Drugs Prescribed for Asthma and Their Adverse Effects on Dental Health.

Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous respiratory pathology characterized by reversible airway inflammation. Therapeutics focus on symptom reduction and control, aimed at preserving normal pulmonary function and inducing bronchodilatation. The objective of this review is to describe the adverse effects produced by anti-asthmatic drugs on dental health, according to the reported scientific evidence. A bibliographic review was carried out on databases, such as Web of science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Most anti-asthmatic medications are administered using inhalers or nebulizers, making it impossible to avoid contact of the drug with hard dental tissues and oral mucosa, and thus promoting a greater risk of oral alterations, mainly due to decreases in the salivary flow and pH. Such changes can cause diseases, such as dental caries, dental erosion, tooth loss, periodontal disease, bone resorption, as well as fungal infections, such as oral candidiasis.

Distribution of Dental Fluorosis in the Southern Zone of Ecuador: An Epidemiological Study.

In recent decades, the increase in fluoride exposure has raised the numbers of dental fluorosis in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities In Ecuador, but the last national epidemiological study on DF was conducted more than a decade ago. The objective of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to determine the prevalence, distribution and severity of dental fluorosis (DF) using the Dean index in 1606 schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years from urban and rural environments in provinces that make up the Southern Region of Ecuador. Participants met the inclusion criteria which were age, locality, informed consent document and no legal impediment. The results are presented using percentage frequency measures and chi-square associations. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 50.1% in the areas of Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago, with no significant differences (x2 = 5.83, p = 0.054). The types of DF found most frequently were very mild and mild in all provinces; a moderate degree was more prevalent in Cañar (17%). There was no significant association (p > 0.05) between sex and the presence of dental fluorosis and, with respect to severity, the most frequent degree was moderate at the age of 12 years. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in the area evaluated is high, especially in the light and very light degrees, with a tendency toward moderate levels. It is necessary to carry out studies on the factors that are predisposing to the development of this pathology in the population studied. This research is an update regarding this pathology in Ecuador, so it is concluded that it is necessary to continue developing studies based on the findings obtained, thus contributing to the public health of the country.

Ambulatory Sedation for Dental Procedures-Case of Cuenca, Ecuador.

In recent years, the dental treatment of children under sedation and/or general anesthesia on an outpatient basis has been developed as a behavioral management model in pediatric dentistry. The objective of this study was to establish the percentage of pediatric patients who required deep sedation on an outpatient basis in dental offices in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. An observational study was conducted with a sample of 450 records of school- and preschool-age patients, where the variables were type and time of treatment, age, and sex. Statistical data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS V.27 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). The highest percentage of children who received sedation were of preschool age. In general, there were three types of procedures per session, the most frequent being restorations (67%), followed by pulp treatment (49.8%) and, less frequently, minor surgery. The need for sedation for dental procedures is high in preschool patients, and ambulatory sedation has contributed to meeting this need. However, a regulation for its use is required at a national level.

Caries Experience and Treatment Needs in Urban and Rural Environments in School-Age Children from Three Provinces of Ecuador: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In Ecuador, national epidemiological surveys have not been updated; however, some regional studies in the northern areas of the country still report a high prevalence of dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine the experience, severity, and need for treatment of dental caries in school children aged 6 to 12 years in urban and rural settings in three provinces of southern Ecuador. This cross-sectional, relational study examined 1938 schoolchildren in the provinces of Azuay, Cañar, and Morona Santiago. The survey instruments were based mainly on the WHO manual Methods of Oral Health Surveys (dmft) for primary and permanent dentition (DMFT), as well as the prevalence, severity, and Significant Caries Index (SCI). The parametric Student's t-test was used to compare two groups, and the Spearman's Rho and Tau-c Kendall correlation coefficients were used to associate the categorical variables. Results: The prevalence of caries in the primary dentition was 78% and 89.2% in the permanent dentition. The dmft (M = 4.12, SD = 2.86) and DMFT (M = 3.62: SD = 3.07) placed the general group in a moderate caries index. The need for treatment was 90.68% in the primary dentition, while it was 87.99% in the permanent dentition. Caries severity in both dentitions was high (M = 7.74; SD = 3.42). Conclusions. Alarming indicators of caries experience and the need for treatment were observed in the population studied.

Métodos de diagnóstico molecular en la práctica odontológica / Molecular diagnostic methods in dental practice

El diagnóstico molecular, mediante la aplicación de técnicas molecu- lares, ha permitido estudiar microorganismos presentes en el inicio y progresión de la caries dental, enfermedad periodontal, y en los fracasos endodónticos. Las técnicas moleculares permiten la detección y cuan- tificación del material genético del ácido desoxirribonucleico (DNA), ácido ribonucleico (RNA) o proteínas, lo que posibilita el estudio del genoma completo o secuencias de DNA específicas. Estas técnicas surgen como una necesidad de detectar microorganismos de difícil o lento crecimiento en cultivos; la técnica más utilizada es la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) que permite la amplificación de peque- ños segmentos de material genético al utilizar cebadores, por lo que es un método económico, preciso, sensible y rápido para la detección de microorganismos. El presente artículo de revisión bibliográfica servirá para informar sobre los avances de las técnicas moleculares utilizadas para el diagnóstico en la práctica odontológica (AU)

Molecular diagnosis, through the application of molecular techniques, has made it possible to study microorganisms present in the onset and progression of dental caries, periodontal disease, and endodontic failures. Molecular techniques allow the detection and quantification of the genetic material of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) or proteins, allowing the study of the complete genome or specific DNA sequences, they arise as a need to detect difficult or slow growing microorganisms in cultures. The most widely used technique is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that allows the amplification of small segments of genetic material using primers, it is an economical, precise, sensitive and fast method for the detection of microorganisms. This bibliographic review article will serve to report on the advances in molecular techniques used for diagnosis in dental practice (AU)

Phytotherapy: A Solution to Decrease Antifungal Resistance in the Dental Field.

The pathologies produced by fungi in the oral cavity in recent decades have become a health problem, with factors such as an imbalance of the local microbiota being the cause for their propagation. Conventional antifungal treatments, instead of being beneficial, have generated alterations that have led to antifungal resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate and describe phytotherapy resources as a possible solution to oral antifungal resistance. A bibliographic search was carried out on platforms such as PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google scholar. A total of 248 scientific articles were obtained, of which 108 met the inclusion criteria. Microorganisms of fungal origin currently show resistance to the different antifungals of conventional use, which is undoubtedly altering the oral health of human beings, but there are new therapeutic possibilities such as the active principles of various natural species.

Prevalence of Caries According to the ICDAS II in Children from 6 and 12 Years of Age from Southern Ecuadorian Regions.

In Ecuador, national data on dental caries are scarce and the detection of incipient enamel lesions has been omitted. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of caries in school children aged 6 and 12 years of both sexes, belonging to urban and rural areas of three provinces of the country, using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II). The sample consisted of 665 children from public schools, examined according to ICDASII. Caries prevalence and caries index were established using ICDAS II 2-6/C-G and ICDAS II 4-6/E-G criteria for comparison with WHO indicators. The Mann−Whitney U statistical test was used for comparison of two groups, the effect size was measured with the correlation coefficient. and the Kruskal−Wallis H test (p < 0.05) for multiple comparisons. Caries prevalence exceeded 87% for primary and permanent dentition. There were no significant differences according to province (p ≤ 0.05). The caries index at 6 years was 6.57 and at 12 years 9.21. The SIC was high at 12 years in rural areas. The prevalence of caries in the population studied was high despite the preventive measures established by health agencies.

Estado nutricional y caries de infancia temprana en niños de 0 a 3 años: Revisión de la literatura

Objetivo: Recopilar información relacionando el estado nutricional y la caries de infancia temprana en edades desde los 0 a 3 años. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó la búsqueda de artículos científicos desde el mes de noviembre 2020 hasta el mes de enero del 2021 tanto en español como en inglés en base de datos como: Google Scholar, Scielo, Pubmed, Dialnet, Science Direct, con el uso de las palabras clave: caries dental, conducta alimentaria, lactancia materna, desmineralización, sacarosa. Incluyendo artículos originales, y de revisión bibliográfica. Excluyendo artículos que no pertenecían al tema de nutrición y caries. Resultados: La caries de infancia temprana comienza poco después de la erupción dental, se transmite con mayor frecuencia verticalmente (de la madre al niño), siendo el microorganismo más cariogénico el Streptococcus mutans. Se ha demostrado por varios estudios que la desnutrición no se relaciona con caries de primera infancia, pero si el consumo excesivo de azúcares, la lactancia materna y el biberón nocturno frecuente. Por esta razón, en los infantes entre 0 y 3 años de edad se debe utilizar pastas fluoradas (1000-1100 ppm de flúor) con el fin de eliminar placa bacteriana y la formación de caries dental. Conclusiones: Existe una relación estrecha entre la nutrición y caries dental en niños de 0-3 años, pero el factor más importante es la intervención de los padres en aplicar los cuidados orales en infantes; es importante el conocimiento de los contenidos de azúcares en alimentos, con el fin de evitar la aparición de la caries de infancia temprana.

Sensibilidad y especificidad de pruebas moleculares en odontología / Sensitivity and specificity of molecular tests in dentistry

La biología molecular tiene mayor afinidad en las áreas de la salud, en odontología su principal aplicación ha sido en la identificación de microorganismos orales patógenos mediante el uso de secuencias genéticas específicas (ácido desoxirribonucleico [DNA], ácido ribonucleico [RNA] y proteínas). Las pruebas a nivel molecular se caracterizan por su rapidez, reproductibilidad, sensibilidad y especificidad de los microorganismos diana. El presente artículo de revisión bibliográfica servirá como herramienta para comprender los principios de las técnicas más destacadas como son: PCR estándar y RT-PCR en tiempo real, PCR con transcriptasa inversa, microarreglos y ensayo por inmunoabsorción ligado a enzimas (ELISA), además de sus ventajas y desventajas respecto a las pruebas convencionales (AU)

Molecular biology has a greater affinity in the areas of health. In dentistry, its main application has been the identification of pathogenic oral microorganisms, through the use of specific genetic sequences (deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA], ribonucleic acid [RNA] and proteins). Molecular tests are characterized by their rapidity, reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity of target microorganisms. This literature review article will serve as a tool to understand the principles of the most prominent techniques such as: Standard PCR, Real-time RT-PCR, Reverse transcriptase PCR, microarrays and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in addition to their advantages and disadvantages with respect to conventional tests (AU)

Índice CPOD y limitación para hablar con claridad en escolares de 12 años, Cuenca-Ecuador / DMFT index and limitation in speaking clearly in 12-year-old schoolchildren, Cuenca, Ecuador

Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre CPO-D y la limitación autopercibida para hablar claro en escolares de 12 años de la parroquia El Batán (Cuenca, Ecuador). Materiales y métodos: Fue un estudio observacional, con un nivel relacional retrospectivo, que estuvo conformado por 154 fichas, que corresponde a 104 niñas y 50 niños. Se analizó las variables CPO-D y la limitación para hablar claro mediante estadística descriptiva, y la correlación se halló mediante la prueba estadística de Tau-b de Kendall. Resultados: El índice CPO-D, en general, fue muy bajo, con el 32,5%, seguido por el medio, con el 29,5%. El impacto de la limitación para hablar claro afectó al 35,6% para el sexo femenino y el 46,0% para el masculino. La relación fue significativa (p = 0,000) entre el CPO-D y la limitación para hablar claro, y su asociación fue baja y positiva (0,301). De acuerdo con el sexo, también mostró significancia y su asociación fue media para los niños (0,413) y baja para las niñas (0,261). Conclusión: Cerca de la tercera parte de los escolares mostró un índice bajo y medio de CPO-D. En cuanto a la limitación para hablar claro, menos de la tercera parte exhibió mucha limitación. Se encontró una correlación: entre mayor índice de caries dental mayor será la limitación autopercibida para hablar claro, aunque esta asociación fue baja, y afectó más a los niños que a las niñas de esta área urbana. (AU)

Objective: To determine the relationship between the decayed/missing/filled teeth (DMFT) index and self-perceived limitation in speaking clearly in 12-year-old schoolchildren from the ̈El Batán ̈ parish in Cuenca-Ecuador. Materials and methods: This was an observational study, with a retrospective relational level, consisting of 154 reports, corresponding to 104 girls and 50 boys. The DMFT variables and limitation to speak clearly were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlation was determined by means of the Kendall's Tau-b statistical test. Results: The DMFT index was very low with 32.5%, followed by a medium of 29.5%; while the impact of the limitation to speak clearly affected 35.6% of the females and 46.0% of the males. The relationship between the DMFT index and the limitation to speak clearly was significant (p = 0.000), with a low positive association (0.301). It was also significant according to gender and with a medium association for boys (0.413) and low association for girls (0.261). Conclusion: About one third of schoolchildren showed a low and medium DMFT index. Less than one third of the children studied reported some limitation to speak clearly. There was a correlation between a higher index of dental cavities and a greater self-perceived limitation to speak clearly, although this association was low, affecting boys more frequently than girls in this urban area. (AU)