title: Quantitative analysis of agnor counts of buccal mucosal cells of chewers and non chewers of gutkha: A comparative cytologic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was taken up to evaluate the AgNOR counts in the buccal mucosa cells of gutkha chewers and compare that with the sex-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 100 gutkha chewers and 50 sex-matched non-chewers (controls) were chosen. None of the patients in both groups had any clinical oral lesions or systemic diseases. After rinsing with 0.9% sodium chloride, cytologic smears were prepared and stained using the AgNOR method and observed in immersion oil at 1000 × magnification. Finally, 50 cells were selected at random; AgNOR dots were counted and their mean was recorded. The student t-test was used for analysis of data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison between mean AgNOR counts of gutkha chewers (2.68 ± 0.23) and non-chewers (2.01 ± 0.14) was found to be statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cytology associated with AgNOR staining can effectively detect the early molecular changes within buccal mucosa cells of oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Yogita Dental College and Hospital, Khed, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Nikhil I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Malgaonkar
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dagrus
authors.forename: Srinivas S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Vanaki
authors.forename: Rudrayya S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Puranik
authors.forename: Manjunatha Bhari
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sharanesha
authors.forename: Bassel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tarakji
mesh_terms: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; C051963:nucleolar organizer region associated proteins