Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
08:20
Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
6.7K
Natural Antimicrobials in the Dental Pulp
Fionnuala T Lundy1, Christopher R Irwin2, Denise F McLean1
1Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Journal of Endodontics
|September 20, 2020
Summary
Dental pulp utilizes antimicrobial peptides for innate immunity against infections. These peptides show promise as novel therapeutics for challenging polymicrobial infections, offering alternatives to traditional antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Dental immunology
- Antimicrobial peptides
Background:
- Dental pulp possesses innate and adaptive immune responses to combat infections.
- Dental pulp cells synthesize antimicrobial peptides with broad-spectrum activity against pathogens.
- Growing interest in antimicrobial peptides stems from the need for antibiotic alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the general properties, sources, and actions of antimicrobial peptides in dental pulp.
- To highlight the role of antimicrobial peptides in dental pulp defense.
Main Methods:
- This study is a narrative review.
- Focused on antimicrobial peptides within the dental pulp environment.
Main Results:
- Antimicrobial peptides are relevant in defending the dental pulp.
- Many antimicrobial peptides can be modified or mimicked for therapeutic applications.
Conclusions:
- Antimicrobial peptides and peptide-based therapeutics are promising for treating polymicrobial infections.
- Their broad-spectrum activity makes them attractive for endodontic infections.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Antimicrobial Proteins
12.6K
Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
12.6K
01:23Hand hygiene
5.2K
Asepsis is the practice of preventing or breaking the chain of infection. The nurse employs aseptic techniques to prevent the spread of microorganisms and reduce the risk of diseases. Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of aseptic techniques and is classified into medical and surgical asepsis. Medical asepsis includes hand hygiene and the use of gloves. Surgical asepsis, or the sterile technique, refers to practices that render and keep objects and areas free of microorganisms.
Hand washing...
Hand washing...
5.2K
01:27Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
631
Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...
631
01:28Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
326
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
326
01:28Biological Methods for Microbial Control
676
Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
676
01:28Antimicrobial Effectiveness
813
The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
813