Saliva has been useful as a liquid biopsy for the diagnosis of various oral or systemic diseases, and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is no exception. While its early detection and prevention is important, salivary cytokines expression, specifically of Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), does contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and these cytokines serve as potential biomarkers. Their excessive production plays a role in cancer progression and establishment of angiogenesis. However, other inflammatory or immunological conditions may affect the levels of cytokines in saliva. This article reviews the expression of levels of specific cytokines i.e., IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α, their signaling pathways in the development of oral cancer, and how they are essential for the diagnosis of OSCC and updates related to it. Apart from serum, the saliva-based test can be a cost-effective tool in the follow-up and diagnosis of OSCC. Moreover, large-scale investigations are still needed for the validation of salivary cytokines.

Background: Dental anxiety among patients is a significant impediment leading to delayed or incomplete dental treatment. Understanding the determinants of dental anxiety is crucial, given the potential variations in causative factors across different regions due to cultural diversity and past dental experiences. In light of limited available data and cultural heterogeneity, this study aimed to explore the correlation between age, gender, educational level, socio-economic status, and residence with dental anxiety among patients seeking care at a teaching dental hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 375 patients attending a private teaching hospital was conducted, with dental anxiety assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. Exclusion criteria involved patients with known anxiety disorders or a history of intellectual disabilities. Results: The findings demonstrated a statistically significant gender-based difference in dental anxiety (p-value: 0.00), with a majority of females exhibiting anxiety levels ranging from moderate to extreme. Additionally, a significant association was observed between socio-economic status and dental anxiety (p-value: 0.03), revealing lower levels of dental anxiety among individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds compared to those from middle and upper socio-economic strata. However, no significant differences were identified in dental anxiety concerning age, educational level, and residence (urban/rural). Conclusion: The study concludes that targeted anxiety reduction protocols should be prioritized for female patients and those belonging to the upper socio-economic status.

Introduction: Dentists are still confused about whether to stop anticoagulants during extractions or to practice local hemostatic measures and closely monitor patients' international normalized ratios (INR) levels. Aims & Objectives: To determine and analyze the level of knowledge of practicing students and dental surgeons regarding anticoagulation therapy of patients undergoing dental extractions. Place and Duration of Study: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among dentists and dental students in a teaching dental hospital (Islamabad Dental Hospital) for 5 months between August to December 2021. Material & Method: There were a total of 127 participants including BDS students, house officers, postgraduate trainees, and faculty members of all dental clinical departments who responded to the printed questionnaire. A convenience sampling technique was used to gather the data. After encoding, the data was input into SPSS version 22. For qualitative variables, mean and standard deviation were computed, whereas for quantitative variables, frequencies and percentages were determined., p.value? 0.05 was considered significant. The findings were displayed as tables, charts, and figures. Results: Out of 127 participants, 63.7% (n=81/127) were in favor of consultation with the patient's physician before dental extractions whereas 59% (n=75/127) considered discontinuation of aspirin seven days before extractions. Different international normalized ratio (INR) levels were considered for different medical conditions by 78.7% (n=100/127) while 49.6% (n=63/127) of the participants believed that warfarin should be replaced with low molecular weight heparin before dental extractions. 79% of participants knew the antidote of heparin. Postoperative clot formation was not checked by 25.2% (n=32/127), and 87.4% (n=111/127) gave both verbal and written instructions after dental extractions. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a good level of awareness and implementation of guidance among dental practitioners. Further research and training programs are advised to enhance the knowledge among dental practitioners and to upgrade the standard protocols for treating patients with anticoagulation therapy.