Risk group assessment of oral precancer attached to X-ray lung-screening examinations.

The mortality rate of oral tumours in Hungary, as in some other countries, is increasing. In order to assess risk groups for oral cancer and precancer, oral examinations were carried out as part of the X-ray screenings for lung cancer in the 3rd district of Budapest, Hungary. There were 5,034 adults who participated voluntarily in these investigations. After completing a questionnaire with 23 questions, a short oral examination was performed. Males comprised 57.7% of the group, and the age-distribution among men and women was similar. Oral precancerous lesions were found in 3.7% of the whole group, in 3.3% of those with leukoplakia, and in 0.4% of those with oral lichen planus. The prevalence of leukoplakia in men was 5.8%, and in women 1.5%, with significantly higher prevalences in men and women over 40. Among the examined persons there were 31% who were smokers, and 6% reported that they were regular consumers of alcohol. Fifty-four percent of those examined reported that they did not visit the dentist regularly. Oral complaints came mostly from those with lichen planus. The described model, where the oral screening examinations are done in conjunction with other examinations, in a so-called multiphasic screening system, seems to be a worthwhile approach for early diagnosis of oral cancer and precancer.

[Treatment of xerostomia with lactoperoxidase-containing mouthwashes and toothpaste]. / A xerostomia kezelése laktoperoxidáz-tartalmú szájápoló szerekkel.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a lactoperoxidase--hypothiocyanate enzyme system on the subjective complaints and symptoms of patients suffering from "dry mouth syndrome" with diseases of the oral mucosa. The objective changes in the oral microbiological flora and cytological pattern were also assessed. The lactoperoxidase-enzyme system-containing products--like Oralbalance gel (in combination with Biotène toothpaste)--seems to be a useful tool of choice for symptomatic therapy in patients, complaining of "dry mouth syndrome".

[Stomatologic mass screening in the 3rd District of Budapest]. / Stomatoonkológiai szürövizsgálatok Budapest III. kerületében.

Stomatooncological examinations, related to the lung-screening process in the 3rd district of Budapest have been performed for one and a half year. Screening examinations of 2213 non-selected patients identified precancerous lesions in 127 cases: leukoplakia in 5.74%, oral lichen in 0.36%. Fifty-seven percent of the patients never or only in painful cases visited the dentist. Based on their findings, the authors claim to continue this screening program, and recommend the extension of this model to the whole population.

[Incidence of tongue diseases based on epidemiologic studies (review of the literature)]. / Nyelvbetegségek elöfordulásának gyakorisága epidemiológiai vizsgálatok alapján (irodalmi áttekintés).

According to the literary data the prevalence of fissured tongue varies between 0.8-60.0%, that of geographic tongue between 0.1-14.3%, that of atrophy tongue between 1.3-9.0% and that of the central papillary atrophy of the tongue between 0.0-3.35%. The wide-ranging diversity concerning the epidemiological data of tongue diseases can be explained by the multiple character of sampling, diagnosis and other methods used in different types of examinations. Disregarding the extremities and considering the average prevalence data, these agree in general with the epidemiological data found in Hungary in 1990: fissured tongue 8.8% geographic tongue 3.0%, atrophic tongue 6.37% and central atrophy of the tongue 0.35% prevalence.