Actinic cheilitis is a potentially malignant disorder of the lips. Its first cause is believed to be UV sun radiation. The lesion is highly heterogeneous, making the choice of area to be biopsied difficult. This study exploits the capabilities of time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy for the identification of the most representative area to be biopsied. A preliminary study was performed on fourteen patients. A classification algorithm was used on data acquired on nine different biopsies. The algorithm discriminated between absent, mild, and moderate dysplasia with a sensitivity of 92.9%, 90.0%, and 80.0%, respectively. The false positive rate for healthy tissue (specificity) was 88.8%.

Objective This a cross-sectional study to evaluate the association between oral health findings and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) among critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICU). Material and methods Data were collected from medical records, and a detailed oral physical examination was performed on 663 critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation. Data were statistically analysed using univariate and logistic regression models relating the development of VAP with the oral findings. Results At oral physical examination, the most frequent findings were tooth loss (568–85.67%), coated tongue (422–63.65%) and oral bleeding (192–28.96%). Patients with a coated tongue or oral bleeding on the first day of ICU hospitalization developed more VAP than did patients without these conditions (20.14 vs 13.69%, p = 0.02; 23.44 vs 15.50%, p = 0.01, respectively). In the logistic regression, a coated tongue and oral bleeding were considered independent risk factors for VAP development (OR = 1.61 (1.03–2.51) and OR = 1.69 (1.08–2.66), respectively). Conclusions The presence of a coated tongue and oral bleeding in ICU admission could be considered markers for the development of VAP. Clinical relevance The results of this paper reinforce the importance of proper maintenance of oral hygiene before intubation, which may lead to a decrease in the incidence of VAP in the ICU.

To evaluate the frequency of maxillary dentures-related lesions and the possible associated risk factors. Ninety-seven participants were selected, and a complete anamnesis, physical examination and tests of occlusion vertical dimension (OVD), retention and stability of the denture, biofilm quantification, cytopathology, sialometry, pH analysis and buffer capacity of the saliva were performed. Statistical analyses were performed with the Pearson's chi-square, Mann-Whitney tests, and Pearson's coefficient (p<0.05). In 78% of the participants at least one denture-related lesion was found. Denture-associated stomatitis (63%), inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia (19%) and traumatic ulceration (11%) were the 3 most frequent lesions. The habit of night use of the denture was considered an independent risk factor for the development of oral lesions [OR=3.0 (95% CI 1.09-8.56); p<0.05]. Furthermore, the longest period of use of the same denture and biofilm also had statistically significant relation to oral lesions. The biofilm seems to be more related to the prevalence of oral lesions according to the multiple logistic regression [OR=1.3 (95% CI: 1.01-1.83) p<0.05]. The lack of a dentures' cleaning solution and detrition of the prothesis were independent risk factors for denture-associated stomatitis. Male gender, loss of OVD and bad buffer capacity were risk factors for angular cheilitis. Fractures of the base and repair of broken dentures were risk factors for traumatic ulcers. These results show a high frequency of denture-related lesions. Besides, participants hygiene habits and poor quality of the dentures were the main factors for the development of these lesions.