Probiotics have provided benefits to general health, but they are still insufficient to dental health.Objective:This study aimed to evaluate milk supplemented with probiotic bacteria and standard milk, measured by levels of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Lactobacillus spp., in 3-4-year-old children after 9 months of intervention.Material and Methods:The study was a triple-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. The sample was composed of 363 preschoolers attending five child development centers in Cali, Colombia. They were randomized to two groups: children in the intervention group drank 200 mL of milk with Lactobacillus rhamnosus 5x10 6 and Bifidobacteruim longum 3x10 6 , and children in the control group drank 200 mL of standard milk. Interventions occurred on weekdays and information was gathered through scheduled clinical examination. The primary result was the number of colony forming units (CFU) of S. mutans and Lactobacillus spp. in the saliva. Secondary results were dental caries, rated by the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS), dental plaque, pH, and salivary buffer capacity.Results:The proportion of S. mutans was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group after 9 months; however, the differences did not reach statistical significance (p=0.173); on the other hand, statistically significant differences between groups were found in the CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. (p=0.002). There was not statistically significant difference in the prevalence of dental caries for both groups (p=0.767). Differences between groups were found in the salivary buffering capacity (p=0.000); neither salivary pH nor dental plaque were significantly different.Conclusions:Regular consumption of milk containing probiotics bacteria reduced CFU/mL of Lactobacillus spp. and increased salivary buffering capacity at 9 months of consumption.

Objectives: To determine the frequency, variability, sexual dimorphism and bilateral symmetry of fourteen dental crown traits in the deciduous and permanent dentition of 60 dental models (35 women and 25 men) obtained from a native, indigenous group of Nasa school children of the Musse Ukue group in the municipality of Morales, Department of Cauca, Colombia. Material and methods: This is a quantitative descriptive, cross-sectional study that characterizes dental morphology by means of the systems for temporary dentition from Dahlberg (winging), and ASUDAS (crowding, reduction of hypocone, metaconule and cusp 6), Hanihara (central and lateral incisors in shovel-shape and cusp 7), Sciulli (double bit, layered fold protostylid, cusp pattern and cusp number) and Grine (Carabelli trait); and in permanent dentition from ASUDAS (Winging, crowding, central and lateral incisors in shovel-shape and double shovel-shape, Carabelli trait, hypocone reduction, metaconule, cusp pattern, cusp number, layered fold protostylid, cusp 6 and cusp 7). Results: The most frequent dental crown features were the shovel-shaped form, grooved and fossa forms of the Carabelli trait, metaconule, cusp pattern Y6, layered fold, protostylid (point P) and cusp 6. Sexual dimorphism was not observed and there was bilateral symmetry in the expression of these features. Conclusions: The sample studied presented a great affinity with ethnic groups belonging to the Mongoloid Dental Complex due to the frequency (expression) and variability (gradation) of the tooth crown traits, upper incisors, the Carabelli trait, the protostylid, cusp 6 and cusp 7. The influence of the Caucasoide Dental Complex associated with ethno-historical processes cannot be ruled out.

The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the paralysis of dental services ascribed to the potential spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2. Aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) are common in dentistry, which in turn increase the risk of infection of the dental personnel due to the salivary presence of SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients. The use of rubber dam isolation (RDI) and high-volume evacuators (HVE) during AGPs is recommended to control dental aerosols, but the evidence about their effectiveness is scarce. This first study aimed to compare, in a simulated patient, the effectiveness of the following strategies: standard suction (SS), RDI and RDI + HVE. Using the laser diffraction technique, the effect of each condition on the volume distribution, average size and concentration of coarse (PM10), fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine (PM0.1) particles were evaluated. During the teeth drilling, the highest volume fraction of dental aerosol particles with SS was below 1 μm of aerodynamic diameter. Additionally, the RDI + HVE significantly reduced both the ultrafine dental aerosol particles and the concentration of total particulate matter. AGPs represent a potential risk for airborne infections in dentistry. Taken together, these preliminary results suggest that isolation and high-volume suction are effective to reduce ultrafine dental aerosol particles.

This study reported association between ECC and the increasing amount of bacterial plaque. Other important biological risk factors were not associated with ECC. Regular tooth cleaning can be the most important public health measure to control ECC in day-care children.

Introducción: La atención odontológica durante el embarazo es una oportunidad para promover la salud y prevenir la enfermedad bucodental relacionada con complicaciones con el parto. Objetivo: Describir las diferencias o semejanzas en la prevalencia de caries, de gingivitis y la higiene bucodental en gestantes y no gestantes de 13 municipios del Valle del Cauca en Colombia entre el año 2009 y 2011. Materiales y métodos: Se analizó la base de datos del proyecto prioridad salud oral del Valle del Cauca 2009-2011 que contaba con 2243 registros producto de una muestra aleatoria de usuarios atendidos en los servicios de odontología de los hospitales participantes. El 22,4% de los registros correspondían a mujeres en edad reproductiva y de éstos un 17,3% estaban embarazadas al momento del examen.  Se midieron indicadores relacionados con caries, gingivitis y placa bacteriana, explorándose la probabilidad de ocurrencia con 95% intervalo de confianza. Resultados: Se evaluaron 502 usuarias de los servicios de odontología. La edad promedio de las gestantes fue de 21,9 (5,3 desviación estándar) y 27,6 (8,6 desviación estándar) en las no gestantes. Se encontró una prevalencia de caries y de gingivitis mayor en las mujeres gestantes. No se presentaron diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos, con relación a la historia de caries y el índice de Caries Obturaciones Perdido (COP).  De igual manera, no se observaron diferencias significativas a nivel de placa aceptable y buenas prácticas de higiene oral.  Las gestantes tenían mayores conocimientos acerca de la salud oral. Conclusiones: Existen diferencias entre gestantes y no gestantes con relación a la edad, prevalencia de gingivitis, porcentaje de placa bacteriana, índice COP, conocimientos en salud oral y consumo de alimentos entre comidas.