Background and Objectives: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an autoimmune, mucocutaneous, oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD), which characteristically manifests with chronic, recalcitrant lesions, with frequent flare-ups and remissions. The precise etiopathogenesis of OLP is still debatable, although it is believed to be a T-cell-mediated disorder of an unidentified antigen. Despite the availability of various treatments, no cure for OLP exists due to its recalcitrant nature and idiopathic etiology. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, in addition to its regulatory action on keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation. These salient properties substantiate the possible role of PRP in the treatment of OLP. Our systematic review focuses on assessing the therapeutic potential of PRP as a treatment modality in OLP. Materials and Methods: We conducted a detailed literature search for studies assessing PRP as a therapeutic regimen in OLP, using the Google Scholar and PubMed/MEDLINE search engines. The search was limited to studies published from January 2000 to January 2023 and included a combination of Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. ROBVIS analysis was carried out for the assessment of publication bias. Descriptive statistics were performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: This systematic review included five articles that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies demonstrated that PRP treatment considerably ameliorated both objective and subjective symptoms in OLP subjects, with comparable efficacy to the standard corticosteroid treatment. Further, PRP therapy offers the added benefit of minimal adverse effects and recurrences. Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that PRP has significant therapeutic potential for treating OLP. However, further research with larger sample sizes is imperative to corroborate these findings.

The pulp–tooth area ratio (PTR) from radiographic dental archives is considered useful for age estimation in the forensic field. Since there have been no studies conducted in the Saudi Arabian population using the PTR method, this study aimed to assess the relationship between the pulp–tooth area ratio of maxillary canines and central incisors and chronological age among Saudi Arabian adults using CBCT and to compare the selected teeth’s predictive power. For this, 100 CBCT scans of 62 male and 38 female patients aged between 20 and 60 years were assessed using OnDemand 3D DentalTM software (Cybermed Co., Tustin, CA, USA) in the axial and sagittal section of each tooth. The mean age estimated using the PTR of the maxillary incisors (39.98 years) was higher than the canines’ (37.9 years). A negative correlation coefficient ‘r’ value was seen between PTR and age. The strongest inverse correlation was noted between age and incisor axial view (0.47) (p < 0.05), Maxillary central incisors had higher R² in both genders (males: PTRS-0.18, PTRA-0.17; females: PTRS-0.19, PTRA-0.35) than canines. We conclude a weak correlation between the pulp–tooth ratio and chronological age estimation. CBCT pulp–tooth ratios of axial and sagittal sections of incisors were inconclusive in estimating the age of Saudi Arabian individuals owing to their low coefficient of estimation. Among the tooth types studied, maxillary incisors were better predictors than canines.

Pain, being a subjective phenomenon, is perceived in different manner by individuals based on various factors including age and gender. Various scales are available in literature to assess and record the pain perceived by an individual. Comparison of commonly used pain perception scales among Saudi Arabian population is scarce. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 180 subjects who were belonging to 2 age groups namely 7 to 16 years (group 1; n = 90) and 51 to 60 years (group II; n = 90). Subjects with dental pain of pulpal origin were included by employing consecutive sampling. The included participants were asked to record the severity of pain using visual analogue scale (VAS) and Wong Baker facial pain rating scale (WBS) in a computer-generated random order. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis. t test was used to compare the pain score recorded using VAS and WBS among males and females. The correlation between VAS and WBS was also assessed. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All subjects who participated responded to both the pain perception scales. No difference was found between males and females in the pain perception recorded using VAS and WBS in both the groups. A strong positive correlation was found between VAS and WBS score which was found to be statistically significant in both the groups. Both VAS and WBS are reliable tool to record pain perception in both age groups. WBS is found to be easier and more convenient one.

Background: Oral aphthous ulcers (OAUs) are common oral lesions that present with pain and discomfort, compromising oral function including speech, mastication and swallowing. Various modalities of treatment have been reported for management of pain associated with aphthous ulcer. Objectives: The present study assessed the effectiveness of fresh and raw holy basil leaves for management of pain associated with OAU. Materials and Methods: A unicentric outcome assessor blinded study with concurrent parallel design was conducted. Thirty female patients aged 18 years and above who presented with a single, untreated aphthous ulcer were recruited by consecutive sampling from College of Dentistry, King Khalid University. Subjects assigned to the Test group were instructed to chew fresh holy basil leaves and place them in the oral mucosa in contact with the OAU, while the Control group received sugarless chewing gum. Pain associated with OAU was recorded as a pain score using a visual analogue scale, while pain status was recorded as a dichotomous variable and functional pain severity was recorded on a four-point Likert scale. All measurements were made at baseline as well as during the follow-up visits on Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 following intervention. Non-parametric tests of significance were used for comparison. Results: The Test group performed better than the control group in terms of reduction in functional pain severity, pain status and pain score. Intergroup comparison showed statistically significant difference in pain score and functional pain severity between the Test group and the Control group on Day 3. However, the Test group experienced reduction in pain score by the end of Day 1. Conclusions: Holy basil leaves demonstrated a preliminary reduction in acute self-reported ulcer pain over a 3-day period compared to an active chewing gum control in the female cohort. These exploratory findings indicate potential short-term symptomatic relief, but definitive clinical efficacy warrants validation in larger, randomized trials.