Serum zinc levels in 368 patients with oral mucosal diseases: A preliminary study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the serum zinc levels in patients with common oral mucosal diseases by comparing these to healthy controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 368 patients, which consisted of 156 recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients, 57 oral lichen planus (OLP) patients, 55 burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients, 54 atrophic glossitis (AG) patients, 46 xerostomia patients, and 115 sex-and age-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. Serum zinc levels were measured in all participants. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA, t-test, and Chi-square test. RESULTS: The mean serum zinc level in the healthy control group was significantly higher than the levels of all other groups (p < 0.001). No individual in the healthy control group had a serum zinc level less than the minimum normal value. However, up to 24.7% (13/54) of patients with AG presented with zinc deficiency, while 21.2% (33/156) of patients with RAS, 16.4% (9/55) of patients with BMS, 15.2% (7/46) of patients with xerostomia, and 14.0% (8/57) of patients with OLP were zinc deficient. Altogether, the zinc deficiency rate was 19.02% (70/368) in the oral mucosal diseases (OMD) group (all patients with OMD). The difference between the OMD and healthy control group was significant (p< 0.001). Gender differences in serum zinc levels were also present, although not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc deficiency may be involved in the pathogenesis of common oral mucosal diseases. Zinc supplementation may be a useful treatment for oral mucosal diseases, but this requires further investigation; the optimal serum level of zinc, for the prevention and treatment of oral mucosal diseases, remains to be determined

The EORTC QLQ-OH17: a supplementary module to the EORTC QLQ-C30 for assessment of oral health and quality of life in cancer patients.

AIMS: Assessment of oral and dental problems is seldom routine in clinical oncology, despite the potential negative impact of these problems on nutritional status, social function and quality of life (QoL). The aim was to develop a supplementary module to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) focusing on oral health and related QoL issues in all cancer diagnoses. METHODS: The module development followed the EORTC guidelines. Phases 1&2 were conducted in France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom, while seven countries representing seven languages were included in Phase 3. RESULTS: Eighty-five QoL-items were identified from systematic literature searches. Semi-structured interviews with health-care professionals experienced in oncology and oral/dental care (n=18) and patients (n=133) resulted in a provisional module with 41 items. In phase 3 this was further tested in 178 European patients representing different phases of disease and treatment. Results from the interviews, clinical experiences and statistical analyses resulted in the EORTC QLQ-OH17. The module consists of 17 items conceptualised into four multi-item scales (pain/discomfort, xerostomia, eating, information) and three single items related to use of dentures and future worries. CONCLUSION: This study provides a useful tool intended for use in conjunction with the EORTC QLQ-C30 for assessment of oral and dental problems. The increased awareness may lead to proper interventions, thereby preventing more serious problems and negative impact on QoL. The reliability and validity, the cross-cultural applicability and the psychometric properties of the module will be tested in a larger international study.

Effect of local exposure to inhomogeneous static magnetic field on stomatological pain sensation - a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

PURPOSE: Static magnetic field (SMF) exposure was shown experimentally to beneficially affect the healing process. The aim of this randomized, controlled trial was to evaluate the pain-inhibitory effect of local exposure to SMF on temporomandibular disorders, on alveolitis and on aphta in the oral mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pain perception was evaluated on the basis of ordinary visual analogue scale (VAS) testing before and after exposure. SMF (0-192 mT peak-to-peak magnetic induction and 19 T/m lateral gradient at 3 mm from the magnets) and sham exposure was executed in a double-blind manner. A single intervention took 5 min. Altogether 79 adult patients (22 males and 57 females) with a mean (± standard error of the mean) age of 37.4 ± 1.8 years (70.9% between 20 and 50 years) participated in the study. RESULTS: SMF exposure significantly reduced pain perception (reduction from baseline to post-treatment VAS score) in the group with temporomandibular disorders from 2.0 ± 0.3 to 0.5 ± 0.1 (n = 29, p = 0.0003), but not in case of the alveolitis, or the aphta group. CONCLUSIONS: SMF exposure as a drug-free, fast and easy to use method could potentially help stomatologists, who seek for alternative methods of local anesthesia, especially when systemic anesthesia is contraindicated.

[Summing up the 5-year monitoring of morphology and function of the stomatognathic system in children exposed to radiation]. / Analiz rezul'tatov 5-letnego monitoringa morfofunktsional'nogo sostoianiia zubocheliustnoi sistemy u detei, podvergshikhsia radiatsionnomu vozdeistviiu.

Monitoring of the maxillodental system in children born and living in regions contaminated by radiation as a result of the Chernobyl accident was carried out in 1997-2002 within the framework of Federal Program "Children of Russia", section "Chernobyl Children". Analysis of 5-year changes in the maxillodental morphology and function showed a trend to improvement: the prevalence of normal-for-age status increased and the parameters of maxillodental function normalized.

[The correlations between the electromyographic display and the aspects involved with masticatory muscle contraction and phosphorus-calcium metabolism]. / Corelatii între reflectari electromiografice si unele aspecte legate de contractia muschilor manducatori si metabolismul fosfo-calcic.

The neuromuscular activity at the level of the stomatognathic system has a specific complexity, due to the multiple systemic functions, realizing the statistical and dynamical mandibular positions and the integration of the stomatognathic system at the level of the human body. Knowing that the neuroendocrine system represents an important factor for the over-systemic coordination of the stomatognathic muscular activity, we want to establish the implication and the neuroendocrine correlation in the stomatognathic muscular dysfunctions determined by some endocrine diseases.