Management of oral manifestations of a child with Heimler Syndrome-2.

Heimler Syndrome 2 (HS-2) is a rare, autosomal recessive mild form of a peroxisomal biogenesis disorder. Though knowledge regarding the disorder is limited, emerging research has found that sensorineural hearing loss, occasional or late onset pigmentation, amelogenesis imperfecta and nail abnormalities are clinical characteristics representative of HS-2.A school-aged male presented to the dental department with a chief complaint of a lack of enamel on multiple teeth. The patient's medical history was significant for patent ductus arteriosus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and biallelic mutation of the PEX6 gene. The clinical exam revealed dental crowding, hypoplasia, hypo-calcification of multiple teeth and enlarged pulp chambers of maxillary molars. This case report details the clinical findings associated with HS-2, the comprehensive dental treatment to be rendered to the patient, and critical information to paediatric dentists and general dentists so that they can make proper referrals to medical specialties.

Oral-Gut-Estrobolome Axis May Exert a Selective Impact on Oral Cancer.

A subset of bacterial species that holds genes encoding for ß-glucuronidase and ß-galactosidase, enzymes involved in the metabolism of conjugated estrogens, is called the "estrobolome." There is an emerging interest embracing this concept, as it may exert a selective impact on a number of pathologies, including oral cancer. Although the estrobolome bacteria are typically part of the gut microbiota, recent experimental pieces of evidence have suggested a crosstalk among oral and gut microbiota. In fact, several oral bacterial species are well represented also in the gut microbiota, and these microbes can effectively induce the estrobolome activation. The main pathways used for activating the estrobolome are based on the induction of the expression patterns for 2 bacterial enzymes: ß-glucuronidase and aromatase, both involved in the increase of estrogen released in the bloodstream and consequently in the salivary compartment. Mechanistically, high estrogen availability in saliva is responsible for an increase in oral cancer risk for different reasons: briefly, 1) estrogens directly exert biological and metabolic effects on oral mucosa cells; 2) they can modulate the pathological profile of some bacteria, somewhere associated with neoplastic processes (i.e., Fusobacterium spp., Parvimonas ssp.); and 3) some oral bacteria are able to convert estrogens into carcinogenic metabolites, such as 4-hydroxyestrone and 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE), and can also promote local and systemic inflammation. Nowadays, only a small number of scientific studies have taken into consideration the potential correlations among oral dysbiosis, alterations of the gut estrobolome, and some hormone-dependent cancers: this lack of attention on such a promising topic could be a bias affecting the full understanding of the pathogenesis of several estrogen-related oral pathologies. In our article, we have speculated on the activity of an oral-gut-estrobolome axis, capable of synergizing these 2 important microbiotas, shedding light on a pilot hypothesis requiring further research.

Functional therapy and adenotonsillectomy clinical trial for class II malocclusion (FACT-II): protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Class II malocclusion with mandibular retrognathia is a common complication of paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), often accompanied by transverse maxillary deficiency. In early orthodontic treatment, a twin block (TB) is a regular functional appliance for correcting this malocclusion. For paediatric OSA, the most common risk factor is adenotonsillar hypertrophy (AHT). Untreated AHT may lead to the persistence and worsening of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing traits, including habitual mouth breathing. Additionally, the clockwise mandibular rotation associated with AHT-induced pharyngeal crowding can undermine the effectiveness and stability of TB treatment. Adenotonsillectomy (T&A) is currently the first-line treatment for paediatric OSA. This proposed trial will investigate the impact of T&A surgery timing on the efficacy and stability of TB functional treatment in children with class II mandibular retrognathia and ATH. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This will be a single-centre, parallel-group, superiority randomised controlled trial with participants randomised to intervention (T&A followed by TB treatment) or control arms (TB treatment followed by T&A) in a 1:1 ratio. A total of 40 patients aged 8-14 years, diagnosed with class II mandibular retrognathia and co-existing ATH-induced OSA, and indicated for both T&A surgery and TB treatment, will be recruited at the School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University. The primary outcomes will be the changes in the apnoea-hypopnoea index and the point A-nasion-point B angle from baseline to postorthodontic treatment between the two groups. Secondary outcomes will include other dental, skeletal, upper airway and soft tissue changes, as well as subjective sleep-related and oral-related quality of life. Outcome changes within each group and between groups will be analysed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study is approved by the Ethics Committee of the School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University (no. 2022-D07). The research findings will be faithfully disseminated through scientific conferences or published articles. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2200061703 (https://www.chictr.org.cn).

Temporal trends and the association between self-rated oral health and falls in community-dwelling older adults in South Korea: a secondary analysis of survey data.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine temporal trends and the association between falls and self-rated oral health (SROH) status in community-dwelling older Korean adults. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a serial cross-sectional study. METHODS: We analysed biennial data from 314 846 older adults in South Korea from 2011 to 2019 using data from the Korea Community Health Survey. Self-reported fall experience data came from the injury questionnaire question, 'Have you fallen in the past year (slipping, tripping, stumbling and falling)?'. For SROH, the participants were asked, 'How do you feel about your oral health, such as teeth and gums, in your own opinion?'. The association between SROH and falls was examined using a weighted multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, health status and behaviours, and psychological factors. RESULTS: Those who reported poor SROH had a lower declining slope than the other groups, although all groups showed a significantly decreasing trend in both men and women from 2011 to 2019 (p for trend<0.001). Older adults who reported having poor SROH had a more significant history of fall accidents than the good SROH groups, controlling for potential confounding variables (adjusted OR 1.16 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.21) in men; adjusted OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.21) in women). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with poor SROH, especially women, had more fall accidents, making them a priority target for fall prevention strategies. This study suggests considering SROH status when identifying fall risk factors in community-dwelling older adults.

Prognostic factors for disease activity in newly diagnosed teriflunomide-treated patients with multiple sclerosis: a nationwide Danish study.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians frequently rely on relapse counts, T2 MRI lesion load (T2L) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores to guide treatment decisions for individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study evaluates how these factors, along with age and sex, influence prognosis during treatment with teriflunomide (TFL). METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cohort study using data from the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry.Eligible participants had relapsing-remitting MS or clinically isolated syndrome and initiated TFL as their first treatment between 2013 and 2019. The effect of age, pretreatment relapses, T2L and EDSS scores on the risk of disease activity on TFL were stratified by sex. RESULTS: In total, 784 individuals were included (57.4% females). A high number of pretreatment relapses (≥2) was associated with an increased risk of disease activity in females only (OR and (95% CI): 1.76 (1.11 to 2.81)). Age group 50+ was associated with a lower risk of disease activity in both sexes (OR females=0.28 (0.14 to 0.56); OR males=0.22 (0.09 to 0.55)), while age 35-49 showed a different impact in males and females (OR females=0.79 (0.50 to 1.23); OR males=0.42 (0.24 to 0.72)). EDSS scores and T2L did not show any consistent associations. CONCLUSION: A high number of pretreatment relapses was only associated with an increased risk of disease activity in females, while age had a differential impact on the risk of disease activity according to sex. Clinicians may consider age, sex and relapses when deciding on TFL treatment.

Outlandish manifestation of swelling in early childhood seen in the patient's floor of the mouth.

Ranula is a cyst-like growth that occurs in the oral cavity beneath the tongue. It consists of saliva from a ruptured salivary gland or duct. Rather than just flowing directly from the glands into the oral cavity, saliva permeates the nearby connective tissues and creates a bubble. A ranula could indeed appear at any time span in a person's life for inexplicable reasons. A trauma such as an oral operation, a facial blow or nibbling the lower lip may possibly start one. The following is a case study of an early childhood boy who reported with a swelling in the floor of the mouth with unknown aetiology from the last 6 months.

Bacteriome and mycobiome dysbiosis in oral mucosal dysplasia and oral cancer.

It has long been considered that the oral microbiome is tightly connected to oral health and that dysbiotic changes can be detrimental to the occurrence and progression of dysplastic oral mucosal lesions or oral cancer. Improved understanding of the concepts of microbial dysbiosis together with advances in high-throughput molecular sequencing of these pathologies have charted in greater microbiological detail the nature of their clinical state. This review discusses the bacteriome and mycobiome associated with oral mucosal lesions, oral candidiasis, and oral squamous cell carcinoma, aiming to delineate the information available to date in pursuit of advancing diagnostic and prognostic utilities for oral medicine.

Barriers to early diagnosis and management of oral cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore perceived barriers to early diagnosis and management of oral cancer, as well as potential pathways for improvement in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). METHODS: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered online questionnaire created via the Research Electronic Data Capture platform. The survey was distributed to health professionals trained in Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dentists with clinical and academic expertise in oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) and oral cancer. Data obtained were systematically organized and analyzed descriptively using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: Twenty-three professionals from 21 LAC countries participated. Major barriers included the limited implementation of OPMD and oral cancer control plans (17.4%), low compulsory reporting for OPMD (8.7%) and oral cancer (34.8%), unclear referral pathways for OPMD (34.8%) and oral cancer (43.5%), and a shortage of trained professionals (8.7%). Participants endorsed the utility of online education (100%) and telemedicine (91.3%). CONCLUSION: The survey highlights major perceived barriers to early diagnosis and management of OPMD and oral cancer in LAC, as well as potential avenues for improvement.

Intelligently Quantifying the Entire Irregular Dental Structure.

Quantitative analysis of irregular anatomical structures is crucial in oral medicine, but clinicians often typically measure only several representative indicators within the structure as references. Deep learning semantic segmentation offers the potential for entire quantitative analysis. However, challenges persist, including segmentation difficulties due to unclear boundaries and acquiring measurement landmarks for clinical needs in entire quantitative analysis. Taking the palatal alveolar bone as an example, we proposed an artificial intelligence measurement tool for the entire quantitative analysis of irregular dental structures. To expand the applicability, we have included lightweight networks with fewer parameters and lower computational demands. Our approach finally used the lightweight model LU-Net, addressing segmentation challenges caused by unclear boundaries through a compensation module. Additional enamel segmentation was conducted to establish a measurement coordinate system. Ultimately, we presented the entire quantitative information within the structure in a manner that meets clinical needs. The tool achieved excellent segmentation results, manifested by high Dice coefficients (0.934 and 0.949), intersection over union (0.888 and 0.907), and area under the curve (0.943 and 0.949) for palatal alveolar bone and enamel in the test set. In subsequent measurements, the tool visualizes the quantitative information within the target structure by scatter plots. When comparing the measurements against representative indicators, the tool's measurement results show no statistically significant difference from the ground truth, with small mean absolute error, root mean squared error, and errors interval. Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients indicate the satisfactory agreement compared with manual measurements. We proposed a novel intelligent approach to address the entire quantitative analysis of irregular image structures in the clinical setting. This contributes to enabling clinicians to swiftly and comprehensively grasp structural features, facilitating the design of more personalized treatment plans for different patients, enhancing clinical efficiency and treatment success rates in turn.

Benign Intraoral Soft Tissue Lesions in Children.

Benign intraoral soft tissue pathology in pediatric patients includes developmental, traumatic, inflammatory, and infectious lesions. Common pathology includes gingival cysts, mucoceles, fibromas, and parulis. Less common lesions include peripheral ossifying fibromas, congenital epulis of the newborn, and congenital mandibular duct atresia. Most of these lesions present at painless masses but can have significant effects on children and their caregivers. Although these lesions are generally harmless, evaluation and treatment is necessary for appropriate management and health of the child.

Spatially and temporally resolved metabolome of the human oral cavity.

Saliva is a complex bodily fluid composed of secretions by major and minor salivary glands. Salivary glands and their secretions are known to be unevenly distributed in the human oral cavity. Moreover, saliva flow rate and composition vary across locations and time of the day. This remarkable heterogeneity of salivary secretions suggests that different subtypes of saliva fulfill different functions. By coupling a non-invasive and facile collection method with comprehensive metabolomic profiling, we investigated the spatial and temporal distributions of salivary components. We identified location-specific metabolite profiles, novel oscillating metabolites, and location-specific diurnal patterns. In summary, our study paves the way for a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics and functionalities of the salivary metabolome and its integration in multi-omics studies related to oral and systemic (patho-)physiology.

HIV-Related Oral Mucosa Lesions: A Cross-Sectional Study on a Cohort of Italian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can be associated with oral mucosal diseases, including oral candidiasis and HPV infection, which are putative indicators of the immune status. AIM AND METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of HIV-related oral mucosal lesions in a cohort of Italian HIV+ patients regularly attending the Clinics of Infectious Diseases. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-seven (n = 177) patients were enrolled and 30 (16.9%) of them showed HIV-related diseases of the oral mucosa. They were mainly found in male patients over 35 years old, undergoing Combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART), and with CD4+ count < 500/µL. Oral candidiasis was the most common HIV-related oral lesion. No significant correlations could be detected between the prevalence of HPV infection and other clinical parameters (lymphocyte count, cART treatment and viral load). CONCLUSIONS: HIV-related oral mucosal diseases can correlate with immunosuppression. Early diagnosis and management of oral lesions in HIV+ patients should be part of the regular follow-up, from a multidisciplinary perspective of collaboration between oral medicine and infectious disease specialists, in an attempt to reduce morbidity due to oral lesions and modulate antiretroviral therapy according to the patient's immune status.

Chronic oral diseases secondary to COVID-19 infection or vaccination: clinical cases and a narrative review.

OBJECTIVES: Autoimmune activation by COVID-19 infection/vaccination has been postulated to be responsible for initiating or reactivating multiple types of oral mucosal immune disorders. These include oral lichen planus (OLP); oral pemphigoid, either bullous pemphigoid (BP) or mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) with oral involvement; pemphigus vulgaris (PV) with oral involvement; or Sjögren's disease. In addition, chronic conditions such as oral burning, xerostomia or changes in taste and/or smell have also been linked to COVID-19 infection/vaccination. DATA SOURCES: Part 1 (mucosal conditions): an English-language literature review of Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase was performed searching cases of OLP, oral BP, MMP, PV and COVID-19 infection/vaccination, with additional cases from the authors' clinical practice presented. Part 2 (non-mucosal conditions): Cases of initiated or flared Sjögren's disease, chronic oral burning, or xerostomia after COVID-19 infection/vaccination from the authors' clinical practice were aggregated. Our literature review discovered 29 cases of OLP following COVID-19 infection/vaccination. For BP, 10 cases were identified after infection/vaccination. The number of PV cases following infection/vaccination were 28. The majority of mucosal cases were reported after vaccination. Most reported initial disease, but a substantial amount included recurrences of existing diseases. Non-mucosal disease: Sjögren's disease, chronic oral burning, or xerostomia after COVID-19 infection/vaccination cases totaled 12 cases identified from the authors' clinical practice, with the majority occurring after infection. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic conditions after infection with COVID-19 or vaccination remain relatively rare and self-limited, yet reinforce the importance of comprehensive history taking involving COVID-19 to differentiate potential etiologic factors for these conditions.

Dentofacial manifestations of a Paediatric patient with Goltz-Gorlin Syndrome.

Goltz-Gorlin syndrome is a rare X-linked inherited disorder associated with PORCN (porcupine homolog-Drosophila) gene mutation. It primarily affects the skin and its appendages. The characteristic cutaneous features include a blaschko-linear pattern, skin atrophy, pigmentary changes, and telangiectasia. The oral manifestations have been reported in more than half of the affected individuals. The most common oral findings include enamel hypoplasia, hypodontia, supernumerary teeth, microdontia, vertical grooving of the teeth, taurodontism, fusion, and abnormal root morphology reported in sporadic cases. The objective of this case report is to describe the dentofacial characteristics of a middle childhood aged girl with Goltz-Gorlin syndrome.

Salivary and serum asprosin hormone levels in the 2018 EFP/AAP classification of periodontitis stages and body mass index status: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: A newly discovered adipokine known asprosin in serum and saliva in patients with periodontitis has not been explored. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between serum and saliva asprosin levels and periodontitis by grouping it according to body mass index (BMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 65 systemically healthy patients (35 patients with periodontitis (periodontitis group), 30 periodontally healthy patients (control group)). In each patient, age, BMI, and clinical periodontal parameters (plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL)) were evaluated. Statistical analyses were conducted utilizing the Student t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. For the significance level of the tests, p<0.05 were accepted. RESULTS: The serum and saliva were collected to assess asprosin levels. Both the serum and saliva asprosin levels were statistically significantly higher in the periodontitis group than in the control group (p<0.001). Saliva and serum asprosin levels were directly proportional to the severity of the periodontal disease (p<0.05). Asprosin levels were higher in patients with a higher BMI (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Asprosin levels were increased in periodontitis, and even a high BMI status apparently affected the levels of this hormone. It is thought that asprosin may be a useful biomarker in evaluating the relationship between periodontal status and BMI. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Asprosin may be a useful parameter as a biomarker of periodontal disease progression. However, BMI status should be considered when evaluating asprosin levels in patients with periodontitis.

Circular RNA-Mediated Regulation of Oral Tissue-Derived Stem Cell Differentiation: Implications for Oral Medicine and Orthodontic Applications.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of endogenous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which unlike linear RNAs, have a covalently closed continuous loop structure. circRNAs are found abundantly in human cells and their biology is complex. They feature unique expression to different types of cells, tissues, and developmental stages. To the present, the functional roles of circular RNAs are not fully understood. They reportedly act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges, therefore having key regulatory functions in diverse physiological and pathological processes. As for dentistry field, lines of evidence indicate that circRNAs play vital roles in the odontogenic and osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). Abnormal expression of circRNAs have been found in other areas of pathology frequently reflected also in the oral environment, such as inflammation or bone and soft tissue loss. Therefore, circRNAs could be of significant importance in various fields in dentistry, especially in bone and soft tissue engineering and regeneration. Understanding the molecular mechanisms occurring during the regulation of oral biological and tissue remodeling processes could augment the discovery of novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies that will improve orthodontic and other oral therapeutic protocols.

Comparing Artificial Intelligence and Senior Residents in Oral Lesion Diagnosis: A Comparative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science that seeks to build intelligent machines that can carry out tasks that usually necessitate human intelligence. AI may help dentists with a variety of dental tasks, including clinical diagnosis and treatment planning. This study aims to compare the performance of AI and oral medicine residents in diagnosing different cases, providing treatment, and determining if it is reliable to assist them in their field of work. METHODS: The study conducted a comparative analysis of the responses from third- and fourth-year residents trained in Oral Medicine and Pathology at King Saud University, College of Dentistry. The residents were given a closed multiple-choice test consisting of 19 questions with four response options labeled A-D and one question with five response options labeled A-E. The test was administered via Google Forms, and each resident's response was stored electronically in an Excel sheet (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA). The residents' answers were then compared to the responses generated by three major language models: OpenAI, Stablediffusion, and PopAI. The questions were inputted into the language models in the same format as the original test, and prior to each question, an artificial intelligence chat session was created to eliminate memory retention bias. The input was done on November 19, 2023, the same day the official multiple-choice test was administered. The study had a sample size of 20 residents trained in Oral Medicine and Pathology at King Saud University, College of Dentistry, consisting of both third-year and fourth-year residents. RESULT: The responses of three large language models (LLM), including OpenAI, Stablediffusion, and PopAI, as well as the responses of 20 senior residents for 20 clinical cases about oral lesion diagnosis. There were no significant variations observed for the remaining questions in the responses to only two questions (10%). For the remaining questions, there were no significant differences. The median (IQR) score of LLMs was 50.0 (45.0 to 60.0), with a minimum of 40 (for stable diffusion) and a maximum of 70 (for OpenAI). The median (IQR) score of senior residents was 65.0 (55.0-75.0). The highest and lowest scores of residents were 40 and 90, respectively. There was no significant difference in the percent scores of residents and LLMs (p = 0.211). The agreement level was measured using the Kappa value. The agreement among senior dental residents was observed to be weak, with a Kappa value of 0.396. In contrast, the agreement among LLMs demonstrated a moderate level, with a Kappa value of 0.622, suggesting a more cohesive alignment in responses among the artificial intelligence models. When comparing residents' responses with those generated by different OpenAI models, including OpenAI, Stablediffusion, and PopAI, the agreement levels were consistently categorized as weak, with Kappa values of 0.402, 0.381, and 0.392, respectively. CONCLUSION: What the current study reveals is that when comparing the response score, there is no significant difference, in contrast to the agreement analysis among the residents, which was low compared to the LLMs, in which it was high. Dentists should consider that AI is very beneficial in providing diagnosis and treatment and use it to assist them.

Quantitive Assessment of Gustatory Function and Its Association with Demographics, and Systemic Morbidity.

This study aimed to analyze the associations of gustatory dysfunction as measured by validated taste strips with demographics and co-morbidities. This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed records of patients who attended the Orofacial Chemosensory Center of Hadassah Medical Center between 2017 and 2020. Taste strips were used as a validated method to determine taste dysfunction. A total of 272 subjects were included, 137 (50.4%) women and 135 (49.6%) men, with a mean age of 53.5 ± 19.3 years and age range of 18-98 years. The total taste score among the study population was 8.53 ± 4.03 (scale range 0-16). Age had a significant negative correlation with the total taste score (p = 0.001), and men exhibited worse total (p < 0.001), salty (p = 0.003), and bitter (p < 0.001) scores. Major trauma was associated with worse total (p < 0.001) and specialized taste assessments (sweet (p = 0.001), sour (p = 0.002), salty (p = 0.016), and bitter (p < 0.001)). Chemotherapy was associated with reduced total (p < 0.001), salty (p = 0.003), and bitter (p = 0.001) taste scores. Zinc deficiency exhibited worse salty (p = 0.027) and total (p = 0.038) taste scores. Patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) showed higher salty scores (p = 0.017). Patients who experienced exposure to toxic chemicals exhibited worse salty scores (p = 0.024). We conclude that gustatory dysfunction is associated with older age, male sex, and co-morbidities of major trauma, current chemotherapy, zinc deficiency, BMS, and exposure to toxins. The study highlights the importance of systemic evaluation and quantitive gustatory dysfunction assessment as part of the diagnostic process of patients with subjective complaints of taste disorders.