Staining the Ground Section of the Tooth Using an Innovative Plant Stain Found in the Pravara Region, India.

AIMS: To assess the staining efficacy of the innovative "Pravara" stain on ground sections of human teeth under a stereomicroscope. In this study, the ground sections were stained with the innovative stain. The stain is obtained from a leafless tree called Terminalia chebula. Terminalia chebula, commonly known as Harad, is found in South Asia from India. Few species are found in the Pravara region of Maharashtra, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 extracted teeth were collected and ground sections of each tooth were prepared. The samples were randomly divided into two groups: group I-control (without stain), group II-study group (the samples in this group were stained with the help of innovative "Pravara" stain). The sections were graded from I to III according to the differentiation and contrast of tissues. RESULTS: The ground sections in group II stained with Pravara stain demonstrated better contrast for structures within sections under a microscope in comparison with group I (control group). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the efficacy of a new innovative Pravara stain, which is a simple, economical, quick, and effective staining method for the ground sections of the teeth. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This innovative Pravara stain is cost-effective, saves time, ecofriendly, and highlights the anatomical structures more effectively and does not fade easily with time.

Study of the Role of Salivary Lactate Dehydrogenase in Habitual Tobacco Chewers, Oral Submucous Fibrosis and Oral Cancer as a Biomarker.

AIM: To evaluate the salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in clinico-pathologically confirmed oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), oral cancer and clinically diagnosed tobacco pouch keratosis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, comparative study was carried out in a tertiary healthcare centre located in Loni from October 2013 to January 2014. A total of 120 patients were separated into 4 groups depending upon the clinical diagnosis as follows. Group I: healthy control (with no addictions and diseases). Group II: oral cancer. Group III: oral submucous fibrosis. Group IV: habitual tobacco chewers (tobacco addiction without any disease). Substantiation was done using biopsy. The samples were inspected for salivary LDH levels by the technique in line with the recommendations of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry with the help of Erba Chem semi auto analyser. RESULTS: The mean salivary LDH levels in the control, oral cancer OSMF and habitual tobacco chewer group were 86.12 ± 7.05 IU/L, 592.09 ± 28.57 IU/L, 350.43 ± 5.90 IU/L and 125.19 ± 13.42 IU/L, respectively. Out of 4 groups, LDH activity was increased in saliva of patients with tobacco pouch keratosis, OSMF, and oral cancer consistently. Notable difference was found in the mean salivary levels of the above groups. Results were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis: one-way ANOVA, Student's unpaired t test for group-wise comparison followed by post hoc Tukey's test. CONCLUSION: We observed congruous higher levels of salivary LDH in oral precancer and cancer, and hence it could be a future marker.

Oral Manifestation in Patients diagnosed with Dermatological Diseases.

AIM: This study aimed to estimate the frequency of oral lesions in dermatological diseased patients attending the outpatient department of Pravara Rural Medical and Dental College and Hospital, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Loni, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India, and the Department of Dermatology at Medical College, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in Loni from October 2013 to January 2014. A total of 310 patients (mean age 37.2 ± 16 years, 61.2% males) completed an oral examination and a personal interview. Oral lesions were recorded. Biopsy and smear were used as adjuvant techniques for confirmation. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 15.0.1). RESULTS: Of 310 cases (n = 310) observed for skin lesions, 99 cases were psoriasis (31.93%) and 68 cases were lichen planus (LP; 21.9%), followed by herpes zoster in 44 cases (14.1%), herpes simplex in 13 cases (4.1%), pemphigus vulgaris (PV) in 15 cases (4.8%), erythema multiforme (EM) in 8 cases (2.5%), bullous pemphigoid (BP) in 4 cases (1.2%), chicken pox in 3 cases (0.9%), eczema in 52 cases (16.7%), and nutritional deficiency and candidiasis in 2 cases (Table 1). CONCLUSION: The dermatologic diseases studied frequently occur in the oral cavity. Among them, psoriasis was the most common dermatological disease, and LP frequently showed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study also depicts that diagnosis and management of these oral lesions should also be carried out by oral clinicians so as to improve the oral health functioning during the course of the disease. The intraoral examination should be incorporated to the routine of dermatologic assistance as the oral manifestations can represent preliminary signs or can coexist with the diseases.