Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic oral inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. According to reports, 1-2% of OLP patients develop oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the long run. While World Health Organization (WHO) classifies OLP as “a potentially malignant disorder,” it is still a matter of debate which mechanisms drive OLP to such a condition. The current hypothesis connecting OLP and OSCC is that chronic inflammation results in crucial DNA damage which over time results in cancer development. Initial studies investigating the OLP and OSCC link were mainly retrospective clinical studies. Over the past years, several amount of information has accumulated, mainly from molecular studies on the OLP malignant potential. This article is a critical review of whether OLP has a malignant potential and, therefore, represents a model of preneoplastic inflammation.

The combination of clarithromycin and prednisolone may be considered as an alternative intervention in patients with lichenoid lesions of the upper lip and upper anterior gingiva.

Oral non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (O-NHLs) are a rare group of diverse lymphoid tissue malignancies and represent less than 5% of the oral cavity malignancies and 2% of all extra-nodal NHLs. Oral-NHLs affect the Waldeyer’s-ring, the salivary glands, the bone of the jaws and the oral mucosa, their clinical appearance is very heterogeneous. Among the risk factors for NHLs are immunosuppression (primary or secondary), autoimmunity and inflammation. O-NHLs share the same risk factors. This case report describes a patient with O-NHL which was possibly linked to the combination of methotrexate and etanercept for the treatment of her rheumatoid arthritis. To our knowledge this is probably among the first cases of O-NHL with possible relation to the use of a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) antagonist biological agent (etanercept). This case could contribute to the sensitization of the dentists for the signs and symptoms of this rare malignancy. It also underlines the need for thorough medical history and medication recording for all the dental patients. Key words:Lymphoma (oral) methotrexate, etanercept.

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a multifactorial, chronic immune-mediated disorder. The oral cavity is involved in 0.5% to 20% of the patients with CD. Oral manifestations of CD are sometimes nonspecific and can be overlooked by the clinicians. These manifestations may precede intestinal symptoms and can serve as indicators for early diagnosis. To increase awareness and to contribute to the standard intervention, here we report a paediatric case with persistent idiopathic swelling of the lower lip and perianal fistula. Microscopic examinations revealed multiple non-necrotising granulomas with chronic inflammation, oedema and lymphangiectasia. The patient was treated with metronidazole 500 mg and ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day for one month. The perioral lesions were managed with topical 0.03% tacrolimus and oral prednisone 10 mgtwice a day for one month, followed by a tapered regimen of 10 mg/day for another month. The patient’s symptoms improved without full remission at the 6-month follow-up.