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Head and neck cancer (HNC), representing 3% of all cancers, has been ranked as the sixth to eighth most common cancer type, with increasing global prevalence. 1 Despite advances in treatment, the mortality and morbidity rates remain high. 2 More than 70% of patients with HNC require radiotherapy (RT). 3,4 Oral complications (both acute and chronic effects) are common in patients receiving RT involving the oral cavity, including mucositis, infection, saliva change, fibrosis, sensory dysfunction, dental caries, periodontal disease and osteoradionecrosis. 5 Osteoradionecrosis, the most severe chronic complication, is difficult to treat clinically and is painful for patients. 6 Patients receiving head and neck RT should be dentally consulted before initial RT treatment to establish an appropriate oral

ObjectivesThe theory of at least 2‐week waiting period between tooth extraction and head and neck radiotherapy could reduce osteoradionecrosis remains controversial. Thus, this study examined the theory and associated factors.Materials and MethodsData were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database, Taiwan Cancer Registry Database, and Cause of Death Statistics. We included 24,353 patients with head and neck cancer who received radiotherapy from 2011 to 2017 and were followed up until 2019. The patients were divided into three groups: those undergoing tooth removal 2–8 weeks before radiotherapy, those undergoing tooth removal within 2 weeks before radiotherapy, and others. Confounding factors were clinical information, physical conditions, and risky habits. We used the Cox regression model to assess osteoradionecrosis risk.ResultsNo significant difference in osteoradionecrosis risk was observed between those undergoing tooth extraction within 2 weeks before radiotherapy and the other groups. An irradiation dose of ≥60 Gy, chemotherapy, tumor excision, post‐radiotherapy tooth extraction, mandibulectomy, hyperlipidemia, and oral cavity as the tumor subsite were significantly positively associated with osteoradionecrosis risk.ConclusionA waiting period of ≥2 weeks between tooth extraction and radiotherapy did not significantly reduce osteoradionecrosis risk.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) place a considerable burden on medical costs and add to an increased number of inpatient days in Taiwan. Continuity of care (COC) has not been investigated in this population thus far. Materials and Methods: We designed a retrospective population-based cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients aged 0 to 18 years with CP catastrophic illness certificates were enrolled. We investigated the association of COC index (COCI) with medical costs and inpatient days. We also investigated the possible clinical characteristics affecting the outcome. Results: Over five years, children with CP with low COCI levels had higher medical costs and more inpatient days than did those with high COCI levels. Younger age at CP diagnosis, more inpatient visits one year before obtaining a catastrophic illness certificate, pneumonia, and nasogastric tube use increased medical expenses and length of hospital stay. Conclusions: Improving COC reduces medical costs and the number of inpatient days in children with CP. Certain characteristics also influence these outcomes.

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Gingival recession (GR) potentially leads to the exposure of tooth root to the oral cavity microenvironment and increases susceptibility to dental caries, dentin hypersensitivity, and other dental diseases. Even though many etiological factors were reported, the specific mechanism of GR is yet to be elucidated. Given the species richness concerning marine biodiversity, it could be a treasure trove for drug discovery. In this study, we demonstrate the effects of a marine compound, (+)-rhodoptilometrin from crinoid, on gingival cell migration, wound healing, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Experimental results showed that (+)-rhodoptilometrin can significantly increase wound healing, migration, and proliferation of human gingival fibroblast cells, and it does not have effects on oral mucosa fibroblast cells. In addition, (+)-rhodoptilometrin increases the gene and protein expression levels of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), fibronectin, and type I collagen, changes the intracellular distribution of FAK and F-actin, and increases OXPHOS and the expression levels of complexes I~V in the mitochondria. Based on our results, we believe that (+)-rhodoptilometrin might increase FAK expression and promote mitochondrial function to affect cell migration and promote gingival regeneration. Therefore, (+)-rhodoptilometrin may be a promising therapeutic agent for GR.