CO2 laser irradiation combined with fluoridated dentifrice improved its protective effect on caries lesion progression regardless of the acidulated phosphate fluoride gel application: An in situ study.

OBJECTIVE: This in situ study aimed to investigate the efficacy of CO2 laser at a 10.6-µm wavelength combined with 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) and fluoridated dentifrice with 1100 µg F/g (FD) to control enamel caries progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen volunteers wore palatal appliances containing eight demineralized enamel specimens for four 14-day phases under sucrose exposure. These specimens were submitted to CO2 laser irradiation and APF alone or combined with FD. Treatment groups were non-fluoridated dentifrice-NFD, NFD + CO2 laser, NFD + APF, NFD + CO2 laser + APF, FD, FD + CO2 laser, FD + APF, and FD + CO2 laser + APF. Mineral loss, calcium fluoride (CaF2), fluorapatite (FAp), and fluoride in the biofilm were analyzed by analysis of variance followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test, p < 0.05. RESULTS: The highest mineral loss inhibition was noted when FD and CO2 laser irradiation were combined, which did not significantly differ from the FD + CO2 laser + APF group. The CaF2, FAp, and F in the biofilm were more pronounced when the FD and APF were combined. The CO2 laser irradiation promoted a slightly higher concentration of CaF2 in the enamel and F in the biofilm. CONCLUSION: Although APF promotes the high formation of CaF2 and FAp, the combined use of FD with CO2 laser overcomes the APF effect in inhibiting the progression of artificial caries-like lesions in situ. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Under the in situ design of this study, remineralization of white spot lesions was achieved through CO2 laser irradiation and daily use of fluoridated dentifrice. Future clinical trials are encouraged to substantiate this finding.

Práticas de higiene bucal em bebês de 6 meses de idade / Oral hygiene practices in babies aged 6 months

Resumo: Introdução a recomendação mais atual é de que a higiene bucal deve ser iniciada após a erupção do primeiro dente. Porém, há divergência de opiniões a respeito da necessidade ou não da higiene bucal do bebê desdentado. Objetivo: avaliar as práticas maternas de higienização bucal dos bebês menores de 6 meses de idade. Material e método : foi aplicado um formulário digital contendo quatro questões sobre informações sociodemográficas e quatro questões específicas. Foi realizada análise estatística descritiva, e os resultados foram comparados estatisticamente entre as crianças que receberam e não receberam higiene bucal antes dos 6 meses de idade. Resultado: pode-se observar que a idade, a escolaridade e a renda familiar das mães que realizavam higiene bucal de seus filhos antes da erupção do primeiro dente foram maiores do que das mães que não realizavam esse tipo de higiene. A idade das crianças, a idade de erupção do primeiro dente, o recebimento de orientações profissionais e o tipo de aleitamento não diferiram entre os grupos. Conclusão: ainda há uma grande parcela de mães que realiza higiene bucal dos bebês edêntulos.

Abstract: Introduction the starts of oral hygiene after the first tooth eruption is the most current recommendation. However, there are differences of opinion regarding whether or not oral hygiene is necessary for edentulous babies. Objective: to evaluate the maternal practices of oral hygiene of babies under 6 months of age. Material and method: a digital form was applied containing 4 questions about sociodemographic information and 4 specific questions. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed and the results were statistically compared between children who received and did not receive oral hygiene before 6 months of age. Result: it can be observed that the age, education and family income of mothers who performed oral hygiene before the eruption of the first tooth was higher than that of mothers who did not perform this type of hygiene. The age of the children, age of eruption of the first tooth, whether they received professional guidance and type of breastfeeding did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: there is still a large portion of mothers who perform oral hygiene of edentulous babies.

Children with a Higher Activity of Carbonic Anhydrase VI in Saliva Are More Likely to Develop Dental Caries.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the concentration and activity of carbonic anhydrase (CA) VI in the saliva of school children. We investigated the relationship among caries, CA VI concentration/activity, flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-four school children were divided into a caries-free group and a caries group. Clinical examinations were conducted by one examiner according to World Health Organization criteria + early caries lesions. Salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity were analyzed. Salivary CA VI concentration and activity were evaluated by ELISA and zymography, respectively. The data were analyzed using Student's t test and the Mann-Whitney test, and Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were also done. In multivariate modeling, associations between variables were expressed as odds ratios. RESULTS: The results showed that salivary flow rate, salivary pH, and BC were significantly higher in the saliva of caries-free children. Also, the salivary CA VI concentration was significantly higher in the saliva of caries-free children. The salivary CA VI activity was higher in children with caries. We found a negative correlation between BC and dental caries. Also, in the caries group we found a positive correlation between the concentration and the activity of CA VI and a negative correlation between BC and CA VI activity. A negative correlation between salivary pH and CA VI concentration was observed in the caries-free group. A high activity of CA and a low salivary flow rate were associated with dental caries. CONCLUSION: These results support the conclusion that dental caries is highly affected by the activity of CA VI in saliva as well as by the salivary flow rate.

Indicadores e fatores de risco da cárie dentária em crianças no Brasil - uma revisão de literatura / Indicators and risk factors of dental caries in children in Brazil - a literature review

Atualmente, a prevalência de cárie dentária encontra-se localizada em uma parcela da população, o que carac-teriza sua polarização. A identificação desses grupos de risco permite que medidas preventivas, tanto comunitá-rias quanto individuais, sejam voltadas aos indivíduos desses grupos, resultando num uso mais eficiente dos recursos. Objetivo: este estudo objetiva verificar os fa-tores e preditores do risco da cárie estudados no Brasil, através de uma revisão da literatura. Materiais e méto-do: Realizou-se uma busca na base de dados PUBMED utilizando-se os termos dental caries, risk indicators, e Brazil, unidas pelo operador boleano AND, da qual limitou-se para estudos publicados de 2000 até 2012. Um total de 14 artigos longitudinais e transversais fo-ram incluídos nessa revisão e os fatores e preditores de risco investigados, tanto na dentição decídua quanto na permanente, foram divididos em componentes biológi-cos, comportamentais e socioeconômicos. Resultados: assim, foi possível observar que a cárie está associada a diferentes fatores e preditores de riscos e os mais con-solidados são: experiência passada de cárie, defeitos de esmalte, biofilme dental, dieta, escolaridade da mãe e renda. Considerações finais: os fatores e preditores de risco estudados são diversos, e sua identificação é de fundamental relevância para o desenvolvimento de es-tratégias direcionadas no intuito de diminuir a incidên-cia e a prevalência da cárie