Oral hygiene News and Research

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Oral Cancer Awareness Week aims to educate people regarding importance of early detection

The 2011 Oral Cancer Awareness Week, set for April 11-15, is intended to educate people of all ages and socio-economic levels about the risk factors and symptoms of oral, head and neck cancer and the importance of early detection.

2 Apr 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

Physician administered preventive dental program reduces tooth decay treatment among young children

A preventive dental program targeting preschoolers under age 4 administered by physicians instead of dentists effectively reduces the need for tooth decay-related treatment among young children, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study shows.

2 Mar 2011

Good oral health habits begin even before the first baby teeth appear

For many parents, thoughts of their children's dental health often comes long after the first baby teeth appear. Yet a lifetime of good oral health habits begins even with toothless infants, says Dr. Louis Amendola, D.D.S., Chief Dental Director at Western Dental Services, Inc.

2 Mar 2011

Bottle-feeding may lead to severe tooth decay in babies: Experts

Dental experts have urged parents to stop bottle-feeding their babies because of rising rates of severe tooth decay in infants as young as 12 months. In the warning from Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, experts say that prolonged feeding with bottles of breast milk and infant formula are linked to the problem, especially at night, when children suck on bottles in their cots for extended periods.

7 Feb 2011

Psychiatric symptoms of bed breath

A study, published in the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics by a group of researchers of the University of Torino (Italy), has explored the personality correlates and psychiatric symptoms of bed breath.

7 Feb 2011

Early dental visit is important for good oral health in children

Good oral health is a key component of good overall health in children, which is why an early visit to the dentist is very important, says Temple University pediatric dentist Mark Helpin.

28 Jan 2011

Wrigley launches school-based program to improve health, nutrition in school-age children

The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Foundation today announced the launch of a two-year, $3 million school health partnership with Save the Children. The initiative will be activated in six countries across the world, aimed at improving the health and nutrition of more than 273,000 school-age children in disadvantaged communities.

25 Jan 2011

Patients prepared to travel 'dental miles' to register with NHS dentists

It used to be a fear of the dentist that kept us away from the dental chair but today it is more than twice as likely to be the cost of dental care that's holding us back, according to research from Tesco Dental Insurance.

12 Jan 2011

Plackers recommends simple steps to maintain healthy teeth, gums during stressful holiday season

Three-quarters of American adults report moderate to high stress levels in their everyday lives, and that number increases during the holiday season, according to a recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.

30 Nov 2010

The effects of pregnancy on oral health

Even though most people are aware that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, misunderstandings about the safety of dental care during pregnancy may cause pregnant women to avoid seeing their dentist. The fact is that dentists can create a treatment plan that is safe, effective, and essential for combating the adverse effects of oral disease during pregnancy.

24 Nov 2010

Kaiser Permanente awards 792 grants in third quarter 2010

Kaiser Permanente, one of the country's largest not-for-profit health care organizations, funded 792 grants nationwide, totaling approximately $16 million in the third quarter of 2010. Grants awarded to organizations this quarter included funding basic human services in California in a tight economy, offering dental care to women and children in the Mid-Atlantic States, and providing college scholarships to high school students in the Northwest to pursue careers in health care.

3 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

Tips to help keep teeth and gums healthy

Good nutrition and healthy eating habits are essential to maintaining optimal oral and overall health. With Halloween just around the corner, the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) encourages parents to be mindful of the amount of candy their children are consuming, and to use this holiday as an opportunity to remind them about the importance of taking care of their teeth and gums.

15 Oct 2010

Genetic variation in taste pathway genes associated with dental caries risk

Dental caries is a highly prevalent disease that is disproportionately distributed in the population. Caries occurrence and progression is known to be influenced by a complex interplay of both environmental and genetic factors, with numerous contributing factors having been identified including bacterial flora, dietary habits, fluoride exposure, oral hygiene, salivary flow, salivary composition, and tooth structure. Previous reports have characterized the influence of the genetic variation on taste preferences and dietary habits.

23 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

Study finds 90% of adult population of Valencia have cavities

A research study has for the first time revealed data about dental cavities, periodontal disease, oral treatment needs, the use of dental prostheses and dental hygiene habits among the adult population in the Valencia region. The results show that 90% of people have cavities and 20-35% need prostheses.

26 Aug 2010

Parents should give their children's lunches a sugar makeover: Delta Dental Plans Association

As parents send their kids off for the first day of school, it's a good idea to put as much thought into what they're packing in their kids' lunchboxes as they do into their school supplies.

25 Aug 2010

Ill effects of methamphetamine

On the street it's known as meth, speed, ice, chalk, crank, fire, glass or crystal. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that wreaks havoc on the entire body, including the user's oral health. Approximately 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine, while more than 1.4 million are habitual users.

17 Aug 2010