Objectives:The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of smoking on the salivary immunoglobulin response in smokers and to evaluate the salivary immunoglobulin A in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers.Materials and Methods:The study included total of 80 subjects, of whom 40 were having history of chronic smoking habit, 20 were clinically diagnosed cases of recurrent aphthous ulcer and 20 were in the control group. Sample of unstimulated saliva was collected, centrifuged and analyzed for the level of salivary immunoglobulin A with turbidimetric immunoassay. For all the tests, a P- value of < 0.05 was considered for statistical significance.Results:The mean salivary immunoglobulin A level in control group was 0.20 Grams/litre and in smokers the mean salivary immunoglobulin A level was 0.13 Grams / Litre. In patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers mean salivary immunoglobulin A level was 0.31 Grams / Litre. The mean salivary immunoglobulin A levels showed a decreasing trend from controls to smokers. These results were highly significant for values between control groups to smokers.Conclusion:The mean salivary immunoglobulin A levels demonstrated a progressive decrease from controls to smokers. This investigative procedure although non-specific, can be used as a diagnostic marker in smokers and patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers.

Ciprofloxacin is one of the most commonly used antibacterial agents with relatively few side effects. Serious adverse reactions reported with ciprofloxacin are rare with an incidence of 0.6%. One of the side effects of ciprofloxacin is erythema multiforme (EM). EM is an acute, self -limiting mucocutaneous hypersensitivity syndrome. It exhibits a diverse etiology, often recurs, has unusual clinical features and is of uncertain etiopathogenesis. It usually exhibits a distinctive skin or mucosal lesions that are characterized by combination of bullae, papules, macules or ulcers. It is most probably an immunologically mediated process. With the use of ciprofloxacin becoming more and more widespread, fatal complications of ciprofloxacin should be borne in mind. In this article we present a case of ciprofloxacin induced erythema multiforme in 40 year old woman.

Gagging in dental patients can be disruptive to dental treatment and may be a barrier to a patient care, preventing the provision of treatment and the wearing of prostheses. Many management techniques have been described to control the gagging. This article reviews the literature on various management strategies described to prevent and control the gagging. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v11i1.9816 BJMS 2012; 11(1): 12-17

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