Halloween candy is a sweet treat for kids and a nightmare for parents, but this Halloween, kids can turn their goodies into cash and donations for charities. Thirteen Metro Dentalcare locations around the Twin Cities are sponsoring Halloween candy buybacks on Nov. 2. [More]

BIOLASE Technology, Inc. today announced its new Deep Pocket Therapy with New Attachment™ using the Waterlase MD™ and patented Radial Firing Perio Tips™ (RFPT) for a non-surgical alternative treatment for moderate to advanced gum disease. [More]

United Concordia Dental, one of the nation's largest dental insurers, has helped provide more than $400,000 in free dental services to nearly 2,800 people in need since the beginning of the year. [More]

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8b6fd2/advances_in_dental) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "Advances in Dental Equipment and Materials" to their offering. [More]

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE Amex: CXM) today reported on preclinical findings published in the scientific journal, Gene Therapy, demonstrating that Cardium's Gene Activated Matrix(TM) or GAM(TM) technology accelerates periodontal tissue regeneration of oral implant-supporting wounds. [More]

Chronic periodontitis, a form of gum disease, is an independent risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This suggests the need for increased efforts to prevent and treat periodontitis as a possible means to reduce the risk of this form of cancer. [More]

Giving critically ill hospital patients a daily bath with a mild, soapy solution of the same antibacterial agent used by surgeons to "scrub in" before an operation can dramatically cut down, by as much as 73 percent, the number of patients who develop potentially deadly bloodstream infections, according to a new study by patient safety experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and five other institutions. [More]

Investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery, collaborating with researchers from other institutions, have contributed to the discovery that a gene called interferon regulator factor-8 (IRF-8) is involved in the development of diseases such as periodontitis (gum disease), rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. The study, which will be published online August 30, ahead of print, in the journal Nature Medicine, could lead to new treatments in the future. [More]

Investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery, collaborating with researchers from other institutions, have contributed to the discovery that a gene called interferon regulator factor-8 (IRF-8) is involved in the development of diseases such as periodontitis (gum disease), rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. The study, which will be published online August 30, ahead of print, in the journal Nature Medicine, could lead to new treatments in the future. [More]

When flowers aren’t fragrant and spicy foods don’t zing, the senses may be impaired. But don’t assume that diminished senses of taste and smell are due to aging, says the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource. [More]

Dental disease may be a wake-up call that your diet is harming your body. "The five-alarm fire bell of a tooth ache is difficult to ignore," says Dr. Philippe P. Hujoel, professor of dental public health sciences at the University of Washington (UW) School of Dentistry in Seattle. Beyond the immediate distress, dental pain may portend future medical problems. It may be a warning that the high-glycemic diet that led to dental problems in the short term may, in the long term, lead to potentially serious chronic diseases. [More]

A mineral found at health food stores could be the key to developing a new line of antibiotics for bacteria that commonly cause diarrhea, tooth decay and, in some severe cases, death. [More]

Scientists in the USA have discovered why smokers may be more prone to chronic gum disease (periodontitis). One of the bacteria responsible for this infection responds to cigarette smoke - changing its properties and the way it infects a smokers mouth. [More]

A new study by NYU dental researchers has uncovered evidence that pregnant women with periodontal (gum) disease face an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes even if they don't smoke or drink, a finding that underscores how important it is for all expectant mothers - even those without other risk factors - to maintain good oral health. [More]

Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic inflammation initiated by bacteria that affect the gums and bone supporting the teeth, and may eventually result in tissue and tooth loss. [More]