Front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic: what is the effectiveness of using personal protective equipment in health service environments?-a systematic review

PURPOSE

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in closed environments, similar to waiting or exam rooms of healthcare facilities, in the face of exposure to a bioaerosol.

METHODS

Combinations of words were selected for six electronic databases and for the gray literature. To consider the eligibility of the studies to be included/excluded, the acronym "PECOS" was used: humans and/or experimental models that simulate aerosol (Population); aerosol exposure and the use of masks/respirators (exposition/intervention); controlled or not controlled (comparison); effectiveness of PPE and the receiver exposure (outcomes); and randomized clinical studies or not, observational or laboratory simulation studies (Studies design).

RESULTS

A total of 4820 references were retrieved by the search strategy. Thirty-five articles were selected for complete reading, of which 13 articles were included for qualitative synthesis. A surgical mask or N95 respirator reduced the risk of transmission, even over short distances. The use of masks, even those with less filtering power, when used by all individuals in the same environment is more effective in reducing risk than the use of respirators with high filtering power for only some of the individuals present.

CONCLUSION

The use of mask in closed environments is effective in reducing the risk of transmission and contagion of a contaminated bioaerosol, with greater effectiveness when these devices are used by the source and receiver, regardless of the equipment's filtering power. (PROSPERO 2020 CRD 42020183759).

Effect and longevity of botulinum toxin in the treatment of gummy smile: a meta-analysis and meta-regression

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness and longevity of the botulinum toxin in the treatment of individuals with excessive gingival exposure.

METHODS

The search was adapted to six electronic databases and gray literature. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-Randomized and Randomized Studies of Interventions. Meta-analyses and meta-regression were performed using random effects models.

RESULTS

A total of 5247 articles were collected during the final search in the database, resulting in 17 articles included. There was a mean decrease of 3.42 mm [95% CI = -4.50 to -2.34; I² = 97%] in the level of gingival exposure 2 weeks after the application of botulinum toxin. The application time explained 29.58% of the observed variance (p < 0.001), with a tendency for the effect size to decrease from the second week of application onwards, with values returning close to baseline levels in 24 weeks.

CONCLUSION

Botulinum toxin is an alternative technique considered effective for reducing gummy smile, especially for gummy smiles up to 4 mm, with a longevity of at least 12 weeks, returning close to initial values within 24 weeks after application.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The knowledge about the longevity and effectiveness of botulinum toxin in the treatment of gummy smile allows for a more adequate clinical planning for these cases, as well as for clinical decisions, as for prognostic factors.

Is there scientific evidence of the mouthwashes effectiveness in reducing viral load in Covid-19? A systematic review

Background

The aim of this research is to verify whether there is evidence in the literature regarding the decrease in viral load present in saliva after using three types of mouthwashes.

Material and Methods

Clinical and/or in vitro experimental studies that have used mouthwashes as a form of intervention to reduce the viral load in saliva were included. Combinations of words and appropriate truncations were adapted for each of the seven selected electronic bases including grey literature.

Results

The selection of articles was carried out in two phases by two independent reviewers. After removing duplicate articles, 1245 references were maintained, and 2 articles were included in the Systematic Review. Both studies were performed in vitro and tested the virucidal action of the PVP-I solution for mouthwash at two different concentrations, 1% without dilution and 7% with 1:30 dilution, on the SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses. Both showed a viral reduction of ≥ 99.99% with 15 s exposure.

Conclusions

Based on the evidence currently available in the literature, PVP-I, at concentrations of 1 and 7%, appears to be the most effective mouthwash for reducing the viral load of COVID-19 present in human saliva. However, the guidelines for dental care refer to the use of hydrogen peroxide but there is insufficient scientific evidence to support this recommendation. Key words:COVID-19, Coronavirus, Mouthwash, Chlorhexidine, Hydrogen Peroxide, PVP-I.

Surgical-Periodontal aspects in orthodontic traction of palatally displaced canines: a meta-analysis

The aim was to determine whether there is a difference in the periodontal aspect (gingival recession, probing pocket depth) of the palatally displaced canine (PDC) compared to the contralateral canine. Also, from a surgical perspective, sought to determine whether there is a difference (surgical duration, postoperative pain) between the surgical techniques. The word combinations were adapted for each electronic database: PubMed, LILACS, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and gray literature. Studies that met the following criteria were considered eligible: (P) Patients who received orthodontic-surgical treatment for correction of PDC; (I) Performing orthodontic-surgical treatment for traction of the PDC; (C) Comparison of the tractioned canine with its contralateral or between the two techniques; (O) Gingival recession, probing pocket depth, postoperative complications and surgical duration; (S) Randomized and nonrandomized clinical studies or observational studies. The overall prevalence of gingival recession was estimated to be 10.53% [95% CI, 3.87% - 25.59%; I² = 88%]. No statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between the means of the variables gingival recession, probing pocket depth and surgical duration. The evidence suggests that traction of palatally displaced canines can be considered a reliable and acceptable procedure.

Impact of orthodontic-surgical treatment on quality of life: a meta-analysis

Background

Orthognathic surgery involves a change in the patient’s functional and aesthetic aspects.

Objective

The objective was to answer the following focused question: what is the impact on quality of life (QoL; aesthetic, function, social, and psychological aspects) in patients undergoing orthodontic-surgical treatment?

Search methods

Appropriate word combinations and truncations were selected and tailored specifically for each electronic database: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and gray literature.

Selection criteria

Studies that met the following criteria was included: patients with dentofacial deformity (P); surgical correction through orthodontic-surgical treatment (E/I); before orthodontic-surgical treatment or patients with no dentofacial deformity (C); QoL (O); cross-sectional, cohort, case-control and randomized or non-randomized clinical trial (S).

Data collection and analysis

In phase 1, two reviewers independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of all references. All articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. In phase 2, the same reviewers completely read the selected articles independently.

Results

A total of 2879 articles were retrieved during the final database search. Fifty-two articles were selected for full reading, of which 16 were excluded, resulting in 36 included articles. The meta-analysis was performed using 13 of the selected studies. When comparing the period before any treatment with the post-operative period of 4–8 weeks, there was an association only for facial aesthetics (mean difference = 3.00; 95 per cent confidence interval = 1.10–4.89; inconsistency index = 63 per cent). The comparison between the period before any treatment with the 6 month post-operative period showed an improved QoL in all of the domains evaluated and, when comparing data after the orthodontic-surgical preparation (before surgery) and after 5–12 months of surgery, there was also statistical significance with an increased QoL for all of the domains evaluated.

Conclusions

In conclusion, based on the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis, the evidence suggests an improvement in the QoL of patients undergoing orthodontic-surgical treatment regarding aesthetic, functional, social, and psychological aspects.

Registration

CRD42017069495

The association of childhood sleep problems with the prevalence of traumatic dental injury in schoolchildren

BACKGROUND/AIM

Sleep quality exerts an influence on attention level and motor skills and is associated with accidental injuries in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between traumatic dental injury and sleep behaviour in children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a small city in southern Brazil with a representative sample of schoolchildren aged 8-10 years (n = 537). Weight and height were measured, and examinations were performed for the determination of clinical occlusion and traumatic dental injury. The parents answered the Sleep Behaviour Questionnaire and questions addressing socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

The prevalence of traumatic dental injury was 22% (95% CI: 19-26) and was higher among children who woke three to four times per night (PR = 3.30; 95% CI: 2.47-4.39), those who fell asleep in the parental bed (PR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.09-1.83), those who were not in a good mood on waking up in the morning (PR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02-1.65), those who became sleepy while sitting and/or studying (PR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.09-2.24) and while watching TV (PR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.0005-1.97) and those who had bad dreams (PR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.76). The Poisson multiple regression model with a multilevel approach revealed that the prevalence of traumatic dental injury was 1.51-fold higher among children with daytime drowsiness (PR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.11-2.04) after adjusting for socio-demographic, occlusal and anthropometric variables.

CONCLUSION

Sleep problems were associated with a higher prevalence of traumatic dental injury among the children analysed.