RESUMO
Adhesion of oral bacteria to teeth and restorative materials plays an important role in the pathogenesis of oral diseases. This study investigated the initial adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to enamel and restorative materials. Three types of composites and two types of glass ionomer cements were used. The specimens were coated with freshly collected human parotid saliva. The salivary coated samples were incubated with cell-free glucosyltransferase, and further incubated with sucrose solution. Finally, the specimens were incubated with 3H-thymidine labelled bacteria. Adhesion of the bacteria to the specimens was measured by scintillation counter. SEM observations were performed on each sample. The results showed no significant differences among the materials and the control. These findings can be explained by the pellicle which coated all the specimens. This biofilm, to which the bacteria were adhered and proved to probably masked existing surface properties of the specimens resulting in similar bacterial adhesion.
Assuntos
Aderência Bacteriana/fisiologia , Resinas Compostas , Depósitos Dentários/microbiologia , Cimentos de Ionômeros de Vidro , Adulto , Análise de Variância , Animais , Bovinos , Película Dentária , Restauração Dentária Permanente , Adesivos Dentinários , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Humanos , Masculino , Microscopia Eletrônica , Cimentos de Resina , Saliva/microbiologia , Dióxido de Silício , Streptococcus mutans/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Streptococcus mutans/fisiologia , Propriedades de Superfície , ZircônioRESUMO
Amalgam, the most prevalent dental restoration material used in dentistry, is potentially toxic because it contains mercury. Recent international publications confirm that mercury is potentially hazardous to dental personnel, who are exposed to mercury vapors both during their work at the office and from amalgam restorations in their own oral cavities. The purpose of our study was to compare urinary mercury levels of dental personnel with a control group, and to explore possible correlations between environmental factors in the dental office and the urinary level of the personnel. Our results indicate that the urinary mercury levels of the tested dental professionals were significantly higher than those of the control group (2.39 +/- 0.319 vs. 0.899 +/- 0.34 micrograms mercury/g creatinine). Of the dental personnel examined, 72% had detectable levels of urinary mercury, compared to 27% of the control group. Although mercury levels in all participants did not exceed the toxic limit, the above findings clearly point to the need for a continuation of this survey.
