The aim of this study was to determine the levels of proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokines in whole unstimulated saliva in subjects with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) before and after treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT). BMS is characterized by a continuous, painful burning sensation in a clinically normal-appearing oral mucosa. A sample consisting of 40 consecutive subjects was selected on a voluntary basis from the pool of patients who presented for diagnosis and treatment of BMS at the Oral Medicine Unit of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rijeka. For determination of salivary levels of TNF-α and IL-6, ELISA (Sigma Immunochemicals, St. Louis, MO, USA) was performed to determine the salivary levels of TNF-α and IL-6. After 4 weeks of LLLT, the salivary levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the experimental group decreased significantly (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the experimental group regarding visual analogue scale.

OBJECTIVE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa, presenting in various clinical forms. The etiology of OLP is still unknown but mounting evidence points to the immunologic basis of this disorder. AIM: Our study was undertaken to quantify the salivary levels of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the reticular and the erosive/atrophic forms of OLP, compared with age-matched healthy control volunteers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Whole saliva from 40 patients with active lesions of OLP, as well as from 20 healthy persons, was investigated for the presence of TNF-alpha by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Salivary TNF-alpha levels were significantly increased in patients with OLP in comparison with healthy subjects. The presence of TNF-alpha showed positive correlation to clinical forms of OLP, being significantly higher in the erosive/atrophic type than in the reticular type of disease. CONCLUSION: Saliva provides an ideal medium for the detection of pro-inflammatory markers of the oral cavity. In patients with OLP, TNF-alpha levels in saliva are elevated, correlating with the severity of illness. Salivary TNF-alpha analysis may be a useful diagnostic tool and a potential prognostic marker in OLP.

The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of oral sensorial complaints, salivary flow rate and oral mucosal lesions in the institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly. The study included 280 institutionalized and 61 non- institutionalized elderly people. Dry mouth, burning mouth sensations, taste disturbances, salivary flow rate and oral mucosal lesions were assessed and compared between groups. A greater number of the institutionalized elderly had dry mouth (P = 0.001) and taste disturbance (P = 0.035) compared to non-institutionalized elderly. The institutionalized elderly also had significantly lower salivary flow rate (P < 0.0001). Positive correlation was found between salivary flow rate and perception of dry mouth in the institutionalized elderly (r(s) = 0.26; P < 0.05), as well as in the non-institutionalized elderly (r(s) = 0.35; P < 0.05). Moreover, positive correlation was observed between salivary flow rate and the sensation of burning mouth in the institutionalized elderly (r(s) = 0.13; P < 0.05) and non-institutionalized elderly (r(s) = 0.31; P < 0.05). The number of institutionalized elderly people with oral mucosal diseases was higher compared with non-institutionalized ones (P = 0.01). The most common oral mucosal lesions in both groups were related to wearing dentures. It can be concluded that the institutionalized elderly are significantly affected with oral sensorial complaints, including dry mouth and taste disturbance, as well as decreased salivary flow rate and oral mucosal diseases compared with the non-institutionalized elderly.

No abstract

Background: Periodontitis was found to be significantly related to obesity as well as the number of missing teeth and oral hygiene. However, the studies addressing these relationships often included smokers and diabetics, and none was performed in Eastern European patients. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate associations between obesity and periodontitis, oral hygiene, and tooth loss in a sample of non-smoking Croatian subjects aged 31-75 years. Methods: A total of 320 patients were recruited by convenient sampling at the Dental Clinic, Clinical Hospital Centre in Rijeka, Croatia. Periodontal examination and data on tooth loss were completed in 292 subjects and each participant completed a structured written questionnaire with questions regarding oral hygiene, education, height, and weight. Periodontitis was categorized as early, moderate and advanced. In multiple regression analysis, periodontitis was used as predictor variable, and BMI, oral hygiene, tooth loss, and education level were used as dependent variables. Results: Use of interdental brushes/flossing and number of missing teeth correlated significantly with BMI, but the same could not be proven for periodontitis and frequency of tooth brushing. However, logistic regression proved that the subset of obese, poorly educated women aged 36−55 years were 5-6 times more likely to develop severe forms of periodontal disease. Conclusions: Obesity was associated with tooth loss, oral hygiene, and education level in the investigated group. BMI could not be correlated with severity of periodontal disease, except in poorly educated women aged 36-55 years.

SUMMARY -Elderly people, especially those institutionalized in long-term care facilities, are at risk of various oral diseases. Th e aim of the study was to determine the incidence of hyposalivation and colonization/oral fungal infection of oral cavity with yeasts, as well as dental status in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly. Th e study included 280 institutionalized and 61 non-institutionalized elderly people. Salivary fl ow rate, oral colonization with yeasts/oral infection and dental status were assessed and compared between the groups. Th e institutionalized elderly had a signifi cantly lower salivary fl ow rate (p=0.035). Oral colonization with yeasts was more frequently found in institutionalized elderly (p<0.001) as compared with non-institutionalized elderly. A negative correlation was found between decreased salivary fl ow rate and oral yeast colonization and oral fungal infection in both the institutionalized (rs=-0.58; p<0.05) and non-institutionalized (rs=-0.52; p<0.05) groups. A signifi cant diff erence in DMFT index was observed between the two groups (p<0.001). A negative correlation between decreased salivary fl ow rate and dental status was found in both the institutionalized (rs=-0.22; p<0.05) and non-institutionalized (rs=-0.56; p<0.05) groups. Th e results revealed a signifi cantly higher level of hyposalivation and oral yeast colonization and poorer dental status in the institutionalized group as compared with the non-institutionalized group of elderly people.

Abstract. Aim: To investigate the efficacy of different wavelengths of low level laser therapy (LLLT) in the management of orofacial pain by measuring the pain reduction using visual analogue scale (VAS). Materials and methods: Study involved 20 patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), 20 with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and 40 with burning mouth syndrome (BMS). 50 % of the patients in each syndrome group were treated with 660 nm laser, and other 50 % with 810 nm laser. Orofacial pain was quantified by the VAS. Results: VAS was significantly lower after the application of LLLT, in all subjects and for both applied wavelengths (P < 0.05). Efficacy of 810 nm laser compared to 660 nm laser was significantly higher for all patients and in both the TN and TMD groups (P < 0.001; P = 0.005; P = 0.024). Conclusions: LLLT has proven to be an effective intervention in reducing pain in TN, TMD and BMS patients. Better results can be achieved with higher wavelengths.Key words: burning mouth syndrome; facial pain; lasers; pain measurement; temporomandibular joint disorders; trigeminal neuralgia Sažetak. Cilj: Ispitati učinke različitih valnih duljina mekog lasera (ML) u liječenju orofacijalnog bola mjerenjem prijavljenog bola na vizualno-analognoj skali (VAS). Materijali i metode: U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 20 ispitanika s trigeminalnom neuralgijom (TN), 20 s temporomandibularnim poremećajima (TMP) i 40 sa sindromom pekućih usta (SPU). 50 % ispitanika u svakoj skupini liječeno je laserom 660 nm, a preostalih 50 % laserom 810 nm. Orofacijalni bol određen je prema VAS-u. Rezultati: Nakon primjene ML-a prijavljeni bol bio je značajno manji za sve ispitanike (P < 0,05). Značajno veće smanjenje bola ostvareno je primjenom lasera 810 nm za sve pacijente te za TN i TMP grupu (P < 0,001; P = 0,005; P = 0,024). Zaključci: ML pokazao se učinkovitom metodom smanjenja bola kod TN-a, TMP-a i SPU-a. Bolji rezultati ostvaruju se primjenom veće valne duljine.Ključne riječi: bol lica; laseri; mjerenje bola; poremećaji temporomandibularnog zgloba; sindrom pekućih usta; trigeminalna neuralgija

The results of this study suggest that LPT may be an efficacious choice of therapy.