Oral health is a prerequisite for a good chewing function, which may have an impact on food choices and nutritional well-being. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between oral health status and nutritional status in the elderly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 33 elderly people from the Group for the Elderly Interdisciplinary Geriatrics and Gerontology Program, at Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil, completed a questionnaire to collect information on socioeconomic status, eating habits, physical activity and health habits, undertook a clinical oral examination, blood test, and anthropometric measurements, and were allocated into groups according to age. The oral health status was assessed using the index for decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). The nutritional status was assessed using hemoglobin, hematocrit and albumin concentrations in blood, anthropometric values and the body mass index. RESULTS: Tooth loss was the biggest nuisance to the elderly subjects (57.6%), followed by the use of dentures (30.3%) and ill-fitting dentures (33.3%). 66.6% of patients had difficulty in chewing, and 54.5% reported this to be due to prostheses and 13.6% to the absence of teeth. A significant correlation was found between DMFT and the value of suprailiac skinfold thickness (rho=0.380, p=0.029). CONCLUSION: The results support the temporal association between tooth loss and detrimental changes in anthropometry, which could contribute to increased risk of developing chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of two brands of root canal sealers, epoxy-resin based and zinc oxide-eugenol based, and one commercial calcium hydroxide paste on a monocyte cell line THP-1. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Undiluted (crude extract) and diluted extracts to 10%, 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, 0.001% and 0.0001% of the sealers were tested for cytotoxicity to THP-1 cells using the trypan blue assay. Extracts were obtained according to ISO standard. Data were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests at 5% significance level. RESULTS: Crude extract of AH Plus and Fill Canal killed approximately 90% of THP-1 cells versus 36% of THP-1 cells killed by L&C crude extract (p<0.05). Ten-fold dilutions of L&C, Fill Canal and AH Plus killed 24, 35 and 61% of THP-1 cells (p<0.05), respectively. Dilutions lesser than 1% caused minimal cell death as compared to the control groups (p>0.05), except for L&C 1% extract. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that the L&C paste crude extract was less cytotoxic to THP-1 cells than AH Plus or Fill Canal crude extracts.

This study compared, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the efficacy of three solvents on the removal of filling materials from dentinal tubules during endodontic retreatment. Forty human maxillary canines with straight canals were prepared according to a crown-down technique and enlarged to a#30 apical file size, before obturation with gutta-percha and a zinc-oxide-eugenol based sealer. The samples were stored for 3 months before being randomly assigned to four groups: chloroform (n=10), orange oil (n=10), eucalyptol (n=10) and control (n=10). Solvents were applied to a reservoir created on the coronal root third using Gates Glidden drills. The total time for retreatment using the solvents was 5 minutes per tooth. Following retreatment the roots were split longitudinally for SEM evaluation. SEM images were digitized, analyzed using Image ProPlus 4.5 software, and the number of dentinal tubules free of filling material from the middle and apical thirds was recorded. No significant difference was found among the solvent groups regarding the number of dentinal tubules free of root filling remnants in the middle and apical root thirds (p>0.05). However, the control group had fewer dentinal tubules free of filling material (p<0.05). Under the tested conditions, it may be concluded that there was no significant difference among the solvents used to obtain dentinal tubules free of filling material remnants.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar e comparar o efeito antimicrobiano do MTA Dentsply, MTA Angelus, hidróxido de cálcio e cimento Portland sobre quatro cepas bacterianas: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, e Enterococcus faecalis. Placas contendo agar Muller-Hinton suplementadas com 5% de sangue de carneiro, hemina e menadiona foram inoculadas com as suspensões bacterianas. Poços foram confeccionados com auxílio de perfuradores e imediatamente preenchidos com os materiais, e incubados a 37ºC por 48 horas em atmosfera de anaerobiose, exceto P. aeruginosa. O diâmetro dos halos de inibição foi medido e os dados analisados usando o teste estatístico ANOVA e o de Tukey com nível de significância de 1%. O MTA Dentsply, MTA Angelus e Cimento Portland inibiram o crescimento da P.aeruginosa. O hidróxido de cálcio foi efetivo contra P. aeruginosa e B. fragillis. Sob atmosfera de anaerobiose, condição que pode impedir a formação de espécies reativas do oxigênio, nenhum dos materiais foi capaz de exercer efeitos sobre E. faecalis e E. coli.

The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial effect of MTA Dentsply, MTA Angelus, Calcium Hydroxide and Portland cement. Four reference bacterial strains were used: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, and Enterococcus faecalis. Plates containing Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood, hemin, and menadione were inoculated with the bacterial suspensions. Subsequently, wells were prepared and immediately filled with materials and incubated at 37ºC for 48 hours under anaerobic conditions, except P. aeruginosa. The diameters of inhibition zones were measured, and data analyzed using ANOVA and the Tukey test with 1% level of significance. MTA Dentsply, MTA Angelus and Portland cement inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. Calcium Hydroxide was effective against P. aeruginosa and B. fragillis. Under anaerobic conditions, which may hamper the formation of reactive oxygen species, the materials failed to inhibit E. faecalis, and E. coli.