Publications by authors named "Paola Carvajal"

Article Synopsis
  • - This review investigates the prevalence of periodontitis in Latin America and the Caribbean by analyzing 35 studies from 12 countries, highlighting significant variations in disease rates based on factors like age group and methodology used.
  • - It was found that severe periodontitis affects 5.8% to 49.7% of adults, with 15.3% of adolescents experiencing moderate to severe forms, alongside notable cases of gingival bleeding in younger populations.
  • - The review emphasizes the need for standardized research methods and collaborations between countries to effectively monitor and understand periodontitis, calling for multicenter studies to establish better epidemiological data in the region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

During periodontitis, the extracellular capsule of favors alveolar bone loss by inducing Th1 and Th17 patterns of lymphocyte response in the infected periodontium. Dendritic cells recognize bacterial antigens and present them to T lymphocytes, defining their activation and polarization. Thus, dendritic cells could be involved in the Th1 and Th17 response induced against the capsule.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To identify which social determinants of health explain the gap in the remaining teeth between men and women.

Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the Chilean National Health Survey (CNHS) 2016-2017 was performed on the number of remaining teeth in adults. The explanatory variables were organized into structural and intermediate social determinants of health according to the WHO framework.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To describe the radicular dentine thickness in mandibular first premolars presenting C-shaped root canals, to identify the canal walls with less thickness as potential danger zones. In addition, to describe the internal and external anatomical characteristics of these teeth and associate them with the dentine thickness.

Methodology: A total of 70 mandibular first premolars presenting C-shaped root canals were examined.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Senescent cells express a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) with a pro-inflammatory bias, which contributes to the chronicity of inflammation. During chronic inflammatory diseases, infiltrating CD4 T lymphocytes can undergo cellular senescence and arrest the surface expression of CD28, have a response biased towards T-helper type-17 (Th17) of immunity, and show a remarkable ability to induce osteoclastogenesis. As a cellular counterpart, T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs) can also undergo cellular senescence, and CD28 Tregs are able to express an SASP secretome, thus severely altering their immunosuppressive capacities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: The adult population in Chile has a high prevalence of dental caries and non-functional dentition. Fifteen years after the Health Reform, aimed to reduce health inequalities, it is necessary to analyse changes in social inequalities in oral health in Chilean adults.

Methods: A secondary analysis of data from 2003 and 2016-2017 National Health Surveys (NHS) in Chile was performed on seven oral health outcomes in adults: prevalence of untreated caries, prevalence of severe untreated caries, number of teeth with untreated caries, prevalence of functional dentition, prevalence of edentulism, number of remaining natural teeth and utilization of dental services.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: During periodontitis, chronic inflammation triggers soft tissue breakdown, and hyaluronan is degraded into fragments of low molecular weight (LMW-HA). This investigation aimed to elucidate whether LMW-HA fragments with immunogenic potential on T lymphocytes remain in periodontal tissues after periodontal treatment.

Materials And Methods: GCF samples were obtained from 15 periodontitis-affected patients and the LMW-HA, RANKL, and OPG levels were analyzed before and after 6 months of periodontal treatment by ELISA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to analyze the root anatomy and root canal system morphology of mandibular first premolars in a Chilean population. 186 teeth were scanned using micro-computed tomography and reconstructed three-dimensionally. The root canal system morphology was classified using both Vertucci's and Ahmed's criteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study was done to see if adding probiotics or antibiotics (azithromycin) helps people with severe gum disease when they get a specific dental treatment (SRP).
  • Forty-seven healthy people with gum disease participated and were split into three groups: one got nothing (placebo), one got probiotics, and one got antibiotics.
  • After 12 months, all groups improved in some ways, but the probiotics and antibiotics didn’t make any extra difference compared to the placebo group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aimed to determine the expression of distinct matrix metalloproteinases, cytokines, and bone resorptive factors in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) patients and their association with joint pain, mouth opening, and subchondral bone degeneration.

Materials And Methods: Twelve patients affected with TMJ-OA (n = 5), disk displacement without reduction (DDWoR) (n = 3), or disk displacement with reduction (DDWR) (n = 4) were selected. Joint pain was quantified by using visual analog scale, mouth opening was quantified at the maximum pain-free aperture, and bone degeneration was quantified using joint imaging.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: During periodontitis, tooth-supporting alveolar bone is resorbed when there is an increased expression of the pro-osteolytic factor termed receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), which is responsible for osteoclast differentiation and activation. In periodontitis-affected tissues, the imbalance between T-helper type-17 (Th17) and T-regulatory (Treg) lymphocyte activity favors this RANKL overexpression. In this context, immunotherapeutic strategies aimed at modulating this Th17/Treg imbalance could eventually arrest the RANKL-mediated alveolar bone loss.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Periodontal diseases are considered a worldwide public health problem, owing to their high prevalence in developed and developing countries. Periodontitis may lead to tooth loss, which can impact oral health-related quality of life. Gingivitis and periodontitis have been extensively studied regarding their etiopathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and treatment outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The epidemiological data on gingivitis and periodontitis in Latin America are scarce, as the majority of the Latin American studies have analyzed probing depth instead of clinical attachment loss. Reported data have shown high variations in results between different Latin American countries, with the main causes of these differences being the clinical case definition and methodological strategies used. In general, data have revealed that the prevalence of periodontal disease is higher in Latin Americans than in populations in the USA or Europe.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: T lymphocytes play a central role during the pathogenesis of periodontitis, and the imbalance between the pathogenic T-helper type 17 (Th17) and protective T-regulatory (Treg) lymphocytes determines the tooth-supporting alveolar bone resorption. Interleukin (IL)-35 is a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine with therapeutic properties in diseases whose pathogenesis is associated with the Th17/Treg imbalance; however, its role during periodontitis has not been established yet. This study aimed to elucidate whether IL-35 inhibits the alveolar bone resorption during periodontitis by modulating the Th17/Treg imbalance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The serotype b of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) induces higher cytokine production in dendritic cells (DCs) compared with the other serotypes. However, this increased immunostimulatory potential was modified when DCs were co-infected with the other A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of smoking on gingival inflammation in a representative sample of 1,650 adults from Santiago (Chile), Porto Alegre (Brazil), and Tucumán (Argentina). A questionnaire was administered to participants to gather demographic and behavioral characteristics, including smoking habits. The participants were clinically examined to obtain gingival index (GI), gingival bleeding index (GBI), visible plaque index (VPI), and calculus presence values.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess whether apical lesions are associated with inflammatory serum markers of cardiovascular risk, especially high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), in young adults.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, otherwise healthy individuals with apical lesions of endodontic origin (ALEOs) and a clinical diagnosis of asymptomatic apical periodontitis and controls aged between 18 and 40 years were included. Patients' sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and classic cardiovascular risk factors were recorded, and the pathobiological determinants of atherosclerosis in youth score was calculated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: In Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, different serotypes have been described based on LPS antigenicity. Mixed infection with the different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes is frequent in periodontitis patients; accordingly, the role of this bacterial species in the pathogenesis of periodontitis may differ depending whether patients or periodontal lesions harbour one or more of the A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aims of this study were to describe the self-reported oral hygiene habits, dental visit frequency, and gingival bleeding perception in adult populations from three South American cities, and also to assess the association of these variables with sociodemographic data and with the clinical presence of plaque and gingival inflammation. Five-hundred and fifty adult subjects from each city (Porto Alegre, Brazil; Tucumán, Argentina; Santiago, Chile) received full mouth examinations to determine visible plaque and gingival index. A structured questionnaire on demographics, habits, attitudes and knowledge of oral health was also administered.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aim of this double-blind, placebo-controlled and parallel- arm randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1-containing probiotic sachet and azithromycin tablets as an adjunct to nonsurgical therapy in clinical parameters and in presence and levels of Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Forty-seven systemically healthy volunteers with chronic periodontitis were recruited and monitored clinically and microbiologically at baseline for 3, 6 and 9 months after therapy. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from four periodontal sites with clinical attachment level ≥1 mm, probing pocket depth ≥4 mm and bleeding on probing, one site in each quadrant.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aimed to develop and assess the content validity and reliability of a cognitively adapted self-report questionnaire designed for surveillance of gingivitis in adolescents.

Material And Methods: Ten predetermined self-report questions evaluating early signs and symptoms of gingivitis were preliminary assessed by a panel of clinical experts. Eight questions were selected and cognitively tested in 20 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years from Santiago de Chile.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: In Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, different serotypes have been described based on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigenicity. When T lymphocytes were stimulated with these serotypes, different patterns of T-helper (Th)1 and Th17-type of immune responses were reported. Recently, two new Th phenotypes have been described and named Th9 and Th22 lymphocytes; however, their role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives:: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and severity of gingival inflammation and associated risk indicators in South American adults.

Material And Methods:: Multi-stage samples totaling 1,650 adults from Porto Alegre (Brazil), Tucumán (Argentina), and Santiago (Chile) were assessed. The sampling procedure consisted of a 4-stage process.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Probiotics are tiny living things that can help people stay healthy. This study looks at how a specific probiotic called Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 works with dental treatment for gum disease.
  • Twenty-eight healthy people with gum problems were treated with a dental cleaning and either received the probiotic or a fake treatment for three months.
  • Those who took the probiotic had better results, showing less gum issues after a year compared to those who didn’t take it, suggesting it might help reduce the need for more medical treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, different serotypes have been described based on LPS antigenicity. Recently, our research group has reported a differential immunogenicity when T lymphocytes were stimulated with these different serotypes. In particular, it was demonstrated that the serotype b of A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF