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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) showed a seemingly increasing incidence in the last decade. In India, despite the use of tobacco decreased rapidly, in the past five years, the incidence pattern of OSCC over gender and age showed a drastic shift. About 51 % of the head and neck cancers are not associated with habits. Studies exploring various contributing factors in the incidence of this malignancy have documented. Recently, the epigenetic factors associated with the induction and progression of OSCC were explored. More than 90 % of the human genome is made up of non-coding transcriptome, which believed to be noises. However, these non-coding RNAs were identified to be the major epigenetic modulators, which raises concern over incidence of carcinoma in non-habit patients. H19 is a long non coding RNA which proved to be an effective biomarker in various carcinoma. Its role in oral squamous cell cancer was not investigated in depth. This review discusses in detail the various epigenetic role of H19 in inducing oral carcinogenesis.

Abstract Background Phytochemicals possess a wide range of anti‐tumor properties, including the modulation of autophagy and regulation of programmed cell death. Autophagy is a critical process in cellular homeostasis and its dysregulation is associated with several pathological conditions, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. In cancer, autophagy plays a dual role by either promoting tumor growth or suppressing it, depending on the cellular context. During autophagy, autophagosomes engulf cytoplasmic components such as proteins and organelles. LC3‐II (microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3‐II) is an established marker of autophagosome formation, making it central to autophagy monitoring in mammals. Objective To explore the regulatory role of phytochemicals in LC3‐mediated autophagy and their potential therapeutic impact on cancer. The review emphasizes the involvement of autophagy in tumor promotion and suppression, particularly focusing on autophagy‐related signaling pathways like oxidative stress through the NRF2 pathway, and its implications for genomic stability in cancer development. Methods The review focuses on a comprehensive analysis of bioactive compounds including Curcumin, Celastrol, Resveratrol, Kaempferol, Naringenin, Carvacrol, Farnesol, and Piperine. Literature on these compounds was examined to assess their influence on autophagy, LC3 expression, and tumor‐related signaling pathways. A systematic literature search was conducted across databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to 2023. Studies were selected from prominent databases, focusing on their roles in cancer diagnosis and therapeutic interventions, particularly in relation to LC3‐mediated mechanisms. Results Phytochemicals have been shown to modulate autophagy through the regulation of LC3‐II levels and autophagic flux in cancer cells. The interaction between autophagy and other cellular pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and epigenetic modulation highlights the complex role of autophagy in tumor biology. For instance, Curcumin and Resveratrol have been reported to either induce or inhibit autophagy depending on cancer type, influencing tumor progression and therapeutic responses. Conclusion Targeting autophagy through LC3 modulation presents a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The dual role of autophagy in tumor suppression and promotion, however, necessitates careful consideration of the context in which autophagy is induced or inhibited. Future research should aim to delineate these context‐specific roles and explore how phytochemicals can be optimized for therapeutic efficacy. Novel therapeutic strategies should focus on the use of bioactive compounds to fine‐tune autophagy, thereby maximizing tumor suppression and inducing programmed cell death in cancer cells.

Oral cancer is the most debilitating disease which affects the orderly life of a human. With so much advancement in research and technology, the average life expectancy of an individual with oral cancer appears to be about 5 years. The changing trend in incidence of oral cancer among young individuals and women without tobacco habits are ascending. Non habit related oral cancer are taking centre stage and multiple factors which induce complex biology are associated in such scenarios. To decipher the aetiology and to understand the process, these cancerous conditions are to be studied at molecular level. Saliva, the most non-invasively obtained body fluid are assessed for biomarkers exclusively in liquid biopsy. This fluid gives a huge platform to study number of molecules associated with oral cancer. Non coding RNAs are transcripts with no protein coding function. They are gaining more importance in recent times. Long noncoding RNA, microRNA are major types of noncoding transcriptome that influences in progression of oral cancer. They seem to play an important role in health and disease. Apart from these, circulating tumour cells, exosomes, extracellular vesicles, antigens and other proteins can be studied from saliva. This review is aimed to update the knowledge on current biomarkers in saliva associated with oral cancer and their epigenetic role in disease progression as well recent advances in detecting these markers to identify the stage of the disease, which will help in deciding the treatment protocol.

A 43-year-old female patient presented to private dental clinic with a chief complaint of accumulated dirt and stains on teeth for the past two years. The patient expressed aesthetic discomfort and reported experiencing bad breath for approximately six months. No relevant medical, surgical, or habitual history was disclosed. During the general examination, the patient appeared well-oriented, co-operative, moderately built, and overall normal. Intraoral examination revealed generalised extrinsic stains, plaque, and calculus. No evidence of gingival pockets or recession was observed, leading to a diagnosis of generalised chronic gingivitis. The lingual surface of the tongue exhibited the absence of a lingual frenulum, resulting in an “abnormally moving tongue.” The dorsal surface of the tongue appeared depapillated and coated with food debris. Consequently, a scaling procedure was recommended. During scaling, the patient was instructed to retract her tongue to clean the lingual surface of the lower incisors. Unexpectedly, the patient folded her tongue back and placed it behind the uvula region. When asked to protrude the tongue forward, it extended beyond the chin.

Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has introduced the new normal in this 21st century. This viral has caused a great infection storm in the recent past affecting more than half of the world population. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes various symptoms from mild to severe. Mortality rate has been reported to be low, mostly associated with pre-existing medical history. Literature also states that mortality was high among those with poor immune surveillance. Based on the duration of symptoms, it has been classified into long COVID-19 and short COVID-19 to combat the outcome of the disease many vaccines were invented worldwide by various pharmaceutical companies and they helped a lot in controlling the severity of the disease. The vaccines effectively reduced the incidence of long COVID-19 and serious symptoms, thereby, reducing the death rate. Although the vaccines were very effective in control of serious complications of the infection, few patients had certain adverse reactions to the vaccines of both types’ whole virus and viral-vector based vaccine. In the present case report, authors would like to document the delayed hypersensitivity reaction in the tongue as a potential Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) postvaccination for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 48-year-old female patient without any previous history of medical illness or drug allergy. The ADR was effectively controlled with systemic steroids and the symptoms were effectively controlled within a period of few months.

Developmental abnormalities of the teeth may be caused by genetic influences, environmental factors, or idiopathic reasons. The causal effect axis has not been established in many of these disorders [1]. Various developmental alterations related to tooth shape, such as fusion, concrescence, gemination, and accessory cusps, have been described. Talon cusp is one such developmental alteration of the teeth that was identified in 1892 by Mitchell WH as an extra horn-like cusp or an exaggerated cusp at the region of the cingulum, with no established causal-effect axis [2]. Mellor JK and Ripa LW named it talon cusp, as it resembles an eagle’s beak [3]. This developmental anomaly is the result of both environmental and genetic factors that affect early odontogenesis. Talon cusp is often observed in relation to Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome [Table/Fig-1] [4]. Based on morphology, the talon cusp is divided into three types: Talon, Semi talon, and Trace talon [5]. Previously, this structural abnormality mostly resembled the shape of an eagle’s talon. However, recent literature has reported various shapes, such as a heart or triangle, on the facial or palatal surface [3,6]. In the present literature, the authors proposed the term “Torus Facialis” or “Torus Cingularis” as an alternative name for talon cusp, which allows clinicians and academicians to adopt a terminology that explains the pathology as a whole. “Torus” is a Latin word meaning protuberance, swelling, or elevation. “Facialis” or “Cingularis” indicates the location where the enamel protuberance is evident on the tooth surface. “Torus Facialis” or “Torus Cingularis” is a scientific terminology that indicates the nature of the pathology, such as a hard tissue protuberance, and the anatomical location of the pathology on the tooth. Therefore, the use of the term “Torus Facialis” or “Torus Cingularis” would be more appropriate compared to talon cusp.

Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders such as leukoplakia, lichenplanus, Oral Submucous Fibrosis are most commonly encountered precancerous lesions in India. Although, usage of smoking tobacco has been decreased yet incidence of oral cancer seems to be in increasing trend. Apart from tobacco many non-tobacco causes are associated with the disease. Helicobacter pylori is a curved, flagellated bacterium that has been declared as group I carcinogen by WHO. They are proven causative agent for gastric carcinoma. They have been shown to harbour oral cavity by many authours. They produce onco-protein that causes DNA damage. CagA and VacA are such proteins that modulate certain oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. In this study we have identified the organism from sub gingival plaque by PCR and those who harboured the organism were further subjected for identification of oncoproteins CagA and VacA by ELISA. This study shows that presence of organism in Oral leucoplakia, oral lichenplanus and Oral Submucous Fibrosis are statistically significant in comparison to control group (p>0.05). The presence of oncoproteins was also statistically significant in comparison to control group. These proteins are shown to accelerate inflammatory pathway thereby hasten the process of tumorigenesis. H.pylori infection as well the virulent strains can be diagnosed from oral cavity in the most non-invasive way at the earliest

Diabetes is one of the most significant health issues across the world. People identified with diabetes are more vulnerable to various infections and are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The plant-based food we consume often contains many sterol-based bioactive compounds. It is well documented that these compounds could effectively manage the processes of insulin metabolism and cholesterol regulation. Insulin resistance followed by hyperglycemia often results in oxidative stress level enhancement and increased reactive oxygen species production. At the molecular level, these changes induce apoptosis in pancreatic cells and hence lead to insulin insufficiency. Studies have proved that plant sterols can lower inflammatory and oxidative stress damage connected with DNA repair mechanisms. The effective forms of phyto compounds are polyphenols, terpenoids, and thiols abundant in vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. The available conventional drug-based therapies for the prevention and management of diabetes are time-consuming, costly, and with life-threatening side effects. Thereby, the therapeutic management of diabetes with plant sterols available in our daily diet is highly welcome as there are no side effects. This review intends to offer an overview of the present scenario of the anti-diabetic compounds from food ingredients towards the therapeutic beneficial against diabetes.