Aim: To determine the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-2) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the difference in its expression level between positive and negative HPV-16 (human papilloma virus- 16) OSCC patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 33 biopsies obtained from patients with OSCC and 10 normal oral mucosa as controls. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used to investigate the presence of HPV-16, while immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to estimate the expression level of TIMP-2. Results: The TIMP-2 was expressed in 27 (81.8%) of OSCC sections with no significant difference between its expression level in HPV-16 positive and HPV-16 negative OSCC cases (p=0.058). TIMP-2 was found to be hig

Salivary peroxidases have biological functions of particular importance to oral health. The aim of this paper is to shed the light on saliva and serum total peroxidases activity as well as the activity of each of salivary peroxidase (SPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in patients with oral tumors. The studied participants were divided into two groups: the first group included 18 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients and 20 age and gender-matched healthy controls while the second group consisted of 20 oral ossifying fibroma patients and 23 age and gender-matched healthy controls. Total peroxidases activity was determined, and its specific activity was calculated in serum and whole mixed saliva as well as in the supernatant and pellet fractions

Background: Oral carcinogenesis is a molecular and histological multistage process featuring genetic and phenotypic markers for each stage, which involves enhanced function of several oncogenes and/or the deactivation of tumor suppressor genes, resulting in the loss of cell cycle checkpoints. The progression towards malignancy includes sequential histopathological alterations ranging from hyperplasia through dysplasia to carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma. The p16 gene produces p16 protein, which in turn inhibits phosphorylation of retinoblastoma, p16 play a significant role in early carcinogenesis. Human papillomavirus is a well established heterogeneous virus and plays an important role in oral cancers. The aims of the study were to

This study aimed to evaluate oral health (OH) and periodontal diseases (PD) awareness in the Iraqi population.

Back ground: Dental caries and periodontal disease followed by enamel defect were the most common and widely spread diseases affecting children. Aim of this study is the assessment of the occurrence and severity of dental caries, dental plaque, gingivitis and enamel anomalies among 4-5 years old children in Karbala city-Iraq. Materials and methods: A sample of 658 children (350 males, 308 females) aged four and five years old was selected randomly from the fourteenth kindergartens in Karbala city. Diagnosis and recording of dental caries and enamel anomalies were followed the criteria of WHO 1987, WHO1997 respectively. Dental plaque was assessed using plaque index of Silness and Loe,1964. Gingival health condition was assessed using gingiv

         It is clear that correct application of antibiotic prophylaxis can reduce the incidence of infection  resulting from the bacterial  inoculation in a variety of clinical situations; it cannot   prevent  all  infections  any  more  than it  can   eliminate  all  established infections. Optimum  antibiotic   prophylaxis  depends on:  rational  selection  of the drug(s),  adequate  concentrations  of the  drug  in  the  tissues that  are at risk, and attention to  timing  of  administration.  Moreover,  the  risk  of

         It is clear that correct application of antibiotic prophylaxis can reduce the incidence of infection  resulting from the bacterial  inoculation in a variety of clinical situations; it cannot   prevent  all  infections  any  more  than it  can   eliminate  all  established infections. Optimum  antibiotic   prophylaxis  depends on:  rational  selection  of the drug(s),  adequate  concentrations  of the  drug  in  the  tissues that  are at risk, and attention to  timing  of  administration.  Moreover,  the  risk  of  infection  in  some situations  does not outweigh  the risks which  attend the administration of even the safest antibiotic drug. The aim of this study was to comp

When laser light incident on biological tissue, it is either reflected from the
surface of the tissue (e.g. the skin) or scattered inside the tissue or absorbed .The laser light will be
absorbed by water, hemoglobin and melanin. Absorption is also highly dependent on wave-length of
laser radiation. The absorbed light is converted into kinetic energy leading to laser effect that when
appropriately applied can produce reaction ranging from incision, vaporization to coagulation. Aim of
the study: To evaluate the efficiency of diode Laser 810 ± 20nm in treatment of oral lesions. Methods:
6 patients (2 females and 4 males) with different oral lesions were treated in the hospital of specialized
surgeries by the use of dio

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial effect of mastic gum against the most common aerobic oral bacteria and
emphasized on oral streptococci.
Methodology: In this study 10 persons (males and females of 18-60 years old) were randomly assigned to chew
mastic gum (1.5 gm for 45 minutes). Mouth washes were collected before and after gum chewing .The two mouth
washes were diluted (10-1 – 10-6) and cultivated aerobically for 24 hours at 37C0 on BHI agar for total bacterial
count and on MSF agar for counting the oral streptococci.
Results: The results showed that the total bacterial count for staphylococci, Neisseria and oral streptococci on BHI
agar and MSF agar for oral streptococci after mastic chewing were highly r

Background: Brush cytology is an accepted technique that gets renewed interest. It is now used as an aid for the diagnosis and observation of possible epithelial changes that could be associated with oral mucosal diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the cytomorphometric changes in gingiva and buccal mucosa of type II diabetics and to assess their relation to oral symptoms and glycemic status. Materials and methods: Cytological Papanicolaou stained smear were prepared from cheek and gingiva of 20 non treated cases, 20 treated diabetics and 20 healthy persons of both sex after measuring their HbA1c and recording their oral symptoms. Hundred unfolded epithelial cells were evaluated qualitatively using MCID software to measure nuclear and cy