Dental Hygiene News and Research

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Research finds number of links between dental health and overall health

If the eyes are the windows to your soul, then your mouth is the gateway to your overall health. Research has found a surprising number of links between the state of your dental health and your overall health.

23 May 2013

Post-disinfection clips retain aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, says study

Researchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Forsyth Institute published a study today that found that a significant proportion of dental bib clips harbored bacteria from the patient, dental clinician and the environment even after the clips had undergone standard disinfection procedures in a hygiene clinic.

2 Apr 2013

Sugar overloads on Easter can pose serious risks to children's health, Vanderbilt experts say

As Easter approaches, many parents may not want their children indulging in candy-filled eggs and Easter baskets full of sugary treats. Too much sugar can pose serious risks to children's dental and behavioral health, risks that can be minimized by some careful thought and planning, Vanderbilt experts say.

28 Mar 2013

Oral Cancer Foundation encourages dental practices to offer free oral cancer screenings in April

What has the greatest impact on survival rates of oral cancer? Radiation? Chemotherapy? Perhaps surgery? The truth is none of these; rather, it is the point in time at which the disease is discovered.

18 Mar 2013

States consider 'dental therapists' to address concerns about dental care shortage

Dentists are voicing their concerns over patient care as more states consider licensing "dental therapists" to help alleviate a dental care shortage -- and so far only two states are using them.

12 Mar 2013

APIC offers tips to stay infection-free

Beyond the obvious—steering clear of runny noses and hacking coughs—the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) presents some other practical ways of staying infection-free.

8 Mar 2013

Tooth loss due to periodontal disease is more prevalent among postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women who have smoked are at much higher risk of losing their teeth than women who never smoked, according to a new study published and featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Dental Association by researchers at the University at Buffalo.

2 Mar 2013

Mouthrinse use associated with reduced plaque and gingivitis

New research published in the January/February 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), indicates that the use of a germ-killing mouthrinse in addition to regular toothbrushing can significantly reduce plaque and gingivitis, more so than brushing alone.

20 Feb 2013

Obesity may be risk factor for gum disease

Impacting approximately one-third of the U.S. population, obesity is a significant health concern for Americans. It's a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer, and now, according to an article published in the January/February 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), it also may be a risk factor for gum disease.

7 Feb 2013

Common mouthwash advice ‘not evidence-based’

People with fixed dental appliances use fluoride-containing mouthrinses less often than is optimal to prevent the development of white spot lesions, researchers have found.

4 Feb 2013

ParoChip can allow dentists to quickly detect and analyze periodontitis pathogens

Bleeding gums during tooth brushing or when biting into an apple could be an indication of periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Bacterial plaque attacks the bone, meaning teeth can loosen over time and in the worst case even fall out, as they are left without a solid foundation to hold them in place.

4 Jan 2013

University of Maryland, Baltimore hosts first national conference on oral and systemic health

By hosting the first national conference on oral and systemic health in Baltimore on Dec. 10, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) took another major step toward true interprofessional health care education, says Jay A. Perman, MD, president of the University.

19 Dec 2012

Five tips to help patients care for their appliances and teeth during treatment

Orthodontics is the vehicle that delivers a patient's teeth to their final destination of a stunning, straight smile. That vehicle must be correctly maintained and cared for if it is going to arrive at its destination in a timely manner, and without costly repairs and setbacks.

30 Oct 2012

RMHC, UTHealth School of Dentistry partner to bring oral and mobile pediatric care in the Houston area

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Dentistry and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston/Galveston, Inc.(RMHC) have joined forces to bring oral, mobile pediatric care to the Houston area.

5 Oct 2012

Coconut oil attacks tooth decay

Digested coconut oil could become part of the armory used to combat tooth decay, report researchers presenting their findings at the Society for General Microbiology’s Autumn Conference in Warwick, UK.

4 Sep 2012

Digested coconut oil able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay

Digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay. It is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into commercial dental care products, say scientists presenting their work at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn Conference at the University of Warwick.

3 Sep 2012

Special device provides evidence of how bloodstream infections begin

New research may help explain why hundreds of thousands of Americans a year get sick - and tens of thousands die - after bacteria get into their blood. It also suggests why some of those bloodstream infections resist treatment with even the most powerful antibiotics.

16 Aug 2012

Longer looks: Waking up to the need for sleep

Among the more than 11,000 dearly departed inhabitants of Southeast Portland's Multnomah Park Cemetery, friends Eric Cordingley and David Anderson have their favorites: a reputed French madam, a young Norwegian institutionalized for being gay, and Louis Napoleon Lepley -- or, as they call him, "Louis the cannibal." Intriguing as their individual stories may be, together they help tell a bigger, darker tale

10 Aug 2012

Roundup: Mass. lawmakers struggle to reach agreement on cost controls; $100M grant for Calif. stem cell research; N.C. to move mentally ill from elderly homes

The House and Senate are under the gun to reach an agreement on how to lower health care costs while improving care. A conference committee aims to have a bill out on Sunday. Their deadline is Monday evening. In the meantime, several major issues are still unresolved, including what to do about hospitals that use their market clout to demand high prices that are not based on higher quality. Attorney General Martha Coakley, the state's top insurers and several consumer groups argue that price is a critical issue.

28 Jul 2012

Tooth scaling reduces CV disease risk

Taiwanese study results show that undergoing tooth scaling significantly reduces the risk for future myocardial infarction, stroke, and total cardiovascular events.

14 Jun 2012