Oxidative stress in patients with endodontic pathologies.

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Biochemistry
• Pathology

Background:

• Apical periodontitis (AP) is a common inflammatory condition of periradicular tissues with incompletely understood mechanisms.
• Current treatments for AP are not always successful, highlighting the need for further etiological research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare oxidative stress (OxS) levels in saliva and root canal (RC) contents.
• To investigate OxS in patients with various endodontic pathologies versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Saliva and RC content samples were collected from patients with primary chronic apical periodontitis (pCAP), secondary chronic apical periodontitis (sCAP), acute periapical abscess, irreversible pulpitis, and healthy controls.
• OxS markers, including myeloperoxidase (MPO), oxidative stress index (OSI), and 8-isoprostanes (8-EPI), were measured in both sample types.

Main Results:

• Elevated OxS markers (MPO, 8-EPI) were observed in pCAP and pulpitis.
• Higher OSI levels were found in pCAP, abscess, and saliva of sCAP patients.
• Healthy controls exhibited the lowest OxS levels; significant correlations were found between OxS markers, periapical index, and pain.

Conclusions:

• Oxidative stress is a significant pathomechanism in endodontic diseases, present locally in root canals and systemically in saliva.
• OxS is strongly associated with dental pain and bone destruction in endodontic conditions.