Behavioral and Psychosocial Risk Factors that Lead Individuals to Initiate and/or Maintain Betel Quid Chewing in Developed and Developing Countries: A Systematic Review.

Background: Betel quid (BQ) is the fourth most commonly used psychoactive substance and its use is highly prevalent among southeast Asian countries due to the influence of psychosocial, behavioral, and environmental factors. As a result, even young children and women are becoming addicted and find it difficult to achieve long-term abstinence. Systematic research addressing the influence of behavioral and psychosocial factors on BQ chewing is scarce, hence pointing to the need for understanding the interplay of these factors to develop tailored intervention strategies for BQ cessation.

Role of Toothbrushes as Gene Expression Profiling Tool for Oral Cancer Screening in Tobacco and Alcohol Users.

Aim: The use of toothbrushes was investigated as a potential RNA source and gene expression profiling tool for oral cancer screening in tobacco and alcohol users.

Methodology: A total of 20 subjects were selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were divided into two groups: group I-healthy controls ( = 6); group II-individuals who consume tobacco and alcohol ( = 14).

Is Palatal Rugae Pattern a Reliable Tool for Personal Identification following Orthodontic Treatment? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: To qualitatively and quantitatively review the reliability of palatal rugae as a tool for personal identification following orthodontic treatment.

Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective studies assessing the accuracy of matching palatal rugae pattern pre- and post-orthodontic treatment were identified from PubMed and SCOPUS databases. The title and abstract of the articles identified in the search were screened for potential duplicates and relevancy to the topic of interest.

Toothbrushes as a Source of DNA for Gender and Human Identification-A Systematic Review.

Background: Few studies have reported the use of toothbrushes as a reliable source of DNA for human or gender identification. The present systematic review with the available information was conducted to answer the focus question "Is a toothbrush a reliable source of DNA for human or gender identification?".

Methods: The keyword combination "Toothbrush" and "DNA" was used to search databases including MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science along with a manual search of reference lists of relevant articles.

Necrotizing periodontal diseases in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy: A review.

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients have depleted CD4 lymphocyte counts and are susceptible to a plethora of infections of bacterial, viral, and fungal etiology. In addition to a wide range of systemic manifestations, human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients also display several characteristic oral manifestations. Studies have shown a correlation between some of the oral manifestations and CD4 lymphocyte counts which in turn is an independent prognostic indicator.