVER DISEASES   BAP Test (mmol/L) d-ROMs Test (U CARR)   T0 T2 T3 % variation T0-T2 % variation T0-T3 T0 T2 T3 % variation T0-T2 % variation T0-T3 mean 1880 2147 2365 14 26 429 311 274 28 36 sd 154 165 110 5 6 65 30 14 9 10 median 1892 2145 2376     435 318 274     min 1498 1549 2178     276 249 241     max 2240 2489 2633     561 389 299     Groups F F crit p BAP test t0 t2 144,0542 3,88745 <0,001 BAP test t0 t3 679,6816 3,88745 <0,001 d-ROMs test t0 t2 275,2317 3,88745 <0,001 d-ROMs test t0 t3 555,9293 3,88745 <0,001

Congresso Nazionale dei Docenti di Discipline Odontostomatologiche e Chirurgia Maxillo Facciale
Firenze – Siena, 14-16 Aprile 2011

Università degli Studi di Bari Dipartimento di Odontostomatologia e Chirurgia
Direttore: Prof.ssa D. DE VITO
Calabrodental S.r.l. Unità Operativa di Chirurgia Maxillo-Facciale Regione Calabria – Crotone Dir. San: Dott. M. W. Marrelli

AUTHORS
F. Inchingolo, F. Schinco* G. Dipalma, M. Serafini, S. Di Teodoro, A. M. Inchingolo, M. De Carolis, M. Marrelli, A. Palladino, A. D. Inchingolo  

REFERENCES