[A PhD completed. More insight into the origin and composition of salivary stones]. / Serie: Hora est. Meer inzicht in het ontstaan en de samenstelling van speekselstenen.

Salivary stones are hardened, stony calcifications that primarily develop in the drainage duct of a salivary gland. They can lead to obstruction of the saliva flow, resulting in swelling and pain. Since the aetiology of salivary stones remains largely unclear, this was further investigated in this PhD study. A case-control review of patient records showed that systemic diseases and lifestyle factors most likely do not play a role in their occurrence. The biochemical composition of salivary stones removed by oral-maxillofacial surgeons was examined, revealing that large salivary stones have a different inorganic composition than small salivary stones. Several salivary proteins were detected in submandibular salivary stones, including lysozyme, s-IgA, and -amylase. Clumping together of these proteins may play a role in the initial formation of salivary stones.

[A sore tip of the tongue]. / Een pijnlijke tongpunt.

A 41-year-old patient presented with a sore tip of the tongue. The anterior side of the tongue had a red appearance showing a number of pronounced fungiform papillae and there were tooth impressions on the lateral sides of the tongue. This clinical picture is consistent with transient lingual papillitis. It has an unknown etiology. Local irritation might be a contributing factor. Transient lingual papillitis regresses spontaneously within a few weeks. Chronic lingual papulosis is a variant and shows enlarged filiform papillae; it can persist for years and is rarely painful. The cause of chronic lingual papulosis is similarly often unclear. Both conditions are very common, but often not recognized.

[Swelling of the labial gingiva of the teeth]. / Een zwelling van de gingiva.

A 12-year-old boy was referred with a painless swelling of the labial gingiva. The swelling was caused by the antihypertensive amlodipine, which he used because of arterial hypertension due to a chronic kidney disease. The treatment consisted of discontinuation of the causative drug after which the swelling of the gingiva slowly subsided.

[Knowledge and attitude of oral care providers in the Netherlands on skin lesions]. / Kennis en attitude van mondzorgverleners over huidafwijkingen.

To gain insight into the current knowledge of oral care providers in the Netherlands on facial skin lesions, a survey was distributed to 7,670 oral care providers. Their knowledge was tested by means of 4 multiple-choice questions and on the basis of 5 cases. The survey was completed in full by 90 respondents. The median age was 50.3 years and 62.2% were female. During dental check-ups, 55.6% always examined the face and 41.1% sometimes did so. Compared to the group 41 years old and older, the group 21-40 years of age alerted their patients more often to skin lesions (p = 0.017), was more afraid a specialist would find the referral useless (p < 0.001) and was more in need of a guideline (p = 0.049). The respondents scored 1.90 out of 4 correct answers to the knowledge questions. On the case studies, they scored 1.46 out of 5 for the correct diagnosis, 3.48 out of 5 for the correct choice of policy and 1.01 out of 5 for the combination correct diagnosis and correct policy. The total score was 2.91 out of 9. The results indicate that knowledge on aspects of skin lesions is limited and additional training and the availability of a guideline are necessary.

[Oral health of recreational ecstasy-users]. / Mondgezondheid bij recreatief ecstasygebruik.

In a cross-sectional study, dental records of 149 individuals visiting an Academic Dental Clinic in Amsterdam who reported recreational ecstasy use, defined as no more than twice a week, were systematically analyzed and compared to a group of age- and sex-matched non-drug-users. The parameters retrieved from the dental records were decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth-index (DMFT-index), number of endodontically treated teeth, presence of active caries lesions, periodontitis, tooth wear, xerostomia, and self-reported use of oral hygiene devices. Periodontitis, active caries lesions, and xerostomia were statistically significantly more present in ecstasy-users. Ecstasy-users brush their teeth significantly less frequent per day than non-recreational-drug-users. There were no significant differences in DMFT-index and in the devices used for brushing and interdental cleaning, and frequency of use of these interdental devices between both groups. We conclude that periodontitis, active caries lesions, and xerostomia, are more frequently present in recreational ecstasy-users compared to age- and sex-matched non-users.

[A periapical lesion, not always an inflammation. Periapical radiolucencies]. / Serie: Een periapicale afwijking, niet altijd een ontsteking. Periapicale radiolucenties.

A radiolucency, radiopacity or mixed lesion, identified on a radiograph is usually the result of an inflammation of endodontic origin. However, a periapical lesion is sometimes caused by primary bone pathology, predominantly manifesting at the apices of the teeth. Various intraosseous lesions can be projected across the apices, creating the impression of a causal relation with these teeth. An incorrect diagnosis can lead to 1 or more endodontic treatments being carried out unjustifiably. A thorough and detailed anamnesis, a complete extra- and intraoral examination, and a careful examination of the radiological imaging will result in a correct diagnosis in most cases. Knowledge of the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions is essential. In this article, the focus will be on periapical radiolucencies and how they can be distinguished from each other.

[Morsicatio related white lesions of the tongue borders and lower lip: a case report]. / Witte veranderingen van de onderlip en de tongranden als gevolg van morsicatio.

A 28-year-old woman was referred by her dentist to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for white lesions of the lower lip and lateral tongue borders on both sides. The diagnoss morsicatio labiorum and linguarum was made. Cheek, tongue, and lip biting occurs with some regularity and often patients are unaware of this habit. The diagnosis of morsicatio is based on clinical appearance and additional diagnostics are unnecessary. The condition belongs to a subcategory of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Treatment is not always necessary, but may consist of making the patient aware of the cause, possibly combined with symptomatic and/or causal therapy, for instance with an occlusal splint or cognitive behavioral therapy.

[A periapical lesion, not always an inflammation. Periapical radiopacities]. / Serie: Een periapicale afwijking, niet altijd een ontsteking. Periapicale radiopaciteiten.

A periapical radiolucency, radiopacity or mixed lesion identified on a radiograph is usually caused by an inflammation of endodontic origin. However, a periapical lesion is sometimes caused by primary bone pathology, predominantly manifesting at the apices of the teeth. Various intraosseous lesions can also be projected across the apices, creating the impression of a causal relation with these teeth. An incorrect diagnosis can lead to 1 or more endodontic treatments being carried out unjustifiably. A thorough and detailed anamnesis, a complete extra- and intraoral clinical examination and the careful study of the radiographic imaging leads to a correct diagnosis in most cases. In this regard, knowledge of the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions is essential. In this article, the focus is on apparent periapical radiopacities and how they can be differentiated from each other.

[A periapical lesion, not always an inflammation. Overprojection of neoplastic pathology]. / Serie: Een periapicale afwijking, niet altijd een ontsteking. Overprojectie van tumoren.

A radiolucency, radiopacity or mixed lesion identified on a radiograph is usually the result of an inflammation of endodontic origin. However, a periapical lesion is sometimes caused by primary bone pathology, predominantly manifesting at the apices of the teeth. Various intraosseous lesions can be projected across the apices, creating the impression of a causal relation with these teeth. An incorrect diagnosis can lead to 1 or more endodontic treatments being carried out unjustifiably. A thorough and detailed anamnesis, a complete extra- and intraoral examination, and a careful examination of the radiological imaging will result in a correct diagnosis in most cases. Knowledge of the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions is essential. This article focuses on periapical radiolucencies due to overprojection of neoplastic pathology.

[A periapical lesion, not always an inflammation. Overprojection of non-neoplastic pathology]. / Serie: Een periapicale afwijking, niet altijd een ontsteking. Overprojectie van niet-neoplastische pathologie.

A radiolucency, radiopacity or mixed lesion, identified on a radiograph is usually the result of an inflammation of endodontic origin. However, a periapical lesion is sometimes caused by primary bone pathology, predominantly manifesting at the apices of the teeth. Various intraosseous lesions can be projected across the apices, creating the impression of a causal relation with these teeth. An incorrect diagnosis can lead to 1 or more endodontic treatments being carried out unjustifiably. A thorough and detailed anamnesis, a complete extra- and intraoral examination, and a careful examination of the radiological imaging will result in a correct diagnosis in most cases. Knowledge of the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions is essential. This article focuses on apparent periapical radiolucencies caused by overprojection of non-neoplastic pathology.

[Human papillomavirus vaccination available for boys also; information for oral healthcare providers]. / Humaan papillomavirus-vaccinatie nu ook beschikbaar voor jongens: informatie voor mondzorgverleners.

Recently, the Dutch National Immunization Programme has started to offer the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to boys as well as girls from the age of 10. The vaccine protects against long-term HPV infection, which can lead to cervical, anogenital and oropharyngeal cancer. Besides malignant disorders, a HPV infection can also lead to certain disorders of the skin and oral cavity. Since the national HPV vaccination campaign has probably resulted in more awareness among patients about the relation between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer, patients may consult oral healthcare professionals with questions about HPV infection. Oral healthcare professionals are thus able to play a role in preventing HPV related disorders by counseling their patients on HPV. They can also contribute to early diagnosis of HPV related oral and oropharyngeal disorder, although the possibility of detecting oropharyngeal cancer during routine dental examination  is limited.

[Radiolucency at both lower third molars: the paradental cyst]. / Radiolucentie bij beide derde ondermolaren: een paradentaire cyste.

A 23-year-old man presented with an irritating sensation at the third molar on the left side of the mandible and a bad taste in his mouth. Radiographic and histopathological examination revealed the abnormality was caused by a paradental cyst. The paradental cyst is located distal to a lower third molar and, together with the mandibular buccal bifurcation cyst, belongs to the inflammatory collateral cysts. Treatment consists of enucleation of the cyst and removal of the lower third molar. Recurrences do not occur.

[Oral chronic graft versus host disease, what is it and how is it treated?] / Orale chronische graft-versus-hostziekte, wat is het en hoe wordt het behandeld?

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation can cause chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD). A number of patients manifest cGVHD in and around the mouth. It can present itself as clinically as mucosal lesions and/or salivary gland dysfunction and/or sclerotic changes. Cheeks and tongue are most commonly affected, but the palate, gingiva and lips can also be impacted. Oral cGVHD is associated with mucosal sensitivity, pain, (severe) oral dryness, altered taste, restricted mouth opening and difficulty swallowing, all of which may contribute to a significant decrease of the patient's quality of life. Patients also run an increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the oral mucosa. The diagnosis of cGVHD is almost always based on the patient's medical history and clinical picture. Treatment of symptoms is based on the patient's problem(s). Dental professionals can provide patients with supportive preventive care aimed at reducing symptoms and preventing further deterioration of oral health.

[Knowledge of Dutch dentists regarding HPV associated cancer of the oropharynx]. / Kennis van Nederlandse tandartsen over orofarynxkanker veroorzaakt door het humaan papillomavirus.

Worldwide and also in the Netherlands there is an increasing human papillomavirus (HPV)-attributable oropharyngeal cancer incidence. This type of cancer is more common at a younger age than the classical oropharyngeal cancer, which is usually caused by smoking and excessive drinking. Most often, the tumor occurs in the tonsils and at the base of the tongue. This study explored the level of knowledge of dentists about oropharyngeal cancer, its association with the human papillomavirus and their willingness to play a role in prevention. 7.364 digital questionnaires were sent to oral health-care providers and data from 607 dentists was analyzed. 48% of knowledge questions were answered correctly by more than half of the respondents. Significantly more female caregivers were aware of the relationship between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer and the availability of an HPV vaccine. Respondents considered it important that the relationship between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer is discussed with patients and that a protocol is developed that is useful in screening for mouth and throat cancer.

[A painful periapical radiopacity in the lower jaw]. / Een pijnlijke periapicale radiopaciteit in de onderkaak.

A periapical radiopacity is frequently encountered by chance on a conventional periapical or panoramic x-ray. However, local pain and/or swelling in the area of a radiopacity is seldom seen. Here, we report on 2 cases of patients referred to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a painful periapical radiopacity in the lower jaw. The clinically and radiologically assumed diagnosis was a cementoblastoma, which was confirmed by histopathological examination following its surgical removal. A cementoblastoma is a rare, benign odontogenic tumor, mostly found in patients younger than 30. Treatment consists of surgical removal of the tumor, almost always together with the attached tooth. The recurrence rate after complete removal is approximately 12%. A cementoblastoma is clinically distinguished from other periapical radiopacities by local pain and sometimes swelling and radiologically by a relationship with the roots of a (pre)molar, a radiolucent rim surrounding the opacity, bone and/or root resorption and expansive growth.

[Dentogenic ghost cell tumour in the mandible]. / Dentinogene ghost cell-tumor in de onderkaak.

A 67-year-old man presented with a swelling on the right side of the mandible. Histopathological investigation of a biopsy revealed a peripheral dentogenic ghost cell tumour. Treatment consisted of thorough excochleation of the abnormality and 2 years after treatment, the patient was free of recurrence. In the literature, a distinction is made between peripheral and central dentogenic ghost cell tumours, which, like calcifying odontogenic cysts, are considered to be ghost cell odontogenic lesions. These are rarely occurring abnormalities, where the chances of recurrence after proper treatment are limited. The central dentogenic ghost cell tumour has a greater chance of recurring locally.

[Temporal arteritis, sometimes oral symptoms are the first manifestation]. / Arteriitis temporalis, orale verschijnselen zijn soms de eerste uiting.

Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose temporal arteritis because the complaints may vary, change in intensity and are not always characteristic. The condition is a cranial form of giant-cell arteritis affecting large and medium-sized arteries. The first manifestation of temporal arteritis can be a sore tongue that does not manifest any abnormalities during a clinical investigation. In a later stage patients sometimes develop ulceration or necrosis of a part of one side of the tongue. Other symptoms can be a recently developed headache, jaw claudication and acute loss of vision. To diagnose temporal arteritis, histological investigation of a biopsy of the temporal artery is carried out. The treatment consists of long-term use of corticosteroids. A patient in your practice with inexplicable pain on one side of the tongue, without clinical abnormalities, or an ulceration of the tongue without an immediately apparent cause may have temporal arteritis.

[How to detect opacities in the orofacial soft tissue on a panoramic radiograph? Idiopathic calcifications]. / Herkenning van wekedelen­opaciteiten op een panoramische röntgenopname: idiopathische calcificaties.

Opacities not in the bone but in the orofacial soft tissue, are frequently seen on panoramic radiographs. The differential diagnosis of these opacities is diverse and concerns frequently occurring disorders but also rare ones. Due to the diversity of diagnoses, the clinical interpretation of a soft tissue opacity is often difficult. A distinction is made among heterotopic calcifications, heterotopic ossifications, and foreign bodies. Heterotopic calcifications are subdivided into 3 groups, i.e. dystrophic calcifications, idiopathic calcifications, and metastatic calcifications. In this article, stress is placed on the radiographic and clinical characteristics ofidiopathic calcifications and how they can be recognised on a panoramic radiograph. Besides this, attention will be paid to the need for possible additional imaging techniques and indications regarding treatment options. Idiopathic calcification results from deposition of calcium salts in healthy tissue without an apparent cause. Calcium and phosphate levels in the serum are normal in these cases.

[How to detect opacities in the orofacial soft tissue on a panoramic radiograph: heterotopic ossifications and foreign bodies]. / Herkenning van wekedelenopaciteiten op een panoramische röntgenopname: heterotopische ossificaties en corpora aliena.

Opacities in the orofacial soft tissue rather than the bone are frequently seen on panoramic radiographs. The differential diagnosis of these opacities is diverse and concerns frequently occurring disorders but also rare ones. Due to the diversity of diagnoses, the clinical interpretation of a soft tissue opacity is often difficult. A distinction is made among heterotopic calcifications, heterotopic ossifications, and foreign bodies. Heterotopic calcifications are subdivided into 3 groups, i.e. dystrophic, idiopathic and metastatic calcifications. In this article, stress is placed on the radiographic and clinical characteristics of heterotopic ossifications and foreign bodies, and how they can be recognised on a panoramic radiograph. Besides this, attention will be paid to the need for possible additional imaging techniques and indications regarding treatment option.

[How to detect opacities in the orofacial soft tissue on a panoramic radiograph? Dystrophic calcifications]. / Herkenning van wekedelenopaciteiten op een panoramische röntgen­opname: dystrofische calcificaties.

Opacities in the orofacial soft tissue rather than the bone are frequently seen on panoramic radiographs. The differential diagnosis of these opacities is diverse and comprises abnormalities both frequently seen and rare. On account of this diversity, the clinical interpretation of a soft tissue opacity is often difficult. Heterotopic calcifications, heterotopic ossifications, and foreign bodies are distinguished. Heterotopic calcifications are subdivided into 3 groups, i.e. dystrophic calcifications, idiopathic calcifications, and metastatic calcifications. In this article, the emphasis will be on radiological and clinical characteristics of dystrophic calcifications and how to recognize these on panoramic radiographs. In dystrophic calcification, calcium salts are deposited in chronically inflamedor necrotic tissue.