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Background: The dependence on the illicit drugs has been proven to be harmful to the oral cavity and may lead to a series of abnormal manifestations. The main objective of this study was to observe the effects caused by the consumption of illicit drugs in the oral cavity, in a prison population in the North of Portugal. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 91 male inmates aged 25-75 years (mean age 41.14 ± 8.98), from Paços de Ferreira Prison. The participants were subjected to a medical interview and a clinical examination. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test were used to assess the association between the qualitative variables. The level of statistical significance used was α ≤ 0.05. Results: The consumption of illicit drugs proved to be a common practice (86.8%), where cannabis, heroin and cocaine were the most prevalent (29.1%). Thirty-one inmates were attending the methadone rehabilitation program (34.1%). Most of patients consuming illicit substances, were also smokers (93.7%) (p

Background: Dental caries is the most common oral disease in the world. When treatable, the drilling method continues to be used. This technique has its disadvantages because it is invasive and nonspecific. Chemomechanical carious tissue removal agents (CCRAs) such as Carisolv™ or Papacarie® are non-invasive products that allow for the specific elimination of infected dentin. On the other hand, cariogenic bacteria are largely responsible for the initiation and development of lesions. Objectives: The aim is to analyze whether CCRAs have a relevant antimicrobial effect on cariogenic bacteria. Methods: A bibliographic search strategy was carried out in online databases using PRISMA 2020. The evaluation of the antibacterial efficacy of CCRAs was carried out through the analysis of the reduction in CFUs of cariogenic bacteria, and the presence of bacterial deposits, TVC, SVC and LVC by comparison with conventional drilling methods. Results: The results showed that the percentage of reduction in TVC, SVC and LVC for each agent is mostly high, but not significantly different from mechanical methods. The best results were found with CCRAs when compared to polymeric drills. The results also showed that there is a lack of methodological standardization. Conclusions: CCRAs have been shown to have a relevant antimicrobial effect on cariogenic bacteria; however, more studies need to be carried out using standardized methodologies.

Several techniques have been described for maxillary sinus graft augmentation, including the lateral window technique and crestal approach with osteotomes or osseodensification. Platelet-rich fibrin has been used in maxillary sinus lift procedures due to its ability to accelerate soft and hard tissue healing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of PRF in combination with the synthetic hydroxyapatite NanoBone® to enhance bone regeneration in sinus floor elevation with the lateral window technique. Out of the 50 individuals screened in a preoperative assessment visit from the CESPU—Famalicão clinical unit and intervened upon between January 2023 and December 2023, only 6 patients who met the study’s inclusion criteria consented to participate. In a split-mouth study, twelve sinus graft surgeries were carried out. Our observations reveal that for the test group (NanoBone®/PRF), there is a 27.5 ± 4.9% increase new vital bone, 23.0 ± 3.7% increase in inert bone particles, and 49.4 ± 2.8% increase in connective tissue. Meanwhile, for the control group (NanoBone®), there is a 19.5 ± 3.0% increase in new vital bone, 23.4 ± 5.7% increase in inert bone particles, and 57.0 ± 3.5% increase in connective tissue. The results strongly indicate that mixing liquid PRF with NanoBone® does not have a negative influence on the amount of viable bone formation, and it seems to slightly increase the amount of new bone formation and revascularization in sinus bone graft procedures with the lateral window technique compared to the single use of NanoBone®.

Oral candidiasis is an opportunistic infection caused by fungi of the genus Candida. Nystatin, fluconazole, and miconazole are the most widely used antifungal drugs in dentistry, but in recent years, they have been shown to be less effective due to the increase in the resistance to antifungal drugs. The growing challenge of antifungal resistance emphasizes the importance of exploring not only alternative strategies in the fight against Candida spp. infections but also supportive treatment for pharmacological treatment for oral candidiasis. This review aims to evaluate and compare the in vitro reports on antifungal efficacy against Candida spp. exhibited by mouthwashes distributed on the European market. The research question was elaborated through the PEO framework recommended by PRISMA 2020. A bibliographic search strategy was developed for the scientific online databases Pubmed and ScienceDirect. According to the eligibility criteria, 21 papers were included in this study over a 27-year period. Mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine digluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, hexetidine, and fluorine compounds among others, and natural antimicrobials, such as menthol, thymol, eucalyptol, and Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts, have demonstrated antifungal effectiveness. Nonetheless, the methodological variance introduces ambiguity concerning the comparative efficacy of distinct molecules or mouthwash formulations and complicates the evaluation and the comparison of results between studies. Some mouthwashes commercially available in Europe have the potential to be used in anti-Candida therapy and prevention since they have shown antifungal effect.

Introdução: A descoberta dos fluoretos, o reconhecimento da água como a principal fonte destas substâncias do organismo humano, bem como a identificação da quantidade de fluoretos na água de bebida que previne a cárie dentária e, pelo contrário, não provoca fluorose, representam marcos assinaláveis da Medicina Dentária. Objectivos: - Identificar os mecanismos de acção dos fluoretos reconhecidos pela comunidade científica. - Fundamentar o abandono dos suplementos sistémicos de fluoretos. - Averiguar a relação entre suplementos sistémicos de fluoretos e fluorose. Discussão: Os dados que sustentaram, no passado, a evidência de que os fluoretos, incorporados na matriz dos tecidos dentários na fase de maturação, eram os responsáveis e a garantia da manutenção da sua integridade, no período pós-eruptivo, serviram também de suporte à implementação de estratégias que passaram, exclusivamente, pela exposição dos indivíduos aos fluoretos sistémicos, através do consumo de água fluoretada, ou, quando tal não era possível, pela administração de suplementos sistémicos. Volvidos quase 50 anos, uma interpretação dos mesmos dados por parte da comunidade científica, reconheceu, por um lado, a teoria dos mecanismos de acção pré-eruptivos do flúor sistémico como uma interpretação errada dos factos e que não era possível dissociar fluoretos sistémicos, suplementos sistémicos de fluoretos e fluorose, e, por outro lado, admitiu e validou novos mecanismos de acção dos fluoretos. Conclusões: - Os fluoretos sistémicos, incorporados na matriz dos tecidos dentários durante a sua maturação, não são a garantia nem sinónimo de prevenção de cárie dentária. Os benefícios sistémicos dos fluoretos são mínimos. - Os mecanismos de acção dos fluoretos, aceites actualmente pela comunidade científica, são primariamente tópicos, quer para crianças, quer para adultos. - Os mecanismos de acção dos fluoretos desenvolvem-se na cavidade oral através da inibição da desmineralização das superfícies de esmalte, do aumento da remineralização nas superfícies de esmalte e da inibição da actividade bacteriana. - Actualmente, existem dois métodos, unanimemente aceites, para a prevenção e terapêutica da cárie dentária dos indivíduos e das comunidades, nomeadamente a fluoretação da água e a escovagem com dentífricos fluoretados. - A associação entre a utilização de suplementos sistémicos de fluoretos e fluorose é forte e consistente. - Pais e educadores devem ser informados acerca do uso correcto dos fluoretos.