Assessment of gingival mucosa of infant rats during teething.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to perform a histological analysis of the gingival mucosa in infant rats undergoing the teething process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen Wistar rats between 8 and 15 days of life were distributed among three groups: group A--without teething; group B--eruption of incisors; and group C--eruption of incisors and molars. The samples included teeth and periodontal tissue from the region of the incisors and molars of each animal. Fragments were processed for histological analysis and submitted to immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: In the 8-day-old rats, mild inflammatory infiltrate predominated with mononuclear cells in the pericoronal follicles of the incisors and molars. At 12 days of age, all animals exhibited moderate inflammation in the pericoronal follicles and epithelium of the incisors and mild inflammatory infiltrate with predominantly mononuclear cells in the molars. At 15 days of age, moderate neutrophilic exudate was found in the pericoronal follicles and epithelium of the incisors and molars. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed positivity for interleukin- 1b in the pericoronal follicles in the pre-eruption phase. CONCLUSION: An inflammatory reaction with progressive intensity occurs during the teething process, the response of which is preceded by the release of interleukin-1b. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Morphological proof of events that occur during teething that can affect the dynamics of the physiologic process manifesting as clinical symptoms.

Pulp repair after pulpotomy using different pulp capping agents: a comparative histologic analysis.

PURPOSE: This study's purpose was to histologically evaluate the repair of rat tissue after pulpotomy and covering the pulp tissue with Copaifera langsdorffi oil resin, green propolis extract, fibrin sponge and iodoform-based paste. METHODS: Pulpotomies were performed in the maxillary and mandibular first molars of 21 Wistar rats (84 total teeth). The access cavities were sealed with Coltosol, and histological evaluations were performed at 24 hours, 15 days, and 30 days postoperatively. RESULTS: For all experimental periods and materials, an inflammatory response constituted predominantly by neutrophils was observed, being of milder intensity for the Copaifera langsdorffii oil-resin group and more severe for the fibrin sponge group, which exhibited periapical microabscesses. Necrosis was observed in all groups, and its extension increased with time, except for teeth protected with Copaifera langsdorffii oil-resin. Formation of a mineralized tissue barrier in the pulp exposure area occurred only in the Copaifera langsdorffii oil-resin group. Other findings, such as vascular congestion, edema, and hemorrhage, were observed in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory response was less severe, the area of pulp necrosis was smaller, and more frequent formation of a mineralized tissue barrier was noted after pulpotomy was performed with Copaifera langsdorffii oil-resin compared to the other materials tested.

Prevention of oral lesions in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

UNLABELLED: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of cancer in children and is responsible for severe stomatologic complications. Treatment consists of four phases of chemotherapy, the main side effect of methotrexate, the drug most used during the intensification phase, is oral mucositis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical aspects of the oral mucosa of children with ALL and to determine the effect of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate on the prevention of stomatologic complications in these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three children treated for ALL ranging in age from 2 to 15 years, without distinction of gender or race, were submitted to visual examination, digital palpation of the oral mucosa and cytologic examination of the buccal mucosa, and divided into two groups: group I consisted of 23 children using an oral solution of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate twice a day, and group II consisted of 10 children who did not receive this solution. All children received daily oral hygiene care guided by the dentist throughout treatment. RESULTS: Mucositis was observed in six children of group I and eight of group II, and was characterized by erythema, edema and ulcers. Uniform cytologic findings were obtained for the two groups, with a clear predominance of cells of the intermediate layer in all smears, in addition to a perinuclear halo in 18% of the smears. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that systematic preventive treatment with 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate and oral hygiene care reduce the occurrence of oral complications in children with ALL undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy.

Heterogeneity of metallo and serine extracellular proteinases in oral clinical isolates of Candida albicans in HIV-positive and healthy children from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Candida yeasts frequently cause life-threatening systemic infections in immunocompromised hosts. In the present study, gelatin-SDS-PAGE analysis was used to characterize extracellular proteinases in 44 oral clinical isolates of Candida albicans from HIV-positive (29/50) and healthy children (15/50). Our survey indicates that these oral clinical isolates of C. albicans have complex extracellular proteolytic activity profiles, which illustrates the heterogeneity of this species. We showed four distinct proteolytic patterns composed of distinct serine (30-58 kDa) and metalloproteinase (64-95 kDa) activities, based on the inhibition profile with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and 1,10-phenanthroline, respectively. This is the first report on secreted serine and metalloproteinases present in the culture supernatant fluids of C. albicans; however, we did not observe a significant correlation between proteolytic profile expressed by the C. albicans isolates from HIV-positive children and CD4(+) T cell count and plasma viral load.

Estimation of toothpaste fluoride intake in preschool children.

The objective of this study was to estimate the intake of toothpaste fluoride used by children aged 2 to 6 years (n=87) treated at a hospital of a medium-sized city (Campina Grande, PB) in the Northeastern region of Brazil. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics of families and children's toothbrushing were collected from questionnaire-based interviews with parents/guardians, and the amount of fluoride used during toothbrushing was estimated using a precision scale for assessment of the risk of dental fluorosis, considering a cutoff value of 0.07 mgF/kg body weight/day. Fluoride content in the toothpastes was analyzed using a specific fluoride electrode. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (α=0.05). Considering the use of the derice, the risk of fluorosis in the children was 19.5%. There was significant association (p<0.05) between the risk of fluorosis, brushing frequency, type of derice and who performed the child's oral hygiene. It was concluded that a high percentage of children in the studied sample used toothpaste inappropriately and were at risk of developing dental fluorosis.