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Introduction: Medicinal plants and their substances are used as adjunctive therapies for a range of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Syzygium aromaticum and Persea americana, in particular, have demonstrated beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, in the management of inflammation. Although the extracts from these plants have been assessed in research, the possibility of combining them to synthesise a mouthwash and evaluate its effectiveness has not yet been investigated. Aim: To evaluate the combined anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of a mouthwash formulation based on the extensively nutritious avocado fruit (Persea americana) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum). Materials and Methods: This in-vitro investigation was carried out in the Oral Pathology and Microbiology Department at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, between December 2021 and July 2022. A mouthwash was formulated with extracts from clove and avocado fruit, and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties were evaluated using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) denaturation and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, respectively. Microsoft Excel was utilised for data collection, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 with independent t-tests was used for statistical analysis. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The anti-inflammatory activity of the prepared mouthwash based on P. americana and Syzygium aromaticum at a concentration of 50 µL (86.62% inhibition) was comparable to that of the standard drug (diclofenac sodium) (84.82% inhibition); however, its antioxidant properties were significantly lower. Conclusion: The mouthwash synthesised from the edible part of P. americana in conjunction with Syzygium aromaticum exhibited superior anti-inflammatory properties, with the highest activity observed at a concentration of 50 µL. Therefore, the prepared formulation could be used for managing minor inflammatory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Decalcification is a technique used to remove calcium salts from hard tissue specimens, such as bone or teeth, to make them suitable for sectioning. X-rays, physical methods, and chemical methods are commonly used to determine the endpoint of decalcification. However, these procedures can be cumbersome, may deteriorate the specimen, and are often subjective. Aim: To determine the endpoint of decalcification of hard tissue specimens using a colour palette. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Oral Pathology at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of 5 months. A total of 25 hard tissue specimens (10 bone and 15 teeth) were subjected to decalcification in 20% formic acid. To evaluate the endpoint of decalcification, silver nitrate solution was added to the formic acid, and the colour change was noted. The resulting colour was compared with a previously patented colour palette (Patent number: 202241047215). Once a lighter colour was obtained, the specimen was processed, sectioned, and stained using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E). The slides were then evaluated by two pathologists. Results: A total of 8 (80%) bone samples exhibited excellent staining, while 2 (20%) samples showed a good staining score. Regarding the tooth samples, 14 (93.3%) showed excellent staining, and one (6.66%) tooth displayed a good staining score. Conclusion: The present method is a simple and safe way to determine the endpoint of decalcification for a specimen. It does not damage the tissue, thus preserving the integrity of the hard tissue specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Oral cancer poses a serious health challenge globally, particularly for nations undergoing economic transition. The number and size of lymph nodes obtained, along with nodal involvements, are crucial for proper diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Aim: To assess the number of lymph nodes obtained before and after treating the specimens with the Lymph Node Revealing Solution (LNRS) along with staining characteristics. Materials and Methods: The present prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of six months from January 2023 to June 2023 in a tertiary oral healthcare centre in Chennai. Six histologically confirmed Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) cases with neck dissection were included in the study, involving 32 lymph node levels. Lymph nodes were grossed using both routine procedures of palpation and visualisation and after treatment with LNRS for two days. The number of nodes obtained through both methods was compared along with the staining characteristics. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Chi-square and paired t-tests were used to compare the two groups, and any value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 134 lymph nodes, 21 were positive with conventional fixation, whereas after the application of LNRS, an additional 41 lymph nodes were retrieved. Two nodes showed metastatic deposits; fortunately, the additional positive nodes did not affect the staging. No statistically significant difference was found before and after immersion in LNRS regarding staining characteristics. The mean area of the yielded nodes was 84.71±4.85 mm2. There was a statistically significant difference between the size of lymph nodes between the manual grossing method and after immersion in LNRS (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: The study confirmed that the LNRS technique identified very small lymph nodes in oral cancer patients, which may contain metastatic deposits. This might change the stage of the disease and influence the mode of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human teeth serve many crucial functions, and aesthetics is one of these. Aesthetics and beauty are often correlated with the Golden Divine Ratio (GDR), a unique proportion hypothesised to exist in individuals or things with a harmonious appearance. Aim: To estimate the crown length, root length, and GDR in extracted human permanent maxillary and mandibular Central Incisors (CI) in the population of Tamil ethnicity from South India. Materials and Methods: This in-vitro cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from January 2023 to October 2023. The study included a total of 90 extracted human teeth from the Institutional tooth repository, out of which 27 were upper permanent CIs and the remaining 63 were mandibular CIs. Crown length and root length were measured using digital vernier calipers, and golden ratios were derived. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. was used for descriptive analysis and deriving means and standard deviation. Results: The average crown length, root length, and total length of upper CIs were 8.06±0.09 mm, 13.01±1.47 mm, and 21.06±2.36 mm, respectively. For the remaining 63 extracted permanent mandibular CIs, the mean crown length, root length, and total length were 7.85±0.66 mm, 12.6±0.97 mm, and 20.45±1.49 mm, respectively. The Root-to-Crown (R/C) ratio and Total Length to Root Length (T/R) ratio approximated 1.618 for both sets of teeth. Conclusion: The crown length of maxillary and mandibular CIs from the Tamil population followed the golden ratio in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenomatoid Odontogenic Tumour (AOT) constitutes about 5% of all odontogenic tumours and is most commonly seen in young females, in association with impacted maxillary canines in a Dentigerous Cyst (DC) like relationship. Extrafollicular AOT is an uncommon variant seen unassociated with impacted teeth. Rare cystic presentation is reported with most cases seen arising from or in association with DC. Here, the authors present a case of extrafollicular AOT in a 29-year-old Dravidian male, who reported with a chief complaint of swelling of lower anterior jaw region. Radiographically, a well-defined radiolucent lesion was noted extending from mesial aspect of the roots of right mandibular second molar, crossing the midline to involve the body of mandible till mesial aspect of lower left canine. There was evidence of cortical perforation. The lesion was excised and sent for histopathological evaluation. Histopathologically, the lesion was diagnosed as cystic AOT-extrafollicular variant. There was adequate healing and no signs of recurrence or residual disease were noted 18 months after the surgery. The present case is a unique presentation of cystic extrafollicular AOT with pictorial demonstration and detailed explanation of its pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gingival diseases are commonly observed in children and young adults. However, Giant Cell Fibroma (GCF) is a rare occurrence in children, accounting for only 2.2-7.3% of oral fibrous tumour cases. Clinically, these lesions often resemble squamous papillomas, and a definitive diagnosis can only be confirmed through histopathological {Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)} examination. Hereby, the authors present a rare case of gingival GCF in a three-year-old boy who presented with a pebbly growth on the mandibular gingiva. Initially, the lesion was clinically diagnosed as a papilloma and subsequently excised. The final diagnosis of GCF was established through histological examination. It is crucial for paediatric dentists to consider GCF as a differential diagnosis for lesions, particularly those with a papillary surface. Additionally, submitting all excised specimens for histopathological examination is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral Verruciform Xanthoma (VX) is a verrucopapillary lesion seen as a cauliflower-like/papillary growth in the oral cavity. The aetiopathophysiology of VX is explained by several pathogenic processes. The presence of xanthoma cells or foamy macrophages is considered a characteristic feature of this lesion however there is disagreement about the origin of these cells. In this case report, the authors described a case of VX with concomitant candidal infection in a 31 years old male patient. Although not fully explored, a hypothesis is constructed to understand the relationship between Candida albicans and VX, combining the current literature and present findings. Presumably, an initiation event varies from patient to patient and site to site, additionally, the candidal infection may also play an important role in the pathogenesis of VX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]