Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is widely known to cause severe local irritation in a high concentration of 10 %, which is generally used for root canal cleaning in endodontic treatment. The cleaning effect has already been investigated in less than 10 % in order to find the minimal effective concentration. Little work, however, has been done to clarify its concentration-irritation relationship. In this study the solutions of serial dilutions in 2^-n (n=0-8) of 10 % NaOCl and isotonic sodium chloride solution, a control, were injected intracutaneously into the skin of 3 rabbits, which were sacrificed 30 minutes, 3 days or 1 week after the injection. The sites of the injection and surrounding tissue were examined by the usual histopathological method. The changes in the structure caused by NaOCI were summarized as follows : Bleeding was found in all cases with concentration over 2.5 % throughout the observation period, and the most remarkable in the 30-minute case. Necrosis was caused in all cases over 5 % throughout the period, and in cases over 0.16 %, a degenerated tissue with hypochromatism, regarded as necrobiotic layer, appeared contiguous to the necrotic area in the 1-week case. Adjacent to the area of necrotic and necrobiotic, granulation tissue developed in cases over 0.63 %. Hyperaemia and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in all cases over 0.04 % throughout the period and the latter was the most remarkable in the 3-day case. The findings related to inflammation were fewer as the concentration was lower, especially in cases less than 2.5%.
From the above it was confirmed that the severe adverse reaction of the local tissue to the 10 % NaOCl was considerably reduced by decreasing its concentration.

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The clinical and microbial effects of Periocline^® administration in periodontal pockets, in combination with scaling, were examined in patients using the following five groups. Five different sites, one in each quadrant, were randomly selected in each of 10 periodontal patients participating in this study. Each patient received the following treatment : scaling alone at one site (group A), Periocline^® was administered four times at one-week intervals in combination with scaling at another site (group B), Periocline^® was administrated four times at one-week intervals without scaling at the third site (group C), root planing alone at the fourth site (group D), and Periocline^® was administrated four times at one-week intervals without scaling (group E) .
The results obtained were as follows :
1. Clinical findings, with exception of plaque index, showed improvement in groups B, C and D as compared with groups A and E throughout the observation periods.
2. By phase contrast microscopy, both total bacterial count and spirochetal and motile rod incidence decreased in groups B, C and D as compared with groups A and E throughout the observation periods.

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Bleomycin (BLM) was locally administered by iontophoresis to treat a patient suffering from leukoplakia which developed on the back of the tongue. Except for erosion, no serious adverse effects were observed and the patient made favorable progress. The patient's clinical course is reported herein.
Case : a 37-year-old male
Present illness : Although the patient noticed leukoplakia on the back of the tongue in April 1992, he left it untreated because of the absence of disagreeable sensations including pain. The patient, however, recognized no improvement and was referred to this department for complete examination.
Oral cavity findings : V-shaped leukoderma with relatively clear margins was observed nearly in the center of the back of the tongue. The leukoplakia was slightly protruded on the back of tongue and its roughness was palpable.
Treatment and clinical course : With a diagnosis of leukoplakia, the patient received BLM local administration by iontophoresis from July 1992. A total of 9 sessions of iontophoresis was performed on 23 sites for 5 months. The clinical course was favorable and no recurrence was recognized. Therefore, BLM local administration by iontophoresis was proved to be effective therapy for leukoplakia.

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A comparison of studies between drug information services (DIS) in the hospitals of the private dental colleges and those of other hospitals was carried out by using questionnaires taken in 1984 and 1991. In the first study (in 1984), main DIS (documentation, response to request, support for pharmacy and therapeutic committee) in dental hospitals was the same as in other hospitals, but total activity was less. In the second study (in 1991), the activity of education for students and the collection of reports of adverse drug reaction were better performed in dental hospitals than other hospitals. Other specific points of DIS in dental hospitals were emphasized for the collection of information about drug interactions and the response to the request for drug therapy.
Further, the general activity of DIS in dental hospital pharmacies was less than in other hospitals. The training of staff and the development of a technique for DIS were inadequate in each hospital. By the self-assessment of DIS on the basis of 5 points taken in the questionnaires in each hospital, the means were 2.2 in dental hospitals and 2.9 in other hospitals.
The pharmacists in dental hospitals have to improve DIS for development of pharmaceutical care in dental hospitals.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 0.4% stannous fluoride (SnF₂) gel on clinical parameters (plaque control record, plaque index, gingival index and bleeding on probing) and the number of Streptococcus mutans in saliva. Ten subjects were instructed to brush their teeth using 0.4% SnF₂ gel twice a day for two weeks. After the examination of each clinical parameter, each subject was instructed to stop using the SnF₂ gel for the subsequent another two weeks. The clinical findings were then reexamined and analyzed, in comparison with those at the first 2-week examination, The results indicated that use of the 0.4% SnF₂ gel significantly improved clinical parameters and reduced the number of S. mutans in saliva. Therefore, 0.4% SnF₂ gel seems to be a useful agent for chemical plaque control.

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The usefulness of Electrolized Oxidizing Water as a chemical plaque control agent was investigated. The subjects were 30 female volunteers ranging from 15 to 25 years of age, in whom the Plaque Index and Gingival Index were controlled to zero level before initiation of the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, ordered to rinse their mouth with Electrolized Oxidizing Water, distilled water or 0.05% CPC during the study interval, and not allowed to use a toothbrush or other cleaning devices during this period. The following clinical parameters were measured 0, 3, 7 and 10 days after initiation of the study ; 1) Plaque Index, 2) Gingival Index, 3) Gingival crevicular fluid level, 4) Bacterial flora, and 5) Halitosis. As a result, suppression of plaque increase, prevention of gingivitis and prevention of halitosis were noted after mouth rinsing with Electrolized Oxidizing Water and 0.05% CPC. These findings indicate that Electrolized Oxidizing Water ingredients are useful as a chemical plaque control agent.

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The mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured for 7-10days before subconfluence and then placed in serum-free medium for 24 hours and the cells were subsequently treated with 1.53mM Ca²⁺, calcium ionophore 2pM A23187 and Ca²⁺+A23187, for 30 minutes. The c-fos mRNA expression in MC3T3-E1 cells is induced strongly in normal medium (1.87mM Ca²⁺ ; control group) but slightly in low calcium medium (0.34mM Ca²⁺; low Ca group) by A23187. The degree of expression with Ca²⁺ or Ca²⁺+A23187 treatment seemed to be higher in the low Ca group than in the control group. On the other hand, Ca²⁺+A23187 suppressed induction of c-fos mRNA expression with the A23187 treatment in the control group. Due to the above, the following was concluded. First, the stimulation of c-fos mRNA expression by A 23187 occurs only in the presence of extracellular calcium. Second, the MC3T3-E1 cells placed in a low calcium environment react to restore normal cell function at the gene level, mediating Ca²⁺ which plays a role in the induction of c-fos mRNA. Third, in a high calcium environment, the activity of an intracellular signal transduction system for c-fos gene function seemed to be suppressed.

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Chronic hyperplastic oral candidiasis is a disease which features the development of white lesions resembling leukoplakia. Although there have been a number of reports on this disease from foreign countries, it has rarely been reported in Japan.
This disease is basically treated with antifungal agents. However, it often requires longterm therapy, and epithelial dysplasia may remain in some cases, even after the fungus has been eliminated. Moreover, since malignant transformation has been reported, surgical excision should be performed when the disease has run an excessively long course.
The experience with a patient, who was histopathologically diagnosed as having chronic hyperplastic oral candidiasis is reported. A summary of this case is presented along with a reviw of the literature.
A 67-year-old man visited our clinic with the chief complaint of bilateral buccal mucosal pain while eating. After making a clinical diagnosis of lichen planus, biopsy was performed, resulting in a histopathological diagnosis of chronic hyperplastic oral candidiasis. With antifungal therapy, the lesions disappeared within three months after diagnosis at our clinic. The patient has not relapsed up to the present (January 31, 1995) .

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Oral dose of 200mg sparfloxacin (SPFX) was administered before exodontia to 94 patients. The drug concentration of sparfloxacin in the effusion from the exodontia wound was measured from 615 to 1097 minutes after preoral administration. In 31 cases, the drug concentration in the gingival crevicular fluid was measured.
SPFX has been recognized that 80% of MIC against Oral Streptococci was 0.39μg/ml. SPFX valued ≥0.39μg/ml in 73 cases out of 94 cases (77.7%) in the effusion from exodontia wound and valued ≥0.59μg/ml in all cases in the gingival crevicular fluid.

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