Abstract: The understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in root resorption in deciduous teeth is important to the future development of preventive measures and treatments of this condition. The aim of the present study was to compare the expression and immunostaining of iNOS, MMP-9, OPG and RANKL in the periodontal ligament (PDL) of deciduous teeth with physiologic root resorption (GI), inflammatory pathological root resorption (GII) and permanent teeth (GIII), the negative control. Teeth in GI (n = 10), GII (n = 10) and (GIII) (n = 10) were submitted to immunohistochemical analysis to determine the expression of iNOS, MMP-9, OPG, and RANKL. The immunostaining was analysed by optical density. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, followed by Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test (p < 0.05). The results showed that iNOS, MMP-9 and RANKL expression in the PDL was higher in GII compared to GI and GIII (p < 0.05). Moreover, RANKL expression was higher in GI compared to GIII (p < 0.001), while OPG immunolabelling was lower in GII compared to GI and GIII (p < 0.001). The PDL of deciduous teeth bearing inflammatory processed exhibited upregulation of resorption-associated factors as well as enzymes related to tissue degradation which, in turn explains the exacerbation and greater susceptibility of those teeth to root resorption process.

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é identificar as produções científicas sobre o acesso e utilização de serviços odontológicos por gestantes. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa de literatura com busca nas bases de dados BVS e MEDLINE/PubMed. Na base BVS os descritores foram: “acesso aos serviços de saúde”, “saúde bucal” e “gestantes”, e na PubMed: “Health services accessibility”, “oral health” e “pregnant women”, associados entre si pelo operador booleano AND. Foram encontrados cinco estudos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, sendo sistematizados em duas categorias empiricas e co-relacionadas: número expressivo de gestantes que não realizam o pré-natal odontológico e importância de medidas educativas que sinalizem a necessidade de receberem acompanhamento odontológico durante as consultas de pré-natal. Existe a necessidade de mais estudos, para embasar políticas de saúde pública que contemplem esta temática. As pesquisas existentes demonstram baixa adesão ao pré-natal odontológico e que os principais fatores observados como complicadores do acesso e utilização dos serviços odontológicos foram os relacionados aos aspectos socioeconômicos, culturais e educacionais.

Abstract The objective of this article is to identify the scientific productions on the access and use of dental services by pregnant women. A search was carried out on the BVS and MEDLINE/PubMed online databases to produce this integrative literature review. In the BVS database, the Portuguese descriptors were: “acesso aos serviços de saúde”, “saúde bucal” and “gestantes”, and in PubMed: “Health services accessibility”, “oral health” and “pregnant women”, all associated with each other by the Boolean operator “AND”. We identified five studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were systematized into two empirical and co-related categories: the significant number of pregnant women who do not perform prenatal dental care and the importance of educational measures that signal the need to receive dental care during prenatal visits. Further studies on the subject are required to support public health policies that consider this theme. Existing research shows low adherence to prenatal dental care and that the main factors hindering the access to and use of dental services were related to socioeconomic, cultural and educational aspects.

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é identificar as produções científicas sobre o acesso e utilização de serviços odontológicos por gestantes. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa de literatura com busca nas bases de dados BVS e MEDLINE/PubMed. Na base BVS os descritores foram: “acesso aos serviços de saúde”, “saúde bucal” e “gestantes”, e na PubMed: “Health services accessibility”, “oral health” e “pregnant women”, associados entre si pelo operador booleano AND. Foram encontrados cinco estudos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, sendo sistematizados em duas categorias empiricas e co-relacionadas: número expressivo de gestantes que não realizam o pré-natal odontológico e importância de medidas educativas que sinalizem a necessidade de receberem acompanhamento odontológico durante as consultas de pré-natal. Existe a necessidade de mais estudos, para embasar políticas de saúde pública que contemplem esta temática. As pesquisas existentes demonstram baixa adesão ao pré-natal odontológico e que os principais fatores observados como complicadores do acesso e utilização dos serviços odontológicos foram os relacionados aos aspectos socioeconômicos, culturais e educacionais.

Abstract The objective of this article is to identify the scientific productions on the access and use of dental services by pregnant women. A search was carried out on the BVS and MEDLINE/PubMed online databases to produce this integrative literature review. In the BVS database, the Portuguese descriptors were: “acesso aos serviços de saúde”, “saúde bucal” and “gestantes”, and in PubMed: “Health services accessibility”, “oral health” and “pregnant women”, all associated with each other by the Boolean operator “AND”. We identified five studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were systematized into two empirical and co-related categories: the significant number of pregnant women who do not perform prenatal dental care and the importance of educational measures that signal the need to receive dental care during prenatal visits. Further studies on the subject are required to support public health policies that consider this theme. Existing research shows low adherence to prenatal dental care and that the main factors hindering the access to and use of dental services were related to socioeconomic, cultural and educational aspects.