A complex balanced equilibrium of the bacterial ecosystems exists in the oral cavity that can be altered by tobacco smoking, psychological stressors, bad dietary habit, and chronic periodontitis. Oral dysbiosis can promote the onset and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) through the release of toxins and bacterial metabolites, stimulating local and systemic inflammation, and altering the host immune response. During the process of carcinogenesis, the composition of the bacterial community changes qualitatively and quantitatively. Bacterial profiles are characterized by targeted sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene in tissue and saliva samples in patients with OSCC. Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Prevotella melaninogenica, Streptococcus mitis, Fusobacterium periodonticum, Prevotella tannerae, and Prevotella intermedia are the significantly increased bacteria in salivary samples. These have a potential diagnostic application to predict oral cancer through noninvasive salivary screenings. Oral lactic acid bacteria, which are commonly used as probiotic therapy against various disorders, are valuable adjuvants to improve the response to OSCC therapy.

Teeth extractions before or after radiotherapy (RT) could be procedures at high risk for osteoradionecrosis (ORN) onset. This systematic review was performed to investigate the ORN incidence following teeth extractions during and after RT for head and neck (H&N) cancer and to evaluate any other possible risk factor. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA protocol, and the PROSPERO registration number was CRD42018079986. An electronic search was performed on the following search engines: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A cumulative meta-analysis was performed. Results: Two thousand two hundred and eighty-one records were screened, and nine were finally included. This systematic review revealed an ORN incidence of 5.8% (41 patients out of 462, 95% CI = 2.3–9.4); 3 ORN developed in the maxilla. No other clinical risk factors were detected. Conclusion: Post-RT teeth extractions represent a major risk factor for ORN development, especially in the mandible, with a diminishing trend in the last years. Further research on other possible risk factors might improve this evidence.

Few studies have been carried out on the levels and possible toxicity of local anesthetics in breast milk after parenteral administration. The purpose of this study is to determine the amount of lidocaine and its metabolite monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) in breast milk after local anesthesia during dental procedures. The study population consisted of seven nursing mothers (age, 23–39 years) who received 3.6 to 7.2 mL 2% lidocaine without adrenaline. Blood and milk concentrations of lidocaine and its metabolite MEGX were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The milk-to-plasma ratio and the possible daily doses in infants for both lidocaine and MEGX were calculated. The lidocaine concentration in maternal plasma 2 hours after injection was 347.6 ± 221.8 μg/L, the lidocaine concentration in maternal milk ranged from 120.5 ± 54.1 μg/L (3 hours after injection) to 58.3 ± 22.8 μg/L (6 hours after injection), the MEGX concentration in maternal plasma 2 hours after injection was 58.9 ± 30.3 μg/L, and the MEGX concentration in maternal milk ranged from 97.5 ± 39.6 μg/L (3 hours after injection) to 52.7 ± 23.8 μg/L (6 hours after injection). According to these data and considering an intake of 90 mL breast milk every 3 hours, the daily infant dosages of lidocaine and MEGX were 73.41± 38.94 μg/L/day and 66.1 ± 28.5 μg/L/day respectively. This study suggests that even if a nursing mother undergoes dental treatment with local anesthesia using lidocaine without adrenaline, she can safely continue breast-feeding.

The so-called calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) represents a heterogeneous group of lesions that exhibit a variety of clinico-pathologic features. It is an uncommon lesion and represents less than 2% of all odontogenic cysts and tumors. Recently, these lesions have been reclassified as calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors (CCOT), according to the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification. CCOT are frequently found in association with, or containing areas histologically identical to, various types of odontogenic tumors, such as complex/compound odontomas. This work analyzed clinical and histological data deriving from 13 patients affected by CCOT associated with odontomas. Moreover, a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) analysis was undertaken to further a better understanding of the nature of this peculiar lesion.