Assessment of Oxidative Stress-Induced Oral Epithelial Toxicity.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules generated in living organisms and an excessive production of ROS culminates in oxidative stress and cellular damage. Notably, oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of a number of oral mucosal diseases, including oral mucositis, which remains one of cancer treatments' most common side effects. We have shown previously that oral keratinocytes are remarkably sensitive to oxidative stress, and this may hinder the development and reproducibility of epithelial cell-based models of oral disease.

Biological considerations of dental materials as orifice barriers for restoring root-filled teeth.

There is ample published literature regarding the technical aspects of restoring root-filled teeth, but little concerning the biological impacts, consequences, and criteria for the selection of direct restorative materials following endodontic treatment. The provision of an effective coronal seal in addition to a sound root filling is known to be important in the prevention of root canal infection. This review seeks to explore the evidence concerning the selection of dental materials in the restoration of root-filled teeth, specifically with a close examination of the properties of commonly used materials as orifice barriers.

Dental Health Services Victoria value-based health care principles for oral health models of care.

Background: Efforts to progress oral healthcare reform can be challenging with competing interests of governments and service providers to achieve the intended outcomes. The value-based health care approach has been adopted in many areas of healthcare but has had limited applications to oral healthcare systems. Dental Health Services Victoria, an Australian state government funded entity, commenced its journey to value-based health care in 2016, to shift away from traditional dental service models that reward activity and volume towards a stronger emphasis on value and outcomes.

To prescribe or not to prescribe? A review of the Prescribing Competencies Framework for dentistry.

Objectives: Dentists in Australia are the second largest prescriber group, and are generally not formally taught how to prescribe. The objective of this review is to describe the Prescribing Competencies Framework and its relevance to dentistry.

Data: The four-model stage of prescribing by Coombes and colleagues, and the seven competencies within the Prescribing Competencies Framework devised by the Australian National Prescribing Service MedicineWise, are discussed and applied to dentistry.

The Immune Cells in the Development of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

A still unresolved issue surrounding tumor formation concerns the role that the immune system plays in preventing the formation and progression of neoplasia, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Antitumor immunity has historically been seen as a critical barrier for cancer cells to develop, grow and spread, and this can be modulated using immunotherapies to achieve antitumor clinical responses. However, it has recently become clear that tumor-associated immunity, particularly the inflammatory microenvironment, has the paradoxical effect of enhancing tumorigenesis and progression.

Apical incisor root resorption due to ectopic maxillary canine eruption: Association with time of diagnosis and type of intervention in a retrospective population-based cohort study.

Objectives: The primary aim was to study upper incisor severe apical root resorption (RR) related to ectopic canine eruption and its association with timing of diagnosis and type of intervention conducted. The secondary aim was to correlate resorption with other dental anomalies.

Materials And Methods: Digital journals and radiographic material of all ectopic maxillary canines registered in 2012 in the regional public paediatric dental clinics in the Council of Aarhus were inspected retrospectively.

The impact of COVID-19 on the well-being of Victorian children born with cleft lip and/or palate.

Background: A longitudinal cohort study was established to investigate the well-being of children born with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Victoria, Australia.

Materials And Methods: The Royal Children's Hospital cleft service database was used to identify children aged between 4 and 17 years old born with an isolated CL/P. Families of eligible children who consented to participate were asked to complete the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) between October and December 2020 and again 6-month later.

High-risk TP53 mutations predict poor primary treatment response of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge worldwide and is associated with a poor survival rate. Due to the variability in the efficacy of treatments for HNSCC, new predictive biomarkers of therapy outcomes are needed. Recently, we developed an algorithm that employs the mutational profile of TP53 as an independent prognostic factor in HNSCC.

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis from tissue metabolic profiling.

Objective: Disease metabolomes have been studied for identifying diagnostic and predictive biomarkers of pathology. Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is one of the most prevalent subtypes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, yet the profile and diagnostic value of its tissue metabolite are unclear.

Subjects And Methods: Tumor tissue samples and matched normal mucosal tissue samples were collected from 40 OTSCC patients.

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid drastically reduces chemotherapy-induced mucositis and apoptotic cell death.

Oral and intestinal mucositis (OIM) are debilitating inflammatory diseases initiated by oxidative stress, resulting in epithelial cell death and are frequently observed in cancer patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy. There are currently few preventative strategies for this debilitating condition. Therefore, the development of a safe and effective mucositis mitigating strategy is an unmet medical need.

Modeled health economic and equity impact on dental caries and health outcomes from a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax in Australia.

Dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease across the life course. This study modeled the population health and economic impact of a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax (SSB) for preventing dental caries compared to no intervention (societal and healthcare perspective). A cost-effectiveness analysis according to quintiles of area-level socioeconomic disadvantage was performed for the 2020 Australian population (0-100 years old) using a closed cohort Markov model.

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.

Mechanisms underlying sex bias in oral immune-mediated conditions, an insight.

The predilection for women in systemic autoimmune diseases is well established. However, this sex bias in oral autoimmune diseases has been classically reported from an epidemiological perspective without any elaborate attempts to unveil the underlying mechanisms. The unique nature of the oral environment is likely to impose a combination of systemic and local factors that ultimately result in the sex bias in autoimmune diseases of the oral cavity.

Strategies to integrate oral health into primary care: a systematic review.

Objectives: Integration of oral health into primary care has been proposed as a primary healthcare approach for efficient and sustainable delivery of oral health services, and the effective management of oral diseases. This paper aimed to synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of strategies to integrate oral health into primary care.

Design: Systematic review.

Production and properties of adhesin-free gingipain proteinase RgpA.

The Arg-specific gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis RgpA and RgpB have 97% identical sequences in their catalytic domains yet their propeptides are only 76% identical. RgpA isolates as a proteinase-adhesin complex (HRgpA) which hinders direct kinetic comparison of RgpA as a monomer with monomeric RgpB. We tested modifications of rgpA identifying a variant that enabled us to isolate histidine-tagged monomeric RgpA (rRgpAH).

Current endodontic practice and use of newer technologies in Australia and New Zealand.

Background: This study investigated endodontic clinical preferences, adoption of newer technologies and information sources among dentists and endodontists.

Methods: Dental and endodontic society members in Australia and New Zealand were surveyed online regarding their endodontic treatment preferences, armamentarium, information sources and continuing professional education (CPE) attendance.

Results: Complete responses were received from 71 endodontic specialists or postgraduates (Group E) and 139 general dentists (Group D).

Self-Rated Oral Health as a Valid Measure of Oral Health Status in Adults Living in Rural Australia.

It is unclear how well self-rated oral health (SROH) reflects actual oral health status in the rural Australian population. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the clinically assessed oral health status and SROH of adults living in rural Australia. The data were from 574 participants who took part in the Crossroads II cross-sectional study.

In Vitro Cytotoxicity of Antiresorptive and Antiangiogenic Compounds on Oral Tissues Contributing to MRONJ: Systematic Review.

Background: Invasive dental treatment in patients exposed to antiresorptive and antiangiogenic drugs can cause medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Currently, the exact pathogenesis of this disease is unclear.

Methods: In March 2022, Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, and Web of Science were screened to identify eligible in vitro studies investigating the effects of antiresorptive and antiangiogenic compounds on orally derived cells.

Head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma: does AFIP histological grading correlate with rate of nodal metastases?

Objective: The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the presentation of head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and identify the significance of AFIP histological grading on the risk of neck metastasis and cancer free survival.

Materials And Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort analysis of patients treated for head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma at the RMH between 2005 and 2022. Patient demographics, treatment, pathology, in particular the AFIP histological grading of the primary tumour, and outcomes were collected and tabulated.

Harnessing the power of collective intelligence in dentistry: a pilot study in Victoria, Australia.

Background: In many dental settings, diagnosis and treatment planning is the responsibility of a single clinician, and this process is inevitably influenced by the clinician's own heuristics and biases. Our aim was to test whether collective intelligence increases the accuracy of individual diagnoses and treatment plans, and whether such systems have potential to improve patient outcomes in a dental setting.

Methods: This pilot project was carried out to assess the feasibility of the protocol and appropriateness of the study design.

A critical evaluation of physical and manufacturing properties of genuine and counterfeit rotary nickel-titanium endodontic instruments.

Background: Rotary nickel-titanium (NiTi) instruments are made to exacting standards and are costly to manufacture, and quality control is paramount. Consequently, unauthorized factories make counterfeit instruments that are less expensive and may therefore be attractive to dentists. Little information exists about the metallurgy and manufacturing quality of such instruments.

Exploring the validity of the Sydney Burnout Measure.

This study aimed to examine the convergent validity of a new measure of burnout, the Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM) by comparison against the field standard measure - the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). A second aim was to consider burnout's association with psychological distress. 1483 dental professionals completed the two burnout measures as well as two measures of psychological distress.

Stem cell sources from human biological waste material: a role for the umbilical cord and dental pulp stem cells for regenerative medicine.

Stem cell research with biological waste material is an area that holds promise to revolutionize treatment modalities and clinical practice. The interest in surgical remnants is increasing with time as research on human embryonic stem cells remains controversial due to legal and ethical issues. Perhaps, these restrictions are the motivation for the use of alternative mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sources in the regenerative field.