Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of Candida albicans and Malassezia globosa in children with severe early childhood caries and caries-free children in Hong Kong. Methods: This study first recruited a total of 80 children aged between 48 and 72 months old, 40 children with severe early childhood caries, and 40 caries-free children. The children were then further divided into four groups, with 20 children in each group: Group 1: Severe early childhood caries-C. albicans, Group 2: Severe early childhood caries-M. globosa, Group 3: Caries-free-C. albicans and Group 4: Caries-free-M. globosa. Saliva, plaque, and caries lesion samples were collected from participants with severe early childhood caries, while only saliva and plaque samples were collected from caries-free participants. Caries status of the primary molars was assessed using WHO\'s decayed, missing, and filled tooth index, and the severity of cavitated lesions was determined based on International Caries Diagnosis and Assessment System criteria as caries code 5 or 6. The samples were analyzed using an Internal Transcribed Space and Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results:C. albicans was more prevalent in saliva and plaque samples of severe early childhood caries than in the caries-free group. Proportion of C. albicans in both saliva and plaque samples differed significantly between severe early childhood caries and caries-free groups (p < 0.05). Within the severe early childhood caries group, the proportion of children with C. albicans varied between 6 and 46%. No significant difference in M. globosa load was found between plaque samples of the severe early childhood caries and caries-free groups (p = 0.159). Conversely, no significant difference in M. globosa load was observed between saliva samples of severe early childhood caries and caries-free groups (p = 0.051). Conclusions: This study demonstrated a strong association between C. albicans and severe early childhood caries. M. globosa was detected in both the caries-free and severe early childhood caries groups, albeit at low levels.

Hypothyroidism is the second-commonest endocrine disorder in the world. Similarly, gingivitis is also a highly prevalent oral condition in every population globally. Adenoid hypertrophy and associated mouth breathing may aggravate preexisting gingival inflammation. Here, we are presenting the case of a 22-year-old female gingivitis patient with bleeding from gums on the slightest provocation and with a two-year history of preexisting hypothyroidism. Thorough systemic examinations and investigations ruled out the presence of hematological and/or coagulation disorders. However, she was found to have grade 2 adenoid hypertrophy along with a habit of mouth breathing. Periodontal and systemic management of the patient has resolved her gingival bleeding to a greater extent. Still, there remain a lot of ambiguity and a lack of clarity about the exact etiology and mechanism of pathogenesis behind her oral and general health status. Cases like these pose a diagnostic challenge for the treating dentist or periodontist and thus require a coordinated and collaborative effort of multiple health specialties.

Angiokeratoma is a rare vascular cutaneous disorder that usually presents as mostly asymptomatic aside from multiple dark red to blue or black papules over the skin in several clinically distinct conditions. Very rarely, it occurs in solitary localized forms that clinically mimic vascular disorders or sometimes melanoma. Solitary cutaneous angiokeratoma may result from damage to a venule\'s wall in the papillary dermis. This case study describes a 28-year-old male with a single angiokeratoma on the lateral aspect of his upper thigh and a clinical suspicion of a cutaneous melanocytic tumor. This case is intended to raise awareness about such rare skin lesions and the importance of histopathological examination.

Periodontal disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism are commonly prevalent non-communicable diseases afflicting the human population all over the world, with the added burden on the health care system increasing the overall morbidity. It has been seen through various shreds of evidence that systemic diseases may influence the course of the localized disease and vice versa. Here, we report a case of 38-year-old female periodontitis patient also diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism. Periodontitis is one of the complications of diabetes. But the occurrence of periodontal disease is a less common intra-oral finding in hypothyroidism as compared to diabetes. All these three chronic diseases were simultaneously observed in this patient, which is a rare occurrence and can adversely affect her overall prognosis. This case report highlights the need for a systematic interdisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and management of such cases.

Although a number of premalignant and malignant lesions affect the genitalia of men, such as condyloma acuminata, erythroplasia of queyrat, squamous cell carcinoma, hyperkeratotic balanitis is rare and a patient showing both hyperkeratotic and well-differentaited squamous cell carcinoma is rarer. We report the case of a 42-year-old male, who had a hyperkeratotic plaque like lesions over the glans, with accompanied atrophic areas.

Oral proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (OPVL) is a rare form of oral leukoplakia first reported in 1985. It is a longterm progressive condition, which develops initially as a white plaque of hyperkeratosis that eventually becomes a multifocal disease with confluent, exophytic, and proliferative features. It has no racial preference with female predilection, associated with various factors including human papillomavirus (HPV) association, genetic susceptibility, and long-standing low-grade traumatic factors. The malignancy transformation rate varies from 0.13 to 17.5% with frequent recurrences. Here, we have reported two cases of PVL seen over the tongue and palate. It is confirmed by clinical and histopathological features and treated with Vitamin A and its supplements and a long-term follow-up showed no recurrence, and hence, Vitamin A has proven as a potent treatment option of PVL by its antioxidant and epithelialization property.

We report a rare case of sterile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet\'s syndrome) accompanied by systemic inflammatory response syndrome. A 5-year-old, neutered male Maltese dog presented with extensive crusts on the whole-body surface and multifocal erosions and plaques on the four limbs. The lesions had been present for two months and did not respond to antibiotics before the presentation. In addition, the dog was lethargic, anorexic, and febrile, with joint swelling. A clinicopathologic analysis revealed neutrophilic leukocytosis with left shift and increased C-reactive protein level. Furthermore, a histopathological examination showed moderate to severe inflammatory infiltrates consisting predominantly of neutrophils from the superficial to the deep dermis. There was no evidence of bacterial or fungal infections, and autoimmune diseases, such as pemphigus, systemic lupus erythematosus, and erythema multiforme, were excluded. Sweet\'s syndrome, a rare skin disorder, associated with systemic inflammation was diagnosed, and the cutaneous lesions and systemic inflammation disappeared after prolonged steroid administration.

Erythema nodosum migrans (ENM) is usually considered as a rare clinical variant of erythema nodosum and is characterized by unilateral, migratory, relatively painless, nodular lesions. ENM cases are rarely reported and most cases are idiopathic. Therefore, the appropriate treatment modality of ENM is unknown. We report a 72-year-old woman with highly suspected valsartan-induced ENM. She experienced painful, infiltrated, centrifugally spreading, slightly morpheaform, erythematous plaques on the flexor side of her left leg. Her symptoms were relieved after discontinuation of valsartan and temporary administration of oral prednisone once daily (20 mg for the first 7 days and 10 mg for the next 7 days).

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a dynamic process that leads to ischemic stroke. Symptomatic ICAD patients still suffer a high recurrent rate even under standard treatment. In this case report, to better understand the response of intracranial atherosclerotic plaques to medication, serial MR imaging was added to standard clinical workup in a 47-year-old male patient with acute occipital lobe infarction at baseline, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month post index stroke to directly visualize the morphology and signal change of plaques. We noticed that one of the plaques showed dramatic worsening at 3-month imaging follow-up despite a decrease in low-density lipoprotein level. Early identification of patients who do not respond well to medication is critical to prevent the recurrence of cardiovascular events in ICAD patients.

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is rare in clinical practice, and the long-term results of the combined orthodontic-periodontal treatment of HGF are rarely reported.
This study reports for the first time the results of seven years of follow-up in a seven-year-old girl with HGF. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical signs, family history and histopathological examination. First, periodontal scaling and oral hygiene reinforcement were performed regularly in the mixed dentition stage. Next, gingivoplasty was performed on the permanent dentition. Two months after the surgery, treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances was conducted. The teeth were polished on a monthly basis, and oral hygiene was reinforced to control gingival enlargement. Gingival hypertrophy recurred slightly, and gingivectomies were performed in the months following the start of orthodontic treatment. Follow-up was performed for 24 months with orthodontic retention, and gingival enlargement remained stable after the combined treatment.
The risk of gingival hyperplasia recurrence during and after orthodontic treatment is high, but satisfying long-term outcomes can be achieved with gingivectomy, malocclusion correction, and regular follow-up maintenance.