Oral health practitioners' knowledge, perceptions, and practices relating to e-cigarettes.

Objectives: Despite the oral health risks associated with e-cigarette use (i.e., vaping) and the importance of cessation, research exploring the experiences and views of oral health practitioners in relation to e-cigarettes and delivering cessation counselling is limited.

Convolutional neural networks for accurate real-time diagnosis of oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma using high-resolution in vivo confocal microscopy.

Oral cancer detection is based on biopsy histopathology, however with digital microscopy imaging technology there is real potential for rapid multi-site imaging and simultaneous diagnostic analysis. Fifty-nine patients with oral mucosal abnormalities were imaged in vivo with a confocal laser endomicroscope using the contrast agents acriflavine and fluorescein for the detection of oral epithelial dysplasia and oral cancer. To analyse the 9168 images frames obtained, three tandem applied pre-trained Inception-V3 convolutional neural network (CNN) models were developed using transfer learning in the PyTorch framework.

Assessment of anticoagulant safety and coagulation analysis in mice using the VETSCAN VSpro analyzer.

Animal models of thrombosis play a critical role in research, helping us understand the mechanisms of hemostasis and thrombus formation, as well as in the screening of anti-thrombotic drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the safety profile of two anticoagulants in murine research and to assess coagulation parameters, including prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), using the VETSCAN VSpro coagulation analyzer in wild-type (C57BL/6) mice following administration of anticoagulants. Two experiments were conducted involving a total of sixty wild-type mice that received two common anticoagulants.

Assessing bias in the causal role of HPV in oral cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) are an established cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Their relationship with oral cancer remains unclear with detection ranging from 0% to 100%. HPV DNA detection or evidence of exposure alone is insufficient to conclude causality.

Evaluating global research trends in special needs dentistry: A systematic bibliometrix analysis.

Objectives: Special needs dentistry (SND) is a vast and fragmented field of study. This comprehensive bibliometric analysis aimed to evaluate the scope of SND, including the existing knowledge base, distribution structure, quantitative relationships, and research trends.

Material And Methods: A systematic search was conducted on March 10, 2022, using the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering the period from 1985 to 2021, focusing on studies reporting on special needs populations in a dentally relevant context.

Eosinophils in Oral Disease: A Narrative Review.

The prevalence of diseases characterised by eosinophilia is on the rise, emphasising the importance of understanding the role of eosinophils in these conditions. Eosinophils are a subset of granulocytes that contribute to the body's defence against bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, but they are also implicated in haemostatic processes, including immunoregulation and allergic reactions. They contain cytoplasmic granules which can be selectively mobilised and secrete specific proteins, including chemokines, cytokines, enzymes, extracellular matrix, and growth factors.

Applying Machine Learning for Enhanced MicroRNA Analysis: A Companion Risk Tool for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Standard Care Incisional Biopsy.

Machine learning analyses within the realm of oral cancer outcomes are relatively underexplored compared to other cancer types. This study aimed to assess the performance of machine learning algorithms in identifying oral cancer patients, utilizing microRNA expression data. In this study, we implemented this approach using a panel of oral cancer-associated microRNAs sourced from standard incisional biopsy specimens to identify cases of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC).

Optimising Patient Outcomes in Tongue Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

A multidisciplinary approach to the management of tongue cancer is vital for achieving optimal patient outcomes. Nursing and allied health professionals play essential roles within the team. We developed symposia comprising a series of online lectures offering a detailed perspective on the role each discipline and consumer perspective has in the management of patients with tongue cancer.

The global distribution of special needs dentistry across dental school curricula.

Introduction: Special needs dentistry (SND) is an emerging dental specialty, with ongoing developments in education and clinical practice focused towards the tailored management of individuals with special needs (SN). Patients with SN have a higher prevalence of oral diseases and unmet dental needs compared to the general population. Although inadequate training and experience in managing patients with SN has been highlighted as a significant barrier to accessing care, there is limited data about the extent of SND teaching at the entry-to-practice or higher levels.

The Role of Vitamins in Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Oral Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Background: Micronutrients are vital for general and oral health, and their potential anti-cancer properties are documented. We explore beneficial vitamins for oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral cancer (OC), assessing the therapeutic impacts of essential vitamin supplementation.

Methods: We systematically review evidence on vitamin supplementation's therapeutic effects for OPMDs and OC.

Mouthwashes: Alternatives and Future Directions.

This narrative review summarises "alternative" or "natural" over-the-counter (OTC) mouthwashes not covered elsewhere in this supplement and newly emerging products, as potential mouthwashes of the future. The "natural" mouthwashes reviewed include saltwater, baking soda, coconut oil, charcoal, propolis, seaweeds, and probiotics. Other than essential oils, it is apparent that their clinical effectiveness is still under debate, but there is some evidence to suggest that propolis reduces plaque and gingivitis.

Acquisition and annotation in high resolution digital biopsy by confocal microscopy for diagnosis in oral precancer and cancer.

Introduction: Scanned fibre endomicroscopes are full point-scanning confocal microscopes with submicron lateral resolution with an optical slice thickness thin enough to isolate individual cell layers, allow active positioning of the optical slice in the z-axis and collection of megapixel images. Here we present descriptive findings and a brief atlas of an acquisition and annotation protocol high resolution capture of oral mucosal pathology including oral squamous cell carcinoma and dysplasia using a fluorescence scanned fibre endomicroscope with 3 topical fluorescent imaging agents: fluorescein, acriflavine and PARPi-FL.

Methods: Digital biopsy was successfully performed an acquisition protocol in seventy-one patients presenting for investigation of oral mucosal abnormalities using a miniaturized, handheld scanned fibre endoscope.

Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Uncovering the inflammatory mechanisms underpinning initiation, progression, and promotion of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development is fundamental to the rational pursuit of targeted therapeutics. Here we present a review of the current knowledge of the role of TNF-α in the aetiology, pathogenesis, and potential therapies with regards to OSCC. TNF-α is worthy of particular attention in OSCC, with its presence demonstrated to enhance cell proliferation and its downregulation demonstrated to inhibit proliferation and migration in other carcinomas in both in vitro and in vivo models and oral cancer patients.

Potential effects of anticoagulants in preclinical mice models of oral cancer: A systematic review.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common head and neck cancer. There is mounting evidence to suggest that several components of the coagulation system directly affect carcinogenesis. Our recent in vitro studies demonstrated, for the first time, that various anticoagulants have anticancer effects on OSCC.

Optimisation of treatments for oral infection: Pharmacokinetics Study (STI-PK project) - study protocol for non-randomised clinical trial.

Introduction: infections are common and incidence increasing. Oropharyngeal infections are associated with greater treatment failure compared with other sites and drive transmission to anogenital sites through saliva. Gonococcal resistance is increasing and new treatments are scarce, therefore, clinicians must optimise currently available and emerging treatments in order to have efficacious therapeutic options.

Fixed drug eruptions - the common and novel culprits since 2000.

A fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a common cutaneous adverse drug reaction which occurs following administration of an offending drug. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the list of drugs causing FDE, with a focus on emerging drug culprits reported since the start of the century. Across published literature, triggers for FDE are widely varied.

Transcriptional regulation of glucose transporters in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

The increased glucose uptake observed in cancer cells is mediated by glucose transporters (GLUTs), a class of transmembrane proteins that facilitate the transport of glucose and other substrates across the plasma membrane. Despite the important role of glucose in the pathophysiology of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), there is very limited data regarding the expression of GLUTs in normal or malignant cells from the oral mucosa. We analysed the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of all 14 GLUTs in two OSCC (H357/H400) and one non-malignant oral keratinocyte (OKF6) cell line using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Confocal microscopy in oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review.

Objective: To systematically identify and summarise current research on the utility of confocal microscopy in oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral epithelial dysplasia in oral potentially malignant disorders.

Methods: Databases Medline, Embase, Evidence-Based Medicine, and Web of Science were searched with articles screened and included if their primary objective was the use of a confocal microscope in diagnosis of oral cancer or epithelial dysplasia, in vivo or ex vivo.

Results And Discussion: Twenty-eight relevant studies were identified of which 21 studies included oral squamous cell carcinoma specimens.

A Systematic Review of MicroRNA Signatures Associated with the Progression of Leukoplakia with and without Epithelial Dysplasia.

Oral cancer is a significant public health issue, being the eighth most common cancer worldwide with over 300,000 cases diagnosed annually. Early diagnosis and adequate management of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) before transformation into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is critical to reduce deaths, morbidity, and to improve overall prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of protein expression and implicated in the control of numerous cellular pathways and impacting physiological, developmental, and pathological processes.

De-escalation of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (Rituximab) protocols in Pemphigus Vulgaris - a systematic review.

: This review assesses current evidence supporting dose de-escalated rituximab therapy in pemphigus vulgaris, compared to standard protocols. Primary outcome measures were remission and relapse rates. Adverse effects, cumulative steroid dosages, and serological markers of disease activity were also reported.

Comparison of the EUROIMMUN Dermatology Profile ELISA to the novel BIOCHIP Mosaic 7 for the diagnosis of immunobullous skin disease.

Background: The BIOCHIP is an indirect immunofluorescence diagnostic investigation which identifies multiple autoantibodies with a mosaic panel of target antigen-specific substrates in a single incubation field. The EUROIMMUN Dermatology Profile ELISA allows simultaneous investigation of the six most important autoantibodies in bullous autoimmune dermatoses. Evaluation of the BIOCHIP Mosaic 7, compared to that of the EUROIMMUN Dermatology Profile ELISA, when used as a diagnostic investigation in pemphigus and pemphigoid, was undertaken in an Australian cohort.

Kava constituents exert selective anticancer effects in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro.

Kava is a beverage made from the ground roots of the plant Piper Methysticum. Active compounds of Kava have previously been demonstrated to exert an antiproliferative effect through cell cycle arrest and promotion of apoptosis. Our aim was to investigate the in vitro effects of the main constituents derived from Kava on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) activity.

Common causes of 'swelling' in the oral cavity.

Background: Conditions that present as a 'swelling' in the oral cavity are relatively common, and patients may seek initial assessment from their general practitioners.

Objective: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of common causes of a 'swelling' in the oral cavity to help with formulating a differential diagnosis and stratifying the urgency of referral.

Discussion: Pathological conditions in the oral cavity (excluding mucosal presentations) may present as a swelling in the submucosa or jaws, symptoms related to teeth and/or gums or an incidental finding on imaging.