Can coffee combat caries? An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is a multifactorial disease caused by oral microflora, diet and oral environment. Oral microflora is crucial in initiation and progression of caries. An important strategy in the prevention of dental caries is to inhibit Streptococcus mutans, a caries causing bacteria. Use of natural products in the disease prevention has been increasing recently. One among such products is coffee which has anticariogenic properties against S. mutans. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the anticariogenic efficacy of coffee against S. mutans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is carried out using saliva samples collected from 120 healthy individuals of 18-25 years' age group divided into two groups (carious and noncarious). S. mutans is isolated from the saliva samples, cultured on mitis salivarius-bacitracin agar plates and used for checking the inhibitory activity of coffee in different formulations on these bacteria. RESULTS: Our study results showed that coffee, when used alone, has highest antibacterial activity against S. mutans and its anticaries activity reduces when it is mixed with milk and sugar (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study proved that coffee has anticariogenic activity against S. mutans.

Effectiveness of crystallization test in screening of potentially malignant oral disorders and oral cancer.

AIM: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of crystallization test in screening of oral potentially malignant disorders (PMDs) and oral cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients of oral PMD, 30 patients of oral cancer and 40 normal healthy people were selected. One drop of blood was collected and added to 1 cc of double-distilled water at room temperature to get a final dilution of 6% hemolyzed blood. 0.1-0.2 cc of this blood sample is added to 10 cc of 20% cupric chloride solution and further is subjected to crystallization test. RESULTS: In the normal healthy group, the pattern was typical with an eccentrically placed center of gravity with needles arranged in radiating fashion. Whereas in oral PMD and cancer groups, there was "transverse form" formation. This test had sensitivity and specificity of about 83.33% and 86.84% for PMDs group and 96.30% and 86.84% for oral cancer group respectively. CONCLUSION: Crystallization test was found to be sensitive, reliable, economical and less-invasive procedure for screening of oral PMDs and oral cancer.

Toluidine Blue with a Synergistic Effect in Morphological Assessment of Oral Cytosmears.

OBJECTIVES: One percent toluidine blue being the most effective adjunct is often used to detect dysplasia. Not much attention has been given to the effect of toluidine blue in enhancement of cytological smears. The present study assessed the smears before and after application of toluidine blue in smokers against non-smokers using three different stains [Papanicolaou (PAP), Hematoxylin and Eosin (H and E), and Giemsa]. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-five individuals from each group participated in the study. The oral cytosmears were obtained before and after application of toluidine blue and assessed for clumping of squamous cells, cellular and nuclear pleomorphism, micronuclei, binucleation, bacterial colony units, and keratin flakes. RESULTS: In smokers, the maximum enhancement in cytological smears post-toluidine blue application was shown by Giemsa stain than PAP and H and E stains. Among the individual parameters, nuclear pleomorphism exhibited greatest significant difference between smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSION: Toluidine blue enhanced the staining characteristics both in terms of sensitivity and specificity and thereby was found to be synergistic in assessment of cytosmears. The cellular alterations noticed in the smears of smokers with clinically normal buccal mucosa can be used as a means of education tool in counselling for smoking cessation.

Comparative analysis of lip with thumbprints: An identification tool in personal authentication.

CONTEXT: Identification of person living or dead using diverse characteristics is the basis in forensic science. The uniqueness of lip and fingerprints and further, association between them can be useful in establishing facts in legal issues. AIMS: The present study was carried out to determine the distribution of different lip print patterns among subjects having different thumbprint patterns and to determine the correlation between lip print patterns and thumbprint patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample comprised 100 students randomly selected from Bapuji Dental College Hospital, Davangere, Karnataka, 50 males and 50 females aged between 18 and 20 years. Red colored lipstick was applied on the lips by a lipstick applicator brush. Lip and thumb impressions were made on No. 1 Whatman filter paper and visualized using magnifying lens. Three main types of fingerprints (loop, whorl and arch) were identified; Tsuchihashi Y classification of lip print patterns was followed in the study. Chi-square test was used to see the association between lip and thumbprints. RESULTS: The correlation between lip and left thumb print patterns for gender identification was statistically significant. In both males and females, Type II lip pattern associated with loop finger pattern were most significant and in males, Type III lip pattern with whorl type of finger pattern showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the correlation found between lip print and thumbprint can be utilized in the field of forensic science for gender identification.

Contaminated tooth brushes-potential threat to oral and general health.

BACKGROUND: Tooth brushing is most common method of maintaining oral hygiene. In removing plaque and other soft debris from the teeth, tooth brushes become contaminated with bacteria, blood, saliva and oral debris. These contaminated tooth brushes can be a source of infection. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of microorganisms in the tooth brushes and to investigate the effect of disinfectants such as chlorhexidine gluconate, sodium hypochlorite and water to decontaminate them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one children were asked to brush their teeth for 5 days with a tooth brush. The tooth brushes were put in Robertson's Cooked Meat broth and were observed for growth of Streptococcal microorganisms. These tooth brushes were then placed in disinfectants such as 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate (Group I), 1% sodium hypochlorite (Group II) and water (Group III) for 24 hrs and then cultured again. Reduction of growth of microorganisms was seen in Group I, Group II and remnants of growth seen in Group III. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the use of disinfectant for a tooth brush is a must for every individual at least at regular intervals.

The master switch: Comparative study of mast cell in oral epithelial dysplasia, oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cells carcinoma and their association with inflammation and angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Dental and medical practitioners encounter wide spectrum of oral lesions in their day-to-day practice. Many of the lesions such as leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), etc., are associated with tobacco and betel nut chewing. Oral leukoplakia, OSF, oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are the most commonly occurring oral diseases associated with characteristic clinical and histological features and are associated with chronic inflammation at some stage of the disease process. AIMS: To study and compare the number, morphology and topographical distribution of mast cells in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), OSF and OSCC and to correlate different types of mast cells with the inflammatory infiltrate and vascularity of the lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total number of subjects was 120 and equally divided into four groups of 30 as controls, OED, OSF and OSCC cases. Two sections of from each tissue embedded in paraffin wax block were made which were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue stain. Mast cells were counted in five different zones. RESULTS: In the present study, increased numbers of mast cells were seen in all lesions. The cases with mild, moderate and severe inflammation showed increased number of typical (TMCs), atypical (AMCs) and granular mast cells (GMCs), respectively. CONCLUSION: The result of the present study concludes that the mast cells play a key role in mediating the cross links between external angiogenic agent and local immunologic factors.

Crystal violet stain as a selective stain for the assessment of mitotic figures in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of mitotic figures (MFs) is routinely practiced as prognostic indicator in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but identification of MFs poses a problem in terms of staining characteristics. AIM: To evaluate effectiveness of crystal violet stain for staining of MFs and its comparison with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study sample includes archival tissues embedded in paraffin blocks diagnosed as OED (n = 30) and OSCC (n = 30). The control group comprised of tissue specimen from oral mucosa of healthy volunteers (n = 30). Two serial sections of each tissue specimen were stained separately with H and E stain and 1% crystal violet stain. The stained sections were observed under microscope for identification and counting of MFs. Data obtained was statistically analyzed by using the Man-Whitney U test. RESULTS: A significant increase in number of MFs was observed in OED and OSCC in comparison with normal oral mucosa. There was a highly significant increase in number of MFs in crystal violet stained tissue sections when compared with H and E stain. Metaphase is the most commonly observed phase of mitosis in crystal violet stain when compared with H and E stain for all three groups. CONCLUSION: Crystal violet stain can be considered as selective stain for mitotic figures.

Glandular odontogenic cyst: report of an unusual bilateral occurrence.

Glandular odontogenic cyst (GOC) is a recently recognized rare developmental odontogenic cyst having an aggressive behavior and accounting for 0.012% to 1.3% of all jaw cysts. GOC usually presents as a painless, slow-growing swelling that tends to affect the anterior part of the jaws. It chiefly occurs in the fourth and fifth decades of life and presents as an expansion of jaws with or without pain or paresthesia. Aggressive nature of the lesion has been reported, as supported by the fact that 25 to 55% of cases recur following curettage. So far only just over 113 cases of GOC have been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of bilateral GOC in the posterior region of the maxilla, in a 29-year-old male patient, which is unique, being the first case of bilateral GOC to be reported in the literature.

Is re-creation of human identity possible using tooth prints? An experimental study to aid in identification.

Enamel in teeth, as documented is the hardest substance in the entire human body. Tooth prints are the enamel rod end patterns on the tooth surface. Could this fact be a boon in utilizing it for an individual's identification in the hands of forensic experts? A study has been attempted towards the same. These tooth prints were recorded for 60 extracted tooth specimens after acid etching using a cellophane tape. Subsequently a digital image of the print was obtained which was subjected to biometric conversion using Verifinger standard SDK version 6.0 software followed by the use of Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) software for comparison of the tooth prints. In results we observed that tooth prints were composed of varied patterns and sub-patterns. A comparison was made between the tooth prints of different and the same individual and also between different classes of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars and molars). None of the patterns exhibited intra- and inter-individual similarity. Nor did any particular class of the tooth could be preferentially used over the other for an individual identification. This field demands a need for further exploration towards the use of tooth prints for establishing an individual's identity.

Ewing's sarcoma of the maxilla.

Ewing's sarcoma is an uncommon malignancy that occurs usually in childhood. In most reported cases, the occurrence of this tumor is more in the mandible than the maxilla. A case of Ewing's sarcoma of the maxilla together with its associated structures is presented and discussed with complete clinical, radiographic, and histological evaluation. Although the prognosis remains poor, an increased rate of survival is now associated with early diagnosis and combined therapy.