Sharps Accidents: Occurrence and Knowledge Level among Brazilian Dental Students

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of sharps accidents among dental students in southwest Goiás state, Brazil, and further survey their knowledge of biosafety and post-injury management. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical observational study was carried out in 2018 following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. The study population included dental students in the 4th and 10th course semester. A pre-formulated self-administered questionnaire containing 14 objective questions was used for data collection. Mean and standard deviation values were calculated. Results: A total of 308 responses were obtained. Overall, 15.9% of the respondents reported having previously experienced accidents with sharps. Most dental students who claimed to know the biological risks to which they are exposed were in the 5th and 8th course semesters, and 67.2% of them reported knowing how to proceed in the event of a sharp accident. Conclusion: A low prevalence of sharps accidents has been reported, and dental students are considered to have a good knowledge of biosafety.

Syndromes with gingival fibromatosis: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of systematic review was to describe the phenotypes and molecular profiles of syndromes with gingival fibromatosis (GF). METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed, LILACS, Livivo, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted using key terms relevant to the research questions and supplemented by a gray literature search. The Methodological Quality and Synthesis of Case Series and Case Reports in association with the Case Series and Prevalence Studies from the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used for the risk of bias. We followed the PRISMA checklist guidelines. RESULTS: Eighty-four studies reporting GF as an oral manifestation of a syndrome were identified in this review. Enamel renal syndrome was the most frequently reported syndrome with GF, represented by 54 individuals in 19 studies, followed by Zimmermann-Laband syndrome with 24 individuals in 15 studies and Costello syndrome, which was presented in a case series study with 41 individuals. Among reported cases, other clinical manifestations such as hypertrichosis, ectopic gingival calcification, and cherubism were described. CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the need of systematic oro-dental-facial phenotyping for future descriptions as well as further molecular analysis in order to better understand the occurrence of syndromic GF.

In vitro evaluation of plants as storage media for avulsed teeth: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dental avulsion is defined as the complete displacement of a tooth from its socket owing to trauma. The treatment outcome depends on storage of the avulsed teeth in media capable of maintaining the viability of periodontal ligament cells, when immediate replantation is not possible. To maintain the viability of periodontal ligament cells, plants can be used as a storage medium because of their pharmacological and phytotherapic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of plants on the tissue repair following tooth replantation. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and included articles collected in the Cochrane, LILACS, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science databases, plus articles found in the grey literature. The articles were screened for partial reading using the Endnote and Rayyan platform. The methodology of studies was evaluated by using the OHAT and GRADE. RESULTS: In the initial search, 2361 articles were obtained, only 51 articles were submitted to complete reading, and 35 articles were selected for the qualitative analysis. The evaluated plants had a potential effect on cell viability and proliferation. The articles evaluated mainly the action of plants on cells of the periodontal ligament. Propolis, coconut water and Aloe vera were the most common storage medium. CONCLUSION: The methodological limitations persist, and the evaluation of the pharmacological potential of plants on dental tissues still requires more research.

In vitro evaluation of Eugenia dysenterica in primary culture of human gingival fibroblast cells.

Eugenia dysenterica is a Brazilian tree investigated for its properties and bioactive compounds, which are believed to have both pharmacological and phytochemical therapeutic effects. The leaves of this tree contain tannins, flavonoids, terpenes, and saponins, with reportedly beneficial effects to the human body. Despite these therapeutic applications, its effects have never been tested on oral tissues. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and antioxidant effects and the anti-inflammatory and repair properties of the acetone fraction of E. dysenterica on primary culture of human gingival fibroblasts and on the immortalized murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). For this purpose, a metabolic activity assay, a wound healing assay, a nitric oxide assay, and RT-qPCR were performed. The assays revealed a cytoprotective effect of this plant, suggested by the increase in the expression of SOD1 and NRF2. An antioxidant potential effect was observed in the DPPH• assay. However, the fraction of E. dysenterica did not show anti-inflammatory activity. In conclusion, Eugenia dysenterica may promote cytoprotection when associated with chlorhexidine digluconate because of its antioxidant effect. However, additional studies are necessary on other human dental tissues using other parts of the plant in order to develop a possible mouthwash to assist patients with oral disorders.

Effects of Plants on Osteogenic Differentiation and Mineralization of Periodontal Ligament Cells: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of plants on osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of human periodontal ligament cells. The included studies were selected using five different electronic databases. The reference list of the included studies was crosschecked, and a partial gray literature search was undertaken using Google Scholar and ProQuest. The methodology of the selected studies was evaluated using GRADE. After a two-step selection process, eight studies were identified. Six different types of plants were reported in the selected studies, which were Morinda citrifolia, Aloe vera, Fructus cnidii, Zanthoxylum schinifolium, Centella asiatica, and Epimedium species. They included five types of isolated plant components: acemannan, osthole, hesperetin, asiaticoside, and icariin. In addition, some active substances of these components were identified as polysaccharides, coumarins, flavonoids, and triterpenes. The studies demonstrated the potential effects of plants on osteogenic differentiation, cell proliferation, mineral deposition, and gene and protein expression. Four studies showed that periodontal ligament cells induce mineral deposition after plant treatment. Although there are few studies on the subject, current evidence suggests that plants are potentially useful for the treatment of periodontal diseases. However, further investigations are required to confirm the promising effect of these plants in regenerative treatments.