Aplasia of submandibular salivary glands associated with ectodermal dysplasia.

We describe a 28-year-old white Caucasian man displaying many of the physical signs of ectodermal dysplasia (ED). An unusual finding was his presentation with xerostomia. Salivary gland imaging techniques revealed aplasia of both submandibular salivary glands and relatively small parotids. The case highlights that hypoplasia and aplasia of exocrine glands could be rare features of ED. In the management of ED, early detection of xerostomia is important to limit any potential damage to the already hypodontic dentition.     

放射性唾液腺损伤机制的研究进展

放疗作为头颈部恶性肿瘤主要治疗方法之一,取得了很好的治疗效果。但是头颈部恶性肿瘤放疗之后,不可避免的引起其他组织的辐射损伤,导致各种放疗术后并发症的发生,其中最严重的是放射性唾液腺损伤导致的口干症。关于放射性唾液腺损伤的发生机制,国内外学者已进行了大量研究,但是对于其确切机制尚不清楚,本文就近30年来相关学者对放射性唾液腺损伤的发生机制的研究作一综述。     

An Innovative and Simple Approach to Functional Salivary Reservoir Fabrication

Saliva is a valuable oral fluid that is often taken for granted. Impaired salivary function is a major and a debilitating sequela of radiation treatment for patients with head and neck cancer. It can persist for years and thereby increases the risk of oral infection significantly. Moreover, it has a notably negative impact on the quality of life of such patients. To help overcome this problem, a number of techniques have been proposed for incorporating a reservoir containing salivary substitute into a removable prosthesis. A new design for a functional salivary reservoir is presented here. This design is simple to construct and easily maintained by the wearer. Details of its design, construction, and other potential advantages are presented.     

Eating disorders and biochemical composition of saliva: a retrospective matched case–control study

This study aimed to compare the biochemical composition of saliva from patients with eating disorders (EDs) with saliva from control subjects with no ED. All patients who initiated outpatient treatment in an ED clinic during a 12‐month period were invited to participate. Of the 65 patients who started treatment during the period, 54 (50 female patients/four male patients; mean age: 21.5 yr) agreed to participate. The controls were 54 sex‐ and age‐matched patients from a dental health clinic. All participants completed a questionnaire and underwent dental clinical examinations, including laboratory analyses of saliva. The proportion of subjects with unstimulated salivary hyposalivation was lower in the ED group and not correlated with intake of xerogenic drugs. Significant differences in the biochemical composition of saliva were found almost exclusively in the unstimulated state, with albumin, inorganic phosphate, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), chloride, magnesium, and total protein all being significantly higher in the ED group. Conditional logistic regression showed that higher ASAT and total protein concentrations were relatively good predictors of ED, with sensitivity and specificity of 65% and 67%, respectively. In conclusion, elevated salivary concentrations of ASAT and total protein may serve as indicators of ED as well as of disease severity. Future studies are needed to corroborate these initial findings.     

Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of a betaine-containing mouthwash and an intraoral device for the treatment of dry mouth

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41 : 201–206 Objective: An evaluation is made of the efficacy and safety of an intraoral device with a betaine (BET)‐containing mouthwash in treating xerostomia. Methods: A total of 105 patients with dry mouth (xerostomia) were included in a randomized, non‐blinded, parallel‐group, controlled clinical trial. The patients were assigned to one of the three groups: A (night guard), B (mouthwash), or C (night guard and mouthwash). A xerostomia questionnaire was administered, and unstimulated salivary flow was measured. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) – 14 was assessed. All measurements were taken before and after treatment, which had a duration of 4 weeks. The patients in turn completed a treatment satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Ninety patients (eight men and 82 women) completed the study. All three treatments alleviated the symptoms of xerostomia, with improvement in the OHIP‐14 scores and sialometry findings. There were no adverse effects. Patient satisfaction with the treatment received showed no statistically significant differences among the three groups; though, the patients in group A considered treatment to have been extremely beneficial in 10% of the cases, while 43% considered it to have been beneficial. Conclusions: The daily use of a night guard and BET‐containing mouthwash was seen to improve dry mouth during the 4‐week duration of the study.     

Parkinson’s disease: considerations for dental hygienists

Abstract: The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is expected to double over the next 20 years owing to the increase in life expectancy. This progressive disease has several implications relating to oral health, and many are manageable with proper awareness and knowledge about the disease. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and characteristics of PD, as well as the treatments and oral health considerations to enable dental hygienists to undertake an informed approach to patient management strategies and provide optimal care.