Search

Periodontitis is one of the most common oral diseases. It is generally treated by non-surgical and/or surgical therapy with adjunctive approaches for prevention and control. The current understanding of the pathogenesis of periodontitis has unraveled the importance of the inflammatory and immune reactions to combat periodontitis whose etiology is an overlap of microbial, genetic, and environmental factors in a susceptible host. Based on this premise, many therapeutic modalities have been investigated or attempted to resolve this inflammatory disease. Amongst these, nanomedicine has been shown to have therapeutic applications in periodontitis, especially focused on immunomodulation because periodontitis is characterized by over-reactive immune response. This mini-review explores the potential of nanosystems in treating periodontitis by providing an overview of the research efforts in this field of therapeutics. The unique physicochemical and targeting properties of nanosystems seem to be potentially effective platforms for treating periodontitis.

An association between periodontal disease and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been recognized. However, there is no causal relationship between the two. The polymicrobial etiology of periodontal disease is confirmed, and so are the proven etiological factors for OSCC. Inflammation lies at the core of periodontal pathogenesis induced by the putative microbes. OSCC has inflammatory overtures in its pathobiology. Bacterial species involved in periodontal disease have been extensively documented and validated. The microbial profile in OSCC has been explored with no specific conclusions. The scientific reasoning to link a common microbial signature that connects periodontal disease to OSCC has led to many studies but has not provided conclusive evidence. Therefore, it would be beneficial to know the status of any plausible microbiota having a similarity in periodontal disease and OSCC. This brief review attempted to clarify the existence of a dysbiotic “fingerprint” that may link these two diseases. The review examined the literature with a focused objective of identifying periodontal microbial profiles in OSCC that could provide insights into pathogen commonality. The review concluded that there is great diversity in microbial association, but important bacterial species that correlate with periodontal disease and OSCC are forthcoming.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are among the greatest public health challenges around the globe. India ranks the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. People Living With HIV (PLWH) are highly susceptible to life threatening conditions as HIV destroys the body’s immune system. Despite anti-retroviral treatments, tackling HIV and AIDS has been an uphill task for decades with all the countries contributing their best to decrease the incidence and mortality rate. But this has been difficult as there are problems in plenty across the globe. Loss of life, economic burden, psychological effects, stigma, discrimination are the perennial problems of HIV and AIDS. Awareness about HIV/AIDS and factors influencing the disease progression is the key to break this cycle. One of the important factors influencing the disease outcome is immune status of an individual. The immune system is highly influenced by nutrition which is an integral part in managing HIV. Nutrition has always contributed to the robust functioning of the immune system of an individual. PLWH almost always have malnutrition which, if not corrected, influences the outcome of HIV infection drastically. With people across the globe showing malnutrition, either under or excess, the immune system functioning is impaired, particularly so in PLWH. Unfortunately, nutrition has been ignored or sidelined in managing HIV/AIDs. This review gives an overview of the interrelation of nutrition and immune system and how these influence the outcomes in PLWH.

Pseudocysts of the jaws include two very significant lesions – Solitary bone cyst (SBC) and Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC). Both these cysts have very similar clinical and radiological findings. Histopathology aids in differentiating the two pathologies, with MRI findings offering confirmatory diagnosis of ABC. Differentiating between the two cysts and establishing a definitive diagnosis cannot be over emphasised as prognosis depends on the correct treatment modality after the diagnosis. A lot of updates with regards to the treatment of these cysts in long bones is available, with the same lacking in the cysts of the jaws. This probably could be due to the relative rarity of these cysts in the jaws. This article aims to address the various aspects of these two enigmatic pseudocysts of the jaws. Keywords: Pseudocysts, Solitary Bone Cyst, Aneurysmal Bone Cyst, Pathogenesis, Hemorrhage, Head & Neck, Oral

Tried and tested methods exist that are taught throughout the training and course of study for dental students in patient examination and clinical diagnosis. It is impractical to change the entire field of dentistry and abandon the commonly followed techniques that have proved highly efficient and accurate in the past years. However, with the ever-growing advances in the clinical community, it would be prudent to improve our current practices to ensure that clinicians stay up to date with the demands of the dental world, as well as those of the patients, whose awareness is constantly evolving. This can be achieved by using Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) as a diagnostic tool and incorporating it into everyday dental treatments and patient interactions. By following the necessary steps and incorporating EBD into dental practices, clinicians can meet patient expectations satisfactorily while maintaining their competency. Practices and dental education establishments can review existing guidelines and become more familiar with the EBD process, paving the way for further improvements in a dentist’s skill set and the method itself. EBD has the capacity to bridge the gap between evidence, knowledge, and practical application, attracting more attention in the scientific and clinical arenas. It has the potential to be a game changer, creating a smoother and well-organised workflow. The use of EBD will enhance the world of dentistry, taking it a step further from its current state.

Dental education is widely regarded as a demanding experience. Information about the stress sources and their degree is crucial since it will aid in the development of appropriate interventional methods for the student's overall development. Thus, our study was aimed at assessing the different forms of stress that affect Postgraduate dentistry students, as well as their attitudes toward psychiatric therapies. The study was conducted on 93 postgraduate dental students at a dental institution in Mysuru, India, using a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey format. The information gathered was statistically examined. The mean and standard deviation were used in the quantitative analysis. The mean of all stressor scores was compared between groups using an independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA. The Chi-square test was employed to examine qualitative data. The overall stress level among postgraduate dental students was high. All the year students demonstrated a similar trend with a high level of academic stress followed by health-related and psychosocial stress. The academic stress increased as the year of study progressed. We discovered no differences in stress perception between male and female students. In addition, a notable proportion of the participants had a favourable attitude toward psychiatric therapy. Stress levels among postgraduate dental students were found to be high in our study. This indicates a need for upgrading the current postgraduate dental educational system to be less stressful. Keywords: Dental education, Dental students, Mental health, Post­graduation, Stress, Stressors

Energy medicine (EM), is a type of complementary and alternative medicine, which encompasses a range of practices aimed at promoting holistic well-being through the manipulation of energy fields within the body. EM has immense potential in delivering valuable support in a wide range of health conditions. It is imperative for healthcare professionals to be aware of EM, its safety and efficacy in the management of various conditions. Despite its growing popularity, EM remains controversial and encounters several barriers to its recognition and acceptance by the medical fraternity. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the concept and practice of EM including its history, various types, mechanism of action, applications, driving factors for its practice, current status and future prospects. Putative types of EM modalities are the focus of this paper. Additionally, we examine the challenges to its widespread recognition and acceptance and discuss the importance of further rigorous scientific research to establish its efficacy and safety and bridge the gap between conventional and energy medicine.

Introduction: Traditional risk factors causing oral and oropharyngeal cancers have been extensively studied in elderly populations. But recent evidences have shown it to be rising in young individuals with no known risk factors. Human Papilloma virus (HPV) is a proven etiologic factor for cervical cancer and has been suggested in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Hence the objective of the study was to evaluate the role of HPV as a risk factor in OSCC and OPSCC patients of less than 40 years of age without known risk factors. Material and Methods: Fifteen years of retrospective data were used for recording the age, gender, site, and various risk factors in patients ≤40 years of age diagnosed histopathologically with primary OSCC and OPSCC. Role of HPV in patients without any known risk factors were evaluated with p16 Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Ninety eight patients aged ≤40 years of age were obtained with known and no known risk factors. Among the habitual risk factors, alcohol did not prove to be a significant factor. Female patients with mean age of 34 years were more prone, though they were not subjected to any of the known risk factors. Tongue and buccal mucosa were the most common sites affected. Role of HPV as a risk factor was found positive. All cases of PCR positive were IHC positive and IHC showed 100% sensitivity and 68.4% specificity. Conclusion: A strong correlation of HPV with OSCC and OPSCC in adults ≤40 years of age was established in the present study.

Cancer is one of the main leading causes of high mortality and morbidity. It is also one of the preventable diseases with known risk factors in many of the cases. Youth are like double edged sword, by being the highly vulnerable group as well as the group with strong potential for disease prevention. Health education, creating strong awareness on the known avoidable risk factors among the young adults can prevent the occurrence of cancer. Simultaneously, using the educated young group to dissipate their knowledge to curb the cancer is the need of hour. Thought of zero incidence and prevalence of cancer in India looks unachievable. However, with the youth centred programmes, by the youth, for the youth and to the general public, such goals can be achieved.

Introduction: Oral reactive lesions are relatively common. Collagen is the basic component of such overgrowths that could be fibrous or inflammatory. Hence, understanding the type, nature, and distribution of collagen fibers can aid in our knowledge and better management of these lesions. Materials and Methods: Ten paraffin blocks of each of the following lesions − giant-cell granuloma (L1), inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (L2), pyogenic granuloma (L3), fibroma (L4), and peripheral ossifying fibroma (L5) − were retrieved from the archives. They were analyzed for their collagen birefringence property under polarized microscopy after picrosirius red stain. The demographic details of all the cases were recorded and evaluated. Results: In our study, giant-cell granulomas were commonly observed between third and seventh decades of life, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasias between second and fifth decades of life, yogenic granulomas in sixth decade, fibromas in fifth and sixth decades, and peripheral ossifying fibromas in second and fourth decade of life. All the lesions were predominant in females and commonly observed on gingiva. L5 lesions showed more areas of green birefringence followed by L1, L2, and L3 groups of lesions showed more of red birefringence than other lesions. Mixed birefringence of orange-red and green-yellow was almost same in all the lesions. All these findings were significant statistically. Conclusion: A plausible conclusion that the lesions with mature red fibers have better prognosis than the lesions with immature green fibers, in reactive oral lesions could be drawn.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pattern of physiologic resorption represents the path of eruption of permanent teeth. It is essential to have thorough knowledge of normal pattern of resorption, so as to identify the deviation from normal which would help in early diagnosis and treatment planning. Aim: To assess the pattern, surfaces and extent of physiologic root resorption in deciduous incisors, canines and molars at different stages of root resorption. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted to understand the pattern of physiologic root resorption in the extracted deciduous teeth from June 2015 to December 2017. A total of 138 extracted deciduous incisors, canines and molars were included in the study. Remaining Root Length (RRL) was determined for all the teeth based on the standardised photographs. The teeth were divided into 4 groups with 3 subgroups each, based on the percentage of RRL. The measurements made on the photographs from buccal/labial, mesial, distal and lingual/palatal aspects of each group were used for assessing the pattern of resorption. Descriptive statistics, Frequency distribution and ANOVA were applied to identify the pattern of resorption and to compare the changes occurring within groups. Results: ANOVA indicated that incisors began with resorption on the lingual aspects having least mean length of 10.43 mm in stage 1 which further progressed to involve all the surfaces. The mean length of remaining root for stage 3 was significantly different across different surfaces with a p-value 0.0015 while it was insignificant in stages 1 and 2. The mean length of resorption for canines in stage 2 was significantly different across different surface with a p-value 0.0453 using repeated measures of ANOVA. The mean length was least for lingual surface of the root. Maxillary molars showed that distobuccal pattern and palatal of resorption more evident. The mean length of resorption for maxillary molar in stage 1 was significantly different across different surfaces with a p-value 0.0232. Similarly, mandibular molars indicated that distal root resorbed much earlier than the mesial root with all the 10 samples showing this pattern in stage 1 and 2. The mean length of resorption for mandibular molar in stage 1 and stage 2 was significantly different between two surfaces with a p-value 0.0005 and

Context: Conventional complete dentures still remain a viable method of treatment for many patients in this era of fixed prosthesis like dental implants. All patients undergoing complete denture treatment need nonsurgical preprosthetic treatment for the preparation of healthy denture bearing mucosa as well-keratinized healthy mucosa is desirable for a complete denture. Aims: To evaluate and compare the keratinization before and after denture insertion at intervals of 1 week and 1 month. Settings and Design: The present study was conducted on 24 completely edentulous male subjects divided into control and study groups. Each patient in study group was asked to massage with astringent on the denture bearing mucosa over a 4-week period. Subjects and Methods: Exfoliative cytology was used to collect the surface cells from the palatal mucosa and buccal mucosa. The first smear was taken before the denture insertion. The second and third smears were taken after the stimulation treatment with astringent gel for each patient after 1 week and after 4 weeks. Each smear was stained with the Papanicolaou's technique. The number of basal cells, intermediate cells, and superficial cells were recorded to calculate the degree of keratinization. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics, paired samples t-test, independent t-test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: The result showed statistically significant increase in the keratinization of palatal mucosa after 4 weeks of astringent therapy and no effect was noted in the keratinization of buccal mucosa. Conclusions: Astringent has shown to increase keratinization of palatal mucosa, and so it can be used to increase the quality of the denture bearing mucosa; moreover, the astringent stimulation has no effect on the keratinization of buccal mucosa.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus has been linked with an increased risk of caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease. Dental caries is more prevalent and even more severe in diabetic patients than non-diabetics. The aetiology and pathogenesis of dental caries are known to be multifactorial. The secretion rates and quality of saliva are important not only in caries development but also for remineralisation. As there is an alteration of the salivary constituents in diabetic patients its constituents has gained much importance as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Various factors that regulate the caries activity balance are the pH of saliva and concentration of various ions including free calcium, phosphate, sodium, chloride, potassium and fluoride ions in the saliva. Aim: To investigate the association of salivary electrolyte concentration with dental caries among diabetic and nondiabetic individuals, of different age groups. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six Patients were evaluated for the study in which forty eight were considered for control and forty eight for diabetic, in which these control group and diabetic group were further subdivided into young adults (20-39 yrs) and old age adults (40-64 yrs) with twenty four patients each. Young adult age group and adult age group had sub groups with caries and without caries group having twelve patients each respectively. Saliva was collected from the individuals, centrifuged and the supernatant obtained was assessed for the salivary electrolytes: sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and chloride levels using an Erba autoanalyser. The results obtained were tabulated, statistically analysed using Independent sample t-test and conclusions drawn. Results: The salivary electrolytes– sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorous showed a significant decrease in caries active diabetic patients of young adult group. But in the older adult group K and Cl levels were statistically higher in caries active patients. Potassium & Phosphorous were statistically higher in young adult age group (Diabetic and Non diabetic) without caries and Potassium only in adult age group. Conclusion: Salivary electrolyte plays a significant role in prevalence of dental caries in young diabetic individuals when compared to non-diabetic individuals and old age adults with and without diabetics. Therefore, maintaining the salivary electrolyte concentration in young diabetic individuals helps in remineralisation of the tooth which prevents decay.

Overgrowth of keratinized gingival tissues is a common condition and is described under variety of names. Causes of such enlargement can be medications, hereditary, and/or local irritating factors. Mutation in SOS1, son-of-sevenless gene, is thought to be responsible for hereditary gingival fibromatosis. This report shows a case of 19-year-old male and his 15-year-old sister, with a chief complaint of overgrowth of gingival and irregularly placed teeth. A similar overgrowth was also found in other members of the same family, without any drug history or syndromic conditions. An occurrence of the disease has been found in two generations of this family and therefore, it may be following autosomal dominant trait of inheritance. Since it is idiopathic and has a genetic cause for its occurrence, it cannot be prevented. Both cases underwent a surgical intervention to rectify the abnormality and were followed from 6 months to 1 year, during which there was no recurrence.

The peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF) is a benign reactive gingival overgrowth occurring mainly in the anterior maxilla in young adults, predominantly among females. The definitive diagnosis is established by histological examination. Surgery is the treatment of choice, though the recurrence rate can reach up to 20%. The purpose of this article is to present a case of POF in a 50-year-old female with an abnormal size and an exophytic bony mass associated with it.

Orofacial granulomatosis(OFG) is a rare multifactorial clinicopathologic disorder which can exhibit wide spectrum of orofacial manifestations. Its clinical presentation is indistinguishable from numerous systemic conditions making its diagnosis and treatment a challenging task for oral health care practitioners. An extensive diagnostic work up is essential to recognize and manage this rare disease and keep a watch for development of any specific systemic granulomatoses. A case of OFG which was identified after an elaborate diagnostic work up in a 65-year-old female patient is reported. A review of prevailing relevant literature is also put forth.

Lipoid proteinosis is a sporadic congenital metabolic disorder which is characterized by deposition of hyaline material in dermis, submucosal connective tissue, and various internal organs. It has an extremely low prevalence rate with less than 300 cases reported so far. This progressive disease has a vast spectrum of manifestations ranging from asymptomatic lesions to fatal seizures and respiratory obstruction making timely diagnosis of this rare disorder an imperative task for oral health care practitioners. We report a case of characteristic oral manifestations of lipoid proteinosis in a 28-year-old male patient along with a review of relevant prevailing literature.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare cutaneous malignant neoplasm consisting of relatively monomorphous mononuclear spindle cells that show diffuse CD34+ positivity. Management of this lesion poses problem because of its infiltrative margins and high propensity for local recurrence and rare distant metastasis. It is said that clear margins with minimal removal of normal tissues can be achieved by Mohs’ micrographic surgery, which is particularly important in head and neck locations where the presence of vital anatomical structures and aesthetic considerations hinders a wide surgical excision. A case of DFSP, at a very uncommon site of parotid region, which recurred within 9 months after initial surgical treatment, is being reported.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out lot of changes among the way people and organisations function. It has also reduced social gatherings and hence social relations considerably, forcing people to adjust to new ways of work and life. An outstanding difference between the current COVID-19 pandemic and previous epidemics or pandemics is the increased availability and use of technology currently, which has been validated by various reports from across the globe. Thus, even with the ensuing pandemic, lockdown and decreased social gatherings, with the technology support we have devised ways to keep in contact with friends, family and work place, so as to continue our lives. Social distancing guidelines and regulations have put pressure on a great many organisations to find new ways of keeping employees and students connected while working remotely. For more deskbound occupations and roles, this can be relatively straightforward, but it is challenging if not impossible for lab-based quality control, research and study. The answer to this is digital remote microscopy which enables sharing of data online, carrying out collaborative work through multi-viewing in real time and facilitates remote training functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]