European Journal of Oral Sciences最新文献

This study investigated trends in oral microbiota composition (index test) that could indicate potential candidates to identify children at risk for dental caries development compared with visual/tactile examination (reference test). MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Lilacs, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to September 2025. Methodological quality was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and QUADAS-2. Qualitative synthesis was performed using all included studies. Thirteen studies that assessed the oral microbiota composition through high-throughput sequencing platforms were included comprising 740 caries-free participants at the baseline. Alloprevotella spp. and Megasphaera spp. were exclusively highly abundant in children who developed caries, whereas Peptostreptococcus spp. was exclusively highly abundant in caries-free children. The diagnostic value of the oral microbiota composition showed specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve ranging from 0.6 to 1.0, 0.75 to 0.90, 0.73 to 0.93, and from 0.51 to 0.94, respectively. High risk of bias was found for the index test. The available evidence does not support the use of oral microbiota composition as a screening test to identify children at risk for caries development. Studies conducted at the species level are likely to provide results with greater sensitivity and specificity, improving risk assessment and understanding of caries-associated microbiota (PROSPERO CRD42023495648).

This study evaluated experimental composites containing dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) particles for toothbrush wear and roughness. Composites containing bisphenol-A glycidyl dimethacrylate/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate with 50 vol% inorganic fraction consisting of barium glass and DCPD (35:15 and 15:35 vol%) or barium glass only were tested alongside a commercial composite (Beautifil II, Shofu) and a glass-ionomer cement (GIC, Fuji Gold Label 9, GC). Surface loss and roughness were quantified after 50,000 and 100,000 cycles using optical profilometry. The specimens were observed under scanning electron microscopy. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance/Tukey test. After 50,000 cycles, surface loss was higher for the 35% DCPD composite compared to the experimental control and the GIC. After 100,000 cycles, composites with DCPD presented surface loss not different than the commercial composite but higher than seen for the experimental control and the GIC. Roughness for the composite with 35% DCPD was not different than that of the GIC at baseline, which was higher than seen for the other materials. After 100,000 cycles, roughness for the materials containing DCPD and the GIC were not statistically different. In conclusion, the results suggest that DCPD-containing composites would be better suited for restoration of deciduous teeth and low load-bearing restorations in permanent teeth.

We aimed to estimate the associations between anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety and depression and general anxiety at the latent level. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 3320 adults aged 33-35 years in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Dental anxiety was measured with the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and general anxiety and depression with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor model with a residual correlation for dental anxiety (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.999, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.038). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate primary latent correlations between anticipatory dental anxiety, treatment-related dental anxiety, depression, and general anxiety. Secondary models adjusted for sex, education, and smoking. Depression and general anxiety correlated strongly (r = 0.72). Both anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety showed modest associations with general anxiety (r = 0.16-0.18), whereas associations with depression were weaker and attenuated after adjustment. The two dental anxiety constructs were strongly interrelated (r = 0.85). Female sex, lower education, and smoking predicted higher dental anxiety. These findings support the distinctiveness of the two constructs of dental anxiety from depression and general anxiety, though partly overlapping with the latter. Future research should further clarify their developmental pathways and shared mechanisms.

This study investigated how estrogen deficiency and streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) affect rat gingival mucosa, focusing on autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome expression. Twenty rats were ovariectomized (OVX) or SHAM-operated (SHAM) and divided into SHAM, OVX, SHAM-DM, and OVX-DM groups. After 7 weeks, rats were euthanized, and maxillae containing gingival mucosa were processed for histology and immunohistochemistry for autophagy (Beclin-1, LC3B) and inflammasome (NLRP3, IL-1β) markers. Publicly available data were analyzed to assess these markers in gingival tissue from periodontitis patients. Epithelial and stratum corneum thickness increased in OVX, SHAM-DM, and OVX-DM groups. SHAM-DM and OVX-DM rats showed more keratinocytes with large vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli. The highest numbers of mast cells, especially degranulated ones, occurred in OVX-DM. Increased Beclin-1, LC3B, NLRP3, and IL-1β expression was detected in the lamina propria and gingival epithelium, particularly in OVX-DM. These markers showed positive correlations. Bioinformatics revealed increased LC3B, NLRP3, and IL1B transcription in periodontitis patients' gingiva. Positive correlations were found between BECN1 and LC3B, BECN1 and NLRP3, LC3B and NLRP3, and NLRP3 and IL1B; BECN1 and IL1B correlated negatively. These findings suggest that increased autophagy and NLRP3 inflammasome activation contribute to gingival mucosa damage in estrogen-deficient diabetic rats and in periodontitis patients.

The demand for non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) is increasing due to longer life expectancy and reduced edentulism. This descriptive study examined quantitatively the task allocation between dentists and dental hygienists and the influence of patient age on NSPT provision using aggregated data from electronic patient records of patients aged 60+ attending public oral healthcare in Helsinki, Finland, in the period 2007-2016. Nearly 50% of the patients received NSPT, either time-based or complex treatments. Of all appointments, 7% involved time-based NSPT by dentists and 13% by dental hygienists. NSPT comprised 98% of all periodontal procedures, with dental hygienists performing 60%. Dentists mainly provided short (<20 min) and ≥20 min treatments, each accounting for 8%-13% per age group, whereas longer and complex treatments were rare (1%-4%) and declined with age group. Dental hygienists increasingly performed ≥20 min treatments in the older age groups (12%-22%), with ≥30 min treatments being most common (32%-37%). Although ≥45 min procedures were infrequent, dental hygienists performed them twice as often as dentists, with a decreasing trend in the older patient groups. No obvious differences were found across study years. Findings emphasize dental hygienists' central role in periodontal care and suggest age-related differences in treatment duration and provider allocation.

This in vitro study evaluated the effect of hydroalcoholic propolis extract (HPE) as a collagen cross-linking agent for preserving the dentin-adhesive interface. Dentin beams from human third molars were demineralized with 10% phosphoric acid and assigned to five treatments: distilled water (control), 6.5% grape seed extract (GSE), and HPE at 0.1%, 1%, or 10%. Elastic modulus (n = 10), dry mass variation (n = 10), and microtensile bond strength (µTBS, n = 8) were assessed after 24 h and after 6 months of storage. Collagen stability was analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (n = 10). Elastic modulus was evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman tests, dry mass variation, and µTBS with linear mixed-effects models. GSE produced the greatest increase in elastic modulus, followed by 1% and 0.1% HPE. After 6 months, all experimental groups maintained µTBS, except 0.1% HPE and the control, which showed reductions of approximately 30%. Spectroscopic analysis revealed increased Amide I and decreased Amide II bands in all treated groups, indicating enhanced collagen cross-linking. Overall, HPE-particularly at 1%-improved dentin collagen stability and contributed to the preservation of the adhesive interface over time.