Ethanol influence on gingival fibroblasts - a real-time in vitro study.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol consumption is the world's third largest risk factor for disease and disability. According to the WHO report from 2011: 71% of urban respondents ty and 77% of rural respondents admit to alcohol consumption]. Lower socio-economic status and educational levels result in a greater risk of alcohol-related injury, disease and death. Alcohol is a common component of many medicines, as well as an ingredient in many oral hygiene home products. Mouthwashes containing alcohol are considered to inhibit wound healing in the oral cavity. Due to the fact that many different results are described for different concentrations of alcohol at different times, an attemptwas made to visualise the direct impact of 7.2% and 22% alcohol on human gingival fibroblasts.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: PANsystem 2000 was used for visualisation of the reaction of human gingival fibroblasts isolated from gingiva on ethanol in 2 different concentrations. PANsys 3000 is a multi-system fully-automated cell culture device used for <i>in vitro</i> culture and to study a variety of cell lines under conditions similar to <i>in vivo</i>. Observations were carried out for 48 hours since alcohol addition. Pictures were taken in a continuous process at 5 minute intervalds and combined into a film.

RESULTS: Both contamination of 7.2% and 22% ethyl alcohol negatively affected morphology and cell proliferation. Addition of ethanol at a concentration 7.2% enabled cells to regain their ability to divide and recover normal morphology after 10 hours; changes caused by 22% ethanol, however, were irreversible.

CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results suggest that daily usage of 7.2% alcohol contained in mouthwashes is non-toxic for gingival fibroblasts, and could be recommended after periodontal surgery.