Oral verruciform xanthoma: a case report and literature review

Oral verruciform xanthoma represents an uncommon entity, which affects mainly oral mucosa. This paper presents the major clinical and histological features of oral verruciform xanthoma and reports a case on the tongue. The differential diagnosis and a literature review are also provided in light of recent information.

Oral syphilis: report of three cases and characterization of the inflammatory cells

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum. This study reports 3 cases of syphilis and highlights the importance of identifying oral lesions for its final diagnosis. Case 1: a 48-year-old male patient presented with a bleeding ulcer in the lower lip. Overall clinical examination revealed patchy alopecia and skin target lesions. Case 2: a 61-year-old male patient presented with white spots on the lateral tongue and nodules on the dorsum of the tongue. Overall clinical examination showed erythematous target lesions on the abdomen, forearm, palms of the hand, and soles of the feet. Case 3: a 17-year-old male patient presented with an ulcerated lesion on the tongue and lymph node involvement. The following serologic tests were requested: Venereal Disease Research Laboratory, fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption, anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2, and anti-hepatitis C virus. An incisional biopsy revealed epithelial hyperplasia associated with intense and diffuse mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltration consisting mainly of plasma cells, in a perivascular and perineural distribution. The final diagnosis in the 3 patients was syphilis. Treatment consisted of 1 weekly dose of penicillin (2.4 million units, intramuscular) for 2 or 3 weeks. Immunohistochemical reactions for XIIIa, CD3, CD20, CD68, CD163, S100, CD1a, CD11c, CD83, CD138, and CD208 were performed. Clinicians should be familiarized with oral syphilis lesions in order to be able to diagnose this emerging infectious disease of variable clinical presentation.

Cytopathology in the diagnosis of oral trichomoniasis in a rock pigeon (columba livia)

A Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) submitted for necropsy had an oral white-yellow mass with a friable surface and putrid odor. Impression smears were performed and tissue samples were collected for histopathology. Cytopathological analysis revealed numerous pyriform protozoa, compatible with Trichomonas gallinae. Protozoans were not evident within the lesions by histopathology after staining the samples with Hematoxylin and Eosin or Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) stain. We conclude that impression smears from avian oral trichomoniasis suspects, even during post-mortem evaluation, can be a useful technique for the diagnosis of this disease.

Carcinoma escamoso oral: análise retrospectiva de 185 casos

The squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy in the oral cavity, representing over 90% of cancers in this region. This study aimed to conduct an epidemiological study of oral squamous carcinoma cases diagnosed by the Department of Pathology, Department of Pathology and Clinical Propaedeutics in the Dentistry Faculty of Araçatuba - UNESP, in the period between 1995 and 2005. 185 cases were studied, it was observed that the oral floor and tongue were the sites most affected, with predominance in males, white race and aged between 41 and 60 years, noting that the majority of patients were smokers. Knowledge of these data is important for the dental surgeon to act preventively, contributing to early diagnosis of cancer.

Cytopathology in the diagnosis of oral trichomoniasis in a Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

A Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) submitted for necropsy had an oral white-yellow mass with a friable surface and putrid odor. Impression smears were performed and tissue samples were collected for histopathology. Cytopathological analysis revealed numerous pyriform protozoa, compatible with Trichomonas gallinae. Protozoans were not evident within the lesions by histopathology after staining the samples with Hematoxylin and Eosin or Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) stain. We conclude that impression smears from avian oral trichomoniasis suspects, even during post-mortem evaluation, can be a useful technique for the diagnosis of this disease.

Oral exposure to methylmercury modifies the prostatic microenvironment in adult rats

Methylmercury (MeHg) is an environmental pollutant that is highly toxic to the central nervous system. As its effects on male reproductive system are poorly understood, this study was carried out to analyse the effects of MeHg on the rat prostate. To evaluate the MeHg toxicity on ventral prostate, three groups of adult male Wistar rats received oral doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0mg/kg MeHg, respectively, on a daily basis for 14days. A fourth group was used as a control. The prostate weight was decreased in rats treated orally with 0.5mg/kg MeHg compared to controls. Also, Hg concentration increased significantly in the prostate after treatments. There were reductions in serum testosterone levels and androgen receptor immunoreactivity in animals receiving 3.0mgMeHg/kg. The stereological data showed changes in the prostatic epithelial, stromal and luminal compartments which varied according to the different doses. Histopathological alterations, such as chronic inflammation, stratified epithelial hyperplasia and epithelial inflammatory reactive atypia, were observed in the 0.5mg/kg MeHg-treated group. Epithelial atrophy was observed in the 3.0mg/kg MeHg-treated group. In conclusion, the MeHg affects prostatic homoeostasis resulting in histopathological changes that may be relevant in the pathogenesis of prostatic disease.

[Oral medicine: a specialty placed between medicine and dentistry]

Oral medicine is a dental specialty that bridges the traditional areas of health between dentistry and medicine. International descriptions reflect this and oral medicine is defined as "the dental speciality placed at the interface between medicine and dentistry and is concerned with the diagnosis and management of (non-dental) pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial region." Oral medicine specialists provide clinical care to patients with a wide variety of orofacial conditions, including oral mucosal diseases, orofacial pain syndromes, salivary gland disorders, and oral manifestations of systemic diseases. There is a growing need to implement this specialty globally: due to the rapid progress in both medicine and dentistry, and to the growing percentage of senior citizens in many countries, the adequate diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases will become even more complex in the future. In this article, the authors' intention is to point out that oral medicine is neither a recognized specialty nor a distinct field of study in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland; thus, the need for postgraduate training in this field in countries where oral medicine is not a specialization is emphasized.

Oral examination and radiographic evaluation of the dentition in wild cats from Namibia

Feline tooth resorption has been widely reported in domestic cats and sporadically described in other felidae. The goal of the present study was to determine the prevalence of tooth resorption and to report other dental problems in a population of wild felidae. Observations of dental disorders and anomalies were made in skulls from 73 wild felidae (cheetahs, leopards, caracals, African wildcats, and lions) originating from Namibia. In addition, radiographs were taken in 43 cases to determine signs of bone and root pathology. Radiographs showed varying stages of tooth resorption in 16.0% of the specimens. Other dental anomalies found included fused teeth, supernumerary roots, or missing teeth. The prevalence of dental resorption in wild felidae was lower than reported in the domestic cat.

The Adaptation Effect in Bilingual People who Stutter: An Examination of the Oral-Motor Rehearsal Theory

The present study provided further information about stuttering among bilingual populations and attempted to assess the significance of repeated oral-motor movements during an adaptation task in two bilingual adults. This was accomplished by requesting that bilingual people who stutter to complete an adaptation task of the same written passage in two different languages. Explored was the following research question: In bilingual speakers who stutter, what is the effect of altering the oral-motor movements by changing the language of the passage read during an adaptation task? Two bilingual adults were each requested to complete an adaptation task consisting of 10 readings in two separate conditions. Participants 1 and 2 completed two conditions, each of which contained a separate passage. Condition B consisted of an adaptation procedure in which the participants read five successive readings in English followed by five additional successive readings in Language 1 (L1). Following the completion of the first randomly assigned condition, the participant was given a rest period of 30 minutes before beginning the remaining condition and passage. Condition A consisted of an adaptation procedure in which the participants read five successive readings in L1 followed by five additional successive readings in English. Results across participants, conditions, and languages indicated an atypical adaptation curve over 10 readings characterized by a dramatic increase in stuttering following a change of language. Closer examination of individual participants revealed differences in stuttering and adaptation among languages and conditions. Participants 1 and 2 demonstrated differences in adaptation and stuttering among languages. Participant 1 demonstrated an increase in stuttering following a change in language read in Condition B and a decrease in stuttering following a change in language read in Condition A. It is speculated that language proficiency contributed to the observed differences in stuttering following a change of language. Participant 2 demonstrated an increase in stuttering following a change in language read in Condition A and a minimal increase in stuttering following a change in language read in Condition B. It is speculated that a change in the oral-motor plan contributed to the increase in stuttering in Condition A. Collectively, findings from this exploratory study lend support to an interactive effect between language proficiency and a change in the oral-motor plan contributing to increased stuttering following a change of language during an adaptation task.

Programa de estimulação de linguagem oral para crianças com atraso de linguagem

A aquisição e o desenvolvimento da linguagem são primordiais na vida de uma criança, especialmente porque a linguagem possibilita a comunicação com o mundo, sendo um dos principais meios de integração social. Por isso é de grande importância que se assegure que as crianças tenham um bom desenvolvimento da linguagem e, quando necessário, uma boa intervenção em suas dificuldades. Atualmente, em linguagem infantil no Brasil, discute-se diferentes abordagens terapêuticas, mas se verifica a necessidade da elaboração de programas terapêuticos estruturados, confeccionados com qualidade técnica e cientifica que, estimulem as diversas habilidades de linguagem, de forma a considerar as especificidades de cada criança, a fim de minimizar as dificuldades na comunicação destas. Programas de intervenção deste tipo norteariam os fonoaudiólogos a planejarem suas terapias e proporcionaria maior eficácia no processo terapêutico. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi elaborar, e testar a aplicabilidade de um programa de estimulação de linguagem oral para crianças com atraso de linguagem, na faixa-etária de 3 a 6 anos. Para isso, após a elaboração do programa de estimulação, o mesmo foi julgado por dois juízes, fonoaudiólogos mestres em Linguagem com experiência em Intervenção em Linguagem Infantil, quanto: (a) coerência das estratégias propostas com relação a meta de estimulação; e, (b) com relação ao nível de dificuldade de tais estratégias para o perfil das crianças. Em seguida o programa foi aplicado em 10 crianças com atraso de linguagem sem outros comprometimentos (sensoriais e/ou neurológicos), este programa foi composto de 20 sessões terapêuticas, realizadas com frequência de três vezes por semana, durando em média 60 minutos. As crianças realizaram uma pré-testagem e foram submetidas ao programa de estimulação proposto, ao termino foi realizada uma pós-testagem. Nesta avaliação pré e pós-estimulação, foram avaliados a organização fonológica, vocabulário receptivo e expressivo, habilidades pragmáticas e habilidades psicolinguísticas da criança. O programa foi julgado como adequado pelos juízes e as crianças submetidas à ele tiveram desempenho de acordo com esperado durante as sessões de estimulação. Observou-se também melhora estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) na pós-testagem na Linguagem Global, Linguagem Receptiva, Linguagem Expressiva, Vocabulário Expressivo, Memória de trabalho fonológica e habilidades comunicativas verbais. Conclui-se que o programa atingiu seus objetivos, sendo que o mesmo pode vir a nortear e aprimorar a estimulação fonoaudiológica nos casos de alterações em linguagem infantil, enfatizando a estimulação dos níveis fonético-fonológico, sintático, semântico-lexical e pragmático da linguagem e habilidades psicolinguisticas.

Development of a program of radiopaque lesions images via radiographic cases for active learning in oral medicine

Through the creation of this project in English, we have made a file of radiographic images that will be used by third year dental students in order to improve the practical teaching part of the subject of Oral Medicine, essentially by incorporating these files to the Virtual Campus. We have selected the most representative radiopaque radiographic images studied in pathology lectures given. We have prepared a file with 59 radiopaque radiographic images. These lesions have been divided according to their relationship and number with the tooth, into the following groups: “Anatomic radiopacities”, “Periapical radiopacities”, “Solitary radiopacities not necessarily contacting teeth”,“Multiple separate radiopacities”, and “Generalized radiopacities”. We created 4 flowcharts synthesizing the mayor explanatory bases of each pathological process in relation to other pathologies within each location. We have focused primarily in those clinical and radiographic features that can help us differentiate one pathology from another. We believe that by giving the student a knowledge base through each flowchart, as well as provide clinical cases, will start their curiosity to seek new cases on the Internet or try to look for images that we have not been able to locate due to low frequency. In addition, as this project has been done in English, it will provide the students with necessary tools to do a literature search, as most of the medical and dental literature is in English; thus far, providing the student with this material necessary to make the appropriate searched using keywords in English.

Avaliação do nível de conhecimento geral e grau de alerta sobre cancro oral numa população do nordeste transmontano

O cancro é um dos principais causadores de milhões de mortes em todo o mundo e sendo o cancro oral, especificamente, a sexta neoplasia mais frequente a nível mundial. Todos os anos são diagnosticados mais de 500 mil novos casos, sendo que as altas taxas de mortalidade e mortalidade não se têm alterado ao longo dos anos. A maior incidência de cancro oral encontra-se na Ásia e na Europa do Sul. Em Portugal, mais precisamente em 2012, foram diagnosticados cerca de 1924 novos casos de cancro oral, dos quais 967 ocorreram em homens. O carcinoma espinocelular é o tipo histológico mais comum, sendo que 90% dos casos de cancro oral são deste tipo. Sabe-se também que esta variante é mais frequente no sexo masculino entre a 5ª e 6 ª década de vida apesar de, a incidência no sexo feminino, ter vindo a aumentar, devido à contínua exposição ao tabaco, álcool e a outros factores de risco. Como foi dito anteriormente, o cancro oral tem uma alta taxa de mortalidade e de morbilidade e, apesar dos avanços no diagnóstico, no tratamento e no conhecimento de quais os factores de risco desta patologia, a taxa de sobrevivência ainda é inferior a 50% o que revela que, o grande problema, passa pelo diagnóstico do cancro em estádios avançados. Assume-se então que, grande parte dos casos de cancro oral, poderiam ter sido evitados se houvesse maior conhecimento e grau de alerta sobre a doença o que tendencialmente, levaria a diagnósticos mais precoces. Neste sentido, este estudo tem como propósito a avaliação do nível de conhecimento geral e do grau de alerta de uma população do interior do país, mais precisamente do Nordeste Transmontano, bem como, efectuar o registo da percepção dos inquiridos relativamente a esta patologia, passando pelo reconhecimento da doença, pelo conhecimento epidemiológico e etiológico, e pela melhor percepção a nível de sinais e sintomas clínicos próprios desta patologia.

Screening for drugs in oral fluid : illicit drug use and drug driving in a sample of urban and regional Queensland motorists

Police services in a number of Australian states and overseas jurisdictions have begun to implement or consider random road-side drug testing of drivers. This paper outlines research conducted to provide an estimate of the extent of drug driving in a sample of Queensland drivers in regional, rural and metropolitan areas. Oral fluid samples were collected from 2657 Queensland motorists and screened for illicit substances including cannabis (delta 9 tetrahydrocannibinol [THC]), amphetamines, ecstasy, and cocaine. Overall, 3.8% of the sample (n = 101) screened positive for at least one illicit substance, although multiple drugs were identified in a sample of 23 respondents. The most common drugs detected in oral fluid were ecstasy (n = 53), and cannabis (n = 46) followed by amphetamines (n = 23). A key finding was that cannabis was confirmed as the most common self-reported drug combined with driving and that individuals who tested positive to any drug through oral fluid analysis were also more likely to report the highest frequency of drug driving. Furthermore, a comparison between drug vs. drink driving detection rates for one region of the study, revealed a higher detection rate for drug driving (3.8%) vs. drink driving (0.8%). This research provides evidence that drug driving is relatively prevalent on Queensland roads, and may in fact be more common than drink driving. This paper will further outline the study findings’ and present possible directions for future drug driving research.