Milena Radunović

Innovative Antimicrobial Dental Treatments: Advancing Oral Health and Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

The oral cavity is a dynamic microbial ecosystem where biofilm communication contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Frequent antibiotic prescriptions in dental practice further amplify AMR risks, emphasizing the need for innovative antimicrobial treatments. Advances in material science and technology have led to the development of new or modified materials designed to minimize microbial adhesion and infection risk, ultimately reducing the reliance on antibiotics and contributing to the fight against AMR.

This presentation outlines our findings on antimicrobial dental treatments aimed at preventing and treating oral infections.

For periodontitis and peri-implantitis management, we investigated Paroxol®, an essential oil-based formulation, under in vitro conditions. Paroxol® exhibited excellent biocompatibility and potent antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against key periodontal pathogens. Additionally, we evaluated photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with a gel containing 5-aminolevulinic acid. This combination demonstrated strong antimicrobial effects against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in both single-species and multi-species biofilms.

To prevent peri-implant diseases, we assessed graphene oxide (GO)-modified titanium (Ti) surfaces. These modified surfaces showed high biocompatibility, validated through in vitro and in vivo studies, and exhibited robust antibiofilm effects against monomicrobial biofilms.

Lastly, we explored complex magnetic fields (CMF) as a novel preventive and therapeutic method for microbial infections. CMF, involving multi-frequency electromagnetic fields with varying densities and waveforms, displayed significant antibacterial effects on planktonic and biofilm-embedded bacteria.

These findings highlight the potential of these advanced dental treatments to enhance oral health outcomes and play a critical role in addressing the growing threat of AMR.

Prof. Milena Radunović, MD is Vice-Dean for Science at the University in Belgrade, School of Dental Medicine where she has been working as Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology since 2018. She specialized in Medical Microbiology and Parasitology in 2015, and in 2016 obtained her Ph.D. in molecular medicine. In 2016 she was a research fellow at the “Gabriele d’Annunzio” University in Italy. Her research focuses on the development and analysis of oral biofilms and the analysis of the oral microbiome. In 2019 she received an award for the best-published paper given by the National Society of Medical Mycology and the “Djoka Vlajković Foundation” award for the best publication by young researchers from University of Belgrade. For two years she was a finalist for the “For Women in Science” award. She is the national representative of the Trainees Association of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).