RESUMO Objetivo Determinar a associação entre a presença de patógenos periodontais e o baixo peso ao nascer. Métodos Trata-se de estudo observacional e caso controle. Participaram mães de bebês com peso <2.500g (Grupo A) e de recém-nascidos com peso ≥2.500g (Grupo B) nascidos no Hospital da Mulher, em Feira de Santana, (BA). Dados demográficos, história gestacional e aspectos relacionados à saúde geral e bucal foram obtidos por meio de questionário semiestruturado, aplicado no período pós-parto. Após exame periodontal completo, as amostras de biofilme foram coletadas em seis locais na boca. As participantes foram também categorizadas quanto à presença ou ausência de periodontite. As diferenças entre os grupos foram obtidas pelo teste do χ 2 de Pearson, odds ratio e os intervalos de confiança pelo teste de Mantel-Haenszel. Resultados Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia e Prevotella intermedia foram detectados por reação em cadeia de polimerase. Avaliaram-se 303 mulheres pós-parto, sendo 224 (73,9%) do Grupo B. Diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos foram observadas quanto à idade, ao índice de massa corporal e a história de partos prévios com bebês de baixo peso ao nascer. O Grupo A apresentou maior frequência de periodontite (33,34%) do que o Grupo B (16,22%). P. gingivalis e P. intermedia foram detectados com maior frequência em mulheres com periodontite (74,19% e 88,70%, respectivamente). Conclusão Nessa população, não houve associação entre a presença de patógenos periodontais maternos e a ocorrência de bebês com baixo peso ao nascer.

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the association between the presence of periodontal pathogens and low birthweight. Methods This observational and case-control study consisted of mothers of infants weighing <2,500g (Group A), and mothers of newborns weighing ≥2,500g (Group B), born at Hospital da Mulher in Feira de Santana (BA), Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire covering demographic data, gestational history and aspects related to general and oral health was employed postpartum. Following a complete periodontal examination, biofilm samples were collected at six sites in the mouth. The participants were further categorized in terms of presence or absence of periodontitis. Differences between the groups were determined using Pearson’s χ 2 test, odds ratio, and confidence intervals were obtained using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Results Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia and Prevotella intermedia were detected by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 303 postpartum women were evaluated, 224 (73.9%) in Group B. Statistically significant differences between the groups were found for age, body mass index and history of previous low birthweight babies. Group A had a higher frequency of periodontitis (33.34%) than Group B (16.22%). P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were detected more frequently among women with periodontitis (74.19% and 88.70%, respectively). Conclusion In this population, there was no association between the presence of maternal periodontal pathogens and the occurrence of low birthweight infants.

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do envelhecimento, do gênero e de fatores relacionados ao estilo de vida na indução de danos cromossômicos (micronúcleo) e de alterações nucleares degenerativas com o uso do teste de micronúcleo em células esfoliadas da mucosa oral. A amostra incluiu oitenta indivíduos saudáveis divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com a faixa etária e o gênero: homens e mulheres de 19-29 anos (H19, M19), homens e mulheres com mais de sessenta anos (H60, M60). Questionário de entrevista foi aplicado para caracterizar a amostra e para determinar um índice refletindo o estilo de vida (IVS). A frequência de micronúcleos e alterações nucleares degenerativas foi significativamente maior entre os idosos (p<0,001) e não diferiu em função do gênero entre os jovens (p>0,05). Ocorrência de micronúcleos foi similar entre homens e mulheres idosos (p>0,10), mas cariorréxis e cariólise foram mais frequentes entre os homens (p<0,005 e p<0,025, respectivamente), que também apresentaram o menor IVS em relação aos demais grupos (p<0,0004). Os resultados deste estudo permitem concluir que a idade foi o principal fator associado à indução de danos ao material genético.

Abstract The effects of aging, gender and lifestyle factors on inducing chromosomal damage (micronuclei) and nuclear degenerative changes were assessed using the micronucleus test on exfoliated cells of the oral mucosa. The sample included 80 healthy subjects divided into four groups according to age and gender: men and women aged 19-29 years (M19, W19) and men and women aged over sixty years (M60, W60). An interview questionnaire was used to characterize the sample and to determine an index reflecting lifestyle (HLI). The frequency of micronuclei and nuclear degenerative changes was significantly higher among the elderly (p<0.001) and did not differ by gender among young people (p>0.05). The occurrence of micronuclei was similar among elderly men and women (p>0.10), but karyorrhexis and karyolysis were more frequent among men (p<0.005 and p<0.025, respectively), who also had a lower HLI than the other groups (p<0.0004). The results of the study indicate that age is the main factor associated with the induction of genetic material damage.

Chromosomal damage and apoptosis were analyzed in users of mouthwash and/or alcoholic beverages, using the micronucleus test on exfoliated oral mucosa cells. Samples from four groups of 20 individuals each were analyzed: three exposed groups (EG1, EG2 and EG3) and a control group (CG). EG1 comprised mouthwash users; EG2 comprised drinkers, and EG3 users of both mouthwashes and alcoholic beverages. Cell material was collected by gently scraping the insides of the cheeks. Then the cells were fixed in a methanol/acetic acid (3:1) solution and stained and counterstained, respectively, with Schiff reactive and fast green. Endpoints were computed on 2,000 cells in a blind test. Statistical analysis showed that chromosomal damage and apoptosis were significantly higher in individuals of groups EG1 and EG3 than in controls (p < 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference in chromosomal damage and apoptosis was observed between the exposed groups. In EG2, only the occurrence of apoptosis was significantly higher than in the controls. These results suggest that mouthwashes alone or in association with alcoholic drinks induce genotoxic effects, manifested as chromosomal damage and apoptosis. They also suggest that alcoholic drinks are effective for stimulating the process of apoptosis. However, these data need to be confirmed in larger samples.