Alteration in Serum Lipid Profile Pattern in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Potentially Malignant Disorders

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate and compare lipid profile level in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. Material and Methods: Thirty histopathologically diagnosed subjects each of OL, OSMF, OSCC were recruited along with 30 healthy controls. 5ml of venous blood is collected and estimated using standard diagnostic kits. Results: The mean of Total cholesterol level in controls was 219.03 mg%, in OSCC, OL and OSMF was 142.89 ± 10.21mg%, 155.44 ± 17.63 mg% and 180.60 ± 13.25 mg%, respectively. The mean low-density lipid level in controls was 137.24 mg and in OSCC, OL and OSMF groups were 109.28 ± 2.16 mg%, 126.63 ± 0.85 mg% and 119.15 ± 0.93 mg%, respectively. The mean of high-density lipid level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 42.87 ± 0.42 mg%, 36.50 ± 2.31 mg%, 21.13 ± 0.77 mg% and 28.37 ± 1.11mg%, respectively. The mean of very low density lipids level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 30.12 ± 1.51 mg%, 17.24 ± 0.80 mg%, 22.25 ± 0.93 mg% and 25.89 ± 0.43 mg%, respectively. The mean triglyceride level in controls, OSCC, OL and OSMF was 118.80 ± 9.47 mg%, 91.2 ± 3.03 mg%, 105.05 ± 2.96 mg% and 106.19 ± 3.09 mg%, respectively. Conclusion: Lipid profile levels could be early indicators of precancer and cancer.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in Patients with Dental Prosthesis

Abstract Objective: To determine the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) for post-treated fixed dental prostheses in selected sample of patients. Material and Methods: 120 patients treated with fixed dental prostheses, either single crowns or fixed partial dentures in maxillary or mandibular arches were asked to express their views about their quality of life. Patients' files were randomly selected from the archives of Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. For this purpose, a self-structured questionnaire was prepared and their responses recorded. The responses were categorized on a 5 point scale and frequencies calculated. Results: Of 120 patients approached, 79 responded with the mean age group of 37 years. From the survey, it was noted that only three variables were statistically significant, those relating to the importance of natural teeth over fixed prostheses (p=0.046), the ability to chew all kinds of foods (p=0.021) and satisfaction with the occlusion (p<0.001). Conclusion: Oral health remains important, which directly or indirectly is related to many systemic diseases. In the present study, the majority of patients were satisfied with the treatment given.

Psychosomatic Disorders Affecting the Mouth: A Critical Review.

Modern medicine has come to the realization that the human body cannot be treated in terms of a mere sum of its different parts, but must rather be dealt with in terms of the psychophysiological aspects of the organisms as a whole. The mouth is a window to body’s health and oral health state can offer lot of clues about the overall health and sometimes the first sign of a disease shows up in mouth. So there is need to learn more about the intimate connection between oral and overall health. A psychosomatic disorder involves both body and mind and these diseases have physical symptoms originating from mental or emotional causes like stress, anxiety and depression. There is a rapid upsurge in prevalence rates of psychosomatic disorders in past few decades globally as a consequence of rapidly changing modern life style of people as well as long standing emotion, social and professional stress. It cannot be argued that there are a significant number of patients reporting to the dental office with complaints primarily of psychological origin that affects oral and paraoral structures having definite psychosomatic cause but unfortunately remained unrecognized because of limited nature of their presenting features. Such patients consistently complain of a symptom that he or she interprets as abnormal but dentist can find no convincing physical explanation for the same. This has emerged as one of the most difficult problems faced in clinical practice these days for the dental professionals. Thus this review highlights the significance of increasing psychological factors in society resulting in altered physiological responses causing orofacial region pathologies, struggles in handling such patients and challenging treatment plans with highly important role played by recognition of such patients with role of counseling and early referral in patients to psychiatrist.

Role of Free Radicals and Common Antioxidants in Oral Health, an Update.

Free radicals have been implicated in the etiology of large number of major diseases. They can adversely alter many crucial biological molecules leading to loss of form and function. Such undesirable changes in the body can lead to diseased conditions. Antioxidants are compounds which destroy the free radicals in the body, thereby preventing against harmful oxidation- reduction reactions. Antioxidants are critical for maintaining optimum health and wellbeing. The best sources are fruits and vegetables which provide a variety of antioxidants like Vitamins A, C, E & carotenoids. As in every medical field, the usage of antioxidants is becoming more frequent in dentistry also. It can help adjunct treating the progress of oral problems such as periodontitis or gingivitis or progression of potentially malignant disorders to malignancy. Thus, a greater consumption of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged as they are the natural sources of these chemopreventive antioxidant along with other protective factors packaged by nature. This review focuses on commonly used effective antioxidants in different oral and dental pathologies as a new generation adjunctive remedy.