Licorice (Radix glycyrrhizae) is a plant root extract widely used in various applications, including cosmetics, food supplements, and traditional medicine. It has a long history of medicinal use in different cultures due to its diverse pharmacological properties. Licorice has traditionally been used for treating gastrointestinal problems, respiratory infections, cough, bronchitis, arthritis, and skin conditions. In recent years, the potential therapeutic benefits of licorice for oral health have gained significant interest. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the effects of licorice extracts and their bioactive components on common oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, halitosis, candidiasis, and recurrent aphthous ulcers. The chemical composition of licorice has shown the presence of several bioactive compounds such as glycyrrhizin, glabridin, isoliquiritigenin (ISL), and licochalcone exhibiting various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidative, and immunomodulatory effects. Interestingly, in certain patients, licorice has shown a promising potential to inhibit the spread of viruses, prevent biofilm formation, reduce inflammation, boost immune responses, alleviate pain, and exert antioxidative effects. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the current understanding of licorice’s therapeutic benefits in the treatment of oral ailments, emphasising its potential as an alternative treatment option for oral diseases. Further research is warranted to explore its efficacy, safety, and clinical applications using placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that affects exocrine glands, mainly salivary and lacrimal glands. Several studies have investigated cytokine profiles in tears in order to understand the pathogenesis of SS and find additional diagnostic markers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze cytokines in tears of SS patients. A systematic literature search of the Cochrane, Medline via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted using key terms related to “Sjögren’s syndrome” and “tears” combined with “biomarker”, “cytokines”, “interleukin”, and “chemokines”, following PRISMA guidelines. Article selection was subjected to certain eligibility criteria. A total of 17 articles (from 1998 and 2022) were selected for the quantitative and qualitative analysis. When compared to controls, concentrations of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1 Ra, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22 were consistently higher; however, IL-23 was significantly lower in patients with SS compared to the controls. Tear levels of some cytokines were significantly elevated among SS groups compared to control groups. Therefore, these cytokines could be potential biomarkers of SS. However, standardization of sample collection and analytical methods is necessary in order to translate these findings into clinical practice.

Background: The use of artificial intelligence (AI), especially large language models (LLMs), is increasing in health care, including in dentistry. There has yet to be an assessment of the diagnostic performance of LLMs in oral medicine. Objective: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of ChatGPT (OpenAI) and Microsoft Copilot (integrated within the Microsoft 365 suite) with oral medicine consultants in formulating accurate differential and final diagnoses for oral lesions from written clinical scenarios. Methods: Fifty comprehensive clinical case scenarios including patient age, presenting complaint, history of the presenting complaint, medical history, allergies, intra- and extraoral findings, lesion description, and any additional information including laboratory investigations and specific clinical features were given to three oral medicine consultants, who were asked to formulate a differential diagnosis and a final diagnosis. Specific prompts for the same 50 cases were designed and input into ChatGPT and Copilot to formulate both differential and final diagnoses. The diagnostic accuracy was compared between the LLMs and oral medicine consultants. Results: ChatGPT exhibited the highest accuracy, providing the correct differential diagnoses in 37 of 50 cases (74%). There were no significant differences in the accuracy of providing the correct differential diagnoses between AI models and oral medicine consultants. ChatGPT was as accurate as consultants in making the final diagnoses, but Copilot was significantly less accurate than ChatGPT (P=.015) and one of the oral medicine consultants (P<.001) in providing the correct final diagnosis. Conclusions: ChatGPT and Copilot show promising performance for diagnosing oral medicine pathology in clinical case scenarios to assist dental practitioners. ChatGPT-4 and Copilot are still evolving, but even now, they might provide a significant advantage in the clinical setting as tools to help dental practitioners in their daily practice.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate how dental students at King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry transitioned from pre-clinical to clinical instruction and how this change affected their learning outcomes. Understanding this transition was crucial to identify the challenges faced by students and the support they required. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilized, combining qualitative insights from focus group discussions with quantitative data from surveys. Focus groups gathered detailed student experiences regarding their transition, while surveys measured workloads, anxiety levels, and perceptions of clinical competence. Results: The results showed that students have a lot of difficulties because of their heavier workloads, higher levels of anxiety, and the need for better integration of academic knowledge with practical abilities. Concerns over clinical competence and the necessity of improving communication with patients and healthcare teams are other characteristics of the transition phase. The findings highlighted how important structured support networks are for reducing transition-related stress and improving students’ readiness for clinical duties. These networks include peer mentorship, orientation programs, and customized curriculum modifications. Discussion: The study emphasized the value of early exposure to clinical settings and the inclusion of soft skill development in the curriculum, such as empathy and communication. The research advocated for comprehensive reforms in dental education, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that addresses both the academic and emotional well-being of students. Dental faculties can contribute to the development of more competent and self-assured dental practitioners by improving support systems and incorporating practical experiences earlier in the educational timeline.