Early information on public health behaviors adopted to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) may be useful in controlling the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. The objective of this study was to assess the role of income level (IL) and the perception of older adults, regarding COVID-19 susceptibility and severity, on adopting stay-at-home preventive behavior during the first week of the outbreak in Mexico. Participants in this cross-sectional study were urban community dwellers, aged ≥ 65 years from Mexico City. A total of 380 interviews were conducted over the phone. The mean respondent age was 72.9 years, and 76.1% were women. Over half (54.2%) of the participants perceived their susceptibility to COVID-19 as very low or low. Similarly, 33.4% perceived COVID-19 severity as being very low or low, and 57.6% had decided to stay at home: this behavior was associated with IL (β = 1.05, p < 0.001), and its total effect was partially mediated (15.1%) by perceived severity. Educational attainment was also associated with staying at home (β = 0.10, p = 0.018) and its total effect was partially mediated (15.0%) by perceived susceptibility. Interventions aimed at low income and less educated older adults should be developed to improve preventive behaviors in this vulnerable group during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clinicians should appreciate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) headsets for managing both the anxiety and the behaviour of non-cooperative paediatric patients who require treatment over several dental appointments. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of using a VR headset as a distraction for managing the anxiety and behaviour of paediatric patients during their dental treatment. Eighty patients, aged between five and ten years old and who required dental treatment over three or more appointments, were randomly allocated into two groups. One group used a VR headset during all their appointments, and the other one did not use any distraction technique. The patients were asked to take a Facial Image Scale Test during their first and last appointments to assess their level of anxiety. Additionally, the dentist completed the Frankl Test to quantify the child’s behaviour at the beginning and the end of their treatment. The results obtained, both from the group using the VR headset and from the control group, were compared using the chi-square test. The use of a VR headset during dental treatment significantly reduced anxiety (95% of the children were happy) and improved behaviour (100% positive behaviour) as compared with the control group (40% and 57.5%, respectively). A VR headset can effectively distract a paediatric patient, helping to reduce anxiety and manage behaviour during dental treatment

Background: Multiple guidelines and systematic reviews recommend sealant use to reduce caries risk. Yet, multiple reports also indicate that sealants are significantly underutilized. This study examined the knowledge, opinions, values, and practice (KOVP) of dentists concerning sealant use in the southwest region of Andalusia, Spain. This is a prelude to the generation of a regional plan for improving children’s oral health in Andalusia. Methods: The survey’s target population was dentists working in western Andalusia, equally distributed in the provinces of Seville, Cadiz, and Huelva (N=2,047). A convenience sample of meeting participants and meeting participant email lists (N=400) were solicited from the annual course on Community and Pediatric Dentistry. This course is required for all public health sector dentists, and is open to all private sector dentists. Information on the dentist’s KOVP of sealants was collected using four-part questionnaire with 31, 5-point Likert-scaled questions. Results: The survey population demographics included 190 men (48%) and 206 women (52%) with an average clinical experience of 10.6 (± 8.4) years and 9.3 (± 7.5) years, respectively. A significant sex difference was observed in the distribution of place of work (urban/suburb) (p=0.001), but no sex differences between working sector (public/private). The mean ± SD values for each of the four KOVP sections for pit and fissure sealants were: knowledge = 3.57 ± 0.47; opinion = 2.48 ± 0.47; value = 2.74 ± 0.52; and practice = 3.48 ± 0.50. No sex differences were found in KOVP (all p >0.4). Independent of sex: knowledge statistically differed by years of experience and place of work; opinion statistically differed by years of experience and sector; and practice statistically differed by years of experience and sector. Less experienced dentists tended to have slightly higher scores (~0.25 on a Likert 1–5 scale). Statistically significant correlations were found between knowledge and practice (r=0.44, p=0.00) and between opinion and value (r=0.35, p=0.00). Conclusions: The results suggest that, similar to other countries, Andalusian dentists know that sealants are effective, have neutral to positive attitudes toward sealants; though, based on epidemiological studies, underuse sealants. Therefore, methods other than classical behavior change (eg: financial or legal mechanisms) will be required to change practice patterns aimed at improving children's oral health.

The primary aim of this literature review is to delineate the key inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathophysiology of pulp inflammation. By elucidating the roles of these cytokines, a deeper comprehension of the distinct stages of inflamed pulp can be attained, thereby facilitating more accurate diagnostic strategies in endodontics. The PRISMA statement and Cochrane handbook were used for the search strategy. The keywords were created based on the review question using the PICO framework. The relevant studies were meticulously assessed according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria for this systematic review. A rigorous quality checklist was implemented to evaluate each included study, ensuring scrutiny for both quality and risk-of-bias assessments. The initial pilot search conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and WoS databases yielded 9 pertinent articles. Within these articles, multiple cytokines were identified and discussed as potential candidates for use in endodontic diagnosis, notably including IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2. These cytokines have been highlighted due to their significant roles in the inflammatory processes associated with pulp pathology. The identification of specific inflammatory cytokines holds promise for enhancing endodontic diagnostic procedures and exploring diverse treatment modalities. However, the current body of research in this area remains limited. Further comprehensive studies are warranted to fully elucidate the potential of cytokines in refining diagnostic techniques in endodontics.

Introduction: Glucocorticoids, also known as corticosteroids or steroids, are drugs derived from cholesterol. They are synthesized by the adrenal cortex, along with other hormones, such as cortisol and aldosterone. Glucocorticoids are drugs recommended for patients undergoing surgery on the oral cavity, facial skeleton, and related cervical structures due to their high efficacy against inflammatory and immune processes. However, these drugs are restricted due to their multiple and serious adverse effects. The objective of this study was to verify the efficacy of corticosteroids administered in major surgeries of the oral cavity, as well as of the cervical and facial structures, based on the characteristics of the patient so as to select the best therapeutic strategy. Methods: Articles in the databases of PubMed, Nature Portfolio, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were thoroughly examined. Results: A total of 54 articles were selected to address the proposed objectives. The results obtained show that it is effective and safe to use glucocorticoids as pre- or postsurgical therapy in oral and maxillofacial surgery to control the processes of inflammation, pain, lockjaw, and edema. However, when referring to the use of these drugs, one must proceed with caution and pay particular attention when handling them. The concentration of the glucocorticoids used must be individualized, as well as the selection of the route of administration. Various studies show that, although the oral route is the most used route, the most effective route is the intramuscular route due to its easy absorption. However, for patients who have recurrent inflammatory and vesiculobullous ulcerative lesions, the topical route should be chosen to mitigate side effects, considering that recurrent applications must be made to prevent the worsening of the lesion and to avoid having to use medications enterally. In patients with cervicofacial infections, antibiotics continue to be the main drugs used to manage the condition in conjunction with corticosteroids. It is important to know the possible interactions of glucocorticoids with other medicines or food: it has been described that the interaction between Ritonavir, an antiretroviral drug that inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) proteases, and prednisone causes an increase in the concentration of prednisone, leading to possible toxicity in normally safe doses and, in many cases, iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome. It is also important to know the systemic or topical adverse effects of the chronic or high-dose use of glucocorticoids. Conclusions: It can be concluded that by making adequate use of glucocorticoid therapy in oral and maxillofacial surgery to manage clinical manifestations, it is possible to attenuate the morbidities of treatment and intervention.

With the objective of assessing the periodontal health status, treatment needs, and oral hygiene habits of the population of Mérida, in Mexico, a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. Four hundred forty individuals individually completed a questionnaire on oral health, oral hygiene habits, and quality of life. Additionally, a complete clinical dental examination was performed for each. For the statistical analysis, continuous variables (means and standard deviation) and categorical variables (frequencies) were studied. The associations were made using the analysis of variance test for continuous variables and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. The critical value to identify statistically significant differences was P < .05. The main concern of the population was the possible untreated caries they thought they had, with 36.21% followed by pain with 14.62%. Possible periodontal issues were the main discomfort for only 9%. The percentage of the sample that required periodontal intervention by a specialist was 21.14%. Statistically significant differences were found between age, place of residence, socioeconomic level, and schooling. There are great deficiencies in oral health in the studied group, which is accompanied by a great need for periodontal treatment. Periodontal health is closely related to oral hygiene, so the related sociocultural level should also be taken into account for the study of oral health in the most vulnerable populations. It is crucial to establish strategies to promote oral health.