The advent of molecular biology has led to drastic advancements in cancer therapeutics. Novel treatment protocol customized for individual cases has significantly increased the survival rate among cancer patients. Despite substantial therapeutic progress, there have been increasing reports of treatment resistance.^[1]

How to cite this article: Gupta AA, Sivakumar S. Why screening and prophylaxis remain to be vital components of oral cancer research? J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:28.

Submitted: 12 November 2019;

Accepted: 22 December 2019

Sialolith is relatively common (80%) in the submandibular salivary gland due to the viscous nature of its mucinous secretions, high calcium content, and its tortuous ducts. In the present case, the patient presented with a history of swelling below the tongue for the past 12 years. The diagnosis of submandibular sialolith was made through clinical examination and intraoral occlusal radiograph. The present manuscript briefs on the treatment protocol employed in the present case and summarize the various therapeutic modalities available for sialolith.

Keywords: Calculi, submandibular gland, sialolith

How to cite this article: Shetty L, Khandelwal N, Domah T, Seshagiri D, Talele P, Londhe U. Submandibular sialolith – A case report. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:1-3.

Received: 04 February 2019;

Accepted: 18 March 2019

Oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid mucositis are the two most common lichenoid lesions of the oral cavity. Oral lichen planus is classified as a potentially malignant condition by the World Health Organization, and lichenoid mucositis has also been shown to have malignant potential. However, some argue that lichen planus or lichenoid mucositis is only premalignant when dysplasia has developed in these lesions and that many cases of lichen planus or lichenoid mucositis with cancer development were in fact either a lichenoid lesion with dysplasia or a primary dysplasia misdiagnosed as oral lichen planus or lichenoid mucositis due to the coexistence of lichenoid features. Here, we summarize what is known about the risk of malignant transformation of these lesions and discuss the ongoing controversies surrounding the diagnostic criteria.

Keywords: Inflammation, lichenoid dysplasia, lichenoid mucositis, neoplastic processes, oral epithelial dysplasia, oral lichen planus, precancerous conditions

How to cite this article: Lin I, Laronde DM, Zhang L, Rosin MP, Marshall EA, Rock LD. Lichenoid dysplasia – a historical overview and current debates. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:4-8.

Received: 28 March 2019;

Accepted: 14 April 2019

Dentinogenic ghost cell tumors (DGCTs) are uncommon neoplasms classified as a solid variant of the calcifying odontogenic cyst and defined as a locally invasive neoplasm. It can occur in two forms: Intraosseous (central) and extraosseous (peripheral). The objective of the present article was to present a bibliometric review of the published cases of central and peripheral variants of the DGCTs, with emphasis on their epidemiology, biological behavior, and immunohistochemical profile. The present review includes published cases of DGCTs collected through PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Each of the included cases was analyzed for patient demographics, lesional site, and size, the immunohistochemical profile, nature of progression, recurrence, and follow-up. Of the 57 included cases, 65% involved Asian population. The average age of the cases was 45.33 years (standard deviation [SD] 21.07; range 7–82 years). About 68% of cases were central DGCTs and 32% represented the peripheral variant. There was a strong male predilection (68%). The average time of progression was 14 months (SD, 21.45 months). The most common location was the mandible (60%). The overall recurrence rate was 33% for the central DGCTs, while there was no recurrence reported in the peripheral variant. The present review provides an update on the epidemiology, morphological, and biomolecular characteristics of the published cases of DGCTs

Keywords: Calcifying ghost cell odontogenic tumor, calcifying odontogenic cyst, dentinogenic ghost cell tumor

How to cite this article: Pinheiro TN, de Souza APF, Bacchi CE, Consolaro A. Dentinogenic ghost cell tumor: A bibliometric review of literature. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3(1):9-17.

Received: May 21 2019;

Accepted: July 10 2019

Background: Early diagnosis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is difficult, given the insidious nature of its presentation. The earliest symptom in most cases is the burning sensation of the oral mucosa, especially to spicy food. If the burning sensation is accompanied by oral mucosal fibrosis and reduced salivary flow, it would strengthen the OSMF diagnosis, although at such a stage the disease would be considered well established and progressing. The ideal approach in treating OSMF would be to recognize and treat the disease before the mucosal fibrosis is established. The taste buds are highly sensitive to changes in their surrounding environment. Thus, we hypothesized that even at the incipient stages of OSMF, there could be taste alterations.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess potential taste alterations in patients diagnosed with very early OSMF with a history of areca nut (AN) habit.

Materials and Methods: The study group (n = 70) consisted of patients clinicopathologically diagnosed with early OSMF with a history of AN use. The control groups (n = 30) were healthy individuals with no habit history. The patients were asked to sip and rinse four blinded solutions, each with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors for 1 min each. Depending on the threshold of the taste perception, the comparison was made between the control and the OSMF patients. The flow rate was assessed by placing sterilized cotton in the patient’s mouth for 1 min. The saliva-soaked cotton was weighed, and the weight difference was taken as the salivary flow rate (SFR).

Results: There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the SFRs between the control (0.55 ml/min) and the very early OSMF (0.41 ml/min) patients. The gustatory threshold of very early OSMF patients also remained similar to that of the control group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: In contrary to our hypothesis, there was no change in the gustatory threshold of the very early OSMF patients. Thus, gustation, similar to salivary flow, remains unaltered in the initial phase of OSMF and cannot be used as an early diagnostic indicator.

Keywords: Areca nut, gustatory threshold, oral submucous fibrosis, salivary flow rate

How to cite this article: Gupta AA, Reddy M, Kheur S. Assessing the gustatory threshold and salivary flow rate in very early oral submucous fibrosis. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:18-21.

Received: 10 June 2019;

Accepted: 31 August 2019

Background: Oral contraceptives (OCs) have been related to several systemic and oral diseases. Among oral diseases, the frequently encountered are periodontal diseases and alveolar osteitis.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the possible association between OC and oral diseases.

Materials and Methods: A PubMed search through 2018 considering the following medical subject headings terms “contraceptive agents” and “mouth diseases” was carried out. Studies with findings on OCs and mouth diseases were assessed. From 81 studies with full-text availability, 52 were excluded for several reasons: No clinical data (21), no usable/irrelevant data (26), and studies without a control group (5).

Statistical Analysis: RevMan 5.3 statistical program was used to analyze the results. The odds ratio (OR) with the Mantel-Haenszel method (dichotomous data) and the mean difference with the inverse variance method (continuous data), both with 95% confidence intervals were utilized.

Results: Main risk factors for osteitis alveolar were OC intake (OR: 2.32) and female gender (OR: 1.44). OC intake significantly influenced a greater bleeding on probing (P &ly; 0.01) and a greater clinical attachment level loss (P = 0.03). On the contrary, it had no influence on other periodontal parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, or probing depth.

Conclusions: OC intake is closely linked to the risk of alveolar osteitis and, to a lesser extent, to periodontal disease risk.

Keywords: Contraceptive agents, dry socket, mouth diseases, oral manifestations, periodontal diseases

How to cite this article: Rodriguez-Archilla A, Rodriguez.Torres MA. Potential association between oral contraceptives and oral diseases: A meta-analysis. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:22-27.

Received: 10 August 2019;

Accepted: 25 September 2019

Mucormycosis is a potentially fatal fungal infection often caused by the opportunistic Mucoromycotina, which primarily targets the immunocompromised. Delays in diagnosis and treatment increase the risk of rapid systemic spread, which could be potentially fatal. This present paper discusses the current perspectives in the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment strategies employed for mucormycosis.

Keywords: Biopsy, debridement, fungal, immunocompromised, mucormycosis

How to cite this article: Patel T, Nassehi Y, Breik O, Thomas M, Mansuri MS, Laugharne D. Rhinomaxillary mucormycosis – Current perspectives in diagnosis and management. J Oral Dis Markers 2019;3:29-32.

Received: 30 January 2020;

Accepted: 08 March 2020