Background: The aim of the present study was to undertake a systematic review exploring the relationship between childhood obesity and fecal microorganisms, to answer the following question: “Are Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes a significant risk indicator/factor for obesity in children?” The main search terms were “child” and “obesity” together with “gut microbiota” (PubMed: 2005–2017). The minimal requirements for inclusion were the evaluation of gut microbiota composition and BMI in children between 0 and 13 years of age. Methods: Assessed articles were carefully classified according to a predetermined criterion, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were considered. Seven articles were critically appraised and used as a basis for conclusions. Results: Three studies showed a positive association between Bacteroides fragilis and obesity. In addition, a high value of evidence indicated that a decrease in the Bacteroidetes phylum and in Bacteroides/Prevotella groups was related to high BMI. For the Firmicutes phylum, one high-quality study highlighted that it was positively correlated with weight gain. With regard to Firmicutes species, Clostridium leptum , Eubacterium hallii , and Lactobacillus spp. indicated adipose tissue storage, while Clostridium difficile and the Staphylococcus genus were correlated with low BMI. Despite the fact that only one study did not perform real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify the microorganisms, its results corroborated those of the studies that did. Conclusions: Changes in Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla/species levels might in fact be significant indicators/factors for childhood obesity. However, given the small number of articles appraising these entire phyla and the heterogeneity among the species assessed, further well-designed studies are required to improve the knowledge.

Sex differences in gut microbiota are acknowledged, and evidence suggests that gut microbiota may have a role in higher incidence and/or severity of autoimmune diseases in females. Additionally, it has been suggested that oral, vaginal and gut microbiota composition can be regulated by estrogen levels. The association of vaginal microbiota with vulvovaginal atrophy at menopause is well described in the literature. However, the relevance of oral and gut microbiota modulation in the immune system during estrogen deficiency and its effect on inflammatory diseases is not well explored. Estrogen deficiency is a condition that occurs in menopausal women, and it can last approximately 30 years of a woman’s life. The purpose of this mini- review is to highlight the importance of alterations in the oral and gut microbiota during estrogen deficiency and their effect on oral and inflammatory diseases that are associated with menopause. Considering that hormone replacement therapy is not always recommended or sufficient to prevent or treat menopause-related disease, we will also discuss the use of probiotics and prebiotics as an option for the prevention or treatment of these diseases.

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in adolescents and its relationship to gender. The sample comprised 217 subjects, aged 12 to 18. The subjective symptoms and clinical signs of TMD were evaluated, using, respectively, a self-report questionnaire and the Craniomandibular Index, which has 2 subscales; the Dysfunction Index and the Palpation Index. The results of muscle tenderness showed great variability (0.9-32.25%). In relation to the temporomandibular joint, tenderness of the superior, dorsal and lateral condyle regions occurred in 10.6%, 10.6% and 7.83%, respectively, of the sample. Joint sound during opening was present in 19.8% of the sample and during closing in 14.7%. The most prevalent symptoms were joint sounds (26.72%) and headache (21.65%). There was no statistical difference between genders (p > 0.05), except for the tenderness of the lateral pterygoid muscles, which presented more prevalence in girls. In conclusion, clinical signs and symptoms of TMD can occur in adolescents; however, gender influence was not perceived.

We investigated the fear of COVID-19 infection after proper translation and cultural adaptation of the “Fear of COVID-19 Scale” to the Brazilian Portuguese language. A sample of 1,743 Brazilian participants were included. The scale showed excellent psychometric characteristics. Women showed higher anxiety levels. Fear of COVID-19 scores were lower in males with occupational risk of contamination. On the other hand, women and younger individuals showed higher fear of COVID-19 infection scores. The Brazilian Fear of COVID-19 Scale proved to be a reliable tool with excellent psychometric properties for identifying fear of COVID-19 infection in the Brazilian population.

Few investigations have evaluated the characteristics of functional and structural malocclusion in young children. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the ultrasonographic thickness of the masseter and anterior portion of the temporalis muscles, the maximum bite force, and the number of occlusal contacts in children with normal occlusion and unilateral crossbite, in the primary and early mixed dentition. Forty-nine children (26 males and 23 females) was divided into four groups: primary-normal occlusion (PNO), mean (PNO) age 58.67 months; primary-crossbite (PCB), mean age 60.50 months; mixed-normal occlusion (MNO), mean age 72.85 months; and mixed-crossbite (MCB), mean age 71.91 months. Thickness was evaluated with the muscles at rest and during maximal clenching, and comparison was made between the right and left side (normal occlusion), and between the normal and crossbite side (crossbite). The results were analysed using Pearson's correlation, paired and unpaired t-test, and Mann–Whitney ranked sum test.