Genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the pathway of saliva and dental caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), related to genes in salivary composition and flow, on dental caries experience. Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review and ten in the meta-analysis. Forty-four SNPS, covering four genes (CA6, AQP2, AQP5, and MUC5B) were identified. Most of the SNPs were not associated with caries in meta-analysis. Homozygous TT genotype of the SNP CA6 rs17032907(C/T) was associated with caries [OR = 3.23(1.39-7.49)]. The pool effect of the SNPs assessed in AQP5 was associated with a reduction in the likelihood of caries [OR = 0.75(0.59-0.95)]. Considering all SNPs of salivary composition and flow, the effect allele was associated with a 75% increase in the likelihood of caries [OR = 1.75(1.06-2.89)] in the homozygous genotype. The present findings showed that the genes in salivary composition and flow can play an important role in dental caries experience.

Community consensus on core open science practices to monitor in biomedicine.

The state of open science needs to be monitored to track changes over time and identify areas to create interventions to drive improvements. In order to monitor open science practices, they first need to be well defined and operationalized. To reach consensus on what open science practices to monitor at biomedical research institutions, we conducted a modified 3-round Delphi study. Participants were research administrators, researchers, specialists in dedicated open science roles, and librarians. In rounds 1 and 2, participants completed an online survey evaluating a set of potential open science practices, and for round 3, we hosted two half-day virtual meetings to discuss and vote on items that had not reached consensus. Ultimately, participants reached consensus on 19 open science practices. This core set of open science practices will form the foundation for institutional dashboards and may also be of value for the development of policy, education, and interventions.

Early Sugar Introduction Associated with Early Childhood Caries Occurrence.

Consensus has yet to be reached on the impact of early sugar introduction on early childhood dental caries (ECC). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the time of introduction of sugar in the infant's diet and ECC at 48 months, using data from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. This cohort comprises 4,275 children. At 48 months, 3,654 (91.1%) children had their oral health clinically evaluated by a team of 12 trained and calibrated dentists and their dental caries experience and cavitated lesions were assessed. The period of life in which sugar was first introduced into the child's diet was considered the primary exposure of the study, collected through questionnaires at 3, 12, 24, and 48 months of age. Analyses were conducted using Stata, version 15.0. Descriptive analyses were initially performed. Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment for the crude and adjusted analysis was used to estimate the effect of the sugar introduction on ECC. The highest prevalence of caries experience (43.3%) was in children in which sugar was introduced into the infant's diet before 12 months of age. A higher prevalence of caries experience was found for less educated (49.8%) and younger (51.7%) mothers, and in poorer families (48.3%). In the adjusted analysis, the experience of caries was 48% greater in the group with sugar introduction before 12 months of age, compared to those where sugar was introduced after 24 months of age In conclusion, our results support the adoption of preventive measures to delay the supply of sugar in early life in order to reduce the caries experience in children.

Oral mucosal lesions in pregnant women: A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OML) and oral self-examination and their associated factors among pregnant women from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study, Brazil. METHODS: Pregnant women who would deliver babies in 2015 were included in the antenatal study. Data related to demographic, socio-economic and behavioural conditions were collected using questionnaires. Participants were also clinically assessed for oral health outcomes. The outcomes were the presence of OMLs and oral self-examination. Size, location, time of onset and symptomatology of the lesions were collected. Descriptive and bivariate analysis, and Poisson regression were performed. p-Value <0.05 was set to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: Data from 2481 pregnant women were analysed. Four hundred and nine (16.5%) had at least one OML. The most prevalent lesions were exostosis (80/16.6%), coated tongue (70/14.5%) and benign oral brownish pigmentation (68/14.1%). Non-white skin colour was associated with a higher prevalence of OMLs (PR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.6), while daily use of dental floss was positively associated with the prevalence of oral self-examination (PR 1.4; 95% CI 1.2; 1.5). CONCLUSIONS: Almost 20% of pregnant women presented OML, which were more prevalent in non-white individuals. Women with better oral care were more likely to perform oral self-examination.

The T102C polymorphism of 5HT2A receptor in oral epithelial dysplasia: A pilot case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: investigate the T102C polymorphism of 5HT2A receptor in dysplasia in oral potentially malignant lesions and its association with smoking and alcohol habits. METHODS: case-control study that included patients with oral potentially malignant lesions (OPML) histopathologically diagnosed with dysplasia and healthy controls, and within these group patients with and without smoking and alcohol consumption habits. Cell samples from the oral lesions were collected with the patients previously anesthetized using disposable cytological brushes. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction was performed and the T102C polymorphism (rs6313) was genotyped in a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allelic discrimination assays. RESULTS: 110 individuals were included in this study (38 with dysplasia and 72 controls). The genotype (p = 0.016), allele (p = 0.020) and smoking habits (<0.001) distribution differed significantly between dysplasia and control group, where the CT and TT (C - cytosine/ T - thymine) genotype and the T allele showed a higher frequency in dysplasia (65.6, 18.8 and 84.4 %, respectively) than in controls (55.7, 4.9 and 60.7). Concerning smoking habits, the higher frequency was in the dysplasia group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis, associating variables of interest and the presence of dysplasia, showed that individuals with smoking habits present 7.58 increase risk to develop dysplasia than non-smokers; and individuals carrying the T allele for the T102C polymorphism have a 4.6 increased risk to develop oral dysplasia in OPML. CONCLUSIONS: the T102C polymorphism is associated with oral dysplasia in OPML, however, failed to show association with smoking and alcohol habits in OPML dysplasia.

Parent-child interaction and stimulation in early life can be related to caries in primary dentition? Hypotheses from a life-course approach.

Dental caries has common risk factors with impairments in growth, cognitive development and child general health. Identifying socioeconomic contexts and parental behaviors in early life that may be associated with negative outcomes in the child's future and their causal mechanisms can contribute to planning early interventions. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to propose and discuss possible ways to explain how early childhood stimulation may be associated with future oral health status, based on the life-course theory of chain-of-risk model and accumulation of risk model. Two hypotheses were suggested: (1) each social exposure or parental behavior in the child's first years of life increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as dental caries in primary dentition, in a simply additive effect; (2) parental factors could negatively influence the establishment of the pattern of child stimulation (child care) or lead to a modification of the established behavior on the risk of dental caries in the child primary dentition. Prevention of dental caries seems to be the most feasible way of solving this serious public health problem. It therefore justifies the importance of identifying exposures in the child's early life that may lead to the occurrence of chronic diseases in the future. The evidence seem to converge to the idea that child stimulation in early life may be associated with future health problems related to behaviors and care by parents, including caries.

Survival and Associated Risk Factors of Selective Caries Removal Treatments in Primary Teeth: A Retrospective Study in a High Caries Risk Population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the survival probability of selective caries removal (SCR) treatments in the primary teeth of children with high caries experience and factors potentially associated with treatment failure. METHODS: The sample included SCR treatments conducted in anterior and posterior teeth without sedation or general anesthesia among children attending a university dental service. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the longevity of restorations and multivariate Cox regression with shared frailty was used to assess risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 284 SCR treatments in 88 children (aged 5.2 ± 1.91 years) with high caries experience (mean dmft/DMFT = 11.1 ± 5.04) were analyzed. The 3-year survival reached 48.8%, with an annual failure rate of 21.2%. Restorative failures (n = 60) were found more frequently compared to pulp complications (n = 12). SCR performed in anterior primary teeth were more prone to failure (hazard ratio = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.94; 6.71). Patients with a higher amount of visible plaque experienced more failures in SCR treatments (hazard ratio 3.0, 95% CI:1.27; 7.07). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, SCR showed restricted survival when compared to other prospective clinical trials. Patient-related factors, especially the young age and high caries experience of the children, may represent a challenge for restoration survival. Regardless of the caries removal technique or restorative material, cariogenic biofilm has a negative effect on the survival of restorations, probably by acting directly on material deterioration and, particularly, on the development of new caries lesions of rapid progression.

Maternal Depression Increases Childhood Dental Caries: A Cohort Study in Brazil.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between maternal depression and childhood caries in a cohort of adolescent mothers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study nested in a cohort evaluated a sample of 538 mother/child dyads. When the children were 24-36 months of age, data regarding oral health from children and mothers were collected by clinical dental examination. A mother's major depressive disorder was assessed by using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI [Plus]), at the current moment. Independent variables were obtained by using questionnaires. The outcome on dental caries experience was dichotomized by using 2 cut points: dmfs ≥1 and dmfs ≥3. Poisson regression analysis, using a hierarchical approach, was applied to assess the association between major depressive disorder in mothers with and those without caries experience and the outcome. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental caries in children was 15.1% (n = 82). The mean dmfs index was 1.12 (SD = 3.72). The prevalence of major depressive disorder was 32.6% (n = 168). An interaction between caries status and depressive disorder was found, and after adjusted analysis, children from mothers with major depressive disorder with negative caries experience presented a higher caries prevalence (prevalence ratio 4.00, 95% confidence interval 1.29-12.41). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that maternal psychiatric disorders could have a negative impact on children's oral health.