ObjectiveThe present study aimed to identify preventive and curative dental health service utilisation (DHSU) in the context of associated clinical and non-clinical factors among adolescents and young adults in Mexico.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingApplicants to a public university in Mexico.ParticipantsParticipants were 638 adolescents and young adults aged 16–25 randomly selected from university applicants.InterventionsData were collected using a self-administered questionnaire filled out by the students. For assessment of dental caries experience, we used the index of decayed, missing and filled teeth.Primary outcomeThe dependent variable was DHSU in the previous 12 months, coded as 0=non-use, 1=use of curative services and 2=use of preventive services.ResultsThe mean age was 18.76±1.76 years, and 49.2% were women. The prevalence of DHSU was 40.9% (95% CI 37.1 to 44.8) for curative services and 22.9% (95% CI 19.7 to 26.3) for preventive services. The variables associated with curative services were age, sex, mother’s education, dental pain in the previous 12 months, caries experience, use of self-care devices and oral health knowledge. For preventive services, the variables associated were mother’s education, dental pain in the previous 12 months, caries experience, use of self-care devices and self-perception of oral health.ConclusionsWhile differences emerged by type of service, a number of variables (sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as dental factors) remained in the final model. Greater oral health needs and socioeconomic inequalities remained as predictors of both types of DHSU. Given the differences revealed by our study, oral health policies should refer those seeking dental care for oral diseases to preventive services, and promote the use of such services among the poorer and less educated population groups.

Objective: To identify the factors associated with the prevalence of dental pain in Mexican adolescents and young adults. Material and methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which data from 638 Mexican subjects, 16-25 years of age, who were randomly selected from college applicants, were analysed. Questionnaires were administered to collect sociodemographic, economic and behavioural variables. Clinical examinations were carried out to determine the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index. The outcome variable was dichotomised as 0 (no dental pain in the last 12 months) or 1 (dental pain in the last 12 months). Statistical analyses included binary logistic regression. Results: Average age was 18.76 AE 1.76 years, and 49.2% of participants were women. Prevalence of dental pain was 34.0%. In the final model, variables significantly (P < 0.05) associated with the experience of dental pain were the use of preventive dental services (OR = 0.34), being a former smoker (OR = 2.37), self-report of very poor/poor oral health (OR = 1.94) or fair oral health (OR = 1.94), self-reported dental disease (OR = 2.06) or gingival disease (OR = 2.84). Conclusions: The prevalence of dental pain was associated with self-reported oral health status, preventive dental visits and smoking; these results have implications for dental practice. We found that recent experience of dental pain was common in young adults, being reported by one out of three subjects.

Dental caries is an infectious disease that can occur in children, sometimes as soon as the teeth eruption starts. Nanotechnology provides effective strategies in prevention and treatment of dental caries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the addition of silver nanoparticles to a fluoride varnish for the remineralization of primary teeth with white spot lesions. A trial was carried out in children with dental demineralization (white spot lesions) on both maxillary dental teeth. One of the teeth received three applications of a fluoride varnish with silver nanoparticles, and the other one, three applications of the same varnish without the silver nanoparticles. We measured the mineral content of the teeth with a laser cavity detection device (DIAGNOdent®) before the first application of the varnishes, and 3 months after the last application. The results show significant differences between teeth treated with silver nanoparticles. Teeth have been treated with fluoride varnish added with silver nanoparticles  seemed to enhance dental structure than teeth treated with conventional varnish, and this effect was also found between basal and final measurements in this group. The fluoride varnish added with silver nanoparticles seems to be more effective in the dental remineralization. This strategy may be used as a prophylactic measure to avoid development of caries.

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The aim of the present study was to examine the short-term biocompatibility of Endosequence Root Repair Material (ERRM) paste and white Mineral Trioxide Aggregate MTA by implanting them into polyethylene tubes in the subcutaneous connective tissue of rats. twenty five male Wistar rats, 3-4 months old, weighing 300-350 g, were used. The tubes were implanted dorsally into the subcutaneous connective tissues of the rats. Five animals were sacrificed at five examination time points: 1, 3, 5, 7 and 15 days. The connective tissues containing the implants were excised. These sections were studied qualitatively and quantitatively using a light microscope. An average value for each group was obtained by averaging the sum of all inflammatory cells counted in 10 randomly selected, separate areas. For the ERRM group: There was a significant increase in the number of inflammatory cells on days 1-3 and on days 5-7 (P ≤ 0.003 and P ≤ 0.024). In the WHITE MTA group, the mean values of the sum of the inflammatory cells during the periods 1-3 days and 5-7 days were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.001 and P ≤ 0.044, respectively) and the XILOPERCHA group: Difference was observed significant in the value of the sum of inflammatory cells during the period of 3-5 days (P ≤ 0.05). According to the results it can be concluded that both, ERRM as MTA, caused an inflammatory reaction, which decreased over time; suggesting that both materials are biocompatible; showing however the presence of a higher organization of collagen fibers around the implants of ERRM.