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.

Plackers launches new dental online club for kids

Plackers, a leading brand of consumer oral care products and makers of the first disposable dental flosser, is launching Plackers Kids, its new kid-friendly dental flossers; the Plackers Kids Club, an online club for kids featuring free interactive games and activities that encourage healthy dental hygiene habits; and the Plackers Kids Club Sweepstakes, offering families the chance to win a trip for four to the popular theme park destination, Orlando, Fla. among other prizes.

5 Apr 2011

New study: Periodontal therapy can help reduce medical costs for patients with diabetes

The results from a new CIGNA study support that there is a potential association between treated periodontal disease and reduced medical costs for patients with diabetes.

30 Mar 2011

Study suggests dissolvable tobacco products may cause mouth diseases

The first study to analyze the complex ingredients in the new genre of dissolvable tobacco products has concluded that these pop-into-the-mouth replacements for cigarettes in places where smoking is banned have the potential to cause mouth diseases and other problems.

17 Mar 2011

National clinical DPTT to help improve diabetes control

The Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine is leading a multicenter national clinical trial to evaluate whether treatment of chronic periodontitis will help improve diabetes control. Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the Diabetes and Periodontal Therapy Trial monitors blood sugar levels of those with Type 2 diabetes after periodontal therapy.

15 Mar 2011

CWRU: Postmenopausal women need more dental checkups

Postmenopausal women have a new health message to hear. Two annual dental checkups aren't enough. Older women need more, according to research findings from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.

11 Mar 2011

Study finds link between oral health care and heart disease

During American Heart Month in February, United Concordia Dental, one of the nation's largest dental insurers, wants to remind adults that taking care of their teeth and gums is an important part of promoting heart health.

2 Feb 2011

Healthy teeth and gums may reduce risk for pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Maintaining periodontal health may contribute to a healthy respiratory system, according to research published in the Journal of Periodontology. A new study suggests that periodontal disease may increase the risk for respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia.

19 Jan 2011

Star Scientific plans to submit new, moist-snuff product for FDA evaluation

Star Scientific Inc.'s plan to submit a new, moist-snuff product for evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration as a "modified risk" tobacco product shows the vital importance of the new law giving the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products and any health claims used to market them.

5 Jan 2011

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation, disease symptoms and cartilage degeneration

Omega-3 fatty acids from seafood may reduce inflammation, symptoms of gum disease and risk of abnormal heartbeats early after cardiac surgery. One type of omega-3, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), may also have lasting benefits in visual function for years in children whose mothers consume sufficient prenatal DHA.

30 Dec 2010

American Society for Microbiology honors UTHealth biologist for significant contributions

Known nationally for her research into single-cell organisms that affect oral health, Millicent "Mimi" Goldschmidt, Ph.D., a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), has been selected to receive the 2011 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Founders Distinguished Service Award.

8 Dec 2010

Study suggests bacterial products contribute to autoimmune diseases

Researchers are using 21st century technologies to investigate the century old hypothesis that certain autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, are caused by bacteria living in the human body and will present their initial data this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

AGD encourages diabetic patients to pay attention to oral health

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects nearly 24 million people in the United States. In observance of National Diabetes Month, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) encourages those with diabetes to pay extra attention to their oral health.

2 Nov 2010

PreViser releases new web-based tool for oral health

PreViser Corporation announced today the release of a Web based tool, myDentalScore, that allows individuals to calculate objective numeric scores for oral disease risk and severity.

1 Nov 2010

Dental health affects control of diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects every part of the body, and for people with unstable blood glucose levels there is a higher risk than normal for developing serious complications from poor oral hygiene. In a study by dLife, the world's largest diabetes community, and SoundView Research, Inc., 66 percent of active diabetes managers had not changed their oral care habits since being diagnosed and over half have not been advised by their dentist to take extra care to brush, floss, or rinse daily.

29 Oct 2010

Sex hormones behind increased risk of destructive periodontitis in men

Sex hormones may be the biological reason why men are at greater risk than women for destructive periodontitis, an infection of the gums, according to researchers at the University of Maryland Dental School.

27 Oct 2010

Osteoporosis drug heals bone wounds in gum disease patients

A drug marketed to grow bone in osteoporosis patients also works to heal bone wounds in gum disease patients, a University of Michigan study suggests.

20 Oct 2010

UIC develops new technique to anchor teeth back in jaw using stem cells

A new approach to anchor teeth back in the jaw using stem cells has been developed and successfully tested in the laboratory for the first time by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

30 Sep 2010

FDA issues warning letters to three companies for claiming plaque removal by mouth rinse products

The FDA today issued warning letters to three companies that manufacture and market mouth rinse products with claims that they remove plaque above the gum line or promote healthy gums. These claims suggest the products are effective in preventing gum disease when no such benefit has been demonstrated.

29 Sep 2010

Prevalence of periodontal disease in US higher than originally estimated

The prevalence of periodontal disease in the United States may be significantly higher than originally estimated. Research published in the Journal of Dental Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) suggests that the prevalence of periodontal disease may have been underestimated by as much as 50 percent. The implication is that more American adults may suffer from moderate to severe gum disease than previously thought.

22 Sep 2010

Unsuccessful gum-disease treatment linked to preterm birth

A collaboration led by a periodontal researcher from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine has found a possible link between the success of gum-disease treatment and the likelihood of giving birth prematurely, according to a study published in the journal BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

15 Sep 2010