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Salivary biomarkers can be used as diagnostic and predictive aids in early detection of oral cancer or potentially malignant disorders. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted over a period of one year from August 2016 to August 2017 in a multicentre setting in Islamabad. A total of 60 patients were recruited and divided into two equal groups of naswar users and non-users. Un-stimulated saliva samples were collected and analysed by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Data was entered in SPSS version 22.0. The results were then analysed by using independent t-test. Statistically significant difference was found regarding the levels of salivary IL-8 between the naswar users and non-users (p <0.001). The levels of salivary IL-8 in non-users were 33.39 ±22.44 pg/ml, while the increased levels of salivary IL-8 in naswar users were found to be 173.48 ±46.52 pg/ml.

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OBJECTIVE: Dental anxiety can be adversely affected by pandemics like corona virus. Most patients have preferred to defer their dental appointments and that patients generally neglect their health in epidemics. The investigation was carried out to determine the effect of the current coronavirus pandemic on dental anxiety by comparing through and post 1st wave of pandemic dental anxiety scores. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the Pakistani population using online surveys from June to August 2020. A total of 681 participants were recruited. Standardized and validated questionnaires were used to measure dental anxiety scores during and after the 2nd wave of pandemic. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. Independent t-test was used to compare dental anxiety scores through and after the 2nd wave of COVID-19. Fear of COVID-19 among the participants was also evaluated. RESULTS: From a total of 681 participants, 668 responses were retained in accordance to the inclusion criteria. A statistically significant difference was obtained regarding the dental anxiety levels during and after the 2nd wave of COVID-19 (p value =0.001). However, there was no significant difference between fear of COVID-19 scale and dental anxiety scores during COVID-19 (p value = 0.284). CONCLUSION: The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated an adverse effect on patient dental anxiety scores. We also noted that the majority of the people were not willing to attend their dental appointment during this pandemic. KEYWORDS: COVID-19, coronavirus infection, dental anxiety, fear.

Observation: We present a case of a 21-year-old Pakistani female with hypoplastic amelogenesis imperfecta (AI), microdontia, and multiple gingival swellings overlying impacted teeth. The gingival swellings were diagnosed as AI-associated odontogenic fibroma (OF)-like lesions on histology. Commentary: AI is an inherited enamel defect that may present in association with microdontia, root abnormalities, taurodontism, pulp stones, gingival hyperplasia, and rarely, gingival tumors. These gingival tumors share histologic features with odontogenic fibroma (OF), a benign odontogenic neoplasm, and are referred to as AI-associated OF-like lesions in the literature. Conclusion: AI-associated OF-like lesions are rare, this case will inform oral surgeons and other dental practitioners about this process and its management.