Oral cancer, included within head and neck cancer, is the sixth most common malignant neoplasm in the world. The main etiological factors are tobacco and alcohol, although currently, diet is considered an important determinant for its development. Several dietary nutrients have specific mechanisms of action, contributing to both protection against cancer and increasing the risk for development, growth, and spread. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, curcumin, and green tea can reduce the risk of oral cancer, while the so-called pro-inflammatory diet, rich in red meat and fried foods, can enhance the risk of occurrence. Dietary factors with a protective effect show different mechanisms that complement and overlap with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-proliferative effects. The main limitation of in vivo studies is the complexity of isolating the effects related to each one of the nutrients and the relationship with other possible etiological mechanisms. On the contrary, in vitro studies allow determining the specific mechanisms of action of some of the dietary compounds. In conclusion, and despite research limitations, the beneficial effects of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits are attributed to different micronutrients that are also found in fish and animal products. These compounds show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-proliferative properties that have a preventive role in the development of oral and other types of cancer.

The early detection of cancer, and in particular oral cancer, has been a priority objective of study in recent years. Saliva has been proposed as an easy‐to‐obtain means of providing the necessary information to diagnose malignant lesions in the oral cavity, since it can be obtained very easily and completely noninvasively. There are a number of molecules, known as biomarkers, which may be involved in the malignant transformation of oral lesions, and which have different natures. The involvement of proteins (“proteomics”), metabolites (“metabolomics”), and even certain genes in the structural changes of altered tissue has been investigated in order to establish validated parameters for the early diagnosis of oral cancer. In addition, the development of new analytical assay methods that can reduce costs and obtain better results in terms of sensitivity and specificity has been a key point in recent research in this field. Even though there are numerous biomarkers with results showing high sensitivity and specificity, there is still a need for more studies, with a larger sample and with analytical methods that can constitute a real advance in time and cost. Although salivary biomarkers are a promising new diagnostic tool for oral cancer, for the moment they do not replace biopsy as the “gold standard”.

Introduction: Osteosarcomas of the jaw (OSJs) are rare tumors with distinct characteristics from osteosarcomas affecting other bones. This study aims to analyze the clinical, pathological, and therapeutic characteristics of OSJs. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study including patients diagnosed with OSJ registered at the “La Paz” University Hospital, Madrid, was performed. Results: Data of eight patients with a diagnosis of OSJ were obtained during the study period of 22 years (2002–2024). The mean age of the patients was 41 years. The distribution was 1:1 between the maxilla and mandible. Painful inflammation was the most frequent clinical manifestation. Conventional osteoblastic osteosarcoma was the most predominant histological type. Survival rate at 5 years was 50%, which decreased to 25% at 10 years. Conclusions: OSJs differ from conventional osteosarcomas of long tubular bones. Surgery continues to be the mainstay of treatment. However, more studies are needed through which more standardized protocols can be proposed for adjuvant therapeutic management.

Background: The aging of the population highlights the need to establish empathetic connections with older adults. To achieve this, age simulation suits have been designed, allowing users to experience the physical limitations associated with aging. This study aimed to evaluate the experience of dental students with these devices, using psychometric tools to measure the impact on their understanding and empathy. Methods: A pre/post-test study was conducted with the participation of 63 dental students from Rey Juan Carlos University who were fitted with an age simulation suit and asked to perform different tasks. Psychometric tools were used to assess specific parameters. Empathy was measured using the Jefferson Empathy Scale, emotional intelligence was assessed with the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24), and the emotional attention dimension was analyzed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Results: The scores on the Jefferson Empathy Scale significantly improved from 88.44 ± 6.8 to 91.06 ± 10.11 after using the simulation suit (P < 0.026). Pearson’s product moment correlation analysis showed no significant positive association or correlation between age and scores from the three questionnaires. In the rest, a positive and significant correlation was observed (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Age simulation activities effectively enhance empathy among dental students. However, more studies are needed to foster positive attitudes toward aging and prevent negative stereotypes.

Purpose Oral cancer is the sixteenth most common malignancy globally and is characterized by a 5-year survival rate of less than 40%. In recent years, innovative methods have been developed to facilitate its early diagnosis, including the GOCCLES® device. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of GOCCLES® in detecting dysplasia in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and diagnosing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Additionally, this study sought to compare the device’s efficacy with toluidine blue (TB) staining and assess the value of combining both methods. Methods Patients clinically diagnosed with OPMDs or OSCC were included. Anamnesis, oral examination, inspection with GOCCLES®, and TB staining were performed. Finally, lesions were biopsied and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of each technique were determined. Results Thirty-two patients were included in this study. The GOCCLES® device had a sensitivity of 33.3%, specificity of 40%, PPV of 25%, NPV of 50%, and accuracy of 37.5%. For TB staining, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 58.3%, 85%, 70%, 77.27%, and 75%, respectively. The respective values for the combined method were 44.4%, 77.78%, 66.67%, 58.33%, and 61.11%. Conclusions GOCCLES® and TB staining could help in the early diagnosis of OSCC and OPMDs, but a biopsy of the lesion remains essential for obtaining a definitive diagnosis.

El propósito de este estudio fue determinar el conocimiento de los estudiantes de odontología sobre la enfermedad COVID-19 durante la primera ola de la pandemia del SARS-CoV-2. Para ello, realizamos una encuesta transversal anónima, mediante cuestionarios autoadministrados, entre estudiantes de odontología de 4 universidades españolas para evaluar su percepción y conocimiento del COVID-19 entre el 6 y el 15 de abril de 2020. Se recibieron un total de 890 respuestas válidas durante 9 días. La mayoría de los estudiantes, 616 (70,3%), utilizaron múltiples fuentes de información. Sin embargo, 542 (60,9%) creían que las fuentes más fiables eran sitios oficiales como el de la OMS. Casi el 60% (523) creyó haber recibido información insuficiente de su institución. La nacionalidad resultó ser un factor relacionado con la aptitud para el conocimiento. Así, el 39,9% de los encuestados en la Europa ibérica suspendieron la prueba de conocimiento, frente al 20% en América del Norte o el 10% en Europa del Este (X2 = 24.503, p = 0,006). La nacionalidad ibérica europea implica un riesgo (OR) de no superar la prueba de conocimientos de 1.601 (IC 95% 1,008-2,544, p = 0,046). En relación al género, el 69,1% de las mujeres superan la prueba frente al 30,9% de los hombres. (X2 = 18.163, V Cramer = 0.144, p <0.001. Nuestros resultados muestran que los estudiantes de odontología encuestados carecían del conocimiento sobre los síntomas, las vías de infección, la mortalidad y las medidas de protección de la enfermedad COVID-19 durante abril de 2020. Programas educativos específicos sobre la prevención y protección frente al SARS-CoV-2 deberían potencialmente implementarse en el currículo dental a nivel mundial.