[Cowden syndrome]. / Le syndrome de Cowden.

INTRODUCTION: Cowden syndrome is rare; oral symptoms are not always diagnosed. This case of Cowden syndrome was revealed by gingival hypertrophy. OBSERVATION: A 21-year-old female patient consulted for gingival hypertrophy and multiple papules in the mouth. She had a history of thyroid lobectomy due to a goiter. The gingival papillomatosis and the goiter suggested a Cowden syndrome. The diagnosis was confirmed clinically by facial skin papules. DISCUSSION: Cutaneous and oral lesions are usually the first symptoms of the syndrome. Diffuse gingival papillomatosis may suggest a Cowden syndrome and should lead to screen for associated symptoms. A high-risk diagnosis of breast and thyroid cancer is associated to Cowden syndrome and the patient should have a yearly follow-up.

Screening for periodontopathogenic bacteria in severe chronic periodontitis in a Moroccan population.

OBJECTIVE: Bacteria play an important role in destructive periodontitis. The aim of this study was to screen for five highly pathogenic bacteria: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola, in Moroccan patients presenting with severe chronic periodontitis and to compare results with those of patients presenting with severe aggressive periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients were included at the periodontology unit (School of dental medicine, University Mohammed 5 Souissi, Rabat, Morocco). The study was made on two groups: a test group of patients presenting with severe chronic periodontitis, and a control group of patients presenting with severe aggressive periodontitis. Plaque sampling was performed at the four deepest sites in each patient. The five studied bacteria were detected by PCR. RESULTS: The prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans and T. denticola was relatively low in the test group (13.3% and 20% respectively) compared with controls (37.5% and 37.5% respectively), without any statistical difference between the two groups. Furthermore, P. gingivalis and T. forsythia were frequently detected in both groups, without any statistical difference. CONCLUSION: The results of this preliminary study proved the presence of the studied periodontopathogenic bacteria both in severe chronic periodontitis and severe aggressive periodontitis.

[Vascular epulis or lobular capillary hemangioma]. / L'épulis vasculaire ou l'hémangiome capillaire lobulaire.

Vascular epulide or Lobular capillary hemangioma is a form of epulide which is marked by an inflammatory infiltrate rich of blood vessels. Angiogenic factors seem to be responsible of the important vascular proliferation. Therapeutic implications include cautions toward hemorrhagic risk. Complete ablation is also required to avoid the risk of high recurrence.

[Negative effects of tobacco on the periodontium in a Moroccan population]. / L'effet négatif du tabac sur le parodonte dans une population marocaine.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have reported an association between smoking and periodontal destruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the harmful effect of tobacco on the periodontal condition of a Moroccan population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was an exposed-non exposed study of 42 patients: 21 smokers and 21 non-smokers selected from patients attending the department of periodontology in Rabat. Smokers should have smoked at least 2 years. Periodontal variables were assessed clinically (level of plaque, degree of gingival inflammation, probing depth, attachment loss, and gingival recession) and periapical radiographs. RESULTS: There was no difference of age or level of plaque between smokers and no smokers. For the others variants, smokers had more inflammation than non smokers (GI = 1.83 versus 1.45; p = 0.03), a number of attachment loss (45.5 for smokers, and 13.6 for non smokers; p = 0.01) and periodontal pockets (26 for smokers, and 6.3 for non smokers; p = 0.01) more important and with more severe damage (AL (attachment loss) = 1.33 in smokers versus 0.72 in non smokers; p = 0.01). The number of surfaces with bone loss is higher in smoker's group than non smoker's group (25 versus 6.36; p < 0.001). The severity of bone resorption is also important (1.26 versus 0.43; p < 0.001). There wasn't a statistically significant difference concerning gingival recessions. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that tobacco has a negative effect in the periodonte of the studied Moroccan population. In smokers' patients, the prevalence of risk to develop a periodontitis is higher. In such patients, the probing depth, attachment loss and its severity, increase significantly. Level of periodontal bone is significantly decreased in patients who consume tobacco.