Although individuals with Down syndrome have considerable oral disease, the prevalence of dental caries in this group is low. The present study aimed to compare known risk factors for dental caries development in children with Down syndrome and a matched population (siblings). In both populations, the number of acidogenic microorganisms, such as mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and Candida species, and the paraffin-stimulated pH, flow rate and IgA concentration in whole saliva were evaluated and compared. Saliva was collected, and the caries index was evaluated in 45 sibling pairs aged between 6 and 18 years old. The salivary IgA concentration was determined by immunoturbidimetry. Salivary mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and Candida species were quantified on mitis salivarius agar containing bacitracin and 20% sucrose, rogosa agar supplemented with glacial acetic acid and sabouraud agar supplemented with chloramphenicol, respectively. Down syndrome children had a higher caries-free rate (p<0.05) and lower salivary mutans streptococci counts (p<0.03) compared to their siblings. Similar numbers of lactobacilli and Candida species were found in both groups. Salivary flow rates were 36% lower in Down syndrome children compared to their siblings (p<0.05). The salivary pH did not differ between Down syndrome children and controls. The Down syndrome children had an IgA secretion rate 29% lower than that of their siblings, but this difference was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the lower number of mutans streptococci in the saliva may be one of the factors contributing to the lower caries rate observed in Down syndrome children, despite evidence of hyposalivation.

Rao et al.'s mandibular canine index (MCI) is a simple odontometric method which uses the mandibular canine as the key to sex estimation. This index is defined as the ratio between the right canine mesiodistal dimension and the mandibular canine arch width. The aim of this study was to contribute to sex estimation using dental techniques by analysing the MCI efficiency, and to propose a new approach for its use. Measurements were taken from 120 plaster casts (70 females) in the 16–30 year age group. Although statistically significant sexual dimorphism was observed in both the mesiodistal dimension and the mandibular canine arch width, the MCI showed a low accuracy in sex classification (54.2% correct identifications). This accuracy was improved to 64.2% using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. Yet, despite the better accuracy, these results reinforce the idea that the MCI may not be particularly useful in sex prediction, since it may not reflect the same degree of sexual dimorphism as its absolute measures.

Influence of delivery and feeding mode in oral fungi colonization – a systematic review –

Background: Hormonal and behavioral changes during pregnancy may impact the oral health of women, which can influence the pregnancy course. Prenatal care practitioners (PCP) must be aware of this bidirectional relation in order to include an oral assessment in routine prenatal care.Objectives: To characterize the knowledge and attitudes of PCP regarding oral health in pregnant women.Search Strategy: The search was carried out in PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, Scopus, and Embase on May 2022.Selection Criteria: Peer‐reviewed cross‐sectional studies published in English within the last 5 years that assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of PCP towards oral health in pregnancy were selected.Data Collection and Analysis: Data were standardly extracted by the three reviewers from the selected articles and their bias was assessed.Main Results: From a total of 996 articles, 24 were selected. Overall, most PCP have an adequate level of knowledge regarding the importance of oral health during pregnancy. Although several professionals reported referring their patients to a dentist, the attitudes and practices of the majority of PCP were still inadequate.Conclusions: PCP are aware of the importance of oral health during pregnancy but still lack translating this knowledge into clinical practice.

Introduction: With the emergence of COVID‐19, dental medicine students were faced with a new reality, as a modification of the learning methods in Dentistry colleges happened. The aim of this study was to characterise the possible effects of Covid‐19 pandemic in terms of anxiety, depression, and stress among students of dentistry.Matherials and Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted between October 2020 and May 2021. A total of 1115 participants from a total of approximately 3000 students from the seven university institutions that teach the master's degree in dentistry in Portugal, agreed to participate. An online self‐reported questionnaire was applied through Google Forms® platform. The questionnaire was divided in three sections: the students' sociodemographic characterisation, pedagogical aspects, and questions about anxiety, depression, and stress using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress‐21 Scale.Results: Normal levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, were found in 41%, 36.7%, and 22.7% of the participants, respectively. Being female was the most significant and strong predictor of anxiety and stress, and for depression, not feeling fulfilled in the course they were in was the most significant variable.Conclusion: The participants presented high values of anxiety, depression, and stress, during the pandemic state. Gender and not feeling fulfilled in the course were important predictors.