The reconstructive oral cancer patient: what the general dental practitioner needs to know.

The rate of oral cancer is on the rise; lesions are often being picked up late meaning it is necessary for patients to undergo multidisciplinary head and neck reconstruction. Working in a specialist head and neck oncology unit this year has opened my eyes as to how this patient subgroup is managed, with regards to both a surgical and restorative basis. This article has been written to help inform GDPs about the upcoming NHS guidelines, 'The NHS Oral Cancer Toolkit', in the management of oral cancer patients.

Periodontal lesions associated with deep traumatic overbite.

Certain aspects of malocclusion, particularly deep overbite, can be related to periodontal pathology, especially in the presence of poor oral hygiene. The authors have noted an association between deep overbite and unusual periodontal lesions. These lesions often appear on radiographs as circumscribed radiolucencies, remote from the alveolar crest and sometimes close to the apex.

Smoking cessation advice for patients with chronic periodontitis.

Background: There are limited data on the utility of dental professionals in providing smoking cessation counselling in the UK.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine quit rates for smokers with chronic periodontitis who were referred to a dental hospital for treatment.

Materials And Methods: Forty-nine subjects with chronic periodontitis who smoked cigarettes were recruited.