Dental anxiety and salivary cortisol levels before urgent dental care.

Dental anxiety is still prevalent, despite advances in treatment, and affects the utilization of health care services. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine if patients with different degrees of dental anxiety and pain undergoing emergency dental care have different stress reactions as measured by salivary cortisol. Seventy three patients completed the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS), and described any previous dental traumatic experience. Their socio-demographic characteristics were also recorded. They also rated pain intensity on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). A saliva sample was collected before the procedure, and analyzed by enzyme immunoassay. Thirty patients were dentally anxious and forty one complained of pain. In this sample, dental anxiety was not related to gender, age, educational level and family income; however, a previous traumatic event was related to dental anxiety. There was no association between salivary cortisol concentrations and gender or dental anxiety. Patients with pain showed higher cortisol levels. When gathering patient information, the dentist should note patients' negative dental experiences in order to provide more effective, less traumatic treatment.

Risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma in young and older Brazilian patients: a comparative analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors and clinical aspects associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in young patients as compared to older ones. STUDY DESIGN. Data was obtained by retrospective analysis of files of patients with OSCC, who were categorised into two groups: the young group (< or =40 years old) and the older group (> 40 years old). Clinical data, including habits, familial antecedents, medical records and occupation were collected. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-one patients were found to have OSCC; 13 (10.7%) were young individuals and 108 (89.3%) older ones. Consumption of tobacco and/or alcohol was reported by 7 (53.8%) young patients and by 81 (75.0%) older patients, this difference not being statistically significant (P = 0.18). However, only 1 young patient (12.5%) was a heavy consumer of tobacco and alcohol as opposed to 49 (60.5%) of the older patients. Familial antecedents of malignant neoplasm were reported by 11 (84.6%) young patients and 32 (29.6%) older ones respectively, this difference being statistically significant (P = 0.0001). Medical records and patient's occupation did not show correlation with the aetiology of OSCC. CONCLUSION: Although the young and older patients share a similar habit for the consumption of tobacco and/or alcohol, the pattern of consumption and time of exposure to these two risk factors suggested that these etiologic factors are less clearly implicated in the development of oral cancer in the young patients than in older ones. Thus, for young patients with OSCC, the search for predisposing factors should assign greater weight to familial antecedents of malignant neoplasm.

Risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma in young and older Brazilian patients: A comparative analysis

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Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors and clinical aspects associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in young patients as compared to older ones.Study design. Data was obtained by retrospective analysis of files of patients with OSCC, who were categorised into two groups: the young group (¡Ü40 years old) and the older group (> 40 years old). Clinical data, including habits, familial antecedents, medical records and occupation were collected.Results. One hundred and twenty-one patients were found to have OSCC; 13 (10.7%) were young individuals and108 (89.3%) older ones. Consumption of tobacco and/or alcohol was reported by 7 (53.8%) young patients and by81 (75.0%) older patients, this difference not being statistically significant (P = 0.18). However, only 1 young patient (12.5%) was a heavy consumer of tobacco and alcohol as opposed to 49 (60.5%) of the older patients. Familial antecedents of malignant neoplasm were reported by 11 (84.6%) young patients and 32 (29.6%) older ones respectively, this difference being statistically significant (P = 0.0001). Medical records and patient¡¯s occupation did not show correlation with the aetiology of OSCC.Conclusion. Although the young and older patients share a similar habit for the consumption of tobacco and/oralcohol, the pattern of consumption and time of exposure to these two risk factors suggested that these etiologicfactors are less clearly implicated in the development of oral cancer in the young patients than in older ones. Thus, for young patients with OSCC, the search for predisposing factors should assign greater weight to familial antecedents of malignant neoplasm

Efeitos adversos de medicamentos tópicos e sistêmicos na mucosa bucal / Adverse effects of topical and sistemic medications in the oral mucosa

Muitos medicamentos utilizados com ou sem prescrição de um profissional de saúde têm o potencial de causar reações adversas na mucosa bucal e, por esta razão, torna-se necessário que os profissionais a saúde estejam conscientes dos possíveis efeitos indesejáveis causados por cada droga, possibilitando um diagnóstico correto, e a conduta clínica adequada a fim de tomar as medidas necessárias para poder minimizá-los. Apresentamos neste trabalho uma revisão sobre os medicamentos que mais comumente podem causar estas alterações bucais.