Acta Odontologica Scandinavica最新文献

{"title":"Gestational diabetes alters subgingival pathobiont composition.","authors":"Fatih Cömert, Funda Yalçın, Nursen Topçuoğlu, Oya Kaya-Şimşek, Oya Demirci, Silvi Domnori, Ulku Baser","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45789","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45789","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This cross-sectional study assesses the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and periodontal dysbiosis by evaluating specific periodontal pathobionts (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola), clinical periodontal parameters, and periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>101 GDM and 98 non-GDM women of 16-36 weeks gestation were included. Clinical periodontal parameters were measured, and PISA values calculated. Subgingival plaque samples, collected from the deepest pockets, were analyzed, to assess the amount of periodontopathogens. Associations were assessed using binary logistic regression and path analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The GDM group showed higher clinical parameters and PISA values (p < 0.001). While P. gingivalis levels were similar in both groups (p = 0.924) and unrelated to the presence of GDM in path analysis (p = 0.055), P. intermedia and T. denticola levels were found higher in the non-GDM group (p < 0.05, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with the presence of GDM (p < 0.001, p = 0.002). P. intermedia increased with gestation week (p = 0.044). Elevated T. forsythia levels were observed to increase GDM risk 1.208-fold in regression analysis (p = 0.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Increasing sex hormone levels accompanied by the presence of GDM may alter subgingival pathobiont composition. In patients with GDM, there is a heightened burden of T. forsythia in subgingival zones, where P. intermedia finds less favorable conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"179-189"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13088773/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147687365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of a handheld communication tool for children and youths during dental procedures: a two-site controlled intervention study.","authors":"Elisabeth Ørskov Rotevatn, Emilie Stensaker Paz, Louise Sandal Løkeland, Frode Guribye, Grete Olin Engan, Cecilie Gudveig Gjerde, Torgils Lægreid, David N Breidablik Vatne, Unnur Bergmann, Lars Jørgen Rygh, Mette Engan","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45760","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45760","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Effective communication between dental professionals and patients is essential for quality care. We aimed to evaluate whether Grasp, a novel handheld squeezable device providing real-time visual and auditory feedback to signal discomfort, improved communication between patients and their dentists during dental procedures.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Patients aged 6-25 years were recruited from two dental clinics in Norway. Participants were divided into two groups: One received standard care, the other used Grasp in addition to standard care. All patients - and additionally caregivers of those under 16 - completed pre- and post-treatment questionnaires, rating communication on a 1-10 scale. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the intervention's effect, adjusting for baseline scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 121 patients (58% females; median age 16 years) participated, with 60 using Grasp. Patients using Grasp reported greater confidence that the dentist understood their feelings, recognized when they wanted to stop, and found it easier to speak up during treatment (β = 2.10-2.54, p < 0.05). The effect of Grasp was more pronounced for participants reporting lower baseline confidence in communication with their dentist.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Grasp appeared to improve communication regarding discomfort during dental procedures, particularly for those who initially reported lower levels of communication confidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"163-171"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13049696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147580228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterising oral microbial signatures for periodontal disease in the NHANES population.","authors":"Zhaocheng Zhuang, Yangjia Chen, Yongjin Wang, Donghong Wei","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45662","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to characterise the relationship between the oral microbiota and periodontal disease (PD) by leveraging the latest and largest oral microbiota database from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study represented a secondary analysis of publicly available data from the NHANES 2009-2012 cycle. Within this dataset, subjects with PD and periodontally healthy controls were identified. Oral rinse samples were collected by the original NHANES study, which also performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification targeting the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, sequencing, and subsequent construction of amplicon sequence variant (ASV) tables with taxonomic classification using the SILVA reference database. Venn diagram was generated to illustrate the overlap of differentially relative abundant genera identified by the Wilcoxon test, STAMP, and Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). These results were integrated to calculate the Microbial Dysbiosis Index (MDI). To reliably distinguish PD, four supervised machine learning (ML) algorithms were employed, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was utilised to explain the model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A Venn diagram identified 19 core genera. Subjects in the case group exhibited a significantly higher MDI compared to controls (t = 8.536, P < 0.001), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.595 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.574-0.622). ML models, particularly XGBoost, demonstrated strong predictive performance (AUC: 0.958, 95% CI: 0.950-0.966) for PD classification. SHAP analysis highlighted important microbial taxa, including Treponema_2 and Prevotella.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study comprehensively investigated the oral microbiota's association with PD, identifying potential biomarkers for diagnosis and targeted interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"151-162"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13058696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147571811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of dental pain and its association with dental anxiety and oral health-related quality of life.","authors":"Azhar Iqbal, Osama Khattak, Yasir Dilshad Siddiqui, Nisreen Nabiel Hassan, Rital Jamal Alwaqid, Shahzad Ahmad, Muhammad Amber Fareed, Malik Adeel Anwar, Rakhi Issrani","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45322","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45322","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dental anxiety (DA) and dental pain are closely interrelated. Anxiety often leads to an exaggerated perception of pain, while the experience of pain can further intensify anxiety, creating a vicious cycle. This cycle can significantly have an effect on individual's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Therefore, it is essential to implement both clinical and psychological interventions to effectively manage DA.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study is to assess the level of dental pain and its association with DA and OHRQoL among patients attending dental treatment.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A cross-sectional study involving 805 participants was conducted using consecutive sampling. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, dental health status, and self-rated health. The participants' dental pain and DA were assessed using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Dental Fear Survey (DFS), and the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS). Descriptive analyses were performed, followed by logistic regression to identify determinants of Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study sample consisted of 805 participants, comprising 69.7% males and 30.3% females. Most participants were aged between 31 and 50 years (46.9%). The study's findings revealed no significant differences in dental pain prevalence by gender, age, or education level. However, participants with dental pain reported greater difficulties in daily activities, particularly in eating and social interactions. Significant mean differences were observed in DA (P < 0.001) and DFS (P = 0.009), with individuals experiencing dental pain reporting higher mean scores for DA (7.74 vs. 7.10) and DFS (37.56 vs. 35.55). Logistic regression identified decayed teeth [OR = 1.48 (95% CI: 1.06, 2.05), p = 0.020] and higher dental pain levels [OR = 6.08 (95% CI: 4.39, 8.41), p < 0.001] as factors significantly associated with OIDP.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study shows a significant association between dental pain and a poor OHRQoL. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing dental health issues to improve overall well-being and quality of life among affected individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"141-150"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13036592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147525302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attracting dentists to the Swedish public dental services through the organisations' websites.","authors":"Cecilia Franzén","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45661","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45661","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The recruitment and retention of dentists is important for quality dental care. The Swedish public dental service (PDS) suffers from staff shortages and high turnover due to perceived unfavourable working conditions that drive dentists towards the private dental sector. Websites can be a useful recruitment tool for organisations to communicate their mission, culture, and employee benefits. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate PDS organisations' websites to identify how they present themselves to potential employees.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>The data were collected from the websites of the 21 Swedish PDS organisations in June 2024. A thematic analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings show that PDS organisations appealed to dentists through emphasising their commitment to (1) fostering a sense of belonging within the workplace and (2) encouraging development and career growth, which are working conditions that can persuade employees to stay at an organisation. The organisations particularly appealed to newly graduated dentists through supporting the transition to dental practice.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The PDS organisations emphasised favourable working conditions in their presentations of themselves as employers on their websites. Further research is needed on how effective the organisations' websites are in attracting dentists and how dentists perceive the content on the websites in relation to actual workplace realities.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"134-140"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003449/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147484200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bisphosphonate and statin: adverse effects of co-medication on wound healing in in vitro models of periodontal tissues.","authors":"Agnes Småland-Reksten, Anne E Agger, Aina M Lian, Janne E Reseland, Tormod B Krüger","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45585","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Bisphosphonates and statins may influence wound healing and are frequently prescribed to the same patient group. Bisphosphonates may induce osteonecrosis of the jaw; however, little information is available on the cellular mechanisms and biological effects of co-medication in oral tissues. The aim was to assess the effects of alendronate and simvastatin, both alone and combined, on osteoblasts and gingival fibroblasts in vitro.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Primary human gingival fibroblasts and primary human osteoblasts were incubated with alendronate (5 µM) and simvastatin (1, 5 or 10 µM), alone or combined, for up to 14 days. Cells were assessed for viability by measuring lactate dehydrogenase activity and caspase-3 concentration in the cell culture media. Migration and proliferation potential was assessed by scratch-wound assay. Secreted levels of cytokines/chemokines were measured using Luminex 200 multianalytic profiling.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>High concentrations of simvastatin, both alone and combined with alendronate, affected the proliferation/migration potential and reduced scratch closure. The same exposure induced near abolishment of secreted levels of cytokines affecting angiogenesis, such as VEGF, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1, however little effect was found on cell viability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>High concentrations of simvastatin, alone or combined with alendronate, may have a negative impact on angiogenetic markers and cell migration/proliferation, affecting wound healing and growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"125-133"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13037460/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147479543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapy and material choices in pulp exposure among public dentists in Norway.","authors":"Bo Wold Nilsen, Nema Rashdan, Mudar Rashdan, Anca Virtej","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45574","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the following: (1) the preferences of public dentists for procedures and materials in carious or non-carious pulp exposure of permanent teeth; (2) how factors such as clinical experience, scientific literature reading, and material availability affect their choices; (3) the self-assessed risk of root canal treatment after pulp capping.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>An online questionnaire consisting of 20 multiple choice and open-ended questions was e-mailed to Norwegian public dental clinics. It assessed dentists' material preferences for direct pulp capping for carious or non-carious exposures, alongside factors such as years since graduation, scientific literature engagement, availability of materials, and clinical scenario choices. Respondents were also asked to estimate and reason long-term outcomes of their chosen materials. Standardized case descriptions ensured shared clinical understanding. Data were statistically analyzed and p-values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 218 (23.9%) dentists responded. Direct pulp capping was preferred by 65% of respondents, with chemically curing materials - primarily calcium hydroxide - being most used. Chi-square analyses showed that dentists with fewer years of experience and those who had read scientific literature were more likely to prefer calcium silicate materials; however, these variables were not statistically significant predictors in the logistic regression models. Material availability was the strongest predictor of preference, with significantly increased odds of selecting calcium silicates or light-curing materials when available. 'Satisfied with clinical results for the chosen material' was the most frequently reported reason for material selection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most respondents in this study preferred calcium hydroxide for direct pulp capping in permanent teeth with closed apices, despite the superior clinical outcomes of hydraulic calcium silicates. Material availability in the clinic was the primary factor influencing dentists' choices, surpassing clinical experience and scientific literature engagement.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"116-124"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13005172/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of oral health-related quality of life in a group of 19-year-old patients with or without previous orthodontic treatment.","authors":"Maryam Sonono, Linda Yousef, Sinan Dehrab, Marie Pegelow","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45522","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45522","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the impact of orthodontic treatment on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) several years after orthodontic treatment.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Thirty-two patients with previous orthodontic treatment and 31 patients without previous orthodontic treatment, aged 19 years, were included in the study. A questionnaire consisting of three parts was used: The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-S14), Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS-20) and Orofacial Aesthetic Scale (OES). Previous orthodontic treatment, malocclusions and earlier dental treatment were registered.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were statistical differences between the orthodontic group and the control group regarding the total OHIP-S14 (p = 0.03) and the total OES (p = 0.028), as subjects in the control group indicated less satisfaction. There were non-statistical differences between the two groups regarding the JFLS-20. When divided into the four domains of OHIP-14, only the psychosocial domain showed a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.006). No association was found between the decayed, missing and filled teeth index and total OHIP, total JFSL or total OES in both groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nineteen-year-old individuals who had undergone orthodontic treatment have a significantly better OHRQoL when compared to individuals without need for orthodontic treatment, specifically in the psychosocial and aesthetic domains.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"109-115"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12966817/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147353044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Permanent maxillary canine eruption in children with clefts - a retrospective study.","authors":"Mateusz Podleśny, Riitta Lithovius, Leena Ylikontiola, George K Sándor, Ville Vuollo, Virpi Harila","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45420","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45420","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) on the eruption timing and the need for deliberation of the permanent maxillary canine in cleft lip and/or palate patients.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study group included 45 cleft sites from a total of 39 unilateral cleft lip and alveolus (CLA, n = 5) and unilateral (n = 22) cleft lip and palate (CLP) and bilateral (n = 12) CLP patients who had undergone treatment in the Oulu Cleft Center (OCC). A split-mouth approach and linear mixed-effects regression analysis was used to compare findings between single individual grafted and non-grafted alveolar sites.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The maxillary canine angulation had a significant role in the timing of the canine eruption (estimate 0.06, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.08). While ABG seemed to delay the canine eruption, this result was not statistically significant. The eruption of the maxillary canine tooth on the bone grafted side was delayed compared to the eruption of the maxillary canine on the non-grafted side (estimate -0.55, 95% CI -0.99 to -0.11). Another factor affecting the canine eruption was surgical exposure of the canine, and it typically emerged about a year after it had been surgically exposed and deliberated (estimate 1.05, 95% CI 0.40 to 1.70).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The permanent maxillary canine eruption was slightly delayed after the ABG. Also, the maxillary canine was found to typically emerge about a year after it has been deliberated. The early bone graft had no benefit in terms of the timing of canine eruption. The angulation of the maxillary canine should be taken into consideration when planning ABG to facilitate its eruption. Careful planning and timing of the ABG and multidisciplinary approach have an important role in cleft patients' treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"104-108"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12905665/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146155706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expression of intracellular toll-like receptors in leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma.","authors":"Divya Ganesh, Jonas Sundberg, Amal Dafar, Göran Kjeller, Dipak Sapkota, Jenny Öhman, Daniel Giglio, Bengt Hasséus","doi":"10.2340/aos.v85.45423","DOIUrl":"10.2340/aos.v85.45423","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of pathogen recognition receptors expressed not only on immune cells but also cancer cells, where TLR activation may lead to tumour progression or suppression. At present, little is known about the role of TLRs and their connection with immune responses in precancerous lesions, such as oral leukoplakia (OL). In the present study, we have explored the immune activation and the expression of the intracellular TLRs - TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 in OL without and with dysplasia, and in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Immunohistochemistry was performed on 19 OL patients without dysplasia (OL-no) and 13 patients with dysplasia (OL-dys) and 10 OSCC patients. On digitalised images, TLR3-, TLR7-, TLR8- and TLR9-expressing cells were semi-quantitatively assessed, while the number of CD3- and CD8-expressing cells/mm2 was registered.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nuclear TLR7 appeared in 31% of OL-dys but was absent in OL-no (p = 0.03). Cytoplasmic TLR8 was higher in OL-no than OL-dys (32% vs. 8%, p = 0.02). Similarly, cytoplasmic TLR9 was also higher OL-no than OL-dys (42% vs. 23%, p = 0.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 are all expressed in OL-no, OL-dys, and OSCC. Also, the study provides evidence for possible nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of TLRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":7313,"journal":{"name":"Acta Odontologica Scandinavica","volume":"85 ","pages":"96-103"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12905664/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146155645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}