Topical tacrolimus in the management of oral lichen planus: literature review.

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive property approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Studies have shown that topical tacrolimus is effective for a broad spectrum of mucocutaneous diseases, including oral lichen planus. The objective of this article is to review the pharmacology of tacrolimus, its usage in oral lichen planus, adverse effects and advantages of tacrolimus over other conventional drugs, thus making it a popular and alternative drug for the treatment of lichen planus.

Study of lip prints in different ethno-racial groups in India.

Context (Background): Lips prints are unique and are a tool for personal identification. AIMS: Indian population can be divided into different ethno-racial groups. In this study, we aimed at finding the most and the least prevalent lip print patterns in these groups and also to observe any similarities or differences that may exist in these groups in terms of lip print patterns. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Lip prints in 755 individuals categorized into different ethno-racial groups were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brown- and pink-colored lipsticks, cellophane tape, and magnifying lens were used to record and study the lip prints. RESULTS: Among all the three ethno-racial groups, Type I was the most prevalent lip print pattern observed. The least prevalent lip print pattern in all the three groups was Type IV. Inference/Conclusion: Lip prints hold potential as supplementary tools for identification where they can be recorded with ease. The observation and classification of lip print patterns in different ethno-racial groups not only provide some useful data but also open a new window to a field that can contribute extensively to criminal investigation and identification.

Cheiloscopic patterns in Indian population and their efficacy in sex determination: A randomized cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cheiloscopy or the study of lip prints is an important tool in forensic dentistry which is gaining popularity in current times. Not only has it proven effective in identification of individuals, but its role in sex determination has also been investigated. There are six different types of cheiloscopic/lip print patterns according to Tsuchihashi. AIMS: The present study was conducted to find the prevalence of cheiloscopic/lip print pattern in 755 individuals and also to assess their efficacy in sex determination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to classification by Tsuchihashi, the lip prints were analysed. Sex determination using lip print was done by method given by Vahanwala et al. RESULTS: It was found that Type I was the most prevalent cheiloscopic pattern. Based on the method of sex determination using lip prints by Vahanwala et al., the percentage of individuals correctly identified was less. CONCLUSION: Although cheiloscopy holds promise as a supplementary tool along with other modes to recognize the sex of an individual, there is need for further studies using standardized methods to evaluate the same in larger population sizes.

Botulinum toxin: The Midas touch.

Botulinum Toxin (BT) is a natural molecule produced during growth and autolysis of bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. Use of BT for cosmetic purposes has gained popularity over past two decades, and recently, other therapeutic uses of BT has been extensively studied. BT is considered as a minimally invasive agent that can be used in the treatment of various orofacial disorders and improving the quality of life in such patients. The objective of this article is to review the nature, mechanism of action of BT, and its application in various head and neck diseases.

A clinical evaluation of 5% amlexanox oral paste in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous ulcers and comparison with the placebo paste: a randomized, vehicle controlled, parallel, single center clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the following study is to determine and secondary objective is to compare the efficacy and safety of 5% amlexanox oral paste in the treatment of recurrent minor aphthous ulcers and also to evaluate the recurrence rate of aphthous ulcers over a period of 1 year. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 100 patients diagnosed to have recurrent minor aphthous ulcers of which, 50 patients were advised to apply 5% amlexanox oral paste directly on the ulcer 4 times a day for 6 days and the other 50 patients were given placebo paste for the same duration. The baseline parameters were recorded on the first visit which includes ulcer size, pain, erythema and exudation. Efficacy and safety evaluations were made on the 4 th day and 6 th day. In total 30 patients with increased frequency of ulcers were advised to use 5% amlexanox paste for one whole year and the number of ulcers per month was recorded to evaluate any decrease in the recurrence rate. RESULTS: Male patients dominated the study with 73 males and 27 females. The mean age of the total sample was 26.6 years. The amlexanox group showed marked reduction in ulcer size (P < 0.001), significant reduction in the visual analog scale scores of pain (P < 0.001), significant lower scores of erythema and exudation (P < 0.001) when compared to the placebo group on the 6 th day of follow-up. The incidence of recurrence of ulcers was significantly reduced up to the 6 th month, but thereafter recurrence rate slowly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Almost 5% of Amlexanox oral paste is clinically beneficial in reducing the pain, erythema, exudation and size of the ulcer over a period of 6 days. There was no definite conclusion drawn with respect to its effect on the recurrence rate of aphthous ulcers over a period of 1 year.

Stem cells: Boon to dentistry and medicine.

Stem cell research has received considerable attention since the discovery that adult stem cells have the capacity to form many different tissue types. Stem cells are a booming field for the research and have been extensively studied in the field of medicine, as well as dentistry. Their application in oncology has been a boon to many of the patients. Dental stem cells have been novel approach to treat diseases like periodontitis, dental caries and many more. Their potential uses in dentistry have provided a new generation of treatments for dental diseases and stem cells have become the focus in dental research. This review highlights about the biology, sources and potential applications of stem cells in dentistry with emphasis on a dentist's role in enabling both medical and dental applications using stem cells from teeth.

A clinical evaluation of 5% amlexanox oral paste in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous ulcers and comparison with the placebo paste: A randomized, vehicle controlled, parallel, single center clinical trial.

Objectives: The primary objective of the following study is to determine and secondary objective is to compare the efficacy and safety of 5% amlexanox oral paste in the treatment of recurrent minor aphthous ulcers and also to evaluate the recurrence rate of aphthous ulcers over a period of 1 year. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 patients diagnosed to have recurrent minor aphthous ulcers of which, 50 patients were advised to apply 5% amlexanox oral paste directly on the ulcer 4 times a day for 6 days and the other 50 patients were given placebo paste for the same duration. The baseline parameters were recorded on the first visit which includes ulcer size, pain, erythema and exudation. Efficacy and safety evaluations were made on the 4 th day and 6 th day. In total 30 patients with increased frequency of ulcers were advised to use 5% amlexanox paste for one whole year and the number of ulcers per month was recorded to evaluate any decrease in the recurrence rate. Results: Male patients dominated the study with 73 males and 27 females. The mean age of the total sample was 26.6 years. The amlexanox group showed marked reduction in ulcer size (P < 0.001), significant reduction in the visual analog scale scores of pain (P < 0.001), significant lower scores of erythema and exudation (P < 0.001) when compared to the placebo group on the 6 th day of follow-up. The incidence of recurrence of ulcers was significantly reduced up to the 6 th month, but thereafter recurrence rate slowly increased. Conclusions: Almost 5% of Amlexanox oral paste is clinically beneficial in reducing the pain, erythema, exudation and size of the ulcer over a period of 6 days. There was no definite conclusion drawn with respect to its effect on the recurrence rate of aphthous ulcers over a period of 1 year.