Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do pH da água de beber nas alterações bucais provocadas pela intoxicação por cádmio.Material e método: Foram utilizados 90 ratos Wistar, adultos, machos, divididos em 6 grupos: A - 15 ratos que receberam solução de cloreto de cádmio (400 mg/L) na água de beber com pH neutro (pH 7,0); B -15 ratos que receberam solução de cloreto de cádmio (400 mg/L) na água com pH ácido (pH 5,0); C - 15 ratos, os quais receberam solução de cloreto de cádmio (400mg/L) na água com pH básico (pH 8,0). D - 15 ratos que receberam água com pH ácido (pH 5,0); E - 15 ratos que receberam água com pH básico (pH 8,0); F -15 ratos que receberam água com pH neutro (pH 7,0). Todos os animais foram eutanasiados 6 meses após o início do experimento. Foram retirados fragmentos da mucosa jugal, língua e glândula salivar de cada animal para análise microscópica.Resultado:Não foram observadas alterações na mucosa jugal, mucosa da língua ou nas glândulas salivares em nenhum dos grupos avaliados.Conclusão: Mesmo em alta concentração o cádmio adicionado à água de beber não mostrou causar dano a mucosa bucal ou às glândulas salivares, independente do pH da água.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of the pH of drinking water in the oral changes caused by cadmium poisoning.Material and method: Ninety male Wister rats were divided into the following six groups: A - 15 rats were given cadmium chloride solution (400 mg/L) in drinking water with a neutral pH (pH 7.0); B - 15 rats received cadmium chloride solution (400 mg/L) in drinking water with an acidic pH (pH 5.0); C - 15 rats were treated with a cadmium chloride solution (400 mg/L) in drinking water with a basic pH (pH 8.0); D - 15 rats received drinking water with an acidic pH (pH 5.0); E - 15 rats were given drinking water with a basic pH (pH 8.0); F - 15 rats received water with a neutral pH (pH 7.0). All animals were sacrificed six months after the beginning of the experiment. A biopsy of the buccal mucosa, tongue and salivary gland of each animal was taken for microscopic analysis.Result: No changes were observed in the buccal mucosa, tongue mucosa or salivary glands in any of the groups.Conclusion:Drinking water that contains a high concentration of cadmium with differing pH levels demonstrated no damage to the oral mucosa and salivary glands of male Wistar rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of methyl methacrylate (MMA) vapor by simulating standard occupational exposure of 8 hours per day and using the micronucleus test. We used 32 adult male Wistar rats divided into three groups: A - 16 rats exposed to MMA for 8 hours a day, B - Eight rats receiving single subcutaneous doses of cyclophosphamide on the first day of the experiment (positive control), C - Eight rats receiving only water and food ad libitum (negative control). Eight rats from group A and all of the rats from groups B and C were sacrificed 24 hours after beginning the experiment (acute exposure in group A). The remaining animals in group A were sacrificed 5 days after the experiment began (repeated exposure assessment in group A, simulating occupational exposure 40 hours/week). Femoral bone marrow was collected from each rat at the time of sacrifice for use in the micronucleus test. Two slides were completed per animal and were stained with Giemsa staining. Two thousand polychromatic erythrocytes were counted per animal. The Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a multiple comparisons test (Dunn test) was used for statistical analysis. The median number of micronuclei was 7.00 in the group exposed to MMA for 1 day, 2.00 in the group exposed to MMA for 5 days, 9.00 in the group exposed to cyclophosphamide (positive control) and 0.756 in the negative control group (p < 0.0001). MMA was genotoxic when measured after 1 day of exposure but was not evidently genotoxic after 5 days.

FUNDAMENTOS: A letalidade dos carcinomas espinocelulares (CECs) de pele é considerada baixa. Os CECs de boca têm prognóstico ruim. Evidências atuais sugerem que os mastócitos, residentes no tecido normal, contribuem para a tumorigênese dos CECs, provavelmente por promoverem angiogênese. OBJETIVO: Comparar a concentração de mastócitos em CECs da pele e da boca e avaliar se há correlação com o grau de diferenciação desses tumores. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram analisados 30 casos de CEC de pele e 34 casos de CEC de boca. A coloração de azul de toluidina, para evidenciar os mastócitos, foi realizada nos blocos com a área central da neoplasia. RESULTADOS: Apenas um caso de CEC de pele apresentou concentração de mastócitos de 0-10 e nenhum caso de CEC de boca apresentou concentração maior que 201 mastócitos no tumor. A maioria dos CECs de boca tem concentração de mastócitos entre 0 e 10 (47% - n = 16); 80% dos CECs de pele têm concentração acima de 51 mastócitos. Todos os casos de CEC de boca com concentração entre 100 e 200 mastócitos e 80% daqueles com concentração entre 51 e 99 eram de lábio. A concentração de mastócitos não está relacionada ao grau de diferenciação do tumor. CONCLUSÃO: A concentração de mastócitos é menor nos CECs de boca, exceto nos de lábio, podendo refletir uma menor necessidade de ativação de células do microambiente para melhorar a vascularização nos cânceres de boca.

BACKGROUND: The lethality of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the skin is considered low. SCC in the mouth is usually associated with poor prognosis. Current evidence suggests that mast cells in the normal tissue contribute to the tumorigenesis of SCC, probably by promoting angiogenesis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of mast cells in SCC of the mouth and skin and evaluate whether there is a correlation with the degree of differentiation of these tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty cases of SCC of the skin and 34 of the mouth were investigated. Toluidine blue staining was used to identify mast cells in blocks containing the central portion of the neoplasm. RESULTS: A concentration of between 0 and 10 mast cells was found in one single case of SCC of the skin and there were no cases of SCC of the mouth with concentrations of mast cells in the tumor >201. In the majority of cases of SCC of the mouth (47%; n=16), mast cell concentration was between 0 and 10, with a concentration >51 mast cells in 80% of cases of SCC of the skin. All the cases of SCC of the mouth with a concentration of mast cells between 100 and 200 and 80% of those with a concentration of 51-99 were located on the lip. The concentration of mast cells was unrelated to the degree of differentiation of the tumor. CONCLUSION: The concentration of mast cells is lower in SCC of the mouth except when the tumor is located on the lip. This may reflect a lower need for cell activation in the microenvironment to improve vascularization in oral cancer.

Little attention has been paid to the toxicity of silver amalgam fillings, which have been used over the centuries in Dentistry. Amalgam particles may accidentally and/or traumatically be embedded into the submucosal tissue during placement of a restoration and perpetuate in such area. This article presents a case of amalgam tattoo and investigates whether it is related to the patient's repeated episodes of sinusitis. The patient was a 46-year-old woman with a 2 mm diameter radiopaque lesion in the right oral mucosa detected on a panoramic radiograph and presented as a black macula clinically. A complete surgical resection was carried out. The histopathological examination revealed deposits of dark-brownish pigments lining the submucosal tissue with adjacent lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate and multinucleated giant cells phagocyting pigments. There was a negative staining for both iron and melanin. One year after lesion removal, the patient reported that the sinusitis crises had ceased after repeated episodes for years. It may be speculated that the inflammatory process related to amalgam tattoo seems to lead to a local immune response that causes sinusitis because it enhances the human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) tissue expression.

O metil metacrilato (MMA) é um monômero que se polimeriza em resina pela ação da luz e do calor, transformando-se em plástico claro, resistente e durável, relativamente inerte. Por apresentar tais características, o MMA tem sido muito usado na Medicina, como cimento ósseo, e na Odontologia, em aparelhos e próteses dentais, o que tem suscitado interesse na avaliação de sua toxicidade. Estudos experimentais e clínicos têm mostrado que os monômeros podem causar uma gama de efeitos adversos. A principal via de exposição ocupacional ao MMA é a inalatória. Este trabalho visa a avaliar a ação tóxica do MMA sobre o epitélio traqueal em relação ao tempo de exposição. Para isso, dois grupos experimentais de ratos foram expostos ao MMA por inalação, com restrição de ventilação: um grupo (n = 36) foi exposto continuamente, e outro (n = 36) foi exposto durante oito horas diárias, sem água e comida durante o período de exposição. Um grupo controle (n = 8) recebeu ar normal. Doze animais de cada grupo de estudo foram sacrificados com 5, 8 e 10 dias de exposição, junto com dois ou quatro animais do grupo controle. Vinte e nove (80,5%) dos ratos expostos continuamente ao MMA apresentaram inflamação do epitélio traqueal, assim como 58,33% (n = 21) daqueles expostos 8 horas/dia e 87,5% (n = 7) dos controles. Não se observou associação entre o processo inflamatório e a exposição ao MMA, nem alterações significativas na medida da espessura do epitélio traqueal. Novos estudos, com tempo mais prolongado de exposição e análise de outros parâmetros, devem ser realizados para que seja excluída, totalmente, a possibilidade de dano traqueal por vapores de MMA.

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is a monomer that is polymerized into resin by light and heat, producing a clear, resistant, durable and relatively inert plastic material. Because of these characteristics, MMA is largely used in Medicine as bone cement and in Dentistry, in dental braces and prostheses, thus generating continuous interest in its toxicity. Experimental and clinical studies have documented that monomers may cause a wide range of adverse health effects. The most important occupational exposure route of MMA is by inhalation. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity of MMA to the tracheal epithelium, according to the time of exposure. For this purpose, two experimental groups of rats were exposed to MMA by inhalation under poor ventilation: one group (n = 36) was exposed permanently, and the other (n = 36) was exposed during 8 hours per day, without water and food supply during the exposure period. A control group (n = 8) received normal air supply. Twelve animals of each study group were sacrificed after 5, 8 and 10 days of exposure together with two or four control animals. Twenty-nine (80.5%) of the rats continuously exposed to MMA developed inflammation on the tracheal epithelium, as well as 58.33% (n = 21) of those exposed 8 h/day and 87.5% (n = 7) of the control rats. No association was observed between the inflammatory process and MMA exposure; no significant alterations in the tracheal epithelium thickness were observed. Further studies on longer exposure times and analysis of other parameters will have to be conducted to exclude the possibility of tracheal damage by vapors of MMA.