The micronuclei assay (MA) in exfoliated buccal cells is an innovative genotoxicity technique, which holds promise for the study of epithelial carcinogens. Micronuclei are suitable internal dosimeters for revealing tissue-specific genotoxic damage in individuals exposed to carcinogenic mixtures. This article reviews the MN assay with respect to oral buccal mucosa, which has been used since the 1980s to demonstrate cytogenetic effects of environmental and occupational exposures, lifestyle factors, dietary deficiencies, and different diseases along with the characteristics of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities.

In recent years, salivary metabolome studies have provided new biological information and salivary biomarkers to diagnose different diseases at early stages. The saliva in the oral cavity is influenced by many factors that are reflected in the salivary metabolite profile. Oral microbes can alter the salivary metabolite profile and may express oral inflammation or oral diseases. The released microbial metabolites in the saliva represent the altered biochemical pathways in the oral cavity. This review highlights the oral microbial profile and microbial metabolites released in saliva and its use as a diagnostic biofluid for different oral diseases. The importance of salivary metabolites produced by oral microbes as risk factors for oral diseases and their possible relationship in oral carcinogenesis is discussed.

The oral cavity is very diverse, wherein saliva plays an important role in maintaining oral health. The metabolism of saliva has been used to investigate oral diseases as well as general diseases, mainly to detect diagnostic biomarkers. There are many sources of salivary metabolites in the mouth. Online English language sources and the PubMed database were searched to retrieve relevant studies on oral salivary metabolites. The physiological balance of the mouth is influenced by many factors that are reflected in the salivary metabolite profile. Similarly, the dysbiosis of microbes can alter the salivary metabolite profile, which may express oral inflammation or oral diseases. This narrative review highlights the factors to be considered when examining saliva and its use as a diagnostic biofluid for different diseases. Salivary metabolites, mainly small-molecule metabolites may enter the bloodstream and cause illness elsewhere in the body. The importance of salivary metabolites produced in the oral cavity as risk factors for general diseases and their possible relationship to the body’s function are also discussed.

Aim: Reactive lesions of the oral cavity are associated with injuries of soft tissue and have high prevalence rates and different involvement patterns in different parts of the world. This study reviews the pathogenesis and analyzes demographic data, histopathological features and compares the clinico-pathologic profiles of the diseases to those previously reported. Materials and Methods: Patient records of the Department of Oral Pathology during one and half year period were reviewed for diagnosis of oral connective tissue reactive hyperplastic lesion. Data including the area involved and the type of lesion were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and ANOVA test. Results: 100 cases (mean age 36 years, male:female ratio 1:2) matched study criterion. The most common affected site was mandibular anterior region and buccal mucosa and the most common lesion was pyogenic granuloma and focal fibrous hyperplasia. All the lesions were more common in the mandible than in the maxilla. PGCG was seen to be equally distributed in males and females. Conclusion: Reactive hyperplastic lesions of the oral connective tissue are more common in females and the majority of the lesions occur in gingiva. This study supports previous assertions that PG and FFH may occur on any oral mucosal site with special preference for the mandibular anterior gingiva and buccal mucosa while PGCG and POF occur exclusively on the mandibular gingiva.

The expression of podoplanin is up-regulated in a number of different human cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and its relationship with tumor invasion raises the possibility that podoplanin expression could be used as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the expression of podoplanin in different grades of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to correlate the expression of podoplanin with relevant clinical features such as age, sex, site and associated habits. Retrospective study was carried on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded blocks of oral SCC (OSCC) from the archives of Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram. Thirty diagnosed cases were included, of which 10 were well-differentiated SCC (WDSCC) (n = 10), 10 moderately DSCC and 10 poorly DSCC. Demographics including age, sex, gender and associated habit history, were recorded. Immunohistochemical staining was done with podoplanin anti D2-40 antibody, for all the cases of OSCC and assessed qualitatively. The data obtained were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis. In the present study, 27 cases of SCC showed podoplanin expression and remaining three cases showed no expression. The scoring criterion suggested by Yuan et al. was followed for semi-quantitative assessment. OSCC, seven cases presented weak expression (Immunoreactive score [IRS] 0-3), 15 presented moderate expression (IRS Score 4-7) and 5 presented high expression (IRS Score > 8). The assessment of podoplanin expression in the cytoplasm, the membrane and the cytoplasm and membrane (both) of tumor cells showed overall high positivity in the cytoplasmic followed by both and the membrane. Podoplanin could be a potent biomarker in assessing the cytoplasm/membrane staining of tumor cells. Furthermore, a high level of podoplanin expression is suggestive of high frequency of lymph node metastasis and immature status in the differentiation process of OSCC.