Dentists are healthcare professionals who are at high risk of infection and transmission of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the changes in clinical practice made by Brazilian dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. From June 22 to July 13, 2020, an online questionnaire was sent to dentists using Google Forms. After providing consent, 1,178 dentists answered questions regarding their knowledge and clinical experiences related to COVID-19. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, or Kruskal–Wallis tests, with a significance level of 5%. Brazilian dentists significantly changed their routine dental practices. Biosafety measures were added in their offices by 98% of the dentists, increasing operating costs for 88.3% of dentists. Greater discomfort due to the increase in personal protection equipment (PPE) worn during the pandemic was reported by 58.6%. Furthermore, 84.2% reduced heir hours of service. It was found that the dentists decreased their workload, used additional PPE, and took additional biosafety measures.

This study aimed to assess mothers’ oral health-related knowledge and practices in immediate and late puerperium, and in the child’s first year of life. This study is a prospective cohort study, in which data were collected from 358 mothers of children born between 2013 and 2014, in immediate and late puerperium, and in children’s first year of life, by interviews with sociodemographic characterization and oral health questionnaires, and were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-square test (α = 5%). Participants were mainly aged 20 to 29 years (53.9%), with 7 to 11 years of education (67.6%), from low social class (72.3%), unemployed (58.9%), married or in common-law marriage (84.1%), with more than one child (60.1%). Although 51.7% of them had received information about children’s oral health, only 0.8%, 32.4% and 13.7%, respectively, knew the concept, etiology and preventive attitudes regarding dental caries. Mothers aged under 20 and over 30 years, with lower education and from low social class presented significantly lower oral health-related knowledge. At children’s first year of life, although 78.7% of the children had already been taken to the dentist, half of them had already tasted sugary foods and drinks. It is highlighted the social determination and the need of an improvement of mothers’ oral health related knowledge and practices. Educational actions, especially in prenatal programs, are important to achieve this improvement and to decrease early childhood caries rates.Keywords: Dental Caries. Child. Health Knowledge Attitudes, Practice. Parents. Oral Health.ResumoAvaliar o conhecimento e as práticas de mães sobre a saúde bucal de seus filhos no puerpério imediato, tardio, e no primeiro ano de vida da criança. Trata-se de um estudo de coorte prospectiva, no qual os dados foram coletados de 358 mães de bebês nascidos entre 2013 e 2014, no puerpério imediato, tardio e um ano após o parto, por entrevistas com perguntas sobre dados sociodemográficos e sobre saúde bucal. Os dados foram analisados por estatísticas descritivas e pelo teste Qui-quadrado (α = 5%). As participantes apresentavam, majoritariamente, idades entre 20 a 29 anos (53,9%), com 7 a 11 anos de estudo (67,6%), eram de baixa classe social (72,3%), desempregadas (58,9%), casadas ou em união estável (84,1%), e tinham mais de um filho (60,1%). Apesar de 51.7% delas afirmarem ter recebido informações sobre saúde bucal infantil, apenas 0,8%, 32,4% e 13,7%, respectivamente, sabiam o conceito, etiologia e as atitudes preventivas à cárie. Mães com idades abaixo de 20 e acima de 29 anos apresentaram menor conhecimento sobre saúde bucal do que as demais. No primeiro ano de vida, apesar de 78,7% das crianças já terem ido ao dentista, metade delas já havia experimentado alimentos e bebidas açucarados. Destaca-se a determinação social e a necessidade de melhora no conhecimento e práticas das mães sobre saúde bucal. Ações educativas, especialmente em programas de atenção pré-natal, são importantes para atingir essa melhora e, consequentemente, diminuir as taxas da cárie na primeira infância. Palavras-chave: Cárie Dentária. Criança. Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Práticas em Saúde. Pais. Saúde Bucal.

Fatores genéticos desempenham um importante papel na susceptibilidade à carie dentária na população. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar, por meio da análise de segregação complexa (ASC), o padrão intergeracional da ocorrência da cárie dentária em famílias brasileiras. O estudo foi epidemiológico genético, observacional e transversal. A amostra foi constituída de 21 famílias que exibiam altos níveis de cárie (CPOD>4.5). Os participantes passaram por avaliação bucal, sendo que a cárie dentária foi registrada de acordo com o índice CPOD (dente cariado, perdido e obturado), seguindo as diretrizes da Organização Mundial de Saúde, bem como a presença de gengivite foi avaliada utilizando o índice de sangramento gengival. Foi aplicado um questionário para identificação dos fatores socioenconômicos e práticas de saúde bucal. Análises de regressão linear simples e múltipla foram realizadas para testar a associação entre cárie dentária e as variáveis independentes. A significância estatística foi considerada no nível de 5%, a ASC foi interpretada pelo programa S.A.G.E. A prevalência de cárie foi de 89,2%. Na análise múltipla, apenas a gengivite permaneceu associada (p = 0,005). A análise visual dos genogramas identificou um padrão familiar que sugere a predominância do modelo autossômico dominante. A frequência do alelo de resistência "A" foi estimada em 0,22. O valor médio de cárie foi de 1,35 para os genótipos AA e AB e de 3,95 para o BB. Os resultados do presente estudo fornecem evidências da presença de um gene importante com efeito dominante no controle do desenvolvimento de cárie dentária dentro da mesma família.   Palavras-chave: Cárie Dentária. Epidemiologia Genética. Reabilitação Oral. Susceptibilidade. Abstract Genetic factors may play an important role in the susceptibility to dental caries of the human population. The objective of this study was to investigate, by means of complex segregation analysis (CSA), the intergeneration pattern in the occurrence of caries in Brazilian families. This was a cross-sectional, observational genetic epidemiological study. The sample consisted of 21 families whose probands exhibited high levels of caries (DMFT>4.5). All participants underwent an oral examination. Dental caries was recorded according to the DMFT index (decayed, missing, and filled teeth), according to World Health Organization guidelines and the presence of gingivitis was assessed by using the gingival bleeding index. A questionnaire was applied to identify the sociodemographic profile and practices on oral health. Simple and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to test the association between dental caries and the independent variables. Statistical significance was considered at the 5% level. The S.A.G.E program drove the CSA. The prevalence of caries was 89.2%. In the multiple analysis only gingivitis remained associated (p = 0.005). The visual analysis of genograms identified a family pattern that suggests the predominance of the autosomal dominant model. The frequency of resistance allele "A" was estimated at 0.22. The mean decay value was 1.35 for AA and AB genotypes and 3.95 for BB. The results of the present study provide evidence as to the presence of a major gene with a dominant effect controlling the appearance of dental caries, within the same family.   Keywords: Dental Caries. Genetic Epidemiology. Oral Rehabilitation. Susceptibility.