Cytocompatibility of filling pastes by primary teeth root simulating model.

Evaluate the cytocompatibility of Calen®/ZO, Calcicur®, Vitapex®, Endoflas®, and zinc oxide/eugenol-based (ZOE) root canal pastes (RCP) to human primary osteoblasts (HPO) through a simplified model for primary teeth. The model employed pipette tips filled with 0.037 g of paste, exposed to 185 µL of culture medium for 24 h (n = 6). Release of components was analysed by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-NMR). HPO were exposed to conditioned media for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed by cell density and metabolic activity, and release of interleukin 6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) by immunological assay. Physicochemical properties and antimicrobial efficacy were also evaluated. 1H-NMR spectra analysis showed similarity between ZOE, Endoflas®, Calcicur®, and Vitapex® compared to Calen®/ZO and positive control, which showed distinct released components. Calen®/ZO and Calcicur® exhibited high alkaline pH in all periods and showed similar solubility. Calen®/ZO, ZOE, and Vitapex® showed similar flow rate. Calen®/ZO, Calcicur®, and Vitapex® did not exhibit antimicrobial efficacy. Calen®/ZO presented cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). Pastes did not increase IL-6 release compared to control. Apart from Vitapex®, all pastes significantly induced VEGF/bFGF release. Interactive effects among released products may affect biological response to filling pastes. Calcicur®, ZOE, Endoflas® and Calen®/ZO presented good to moderate cytocompatibility, with low impact on pro-inflammatory cytokine release and induction of growth factors of interest to tissue repair. This simplified model, specific for the evaluation of the cytocompatibility of RCPs on primary teeth, suggests how these pastes might contribute to bone repair in clinical situations of apical periodontitis in children.

Is there a relationship between malocclusion and bullying? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Malocclusion is a highly prevalent public health problem, and several studies have shown its negative correlation with quality of life, self-esteem, and social perceptions. However, its association with bullying is still controversial. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between malocclusion and bullying in children and adolescents. SEARCH METHODS: The databases used for the electronic researches were PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs/BBO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Grey literature was reviewed through Open Grey literature with no language or date restrictions. Selection criteria, based on the PECO strategy, were considered eligible observational studies that included schoolchildren or adolescents (P) with malocclusion (E), compared to those with normal occlusion (C), in which the relationship between malocclusion and bullying was determined (O). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Risk of bias evaluation was made for the qualitative synthesis by the Fowkes and Fulton criteria. Data regarding the age of participants and types of malocclusion and of bullying were extracted among other reported data. The quality of the evidence analyzed was evaluated through the GRADE approach. RESULTS: From 2744 articles identified in databases, nine met the eligibility criteria and were included in present systematic review, of which two studies were judged with methodological soundness. The quality of the evidence was classified as very low due to very serious problems for "risk of bias" and "other considerations" and serious problems of "indirectness". The age of participants ranged from 9 to 34 years considering a cohort study, with a bullying recalling perspective. Malocclusion was both evaluated by researchers and self-reported by participants addressing dentofacial characteristics mostly related to the incisors relationship. All studies evaluated the verbal type of bullying, while 3 also considered physical type. Both types were reported as related to malocclusion, although the results showed that extreme maxillary overjet (> 4 mm, > 6 mm, > 9 mm), extreme deep overbite, and having space between anterior teeth or missing teeth were the types of malocclusion with the strongest relations to bullying. CONCLUSIONS: With very low certainty of evidence, the results of this systematic review suggest that conspicuous extreme malocclusion may be related to the occurrence of bullying among children and adolescents.

Longitudinal Evaluation of Salivary Iga-S in Children with Early Childhood Caries Before and After Restorative Treatment.

Background: Our aim was to compare salivary levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) in children with early childhood caries (ECCG) and those who are caries-free (CFG) and verify these levels in a follow-up period after restorative treatment. Materials and methods: We selected 46 systemically healthy children in the complete primary dentition period, who were allocated into two groups: CFG (n = 23) and ECCG (dmf-s > 0; n = 23). Unstimulated whole saliva was obtained at baseline from both groups and during the follow-up period (7 days, 1, 2 and 3 months) in the ECCG group. The s-IgA was measured using an ELISA assay, and total protein was assessed using the Bradford method. We also evaluated the flow rate (mL/min), Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. counting using selective media plaques. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the software SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc, IL, USA) with a confidence interval set at 95%. Results: Salivary s-IgA levels were higher in baseline of ECCG than in CFG (p<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between s-IgA salivary levels at baseline and the evaluations after dental treatment in ECCG (p>0.05). However, we observed two different changes in s-IgA levels among participants: one group presented s-IgA reduction, and the other group demonstrated its maintenance. It was shown that patients from the ECCG group who presented a reduction in s-IgA levels during follow-up also showed a decrease in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. count (p<0.05), in contrast to patients who did not present this reduction. The flow rate and total protein were similar between groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: The present data support the idea that children with early childhood caries present higher levels of s-IgA in saliva than caries-free children. The restorative dental treatment does not have a significant influence on salivary levels of this immunoglobulin during the follow-up period.

Three-dimensional dental and craniofacial manifestations in patients with late diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis type II: report of 2 cases.

The objective of this study was to report the clinical evaluation results and 3-dimensional (3-D) dental and craniofacial characteristics observed in 2 male patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II. The patients were evaluated clinically (soft tissue evaluation, evaluation of occlusion, periodontal and dental examinations) and by using craniofacial computed tomography, with evaluation of 3-D images in ITK-Snap v. 2.2 (Penn Image Computing and Science Laboratory, Philadelphia, PA; http://www.itksnap.org/) and 3-D Slicer (http://www.slicer.org/) software. Mandibular 3-D volumetric label maps were built from computed tomography scans of both patients and compared through superimposition on a healthy patient's mandibular images. Clinically, the patients presented the following oral manifestations: macroglossia, total open bite and generalized diastemas, and absence of caries. Patient 1 showed dental calculus and bleeding at the gingival margin. Patient 2 showed bleeding at the gingival margin, a permanent maxillary left central incisor missing as a result of trauma, and impacted permanent mandibular left and right second molars. 3-D images showed wide arches, prominent antegonial notches, a narrow mandibular body in the region of the antegonial notches, bilateral severe condylar hypoplasia, and enlarged coronoid processes. 3-D imaging and superimpositions revealed oral and skeletal displacements, contributing to the identification of changes in the course of mucopolysaccharidosis type II in patients with a late diagnosis.

Oral and craniofacial manifestations in a Hunter syndrome patient with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A case report.

We described herein the oral and craniofacial features of a 7-year-old boy, diagnosed in utero with mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II), who was treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at 70 days of age. The main oral clinical findings were the following: macroglossia, posterior cross-bite, crowding, pointed cuspid teeth, delayed tooth eruption, retained primary teeth, and enamel hypoplasia. The image examination showed: retention eruption, posterior primary teeth with short roots, absence of some permanent teeth, and stretching of the stylohyoid processes bilaterally. This patient showed the importance of early diagnosis and HSCT therapy in attenuating the clinical and radiographic oral and craniofacial manifestations of the MPS II patient.

Influence of Caregiver's Sociodemographic Background on the Oral Health Status and Care of HIV-infected Children.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics of caregivers and the oral health of their children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV+) compared to a group of HIV-children and their caregivers. METHODS: One hundred forty HIV+ and 140 healthy two- to five-year-old children and their caregivers who sought care at hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, participated. Caregivers were interviewed for sociodemographic characteristics, and knowledge and attitudes regarding oral health. The decayed, missing and filled primary teeth (dmft) index was obtained for the children. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were used (five percent significance level). Content analysis method was used for qualitative evaluation. RESULTS: Most interviewees were mothers (83.6 percent), did no work outside the home (69.3 percent), had low educational status (47.1 percent), and were born in the South/Southeast regions of Brazil (83.6 percent). The mean dmft was 3.48±3.14 for the HIV+ group and 1.02±1.00 for the healthy children. Oral care was reported as important by 54.1 percent of the caregivers. Those who didn't consider oral care important had never received information about oral health (P<0.01). Caregivers born in the North/Northeast regions took their children to the dentist less frequently than mothers born in other areas (P=0.02). Low educational status influenced the attitudes about oral health (P<0.01), irregular dental visits for the children (P<0.01), and the dmft index (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Caregivers' low educational status and birthplace influenced the importance given to HIV+ children's oral health as well as the oral health knowledge and practices for both HIV+ and healthy children.

Salivary Metabolite Fingerprint of Type 1 Diabetes in Young Children.

Metabolomics is an important tool for the evaluation of the human condition, in both health or disease. This study analyzed the salivary components of type I diabetic children (DM1) under six years of age, to assess oral health related to diabetes control, as well as metabolite profiling using NMR. Partial least squared discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to compare healthy (HG) and uncontrolled DM1 subjects that demonstrated a separation between the groups with classificatory performance of ACC = 0.80, R(2) = 0.92, Q(2) = 0.02 and for DM1 children with glycemia >200 mg/dL of ACC = 0.74, R(2) = 0.91, Q(2) = 0.06. The metabolites that mostly contributed to the distinction between the groups in the loading factor were acetate, n-acetyl-sugar, lactate, and sugar. The univariate analysis showed a decreased salivary concentration of succinic acid and increased levels of lactate, acetate, and sucrose in uncontrolled and DM1 children with glycemia >200 mg/dL. The present study demonstrates that the salivary profile of DM1 differs from that of HG children. It appears that diabetes status control has an important effect on the salivary composition.

Is dental caries experience increased in HIV-infected children and adolescents? A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To undertake a systematic review to assess if HIV-infected children and adolescents have an increased dental caries experience. METHODS: A search of MEDLINE, BIREME, EMBASE, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, SIGLE (Grey Literature) and reference lists of included studies was carried out. To be eligible the studies had to present HIV-infected and non-infected children/adolescents between 0-18 years old. To assess the methodological quality, the studies were categorized in scores from 'A' to 'C'. To perform a meta-analysis a random effect model was used with 95% confidence intervals and two distinct sub-group analyses were carried out in terms of caries progression: data for cavitated and non-cavitated lesions (sub-group 1) and data only for cavitated lesions (sub-group 2). RESULTS: Five studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Four studies (two ranked A and two B in the quality assessment) revealed higher caries scores in primary teeth in the HIV-infected patients with mean dmft/dmfs scores of 3.8-4.1/7.8-11.0 compared to the control group 1.5-2.4/3.4-5.1. No differences in caries index were found for permanent dentition. The meta-analysis excluded caries data of permanent teeth and showed a significant association between caries experience in primary dentition and HIV infection considering cavitated and non-cavitated lesions (OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.48-3.68) or only cavitated lesions (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.59-5.59). CONCLUSION: Evidence exists that suggests HIV-infected children/adolescents have an increased caries experience in primary dentition.

Mother-to-child transmission of Streptococcus mutans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic review was performed with the aim of determining whether there is scientific evidence of the transmission of Streptococcus mutans from mother to child. DATA: The eligibility criteria, based on the PECO strategy, were the following: observational human studies whose subjects were mother and child pairs (P) contaminated by S. mutans (E); comparison according to the presence or absence of S. mutans (C); and whether there is transmission (O). The qualitative analysis was performed by assessing the risk of bias of the included studies, while quantitative synthesis was performed through comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (p<0.05). SOURCES: Two reviewers performed the database search of studies published between January 1950 and May 2014. The strategy included observational studies that assessed the vertical transmission of S. mutans from mothers to children through analyzing genetic strains. STUDY SELECTION: It was found 166 non-duplicated studies. However, after reviewing the articles in full and applying the eligibility criteria, 36 papers were selected for qualitative analysis and 19 for quantitative analysis. The cumulative meta-analysis demonstrated vertical transmission of S. mutans from mother to child (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated evidence of vertical transmission of S. mutans from mother to child because there was an association between S. mutans n mothers and their respective children. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The knowledge of the S. mutans strains is important because the virulence of the microorganisms is varied; also, the virulence affects the dental caries evolution rate, being more or less aggressive.

The relationship between unspecific s-IgA and dental caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis is focused on evaluating the possible association of s-IgA levels and dental caries. DATA: The inclusion criteria comprised the clinical investigations with case and control groups, a caries diagnostic method, and evaluation of unspecific s-IgA concentration by using tests for both groups in humans, healthy subjects, and with statistical analyses. Quality assessment and data extraction of the included articles were performed. Meta-analysis of pooled data was performed through RevMan software after a sensitivity analysis. SOURCES: An electronic and manual search was performed in PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Lilacs, with a supplemental hand search of the references of retrieved articles. STUDY SELECTION: From 314 abstracts, 14 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. After reading the full articles, one of them was excluded due to the lack of a control group. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the heterogeneity among the studies (I(2)) was 41%. The pooled meta-analysis demonstrated higher levels of s-IgA in the caries active group (p<0.00001) than in the control group with a mean difference and confidence interval of 0.27 [0.17-0.38]. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, there is evidence that supports the presence of increased s-IgA levels in caries-active subjects. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Dental caries is a multifactorial disease that comprehends intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The risk factors and events related to dental caries are overlooked in the literature. Additionally, it is also important to understand the host response against this disorder. Since the studies are contradictory in this field, we conducted a systematic review followed by meta-analysis to present the immunological host response evidence-based.

Is non-cavitated proximal lesion sealing an effective method for caries control in primary and permanent teeth? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of sealing non-cavitated proximal caries lesions in primary and permanent teeth. DATA: Only controlled clinical trials and randomized controlled clinical trials that evaluated the effectiveness of sealing on non-cavitated proximal caries with a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included in the study. The primary outcome should be arrestment/progression of proximal caries evaluated by bitewing radiographs. A risk of bias evaluation based on the Cochrane Collaboration common scheme for bias was carried out for each study. The meta-analysis was performed on the studies considered low risk of bias and with pair-wise visual reading results through RevMan software. SOURCES: A comprehensive search was performed in the Systematic Electronic Databases: Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, IBI Web of Science, Lilacs, SIGLE, and on website Clinical trials.gov, through until June 2013. STUDY SELECTION: From 967 studies identified, 10 articles and 3 studies with partial results were assessed for eligibility. However three articles were excluded and our final sample included 10 studies. According to the risk of bias evaluation, six studies were considered "high" risk of bias, and four "low" risk of bias. The forest plot of the meta-analysis showed low heterogeneity (I(2)=29%) and a favourable outcome for the Infiltrant. The chance of caries progression when this technique was used was significantly lower (p=0.002) compared with Placebo. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the technique of sealing non-cavitated proximal caries seems to be effective in controlling proximal caries in the short and medium term. Further long-term randomized clinical trials are still necessary to increase this evidence. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Contemporary dentistry is focused in minimally invasive approaches that prevent the destruction of sound dental tissues next to carious lesions. This paper searches for evidence of the efficacy of sealing/infiltrating non-cavitated proximal caries in arresting caries progression both in permanent and primary teeth.

The oral health of HIV-infected Brazilian children.

BACKGROUND: The number of HIV-infected people has increased almost continuously. Paediatric dentists should be concerned about the oral findings in HIV-infected children and their aetiologic factors, to promote adequate treatment. AIM: To present the oral health aspects of Brazilian HIV-infected children and to verify the aetiological factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted with HIV-infected children. During the medical appointments, children were submitted to visual-tactile exams of oral soft tissues and teeth. All parents answered questions in a structured interview. Data were analysed using the SPSS, release 10.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: Of the 57 children examined, 39 (69.6%) presented one or more oral soft tissue manifestations. More than a half suffered from gingivitis and only 12.5% had no visible dental biofilm. A high prevalence of dental surfaces with active carious lesions was observed; mean DMFS-m and dmfs-m scores were 5.41 ± 5.61 and 16.77 ± 19.52, respectively. Caries activity and gingivitis were correlated with the presence of mature dental biofilm. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of soft tissue lesions, dental caries and gingivitis in HIV-infected children was high and correlated to lack of satisfactory oral hygiene habits, suggesting the need of therapeutic programmes that allow these children to recover their oral health.

Dental findings and oral health status in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: To present a mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) case series evaluating oral manifestations (clinical and radiographic), oral health status and discussing its implications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with MPS attending the Genetics clinic/Brazil were evaluated by means of anamnesis, clinical and radiographic examinations. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 12 subjects (nine males and three females), with ages ranging from 3-31 years old. Concerning oral health, it was observed high levels of caries and periodontal problems. About oral manifestations, this study clinically observed more cases of delayed tooth eruption, thickness of alveolar process and thick lips. Radiographically, it was observed alterations on condyle, mandibular ramus and joint fossa. CONCLUSION: The dental changes in MPS population are high and consequently it is important to know them for differential diagnoses, early treatment intervention, prevention and education of both patients and parents/caregivers about oral health.

Differential collagenolytic activity of Candida albicans isolated from oral mucosa and dentinal carious lesions of HIV-infected children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare type I collagen degradation by Candida albicans isolated from oral mucosa (M) and cavitated active dentinal caries (CAD) of HIV-infected children. STUDY DESIGN: To verify the proteolytic activity, the specimens were cultivated in brain-heart infusion medium and the supernatants were incubated in the presence or absence of type I collagen at 37°C for 12 hours and analyzed using 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Intensity of the bands on the gels was assessed by densitometric analysis using a scanner and images analyzed with software from Kodak Digital Science EDAS 120. RESULTS: Supernatants of all the C. albicans degraded type I collagen: that from M, on average, by 38.3% (SD 21.67) and that from CAD by 54% (SD 25.94; Wilcoxon test: P < .05). Predisposing factors had no association with the percentage of type I collagen degradation (Mann-Whitney test: P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Candida albicans from different sites of the oral cavity of HIV-infected children has proteolytic activity for type I collagen.

Human papillomavirus coinfection in the oral cavity of HIV-infected children.

AIM: To identify the early presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the oral cavity of HIV-infected children. METHODS: The study group comprised 50 HIV-infected children and 50 healthy aged paired controls. Oral mucosa samples were collected by swab, and a 450 bp HPV DNA fragment was amplified by PCR, using degenerate consensus primers directed to the L1 gene. HPV typing was performed using specifics primers for types 6/16 and 11/18. RESULTS: All HPV co-infected children had vertical transmission of HIV. HPV DNA was detected in 6/50 (12.0%) of HIV children and three control group individuals 3/50 (6.0%) (p>0.01). In the HIV group, one had type 11, in the control group one had co-infection of types 11/16, and the others had type 16 and 18. CONCLUSIONS: Based upon the results, it is concluded that HPV DNA may be present in HIV disease, but no association with immunosuppression, delivery, or medical records (CD4 cell count, viral load and use of highly active antiretroviral therapy) was observed, and no differences could be observed between the groups either.

Use of chlorhexidine gel (0.2%) to control gingivitis and candida species colonization in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate chlorhexidine to control gingivitis and Candida species (spp.) in children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and their acceptance of the therapy. METHODS: Twenty-six HIV+ children were selected, and oral exam-established biofilm, gingival indexes, and stimulated saliva were collected for Candida ssp. identification. The children brushed their teeth for 21 days with chlorhexidine gel (0.2%). Salivary samples, biofilm, and gingival indexes were collected after 21-days and again 35 days after ceasing gel use. The children answered a questionnaire about the therapy. RESULTS: All children tested positive for Candida and gingivitis. After 21 days, Candida counts and gingivitis decreased in 25 and 26 children, respectively. Mean reduction was approximately 68% for Candida spp. and 74% for gingivitis. Thirty-five days after discontinuing gel use, gingivitis and Candida spp. increased in 13 and 16 patients, respectively. Considering the Candida spp., the heavy growth was lower in the first re-evaluation. Candida albicans was the most frequent species. Approximately 85% did not experience inconvenience with the gel, and approximately 48% thought it was good for tooth-brushing. CONCLUSION: Chlorhexidine therapy may be an option to treat and pre- vent gingivitis and reduce yeast counts in children infected with HIV.

The importance of dental care for a child with severe congenital neutropenia: a case report.

Congenital neutropenia is characterized by a decrease in the absolute number of circulating neutrophils and an increased susceptibility to infections. This paper describes the case history of a child with severe congenital neutropenia who had aggressive periodontitis associated with generalized carious lesions. She had Kostmann syndrome, which is associated with recessive mutation of the HAX-1 gene. She had extensive dental caries, which is not common in patients with Kostmann syndrome. The caries caused oral pain and loss of weight and could have been avoided if the parents had received early oral hygiene instructions, and if the child had received regular, professional dental care.

Levels of salivary IgA antibodies to Candida spp. in HIV-infected adult patients: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of published data with the aim of evaluating the levels of IgA antibodies to Candida albicans in HIV-infected adult patients. METHODS: The search strategy was based on PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane and EMBASE databases. Also, the reference lists of included studies were searched. All abstracts found by electronic searches were independently scrutinized by two reviewers. To be eligible for review, the controlled studies had to present the following characteristics: samples of both HIV-infected adults and noninfected adults; appropriate HIV-diagnostic tests for both patient groups (case and control); IgA-diagnostic test applied to a similar population sample. RESULTS: Of 144 studies found, only six met the initial eligibility criteria, but three were excluded after a thorough analysis. To assess the methodological quality of the three remaining studies, they were categorized according the risk of bias. The three selected studies revealed that the levels of C. albicans-specific IgA antibody were higher in HIV-infected individuals compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Adequate IgA antibody responses to C. albicans appear to be maintained, since the levels of these antibodies were higher in all studies selected. Although the findings of this systematic review are encouraging, the scientific evidence should be interpreted carefully because there are only a few reports in the literature, mostly because of the lack of important methodological details or the varying methodologies employed.

Oral Candida colonization and its relation with predisposing factors in HIV-infected children and their uninfected siblings in Brazil: the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate predisposing factors such as orofacial manifestations, immunosuppression status and antiretroviral therapy in relation to oral colonization by Candida spp. in Brazilian HIV-infected children and their uninfected siblings in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Whole stimulated saliva was collected from 65 HIV-infected children (HIV+) and 40 uninfected siblings (HIV-), followed by assessment of orofacial manifestation, caries indexes and the number of cavitated dentinal carious teeth (CDT). The salivary samples were cultured and the colonies were counted. After which they were identified by sugar assimilation and fermentation (API 20C). Data was analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Spearman tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: Regarding positive growth, HIV+ presented 80% (52/65) and HIV- 57.5% (23/40) (P = 0.013). Absence of antiretroviral therapy and HAART increased the probability of Candida isolation (P < 0.05). Mean CD4%, immune-status and history of recurrent oral candidiasis (OC) had no influence on Candida isolation. Mixed Candida spp. cultures were observed in HIV+ (40%) and HIV- (52%): C. albicans was more frequently found in both groups, with a higher prevalence in HIV+ (P = 0.05); other non-albicans species were isolated in HIV+ and HIV-. Low prevalence of orofacial manifestations was observed in HIV+ (10.7% of OC). There was an association between means of CDT and Candida growth (P < 0.05) and a positive correlation between number of CDT and Candida cfu-counts in HIV+ and HIV-. Mean CD4% and immune-status had no influence on Candida isolation. Absence of antiretroviral therapy and HAART increased the probability of Candida isolation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The HIV infected children had a significantly higher prevalence of oral Candida spp. compared to their uninfected siblings. Absence of HAART and presence of dentinal carious teeth increased significantly Candida spp. colonization in these children.

Comparison of techniques to evaluate the quantification of Candida spp. in HIV-infected children.

This study sought to compare techniques used to make a quantified evaluation of Candida spp. in children infected with HIV. Twenty-four HIV-infected children (age 3 to 13) were selected. Three sterilized swabs were used for each child: one for the dorsum of the tongue, one for the hard palate mucosa, and one for the right jugal mucosa; each swab was rubbed for 10 seconds and transferred to sterilized test tubes containing 1 mL of 0.9% saline solution. Candida spp. growth was observed in 95.8% of all samples, including 95.7% of tongue samples (Group T), 87.0% of saliva samples, 56.6% of hard palate mucosa samples (Group P), and 47.8% of right jugal mucosa samples (Group J). There was no statistical difference in Candida spp. growth between saliva samples and Group T samples, although both had higher growth compared to Groups P and J (p < 0.05; chi(2)). Regarding the sensitivity of each site for positive Candida spp. growth, Group T samples showed 69.5%, while saliva samples showed 52.2%, Group P samples showed 21.7%, and Group J samples showed 13.04%, with no significant statistical difference between Group T and saliva; however, both were more sensitive than Groups J and P (p < 0.05, chi(2)). It was concluded that whole stimulated saliva and swabbing the tongue were considered satisfactory for measuring Candida spp. in HIV-infected children.