Background: In saliva, neutrophil constitutes the most prominent first-line defense of immune cells against pathogenic microbes. The importance of neutrophils to the host immune systems of neutropenic or patients disabled with regard to their neutrophil function results in a tendency toward serious infections, such as early childhood caries (ECC). The cytoplasmic granules present in neutrophils play a major role in neutrophil-mediated inflammation. Azurophilic granules contain antimicrobial proteins, such as defensin, a human antimicrobial peptide (HNP 1–3). The aim of this study is to analyze the correlation of HNP 1–3 secretion with CD63 expression on the surface of salivary neutrophils. Materials and Methods: This study constituted a cross-sectional, analytical observational study. Saliva taken from preschoolchildren between the ages of 4–6 years who had been divided into two groups, i.e., early childhood caries group with decayed, extracted, filled teeth (def-t) index >6 and caries free with def-t = 0, was subjected to a HNP 1–3 secretion test using ELISA assay and an expression test for CD63 by means of a flow cytometry test. The results obtained were analyzed using independent t -test and Pearson correlation ( P < 0.05). Results: The secretion of HNP 1–3 in the saliva of ECC was higher (172.6 ± 41.64) compared to that of caries-free cases (140.39 ± 31.91), whereas the level of CD63 salivary expression in ECC was lower (2.32 ± 0.57) than in the presence of caries (2.67 ± 0.46). Conclusion: In ECC cases, saliva increases HNP 1–3 secretion but decreases CD63 expression on the surface of salivary neutrophils.

Background: Dental caries is an infectious disease and it is preceded by a progressive demineralization in hard tissue surface of the crown. Dental caries is one of the most common diseases that experienced by school-age children. Health education on the prevention of dental caries and peer support education method can improve the behavior of caries prevention. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of peer support education on dental caries prevention behavior in children of school age. Method: This study is a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest control group design. The sampling technique is simple random sampling. The study was conducted in SDN Bandulan 3 Sukun Malang with 35 respondents (experimental group) and in SDN Bandulan 2 Sukun Malang with 35 respondents (control group). The experimental group was treated using peer support education while the control group was given health education with the lecture method. The data of student’s dental caries prevention behavior (knowledge and attitudes) is obtained through a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-tests with significant p value <0.05. Result: The results showed the average score of knowledge in the experimental group at 20.48 and knowledge among respondents in the control group amounted to 18.02, and the average total score of the attitude of the respondents in the experimental group at 20.08 and in control group of 17.77. Results of independent t test analysis test that there is a significant difference in the average scores of knowledge and attitudes of respondents in the experimental group and the control group (p value 0.000, <0.05). Conclusion: Health education with peer support education method is effective in improving dental caries prevention behavior in children at school age.

The palatal rugae patterns provide potentially useful supplementary information to establish the identity of an individual, but only when appropriate antemortem data are available. For this purpose, it is suggested that optical 3D oral/dental scanning is used to retain the data on the rugal and oropalatal patterns. Suitable pattern recognition methods may also reduce the potential effects of rugae modification in time.

ABSTRAKKaries gigi pada anak usia dini merupakan masalah kesehatan yang sangat serius karena merupakan penyakit infeksi kronis yang menular. Dalam beberapa tahun terakhir pandangan tentang neutrofil telah berubah secara dramatis. Neutrofil tidak hanya berperan sebagai pembunuh mikroba melalui proses fagositosis, pelepasan reactive oxigen species (ROS) dan peptida antimikrobialnya tetapi neutrofil turut mengatur aktifasi respon imun. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) berfungsi sebagai aktivator kuat dan kemoatraktan neutrofil oleh karena itu IL-8 merupakan mediator kunci dalam migrasi neutrofil ke lokasi peradangan dan infeksi. Untuk menganalisis hubungan dari jumlah S. mutans dan ekspresi IL-8 neutrofil saliva pada anak usia dini bebas karies dan severe early childhood caries (S-ECC). Perlakuan dilakukan pada dua kelompok yaitu isolasi dan menghitung jumlah S. mutans pada sampel saliva dan sampel hasil kumur dengan NaCl 1,5% yang diisolasi neutrofilnya kemudian dianalisis ekspresi IL-8 menggunakan flow cytometry dari 20 anak bebas karies dan 20 anak severe early childhood caries. Hasil nilai rata-rata diketahui bahwa jumlah S. mutans anak usia dini bebas karies lebih rendah (513.500,00±185.565,28 CFU/ml) dibandingkan dengan S-ECC (977.000,00±222.500,15 CFU/ml), sedangkan ekspresi IL-8 neutrofil saliva anak usia dini bebas karies lebih tinggi (3,31±0,50) dibandingkan dengan S-ECC (2,95+0,56). Penurunan ekspresi IL-8 neutrofil saliva kemungkinan sebagai penyebab meningkatnya jumlah S. mutans pada S-ECC. Karies gigi dimulai setelah gigi sulung tumbuh dan berkembang pada permukaan gigi dengan sangat cepat dan progresif dengan manifestasi berupa nyeri, abses akut maupun kronis, demam, pembengkakan pada bibir sehingga nafsu makan menurun. 2Severe early chilhood caries dengan decay exfolation filling teeth (def-t) ≥ 6 merupakan bentuk yang sangat destruktif karena melibatkan beberapa gigi, termasuk gigi anterior rahang atas.

Background: Night-shift workers experience circadian rhythm disruption, changes in sleep time duration, and effects on their eating habits. All these factors may be related to the release of inflammatory mediators and may affect oral inflammation and periodontal health status. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of sleep time duration on oral inflammation and periodontal health status in night-shift workers and non-night-shift workers. Methods: This study involved two groups with 27 participants each: one group of nightshift workers and one group of non-night-shift workers. Examination of depth of pocket and bleeding on probing (BOP) was conducted with a periodontal probe. Non-stimulating saliva samples were collected to analyze the levels of melatonin, malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) using ELISA. Comparisons for each parameter were performed using independent t-tests, and the relationships between duration of sleep and depth of pocket, BOP, salivary melatonin, MDA, and TNF-α were calculated using linear regression. Results: The night-shift worker group had a short sleep time duration (p = 0.000). The salivary melatonin level of the night-shift workers was lower than that of the non-night-shift workers (p = 0.000). MDA, depth of pocket, and BOP were higher in the night-shift workers (p = 0.000). Only salivary melatonin showed a correlation with sleep time duration in the night-shift worker group (p < 0.05). Neither subject group showed an effect of sleep time duration on depth of pocket, BOP, salivary melatonin, MDA, or TNF-α (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Night-shift workers showed higher rates of oral inflammation and periodontal health status, but there was no relationship between these factors and sleep time duration.