Prevalence of dental enamel defects in celiac patients with deciduous dentition: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of unspecific and systematic enamel defects in children with deciduous dentition diagnosed with celiac disease compared with a control group. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty children (mean age 3.6 yrs) diagnosed with celiac disease and a reference group (n = 30; mean age 3.8 yrs) were studied to determine the prevalence of enamel defects. Both groups had complete deciduous dentition. Unspecific and systematic enamel defects were evaluated according to Aine criteria. RESULTS: Enamel defects were detected in 83.3% of the celiac children versus 53.3% of the control children (P = .025). The corresponding figures for symmetric defects were 73.3% and 23.3% (P < .001), respectively. The most frequent defect severity classification was Aine grade 1. Dental enamel defects were most frequently detected in deciduous molars (45.1%), followed by deciduous incisors. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significantly more systematic enamel defects in children with celiac disease and deciduous dentition compared with a control group in the same stage of dentition. Dental examination of these defects may be useful to alert for this disease.

[Fissure sealants versus fluorine varnish on the first permanent molars: economic assessment]. / Selladores de fisuras frente a barniz de flúor en primeros molares permanentes: evaluación económica.

OBJECTIVE: To study school-children between the ages of 6 and 8 in order to make an economic comparison between two programmes aimed at preventing caries in the first permanent molars: sealants or fluorine varnish. DESIGN: A field trial over 24 months, with three groups of school-children (sealant/varnish/control). SETTING: Primary Care in the school environment (Granada). PATIENTS: 362 school-children between 6 and 8: 314 were followed for 24 months (100 sealant, 98 varnish and 116 control group). INTERVENTION: Sealant and fluorine varnish on the first healthy permanent molars, with weekly reapplications, using portable equipment. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The increase was measured over a 24-month period in both the DMFT (the total of the first permanent molars either with caries, missing because of caries or sedice filled) and the DMFS (DMFT, but referring to the surface) indexes. In relation to the DMFT, the effectiveness of the sealant (difference in increase of DMFT between the sealed and control groups) was -1.06 (Standard Error = 0.16) and of the varnish, -0.58 (SE = 0.18), which were statistically different figures. For DMFS, the effectiveness of the sealant was -1.83 (SE = 0.28) and of the varnish, 1.10 (SE = 0.33), also different. The costs per school-child did not differ sealant: 4,524 pesetas (SD = 1,248), and varnish: 4,373 (SD = 1,267). The cost/effectiveness ratio favored the sealant (4,268 pesetas per molar saved against 7,540). CONCLUSIONS: The sealant is more efficient (twice that of the varnish). The cost of saving a molar is 4,268 pesetas.

["In vitro" study of the bacteriocinogenic capacity of Streptococcus mutans]. / Estudio "in vitro" de la capacidad bacteriocinógena de Streptococci mutans.

In our paper the bacteriocinogen ability of some subspecies of Streptococci mutans has been studied. We have obtained a production percentage of 50%. That production ability was bigger for subspecies mutans than sobrinus in a significative way, who strength the increasing differences between these microorganisms. A brief revision of the role that bacteriocins look like to play in oral ecologist equilibrium and their feasible utilization in dental caries prevention has been done.

[Absolute or relative isolation for fissure sealants? 12-month clinical study]. / Aislamiento absoluto o relativo en selladores de fisuras? Estudio clínico a los 12 meses.

The purpose of this clinical study is to analyse the effectiveness of a sealant. Rubber dam and cotton roll methods of isolation where compared with respect to the effect of isolation method on retreatment and protection from caries during 12 months. We study the cost effectiveness ratio for both methods of isolation. The results could not be substantiated any differences between two methods.

[Bacteriocins of Streptococcus mutans: mutacins]. / Bacteriocinas de Streptococcus mutans: mutacinas.

A bioliographic survey about the production of a certain bactericidal substance (mutacins) by Streptococcus mutans has been done. The importance of bacteriocins of this micro-organism is due to its utility as a possible anti-caries agent performing as an influential factor in the colonization of the oral cavity, and also for serving for the typing of bacteria as an epidemiological "finger printing", determining the way of transmission of this micro-organism. Besides of stressing its clinical and epidemiological utility, we develop a review of other microbiological aspects.