Saliva as a diagnostic fluid: literature review

There is a growing interest in diagnosis based on the analysis of saliva. This is a simple, non-invasive method of obtaining oral samples which is safe for both the health worker and the patient, not to mention allowing for simple and cost-efficient storage. The majority of studies use general saliva samples in their entirety, complex fluids containing both local and systemic sources and whose composition corresponds to that of the blood. General saliva contains a considerable amount of desquamated epithelial cells, microorganisms and remnants of food and drink; it is essential to cleanse and refine the saliva samples to remove any external elements. Immediate processing of the sample is recommended in order to avoid decomposition, where this is not possible, the sample may be stored at -80oC. Salivary analysis . much the same as blood analysis . aims to identify diverse medication or indications of certain diseases while providing a relatively simple tool for both early diagnosis and monitoring various irregularities. The practicalities of salivary analysis have been studied in fields such as: viral and bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases (like Sjogren'fs syndrome and c.liac disease), endocrinopathies (such as Cushing'fs syndrome), oncology (early diagnosis of breast, lung and stomach carcinoma and oral squamous cell carcinoma), stress assessment, medication detection and forensic science among others. It is hoped that salivary analysis, with the help of current technological advances, will be valued much more highly in the near future. There still remain contradictory results with respect to analytic markers, which is why further studies into wider-ranging samples are fundamental to prove its viability

Dental management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both of unknown aetiology. These conditions are characterised by the chronic and recurrent inflammation of different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, but while in CD, chronic inflammation may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, in UC, mucosal inflammatory changes are confined to the colon. IBD is currently on the increase, and it is important for the dental professional to be familiar with the condition as patients with IBD may present oral manifestations of the underlying disease. Such manifestations of IBD may precede the onset of intestinal radiographic lesions by as much as a year, or even more. Treatments used to manage IBD can affect the delivery of routine dental care

Oral manifestations and dental management of patient with leukocyte alterations

Leukocytes are the main cellular elements of inflammatory and immune reactions of the organism. Leukocyte alterations are the consequence of an imbalance between the formation of leukocytes in the bone marrow and its elimination by the mononuclear phagocytic system. Factors that can modify leukopoyesis are varied and can lead to an alteration in the number of leukocytes or tumoral alterations of white cells (leukemias, lymphomas and plasma cell tumors). There is also a wide range of clinical manifestations that can derive from them: from very slight symptoms to life-threatening conditions. In some cases oral manifestations will be the first signs and it will be the dentist’s responsibility to identify the underlying disorder and guide the diagnosis of the patient. It is important to be familiar with the special management required for these patients, in which the dental treatment can affect the course of the underlying disease. The objective of this article is to review the literature concerning the oral manifestations and the considerations that must factor in the dental treatment of patients with leukocyte alterations

Foreign body granulomatous reactions to cosmetic fillers

Introduction: The use of different facial cosmetic fillers has increased in recent years. The introduction of apparently inert substances in the epidermis can give rise to foreign body granulomatous reactions. Objetives: A literature review is made of the foreign body granulomatous reactions to cosmetic fillers. Material and methods: A PubMed-Medline search was made using the following keywords: 'granulomatous reactions', 'foreign body reactions', 'esthetic fillers', 'cosmetic fillers'. The search was limited to articles published in English and Spanish during the last 10 years. A total of 22 articles were reviewed. Results: A great variety of substances have been found to give rise to foreign body granulomatous reactions. The most common locations are the upper and lower lip and the nasogenian sulcus. The clinical presentation is variable and can range from single or multiple nodules to diffuse facial swelling of hard-elastic consistency, accompanied by reddening. Most lesions are asymptomatic or cause only mild discomfort. The literature describes different treatments, including systemic corticosteroids, local tacrolimus infiltrations, minocycline, retinoids, allopurinol, 5% imiquimod, and surgical removal. Conclusions: In view of the current demand for esthetic treatments, the use of cosmetic fillers can be expected to increase in future, together with the incidence of complications

Patient with leukocytes alterations. Journal section: Oral Medicine and Pathology

Abstract Leukocytes are the main cellular elements of inflammatory and immune reactions of the organism. Leukocyte alterations are the consequence of an imbalance between the formation of leukocytes in the bone marrow and its elimination by the mononuclear phagocytic system. Factors that can modify leukopoyesis are varied and can lead to an alteration in the number of leukocytes or tumoral alterations of white cells (leukemias, lymphomas and plasma cell tumors). There is also a wide range of clinical manifestations that can derive from them: from very slight symptoms to life-threatening conditions. In some cases oral manifestations will be the first signs and it will be the dentist's responsibility to identify the underlying disorder and guide the diagnosis of the patient. It is important to be familiar with the special management required for these patients, in which the dental treatment can affect the course of the underlying disease. The objective of this article is to review the literature concerning the oral manifestations and the considerations that must factor in the dental treatment of patients with leukocyte alterations