ObjectivesThe article aims to discuss the IL-1β and TNF-α potential use as salivary biomarkers of periodontal diseases pathogenesis and progression.Material and MethodsThis literature review has been registered in PROSPERO database with following number: CRD42016035729. Data investigation was performed on PubMed database as the main source of studies. The following search terms were used: “salivary biomarkers”, “periodontal diseases”, “TNF-alpha”, “Interleukin-1 beta”. Clinical trials and animal experimental models of periodontal disease were included in the discussion. In regards to inclusive dates, published studies from January 2006 to December 2015 were considered in this review along with the mentioned inclusion criteria.ResultsIL-1β and TNF-α salivary levels increased in diseased groups, they were associated with onset and disease severity, and their levels reduced in response to periodontal therapy. IL-1β and TNF-α could be promising biomarkers in the detection of periodontal diseases.ConclusionsThe use of a salivary cytokine-based diagnosis appears to be a screening method capable of diagnosing periodontal diseases in an early fashion, establishing an era of individualized clinical decisions.

The inflammatory/immune response at the site of peripheral nerve injury participates in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, little is known about the local regulatory mechanisms underlying peripheral nerve injury that counteracts the development of pain. Here, we investigated the contribution of regulatory T (Treg) cells to the development of neuropathic pain by using a partial sciatic nerve ligation model in mice. We showed that Treg cells infiltrate and proliferate in the site of peripheral nerve injury. Local Treg cells suppressed the development of neuropathic pain mainly through the inhibition of the CD4+ Th1 response. Treg cells also indirectly reduced neuronal damage and neuroinflammation at the level of the sensory ganglia. Finally, we identified IL-10 signaling as an intrinsic mechanism by which Treg cells counteract neuropathic pain development. These results revealed Treg cells as important inhibitory modulators of the immune response at the site of peripheral nerve injury that restrains the development of neuropathic pain. In conclusion, the boosting of Treg cell function/activity might be explored as a possible interventional approach to reduce neuropathic pain development after peripheral nerve damage.

Objective This study evaluated the knowledge and perceptions of Brazilian dental students about COVID‐19 and the undergraduate clinical practice during the COVID‐19 outbreak by a self‐administered Web‐based questionnaire. Methods A social network campaign on Instagram was raised to approach the target population. The survey covered demographic and academic profile, general knowledge, preventive measures and perception about COVID‐19. Descriptive statistics were used to identify frequencies and distributions of variables, which were compared by type of institution and current year of enrolment using the Chi‐square or Fisher's exact tests ( α = 0.05). Results A total of 833 valid responses were received over 10 days. Students were able to identify the incubation period, main symptoms and contagious routes of the disease but struggled in recognising the name of the virus responsible for the pandemic. Hand washing before and after a dental appointment with a patient (97.7%) followed by the use of barriers to protect mucosa (97.2%) were the more frequently recognised measures to prevent COVID‐19 spread in the dental office. As for the perception of COVID‐19, 73.2% of the dental students perceived the disease as severe, whilst only 11.1% of them thought that COVID‐19 is severe only for people presenting risk factors. Dental student's knowledge and perception were associated with the type of institution and year of enrolment. Conclusion In summary, the dental students demonstrated an acceptable general knowledge about COVID‐19, but dental schools will need to address gaps in knowledge, preventive measures, and perceptions to ensure a safer return to in person activities.

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HO-1/BVD/CO pathway activation provides anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects on the zymosan-induced TMJ hypernociception in rats.