Oral lesions in a group of Thai people with AIDS

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of oral lesions present in Thai people with AIDS and to determine whether gender influences the occurrence of oral lesions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Extra- and intra-oral examinations were performed on 124 AIDS patients (90 men, aged 19–62 years, median 30 years; and 34 women, aged 19–41 years, median 28 years). RESULTS: Oral lesions were found in 102 patients (82%). Pseudomembranous candidiasis was the most common lesions, (n = 67; 54%) followed by erythematous candidiasis (n = 31; 25%), and hairy leukoplakia (n=16; 13%). Other lesions were atypical ulcers (n = 14; 11%), periodontal disease (n = 9; 7%), angular cheilitis (n = 8; 6%), and infection with herpes simplex virus (n = 6; 5%). Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was the only detected neoplasm (n = 5; 4%). Other lesions caused by fungi were histoplasmosis (n = 5; 4%) and penicilliosis (n = 2; 2%). Xerostomia was also found to be a common condition (n = 79; 63%). Most patients had a total number of lymphocytes of less than 1000 cell mm^?3 (n = 85; 68%). CONCLUSIONS: The types of oral lesions observed in AIDS patients in Thailand show some similarities with studies from other countries. The prevalence of oral lesions did not appear to be influenced by gender.     

Detection of serotype k Streptococcus mutans in Thai subjects

Introduction:  Streptococcus mutans , known to be a pathogen of dental caries as well as bacteremia and infective endocarditis, is classified into four serotypes, c , e , f and k , based on the structures of serotype-specific polysaccharides. Serotype k was recently designated using blood isolates from Japanese subjects and such strains are considered to be virulent in the bloodstream. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the serotype distribution of strains isolated from Thai subjects and determine whether serotype k strains were present.
Methods:  A total of 250 S. mutans strains were isolated from 50 Thai subjects, and serotypes of all strains were determined. Then, molecular and biological analyses were carried out for serotype k strains.
Results:  Immunodiffusion and polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that serotype c was the most prevalent (70%), followed by serotypes e (22.8%), f (4.4%) and k (2.8%), which indicated that serotype k S. mutans strains occurred in Thai individuals at a similar rate to that previously reported for Japanese and Finnish populations. Molecular analyses of the seven serotype k strains showed extremely low expression of rgpE , which is related to glucose side-chain formation in serotype-specific rhamnose-glucose polymers, similar to previous reports for those other populations. In addition, analysis of the biological properties of the seven serotype k strains demonstrated low levels of sucrose-dependent adhesion, cellular hydrophobicity, dextran-binding activity and phagocytosis susceptibility by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which are characteristics similar to those of serotype k strains previously isolated in Japan.
Conclusion:  Our results indicate the possibility of a worldwide prevalence of serotype k strains with properties in common with those of previously reported strains.     

Personality traits in a group of subjects with long-standing bruxing behaviour

summary The personality pattern of 29 subjects, 10 men and 19 women, with a mean age of 37.7 years (range 23–68) was studied by means of a personality inventory (KSP) and compared with the personality traits of a 'normal population'. The bruxers had significantly higher scores in the somatic anxiety and muscular tension scales and lower scores in the socialization scale; that is, the bruxers were more anxiety-prone, had higher vulnerability for psychosomatic disorders and were less socialized. The frequent clenchers (once to twice a week) comprised a special subgroup within the material with higher values in the somatic anxiety, psychic anxiety and muscular tension scales. A strong correlation was found between high values in the muscular tension scale and headache; aching neck, back, throat or shoulders; tooth clenching; number of muscles tender at palpation and the clinical dysfunction index (Di). The results of this study indicate a possible aetiological relationship between personality, tooth clenching and craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD). However, the material was small and some precaution must be taken prior to generalization of the results. Studies on larger material are needed and especially more studies in sleep laboratories.     

The relationship of maxillary canines to the facial anatomical landmarks in a group of Thai people

PURPOSE

The objective was to evaluate canine positions, intercanine tip width (ICTW) and width of distal surface of canine (WDC), related to facial landmarks including interalar width (IAW), intercommissural width (ICoW), and distance between left and right projection lines drawn from inner canthus of eyes to alae of the nose (DPICa) in a group of Thai.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred Thai subjects aged 18-35 years were selected. IAW and ICoW were measured on subject''s face using digital vernier caliper. Irreversible hydrocolloid impression of the upper arch was taken, and a cast was poured with dental stone. Silicone impression material was used to take imprint of the incisal edge of upper six anterior teeth. DPICa was obtained from the subject''s face using custom-made measuring equipment and marked on the silicone incisal imprint. The marks were then transferred from the imprint to the stone cast and measured with digital caliper. The ICTW and WDC were also measured on the stone cast. Pearson''s correlation was used to determine the correlation.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the correlation between ICTW-ICoW was 0.429 and ICTW-DPICa was 0.573. The correlation between WDC-ICoW was 0.426 and WDC-DPICa was 0.547. However, IAW did not show any correlation with ICTW or WDC (P>.05).

CONCLUSION

The correlation between canine position and facial landmarks was found. ICTW and WDC had relationship with ICoW and DPICa. DPICa showed stronger correlation with the position of maxillary canine than that of ICoW.     

Salivary lactoferrin in a selected group of subjects with exceptional extrinsic dental staining

Some people exhibit an exceptional tendency to develop brownish extrinsic staining on their teeth and previous studies indicate that iron may be involved in certain types. The object of this investigation was to find out whether the level of salivary lactoferrin, which is an ironbinding glycoprotein, is elevated in persons exhibiting extreme staining tendency. Subjects who developed dark brownish discoloration on the facial surfaces of their anterior teeth during a 3-week period following professional cleaning of the teeth were selected for study. Salivary lactoferrin was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that this group of persons exhibited a markedly higher concentration of salivary lactoferrin compared with non-stainers. It was also demonstrated in an in vitro study that combinations of lactoferrin, iron, and tannic acid produced stain on slabs of enamel and dentin.     

Salivary lactoferrin in a selected group of subjects with exceptional extrinsic dental staining

Nordbø H, Kolstø AB, Eriksen HM. Salivary lactoferrin in a selected group of subjects with exceptional extrinsic dental staining. J Oral Pathol 1987: 16: 392–394.
Some people exhibit an exceptional tendency to develop brownish extrinsic staining on their teeth and previous studies indicate that iron may be involved in certain types. The object of this investigation was to find out whether the level of salivary lactoferrin, which is an ironbinding glycoprotein, is elevated in persons exhibiting extreme staining tendency. Subjects who developed dark brownish discoloration on the facial surfaces of their anterior teeth during a 3-week period following professional cleaning of the teeth were selected for study. Salivary lactoferrin was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that this group of persons exhibited a markedly higher concentration of salivary lactoferrin compared with non-stainers. It was also demonstrated in an in vitro study that combinations of lactoferrin, iron, and tannic acid produced stain on slabs of enamel and dentin.     

Occlusal characteristics in subjects with facial pain compared to a pain-free control group

Facial pain has been considered a common symptom of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with a multifactorial etiology. There is controversy regarding the role of occlusion in the background of facial pain and TMD. The aim of the study was to compare the occlusal relationships with two definite measurements in subjects with and without facial pain, in a population-based sample of young adults. The study is part of the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Project. A subsample of the cohort was formed based on a questionnaire and consisted of 104 subjects, including 52 subjects with facial pain and 52 non-pain controls. Analyses of the dental occlusion of the subjects were performed in gypsum casts by following two methods: 1. the Peer assessment rating (PAR), according to Richmond, et al. (Method 1), and 2. the bilateral canine relationship and the dental midline measurement by the method presented by Pirttiniemi, et al. (Method 2). Method 2 showed higher sensitivity in detecting sagittal occlusal discrepancies than Method 1. Assessment of the intermaxillary relationships in terms of the canine relation showed the lower canine to be more mesially located in the facial pain group, compared to the controls, measured by Method 2. It can be concluded that differences in occlusal sagittal relationships, especially mesial canine relation, seem to correlate with facial pain symptoms at population level.     

Oral Candida and nasal Aspergillus flora in a group of Saudi healthy dentate subjects

The prevalence of oral candidal carriage is widely variable in different populations but has never been studied previously in a Saudi population. Nasal mycological flora has never been investigated previously in a healthy population. OBJECTIVES: To assess the oral and nasal candidal and Aspergillus flora in a group of Saudi healthy adult dentate subjects. DESIGN: The concentrated oral rinse technique and nasal swab technique were used to sample the oral and nasal cavity respectively. RESULTS: Candida species were isolated from the oral cavity of 52 (52%) subjects. Candida albicans constituted 80.8% of the isolates, followed by C. krusei (5.8%). Aspergillus species were isolated from the nose of 21 (21%) subjects. A. flavus constituted 42.3% of the isolates followed by A. niger (31.8%) and A. fumigatus (26.9%). Subjects who did not brush their teeth had a significantly higher rate of oral Candida and nasal Aspergillus compared with those who brushed regularly (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Oral mycological flora in the Saudi population is not different than reported for other populations. Lack of oral hygiene increases oral candidal colonisation. Larger scale studies are encouraged to determine the prevalence of oral candidal carriage in the population generally, and the significance of nasal Aspergillus carriage should be determined.     

Reported symptoms and clinical findings in a group of subjects with longstanding bruxing behaviour

summary Signs and symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunction (CMD) and social medical history were reported in 29 subjects, aged 23–68 years, with longstanding (5 years or more) bruxing behaviour. The subjects were selected from answers to an advertisement in the local newspaper. The subjects presented many symptoms of a general character including somatic and psycho-social problems, sleep disorders (72%), and pain (86%). More than half of the subjects (55%) had symptoms every day. Frequent aches in the neck, back, throat or shoulders were reported by 69% and frequent headache by 48% of the subjects. The most common symptoms of CMD were pain in the face or jaws (48%), stiffness in the jaws in the morning (44%), temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) sounds (34%) and fatigue in the jaws during chewing (38%) and the most common clinical signs were more than three muscles tender on palpation (76%), TMJ-sounds (55%) and tenderness of TMJ on lateral palpation (66%). There was a statistically significant correlation between frequent tooth clenching and headache, pain in the neck, back, throat or shoulders, sleep disorders and high scores of the clinical dysfunction index (Di). The frequent clenchers had higher score values than the 'non-clenchers' for pain in the face and the jaws; headache; pain in the neck, back, throat or shoulders and the clinical dysfunction index (Di). These findings indicate a causal relationship between frequent tooth clenching and signs and symptoms of CMD. including headache and pain in the neck, back, throat or shoulders and high pathogenicity for frequent clenching. However, the material in this study is small and some precaution must be taken prior to generalized conclusions. More studies are required, especially sleep laboratory investigations, which could perhaps give answers to some of the numerous questions in this unexplored field of odontology.     

Prevalence and morphometric analysis of the alveolar antral artery in a group of Thai population by cone beam computed tomography

Oral Radiology - To investigate the prevalence, diameter, and position of the alveolar antral artery (AAA) canals and measure the distances from the canal to the maxillary sinus floor and to the...     

Mixed dentition space analysis in a Thai population

This study produced simple linear regression equations to be used for mixed dentition space analysis for males and females, and sexes pooled in a population living in northeastern Thailand. Measurements of teeth were made to within 0.01 mm on the dental casts of 215 boys and 215 girls (mean age 15.7 years). All dentitions were required to be free of any signs of dental pathology or anomalies. It was found that males had significantly larger teeth than females as represented by summations of mandibular incisor, canine, and premolar widths. ANOVA of regression indicated a close relationship between mandibular incisor summation and corresponding summations of canine and premolars. The low coefficients of determination (r2) of the regressions ranged between 0.29 and 0.42, and were higher for females than males, which might be attributable to the ethnic diversity of the sampled population. The regression equations produced predictions of mesio-distal width summations for maxillary and mandibular canine, and premolar arch segments that were slightly different from other reported Asian studies. Moyers' prediction tables at the 50th percentile were found to under-estimate tooth size summation compared with the present investigation. The predictions from simplified regression equations matched well with those of this study for sexes pooled, and for males and females separately.