Aim: To evaluate the effects of activated charcoal powder (COAL) combined with regular (RT) or whitening (WT) toothpastes on enamel color and surface in comparison to carbamide peroxide (CP). Methods: Dental blocks (n = 10/group) were randomly divided into COAL, COAL/ RT, COAL/WT, CP, CP/RT, CP/WT, RT, WT, and CONT (without treatment). Simulated toothbrushing and whitening treatments were followed by colorimetric (ΔE 00 , L*, a*, b*), surface roughness (Ra), and enamel topography assays. ΔE 00 was submitted to two-way ANOVA and Tukey test. Color coordinates and Ra were tested with three-way repeated measures ANOVA (α = 5%). Results: COAL exhibited greater ΔE 00 than CONT (P = .048), but it did not enhance ΔE 00 promoted by RT or WT (P > .05). COAL alone increased Ra (P < .001) and altered enamel topography. COAL did not increase Ra caused by RT and WT (P > .05). CP exhibited the highest ΔE 00 (P < .05), but it raised Ra and changed enamel topography to a less extent than COAL. Conclusion: Even though charcoal powder did not increase enamel Ra when combined with toothpastes, the topography was negatively impacted by COAL. Also, COAL was unable to enhance the color change of RT and WT, or reach the effectiveness of CP. Clinical Significance: The use of activated charcoal-based product, claimed as a natural whitener, before brushing with toothpastes is not only ineffective to change the color of teeth, but also it might result in alterations on the enamel surface. Whitening with CP, instead, was effective during the same period of treatment, which still represents a more appropriate technique to whiten teeth.

The relationship between the concentration of chemically soluble fluoride found in toothpaste and that present in saliva, during and after brushing, was evaluated as an indicator of potentially bioavailable fluoride in toothpaste. Ten adult participants brushed their teeth with the assigned toothpastes: group I: fresh sample of a fluoride toothpaste: Na 2 F-PO 3 /CaCO 3 , 1,378 µg F/g of total soluble fluoride (TSF); groups II-IV: aged samples of toothpaste presenting TSF concentrations of 1,160, 900, and 597 µg F/g, respectively; group V: non-F placebo toothpaste. The volunteers brushed their teeth for 1 min with 0.7 g of the toothpaste, all toothbrushing residues (TR) produced were collected, the mouth was rinsed with water, and saliva samples were collected up to 120 min. Total fluoride (TF) and TSF concentrations were determined in TR and in saliva samples using a fluoride ionselective electrode. TSF concentration (µg F/mL) in TR was determined as an indicator of fluoride bioavailability during toothbrushing and the areas under curves of saliva fluoride concentration versus time (area under the curve, AUC = µg F/mL × min) were calculated as an indicator of fluoride bioavailability after toothbrushing. A significant correlation was found between the TSF concentrations in the toothpastes and the variables TR (r = 0.850; p = 0.0001) and AUC (r = 0.445; p = 0.004). For TF no significant correlation was found for TR (r =-0.099; p = 0.542) and AUC (r =-0.018; p = 0.912). The findings suggest that TSF concentration chemically found in Na 2 FPO 3 /CaCO 3-based toothpaste could estimate how much fluoride would be bioavailable in saliva when the teeth are brushed.

O Tratamento Restaurador Atraumático (ART) é uma abordagem contemporâneapara o controle da cárie dentária na qual a remoção do tecido cariado é realizada com instrumentos manuais e o dente restaurado com cimento de ionômero de vidro (CIV) de alta viscosidade. Talvez por desconhecimento, muitos profissionais questionam a efetividade da técnica e o fato do procedimento restaurador ser considerado definitivo. Objetivos: (1) Avaliar o conhecimento e a conduta dos cirurgiões-dentistas (CD) que atuam na Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) sobre o uso do ART; (2) Capacitar os CD para realizar o ART no âmbito da saúde da família; (3)Avaliar o desempenho clinico de um CIV convencional indicado para ARTem dentes decíduos e (4) Avaliar o alcance da técnica ART na resoluçãodas necessidades restauradoras de pré-escolares. Métodos: Pesquisa foidesenvolvida em duas fases: 1ª Pesquisa transversal com todos os CD dazona urbana de Teresina, Piauí. 2ª. Ensaio clínico controlado realizado empré-escolares de creches municipais. Resultados: 1ª. fase: O conhecimentodos profissionais sobre ART foi mensurado e a maioria apresenta informaçõescorretas. O nível de conhecimento teve associação significativa com a faixa etária (p=0,0005) e tempo de formado (p=0,0112). Os CD foram treinados para execução do ART em seis oficinas teórico-práticas. 2ª. fase: dados enviados para publicação. Conclusões: A maioria dos cirurgiões-dentistas da ESF de Teresina, Piauí possui bom conhecimento e conduta positiva em relação ao ART, mas necessita de aprimoramento com relação à técnica e sua correta indicação.

Objective: We investigated where Brazilian dental students seek information about COVID-19 by a self-administered web-based questionnaire. Methods: A social network campaign on Instagram was raised to approach the target population. The dental students responded to a multiple-response question asking where they get information about COVID-19. The possible answers were government official websites or health and education institutions websites, TV Programs, professors, social media, scientific articles, other health professionals, and family members. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of responses were evaluated by gender, age, type of institution, and year of enrollment. Results: A total of 833 valid responses were received. The main source of information used by the dental students were government official websites or health and education institutions websites (88.7%), other health professionals (57.3%), and scientific articles (56.2%). The use of social media was reported by 54.1% of the students, while TV programs were information sources used by 39.9% of the students. The least used information sources were professors (38.1%) and family members (7.8%). Conclusions: The respondents seem to be acquainted to seek information in reliable sources and also use social media as a gateway to keep updated about the pandemics. Therefore, knowing where the dental students seek information about COVID-19 might facilitate dental school directors to approach such public continuously, providing them with trustable information on different platforms.

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