Oral Leukoplakia

Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a clinical term for a nonremovable white lesion that is not easily recognisable as any particular condition and therefore requires further investigation.

Oral leukoplakia manifests as patches that are bright white and sharply defined. The surfaces of the patches are slightly raised above the surrounding mucosa.

Oral leukoplakia may be homogenous (uniform lesion often with a fissured surface), or nonhomogeneous (with surface irregularity and textural or colour variation for example speckled-see below given photograph.

Stages and Phases of Anaesthesia

Assessment of the depth of anaesthesia 

Anaesthesia has been described as a series of four Stages. 

Stage 1

The period between administration of an anaesthetic and loss of consciousness. 

Stage 2

The period after loss of consciousness, which may include actions such as uncontrolled movement, delirium, vocalization.

Stage 3 

The level at which surgery can be performed. Stage 3 anaesthesia is divided into four planes. 

1. Plane 1: "light" anaesthesia - the animal still has blink and swallowing reflexes, and regular respiration.
2. Plane 2: "surgical" anaesthesia - the animal has lost blink reflexes, pupils become fixed and respiration is regular.
3. Plane 3: "deep" anaesthesia - the animal starts losing the ability to use the respiratory muscles and breathing becomes shallow; may require assisted ventilation. The surgeries are performed in this plane.
4. Plane 4: the animal loses all respiratory effort, and breathing may stop entirely. 

Stage 4

Anaesthetic crisis! Respiratory arrest and death from circulatory collapse imminent.

Pulpitis

Photograph showing Pulpal hyperaemia. While bacteria are still some distance from the pulp, acid permeating along the dentinal tubules gives rise to dilation of the blood vessels, oedema and a light cellular inflammatory infiltrate in the pulp [1]

What is Pulpitis?

Pulpitis is the inflammation of the pulp. It is the most common cause of pain in young persons.

Types

It is of two types.

1. Reversible

2. Irreversible

Irreversible pulpitis has been divided into further two types

1. Acute pulpitis

2. Chronic pulpitis

Causes of Pulpitis

Root Apex-Anatomical And Physiological Foramen

Anatomical and physiological forament of the root 

Apical constriction (Physiological foramen)

• is conside­­red narrowest diameter of the root canal

• located at the cement-dentinal junction.

• it is the apical limit of root canal preparation preparation.

• it is also known as the histological foramen, because it is located at the junction between the

• pulpal connective and interstitial loose connective tissues of the periodontal ligament.

• not visible on x-ray (we may find it only using WL determination methods).

Dental Caries-Part 6: Prevention

Fig1: Caries free beautiful teeth with proper maintenance #

The carious process can be termed as metabolic activity in the plaque. The result of the metabolic activity may not be anything to see or there may be demineralisation resulting in a visible carious lesion. As we have discussed earlier, plaque is the cause of caries and a tooth completely free of plaque will not have caries. However, it is not always possible to show a strong association between the presence of dental plaque and caries. Mostly because people are unable to completely remove plaque themselves, even when guided properly. In addition, although the bacterial biofilm is the cause of caries, there are other factors involved. This is the reason that caries is described as a multifactorial disease. These factors, when combined, may increase or decrease the rate of demineralization.