Prevalence of traumatic injuries to the permanent incisors in candidates for orthodontic treatment

Abstract  – The dental records made on presentation of 1367 consecutive patients (731 females and 636 males) for orthodontic treatment at a private orthodontic practice between 1998 and 2002 were examined for data relating to trauma to the permanent incisors. The results showed that 10.3% of these patients had suffered from dental trauma before the onset of orthodontic treatment. The highest prevalence of dental trauma was determined in the 11–15 years age group, corresponding to the dental developmental stage of the late mixed dentition. The most frequently affected teeth were the maxillary central incisors (79.6%), and the most common types of trauma were fracture of enamel–dentin without pulpal involvement (42.7%) and fracture of enamel (33.8%). Compared to patients with normal overjet and adequate lip coverage, the frequency of dental trauma was significantly higher in patients with increased overjet and adequate lip coverage ( P  = 0.028) or with increased overjet and inadequate lip coverage ( P  = 0.003). The results of the present study indicate that a significant percentage of candidates for orthodontic treatment, and especially those with increased overjet and inadequate lip coverage, suffer trauma to their permanent incisors before the onset of orthodontic treatment. It might also be concluded that preventive orthodontic treatment of such patients should be initiated and completed before the age of 11, i.e. in the early to middle mixed dentition.     

The immunohistology of CD40 in human oral epithelium in health and disease

BACKGROUND: CD40 has a role in the regulation of immune responses, cell proliferation and migration, and apoptosis. Little is known of its distribution in oral mucosal pathology. METHODS: Oral keratinocyte lines were tested for CD40 protein by Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was used to stain paraffin sections of oral mucosa in health and in inflammatory, reactive, dysplastic and malignant disease. RESULTS: Western blotting confirmed the presence of CD40 in oral keratinocytes. CD40 was generally expressed by keratinocytes in the basal layer, with variable parabasal expression. Langerhans cells also stained positively. Expression was lost in nine of 33 (27%) epithelial dysplasias, seven of which were severe. Eighty-one percent of well, 69% of moderately and 50% of poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) expressed CD40. Overall, 45 of 65 (69%) OSCC were positive. The pattern of expression was unrelated to tumour differentiation. CONCLUSION: CD40 expression by basal and parabasal oral keratinocytes is physiological. Expression is lost in approximately one-third of oral epithelial dysplasias and OSCC. The significance of such loss remains unknown, but may be related to immunological or other abnormalities of keratinocyte homeostasis.     

Cutaneous postural vasoconstriction is modified by exogenous but not endogenous female hormones in young women

Previously reported attenuation of skin postural vasoconstriction in women during the luteal menstrual cycle phase may be due to a progesterone-mediated decrease in myogenic or veno-arteriolar (VAR) mechanisms. Skin perfusion was measured in the shin and foot dorsum by Laser Doppler Fluxometry during leg dependency that increased vascular transmural pressure below (myogenic constriction only) and above (myogenic and VAR) the 25 mmHg threshold for activation of the VAR, and during venous distension to activate the VAR alone (cuff inflation to 50 mmHg). In six young women with normal menstrual cycles, vasoconstrictor responses to all interventions did not differ between days 7–13 (follicular) and 18–23 (luteal) of the normal menstrual cycle when progesterone levels were low and at their peak respectively. In eight women taking combined oral contraceptives (OC) and tested during pill consumption days, reductions in foot skin perfusion were smaller (P = 0.05) than in the luteal phase of the normal cycle for leg dependency below (−36.9 ± 5.2% OC vs. −52.5 ± 7.8% luteal, mean ± S.E.M.) and above (−43.7 ± 3.4% OC vs. −55.1 ± 4.8% luteal) the VAR threshold, and for venous distension (−53.1 ± 2.6% OC vs. 66.4 ± 5.5% luteal). In women with normal menstrual cycles, impaired postural vasoconstriction may be confined to those who experience pre-menstrual symptoms rather than a direct effect of endogenous hormones. Reduced vasoconstriction in the dependent foot during OC use is consistent with the known vasodilator action of exogenous hormones and its long-term effects     

Correction by oral adsorbent of abnormal digestive tract milieu in rats with chronic renal failure

In order to examine the mechanism by which the oral carbonaceousadsorbent, AST-120 delays the appearance of glomerular sclerosis,experiments were carried out in 120 male Sprague-Dawley ratsweighing 285–320 g. The rats were first subjected to 2/3,3/4, and 4/5 nephrectomy (n=40). The experiments were begunat 2 weeks after the surgery, and were performed over an 8-weekperiod. Half of each group (n=20) was administered 1 g/day ofliquid AST-120, and the other half received liquid vehicle solutionwith pair feeding in each group. In the 2/3 nephrectomized groupthe administration of AST-120 delayed the occurrence of glomerularhypertrophy and prevented the appearance of glomerular sclerosiswithout any significant differences in renal function, systemicblood pressure (SBP), and urinary protein excretion (U-P). Inthe 3/4 nephrectomized group the administration of AST-120 delayedthe appearance of glomerular hypertrophy and sclerosis withsignificant decreases in SBP and U-P. In the 4/5 nephrectomizedgroup the administration of AST-120 delayed the appearance ofglomerular sclerosis and prevented a decrease in renal function.It is concluded that administration of the oral adsorbent AST-120delays the occurrence of glomerular sclerosis by delaying theappearance of glomerular hypertrophy, systemic hypertension,and the increase in proteinuria. It can be therefore mentionedthat the accumulating substances in the digestive tract worsenthe abnormal milieu of chronic renal failure.     

中药复方对辐射损伤小鼠脾细胞凋亡及mRNA表达的影响

目的探讨中药复方地甘口服液(DGOL)对辐射损伤小鼠脾细胞凋亡及凋亡相关基因bcl-2和bax mRNA表达的作用.方法建立辐射损伤模型(一次性7.0Gy的X射线照射),喂饲100%地甘口服液每次0.2 ml/10 g小鼠,每日2次.第10天用原位末端标记的TUNEL技术检测脾组织细胞凋亡和原位杂交法检测凋亡相关基因bcl-2和bax mRNA的表达.结果地甘口服液组与对照组比脾脏的细胞凋亡率和bax mRNA表达显著减少(P＜0.01),bcl-2 mRNA的表达显著增强(P＜0.01).结论中药复方地甘口服液可能通过促进bcl-2和降低bax mRNA的表达,促进造血细胞的增生,提高机体免疫力.     

Referral pattern of patients with oral mucosal lesions in The Netherlands

The referral pattern of 140 Dutch patients with oral mucosal lesions, who had been referred to a Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Pathology, shows that patients with oral mucosal lesions consult the dentist as often as the family doctor as the first source of help or information. Furthermore, family doctors were much more used to refer patients with oral mucosal disease to medical specialists rather than to the dentist or the oral and maxillofacial surgeon.     

Amyloidaceous ulcerated gingival hyperplasia: a newly described entity related to ligneous conjunctivitis

Gingival hyperplasia may be genetic, may be acquired as a consequence of exposure to drugs and other agents or may appear as part of a more widespread disorder. Five patients who acquired gingival hyperplasia due to amyloidaceous deposits staining only for fibrin are presented. This appears to be a new entity related to ligneous conjunctivitis.     

Oral contraceptive administration,interfemale relationships,and sexual behavior inMacaca fascicularis

The effects of oral contraceptive administration on the social relationships of adult female cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were examined. Ten females were administered ethinyl estradiol/ethynodiol diacetate (Demulen), 10 were administered ethinyl estradiol/norgestrel (Ovral), and 10 served as a control group. The monkeys lived in social groups of 5 females each, and patterns of social interaction and social status were recorded. Interfemale relationships were also observed when a vasectomized male was placed in each social group for 50 min, once/week. During the latter observations, preliminary data on the effects of oral contraceptive treatment on sexual interaction were also collected. In the absence of the male, interfemale agonistic interactions and time spent alone were influenced by social status but not by oral contraceptive treatment. Time spent in passive body contact, an affiliative state, was reduced by Ovral treatment. In the presence of the male, dominant females aggressively interfered with the sexual interactions of subordinates. This aggression resulted in the termination of a greater proportion of the sexual interactions of subordinates than dominants in the control group only, indicating suppression of this type of interaction by oral contraceptive treatment. Other effects included a decreased frequency of ejaculation with Ovral-treated females. These results suggest that oral contraceptives may suppress certain types of female agonistic behavior (e.g., in the context of mate competition) and some oral contraceptives may interfere with sexual activity. More broadly, these findings indicate that intrasexual competition for access to mates may occur in females as well as males. This study was supported in part by NICHD Contract #N01-HD-32800 and by Grant #HL14164 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.     

Immunohistochemical study of oral keratoses including lichen planus

Biopsies of non-ulcerated oral mucosa from 13 patients with oral lichen planus and 12 patients with leukoplakia were immunohistochemically stained using monoclonal antibodies to pan T, pan B, T helper and T suppressor/cytotoxic cells and the stained lymphocytes enumerated using an image analyser. The results show the preponderance of T cells infiltrating both oral lichen planus and leukoplakia. The T helper: T suppressor/cytotoxic cell ratio was the same (1:2) for both oral lichen planus and leukoplakia. A similar proportion of T suppressor/cytotoxic cells was found infiltrating the epithelium. These data indicate that T cell subset analysis is of no value in distinguishing oral lichen planus from other oral keratoses.     

lnter-rater reliability of an oral assessment guide for elderly patients residing in a rehabilitation ward

The aim of this study was to test the inter-rater reliability of a revised oral assessment guide (ROAG) for patients residing in a geriatric rehabilitation ward. A consecutive sample of 140 patients was recruited for the study. Oral assessments were performed for 133 newly admitted patients by one registered nurse (RN) during a period of six months. A dental hygienist (DH) carried out 103 oral assessments during the same half-year. For 66 patients, the RN and the DH performed independent assessments. There was an agreement between the RN and the DH in the majority of the independent assessments, except for tongue and teeth/dentures. The percentage agreement exceeded 80 percent. Inter-rater agreement measured by Cohen's Kappa coefficient ranged from moderate to very good and percentage agreement had a range of 58 to 91 percent. The agreement was highest in assessment of voice and swallowing (91%). Assessments of teeth and dentures seemed to be most difficult for the RN to evaluate. ROAG was found to be a clinically useful assessment tool. Additional education and training is needed to improve the reliability of the oral assessments and should include continuous support from a dental hygienist as well as a pictorial manual on how to use the ROAG.