Gum Disease News and Research

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Gum disease or periodontal disease is an infection caused by bacteria under the gum tissue that begin to destroy the gums and bone. Teeth become loose, chewing becomes difficult, and teeth may have to be extracted. Gum disease may also be related to damage elsewhere in the body; recent studies point to associations between such oral infections and diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and preterm, low-weight births. Research is underway to further examine these connections.

Oral health impacts systemic diseases: Report

It's not news that there is a significant link between one's oral health and overall health. Though studies are ongoing, researchers have known for quite some time that the mouth is connected to the rest of the body.Your mouth is the entry point of many bacteria,said Dr. Steven Grater, Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) member and general dentist from Harrisburg. To keep this bacteria from going into your body, cleaning your mouth (brushing, flossing and rinsing) is necessary.

13 Sep 2010

Plaque-causing bacteria increases risk of heart attack

Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack says a scientist at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham.

6 Sep 2010

Study finds source of tetracycline from bone analysis of Nubians

A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago.

3 Sep 2010

U-M dentistry agrees to use Interleukin's PST test for gum disease clinical study

University of Michigan School of Dentistry has signed an agreement with Interleukin Genetics Inc. to conduct what may be the largest clinical study to date using genetic testing to assess the risk for gum disease.

13 Aug 2010

Interleukin Genetics, University of Michigan to conduct landmark clinical study on periodontal disease

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. announced today that the Company has signed an agreement with the University of Michigan to conduct a landmark clinical study on risk factors predictive of periodontal disease progression to tooth loss using a new version of Interleukin Genetics' PST genetic test.

12 Aug 2010

Periodontal disease may increase risk of cognitive dysfunction: Researchers

NYU dental researchers have found the first long-term evidence that periodontal (gum) disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's disease in healthy individuals as well as in those who already are cognitively impaired.

4 Aug 2010

Chronic facial pain may be symptom of temporomandibular joint disorder

Do you suffer from chronic facial pain, including constant pain in or around your ears, sore jaw, ringing in your ears, clicking or popping sounds when you open or close your mouth or chronic headaches and neck pain? Do you often feel like your jaw is stuck open or closed? Do you feel as though you have a limited opening of your mouth?

23 Jul 2010

Smoking cessation effectively alter subgingival microbiome in patients on periodontal therapy: Study

Patients with chronic gum disease who quit smoking in addition to undergoing nonsurgical therapy not only demonstrated a lower abundance of harmful oral pathogens, but also an increase in health-associated bacteria. The researchers from The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, and Newcastle University, United Kingdom report their findings in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

22 Jul 2010

MDT releases statement questioning AGD's priorities

The dentists who form Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc., and are pioneers of the patented LANAP protocol for the treatment of gum disease and the manufacturer of the PerioLase MVP-7 digital dental laser, today released a statement questioning the Academy of General Dentistry's priorities.

12 Jul 2010

N.J. Gov. still undecided on whether to join lawsuit against overhaul while health care costs roil Mass. Governor's race

The Philadelphia Inquirer: N.J. "Gov. Christie says he has not decided whether to sign on to a 20-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the health-care law signed in March by President Obama. That makes New Jersey one of seven Republican-led states that have not joined the largely partisan fight. Interest groups on both sides of the debate are lobbying the governor, but some of his advisers say he should not join the suit.

29 Jun 2010

MDT aligned with AAP position statement on efforts to be made to save patient's natural dentition

Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. (MDT), pioneers of the patented LANAP™ protocol for the treatment of gum disease and the manufacturer of the PerioLase® MVP-7™ digital dental laser, are aligned with the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) position statement that "efforts should be made to save a patient's natural dentition."

21 Jun 2010

Smokeless tobacco affects normal function of CYP-450 family of enzymes: Report

Far from having adverse effects limited to the mouth, smokeless tobacco affects the normal function of a key family of enzymes found in almost every organ in the body, according to the first report on the topic in ACS' monthly journal Chemical Research in Toxicology. The enzymes play important roles in production of hormones, including the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone; production of cholesterol and vitamin D; and help the body breakdown prescription drugs and potentially toxic substances.

17 Jun 2010

Individuals with poor oral hygiene at increased risk of heart disease

Individuals who have poor oral hygiene have an increased risk of heart disease compared to those who brush their teeth twice a day, finds research published today on BMJ.com.

28 May 2010

Study of GCF advances efforts to develop early test for gum disease

A little-known fluid produced in tiny amounts in the gums, those tough pink tissues that hold the teeth in place, has become a hot topic for scientists trying to develop an early, non-invasive test for gum disease, the No. 1 cause of tooth loss in adults. It's not saliva, a quart of which people produce each day, but gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), produced at the rate of millionths of a quart per tooth. The study, the most comprehensive analysis of GCF to date, appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

27 May 2010

Dental care during pregnancy is essential for combating adverse effects of oral disease

It's no secret that pregnancy is an important time in a woman's life. While women often hear about how pregnancy causes physical changes that affect their hormone or appetite levels, these changes can have a great effect on their oral health as well. Despite the fact that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, only 22 to 34 percent of women in the United States visit a dentist during pregnancy.

18 May 2010

Better health care for the indigenous population

A report from Melbourne University says that Indigenous Australians are six times more likely than other Australians to be blind and more than a third of this population has never had an eye examination. Now a substantial number of optometrists will be sent to remote Aboriginal communities under a $6.5 million federal program.

16 May 2010

National BBB accreditation and A+ rating for Aspen Dental practices

Aspen Dental practices across the U.S. have received accreditation from the Better Business Bureau and maintain an A+ rating with the BBB's Reliability Report, the Aspen Dental network of dentists announced today.

15 May 2010

Study: Treating serious gum disease in diabetics can help lower blood sugar levels

Researchers have found that reducing inflammation of the gums in people with diabetes can help lower the risk of serious complications associated with the condition, such as eye problems and heart disease.

13 May 2010

Periodontal disease treatment reduces blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes patients

A study to be published in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library and led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and supported by colleagues at the Peninsula Dental School, the University of Ottawa and UCL Eastman Dental Institute, suggests that the treatment of serious gum (periodontal) disease in diabetics with Type 2 diabetes may lower their blood sugar levels.

12 May 2010

Routine dental treatment can reduce blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes: Researchers

Routine dental treatment can reduce blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes who have preexisting gum disease.