Recommendations from paediatric dentistry associations of the Americas on breastfeeding and sugar consumption and oral hygiene in infants for the prevention of dental caries: A bibliometric review.

BACKGROUND: The Internet provides a plethora of information on health issues related to children's oral health. AIM: Identify online recommendations of paediatric dentistry associations of the Americas (PDAAs) regarding breastfeeding practices, weaning, sugar introduction and initiating oral hygiene. DESIGN: Websites of PDAAs were accessed to record recommendations/questions (Q) relevant to early childhood that specifically covered issues about exclusive breastfeeding-Q1, indications of bottle feeding-Q2, when and how to start weaning-Q3 and Q4, respectively, association of breast milk and dental caries-Q5, when to start oral hygiene and how to introduce it-Q6 and Q7, respectively, and guidance on the introduction of sugar-Q8. Similarity/dissimilarity frequencies between the associations (Euclidean distances) were calculated. RESULTS: From 35 countries on the two American continents, 21 associations were affiliated with the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry and/or the Latin American Pediatric Dentistry Association, whereas eight did not have websites. Higher (P < .05) dissimilarities for Q6 (68.2%), Q7 (72.7%), and Q8 (62.1%) were observed. Results were similar for Q1 and Q5 (P > .05). No association mentioned Q2, Q3 or Q4 responses, whereas Q7 was the most frequently discussed issue. CONCLUSION: Not all of the investigated issues are mentioned on websites of PDAAs, potentially stymieing efforts by both the layperson and health professional to gather information.

Can human sex be estimated based on the dimensions of the maxillary sinuses? A systematic review of the literature on cone-beam and multi-slice computed tomography.

PURPOSE: To critically appraise and summarize the potential of linear and/or volumetric dimensions of the maxillary sinuses obtained with cone-beam and multi-slice computed tomography. METHODS: A bibliographic search was conducted in seven databases in August 2023. Cross-sectional retrospective studies using linear and volumetric measurements of the maxillary sinuses obtained with cone-beam and multi-slice computed tomography for sex estimation and presenting numerical estimation data were included. Narrative or systematic reviews, letters to the editor, case reports, laboratory studies in animals, and experimental studies were excluded. The critical appraisal and certainty of evidence were assessed using the guidelines described by Fowkes and Fulton and GRADE, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 656 studies were found, 32 of which were included. A total of 3631 individuals were analyzed and the overall sex estimation rate ranged from 54.9 % to 95 %. When compared with isolated measurements, combined linear measurements of the right and left maxillary sinuses, such as width, length, and height, provided a higher rate of sex estimation (54.9-95 %). In most of the studies (62.5 %), all measurements were higher in men than in women. Multiple methodological problems were found in the studies, especially distorting influences in 84.4 % of the answers. The certainty of evidence varied from very low to low. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of height, width, and length measurements of the right and left maxillary sinuses from cone-beam and multi-slice computed tomography can be useful in the estimation of sex of humans. Further primary studies are needed to increase the certainty of evidence. PROSPERO REGISTER: CRD42020161922.

Probiotics and dairy products in dentistry: A bibliometric and critical review of randomized clinical trials.

The oral environment is an essential part of the human microbiome. The consumption of probiotic products may improve the oral microbiota and reduce the risk of diseases. This paper presents a bibliometric and critical review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that used probiotics to analyze oral parameters in humans. RCTs carried out with no age, gender, and ethnicity restrictions and published in the pre-COVID-19 period were included. Furthermore, the utilization of probiotic dairy products to improve oral health is discussed. The bibliometric review demonstrated that 'Microbiology,' 'Dental caries,' and 'Streptococcus mutants' were the most highlighted keywords. Furthermore, Sweden and India have the highest number of publications. The most prevalent outcomes were 'salivary parameters,' 'periodontal disease,' and 'dental caries.' The most used vehicles for probiotic administration were pharmaceutical formulas and dairy products. The administration of probiotic dairy products could modify the oral microbiota (reductions in S. mutans counts), influence the caries development and periodontal disease in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly, and improve gingival health. The main probiotic dairy products investigated were milk, fermented milk, yogurt, kefir, curd, and cheese. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei SD1 was the most used probiotic culture. The studies demonstrated that the probiotic effect lasted 2-4 weeks after discontinuing consumption. However, the results depended on the subject type, study design, probiotic strain and concentration, and dairy product type. In conclusion, probiotic dairy products are promising alternatives to improve oral health.

Are traumatic dental injuries greater in alcohol or illicit drugs consumers? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Traumatic dental injuries (TDI), alcohol and illicit drugs consumption are highly-prevalent public health concerns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between alcohol and/or illicit drugs consumption and the presence of TDI. DESIGN AND METHODS: This review was performed in accordance with MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines. Electronic searches were performed to found observational studies that investigated subjects that consumed alcohol and/or illicit drugs associated with TDI. Data extraction and a risk of bias assessment were performed. Three meta-analyses (MA) were performed to evaluate the association between TDI and alcohol consumption (1stMA), subgrouping the studies into alcohol intake and binge-drinking, alcohol-related problems (2ndMA), and drugs (3rdMA). The odds ratio (OR) were calculated (p ≤ 0.05) for all analyses. The evidence was certainty-tested using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Twelve articles met the eligibility criteria. Nine studies were methodologically sound, while three had some confounding factors. In the pooled MA, an association between alcohol consumption and TDI (OR 1.57[1.33,1.85],p = 0.00001) was determined with moderate certainty of evidence, confirmed in the subgroups of alcohol intake (OR 1.49[1.17,1.90],p = 0.001) and binge-drinking (OR 1.68[1.30,2.18],p = 0.0001). No associations were found between TDI and risk for alcohol-related problems and drug use (OR 0.75[0.50,1.14],p = 0.18, and OR 1.20[0.82,1.75],p = 0.27, respectively), with both analyses having a very low certainty of evidence. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: There is moderate evidence concerning the association between alcohol use and TDI. Despite the absence of an association between illicit drugs use, alcohol-related problems and the presence of TDI, these results should be viewed with caution, since they had very low-certainly-evidence.

Clinical efficacy of nano-hydroxyapatite in dentin hypersensitivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the desensitizing effect of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAP) on dentine hypersensitivity (DH). SOURCES: Seven electronic databases were searched on April 27, 2018. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included based on the PICO strategy: Participants - Humans with DH; Intervention - n-HAP-containing desensitizing; Comparison -n-HAP-free treatments or placebo/negative control; and Outcomes - relief of DH. The risk of bias was classified by the Cochrane guidelines. Five meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the efficacy of n-HAP with regard to pain assessment stimuli (primary outcome); comparison of n-HAP with other treatments or placebo/negative control, and effectiveness of at-home and in-office n-HAP use (secondary outcomes). The quality of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE. DATA: Six RCTs with 4 weeks of follow-up were included in the meta-analysis. For the primary outcome, n-HAP showed a better desensitizing effect for evaporative stimuli (SMD -1.09 [-1.24, -0.94], p < 0.00001) and tactile stimuli (SMD -0.93 [-1.42, -0.43]) than other treatments (p = 0.0002). However, there was no difference between n-HAP and other treatments for the cold stimuli (SMD -0.17 [-0.81, 0.48], p = 0.61). In an overall analysis, n-HAP-containing treatment showing the most significant desensitizing effect (SMD -0.93 [-1.19, -0.68], p < 0.00001) with a high quality of evidence for pooled results. In the secondary outcomes, n-HAP showed the best effect in the overall analysis (p < 0.05) with moderate quality evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The n-HAP-containing treatment showed better clinical performance than other treatments for DH relief. However, long-term follow-up RCTs are required in the future before definitive recommendations can be made. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Dentin hypersensitivity is a common global condition and its multifactorial etiology has led to the development of several treatments. The n-HAP-containing treatment showed greater DH relief when compared to other desensitizing agents, placebo or negative control.