Tooth Decay News and Research

RSS

Also termed caries, tooth decay refers to the destruction of the hard white enamel on the surface of teeth that protects the inner pulp and nerves inside from the elements. This causes exposure of the inner nerves to hot and cold food or drink which leads to pain.

Salivary antimicrobial peptide expression and dental caries experience in children

A study comparing antimicrobial peptides, or AMPs, a group of small proteins that occur naturally in human saliva and act like antibiotics against oral bacteria, could lead to new ways to screen children for risk of tooth decay and protect them against this common, chronic problem.

28 Sep 2005

Periodontal disease develops much earlier than dentists and other health professionals thought

Periodontal disease -- a progressive, eventually painful and disruptive condition in which bacteria attack gums and the hidden roots of teeth -- develops much earlier than dentists and other health professionals thought, a major new study concludes.

20 Sep 2005

Dental problems caused by radiation, chemotherapy should be treated before a child undergoes immunosuppression as part of bone marrow transplantation therapy

Many children who undergo bone marrow transplantation (BMT) as part of cancer treatment already have dental abnormalities that leave them vulnerable to potentially life-threatening bacterial infections, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. A report on this study appears in the prepublication online edition of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

29 Aug 2005

U.S. beverage industry praised for helping in childhood obesity battle

The American Beverage Association (ABA) has approved a policy aimed at limiting the sale of soft drinks in school vending machines as the nation fights obesity.

17 Aug 2005

Dental care needs for HIV patients continue to rise

People with HIV now are living longer and the number of dental patients treated monthly at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry's Russell Street Clinic continues to grow.

16 Jun 2005

Drinking soft drinks and other beverages through a properly positioned straw can help to minimize the risk of cavities

Americans drink roughly 576 soft drinks every year - about one and a half cans a day for everyone in the United States. Drinking these beverages places the people who may not follow proper oral hygiene techniques at a higher risk for cavities and other oral health problems.

15 Jun 2005

Eat raisins to fight gum disease!

Compounds found in raisins fight bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities and gum disease, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

8 Jun 2005

Nutritious cranberries good for the heart as well

Researchers say that cranberries improve the health of pigs’ hearts and may do the same for humans.

8 May 2005

Discovery could ease the pain of sensitive teeth

The problem currently affects around 15 per cent of the adult population and rising, as people retain their teeth for longer. The most common cause is receding gums, resulting from teeth grinding, abrasion or tooth decay, which exposes the dentine.

2 May 2005

Poor oral health can affect newborn

A study published recently in the Journal of Periodontology has found that pregnant women with tooth decay are at risk for delivering Preterm Low Birth Weight (PLBW) babies.

23 Mar 2005

Sports drinks can damage teeth

While sports and energy drinks help athletes re-hydrate after a long workout, if consumed on a regular basis they can damage teeth.

21 Mar 2005

Oral hygiene during preschool years can mean a lifetime of good oral health

Providing proper care and oral hygiene during preschool years can mean a lifetime of good oral health, according to a recent article in the January/February issue of General Dentistry, clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing education.

21 Mar 2005

Dental therapy that regenerates the tooth enamel rather than drilling

Unlike skins or bones, the tooth enamel, which forms the hard surface of a tooth, does not regenerate itself once damaged. Therefore, the conventional dental treatment includes drilling of the decayed part of a tooth and filling the hole with resin or metal alloy dental materials.

24 Feb 2005

Simple saliva test can predict whether children will get cavities

A simple saliva test can predict for the first time whether children will get cavities, how many cavities they will get and even which teeth are most vulnerable, USC researchers say.

23 Feb 2005

Instant tea may be a source of harmful levels of fluoride

The researchers found that some regular strength preparations contain as much as 6.5 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride, well over the 4 ppm maximum allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency and 2.4 ppm permitted in bottled water and beverages by the Food and Drug Administration.

26 Jan 2005

Link between socio-economic status and tooth decay

Children attending schools classified as deprived were reported to have experienced more tooth decay than children in non-deprived schools, according to further analysis of the 2003 Children's Dental Health Survey by the Office for National Statistics.

20 Dec 2004

New devices for people who suffer dry mouth or lack of saliva

For dry mouth sufferers Saliwell’s innovative patented devices brings welcome relief by restoring natural saliva production through electro-stimulation.

2 Dec 2004

Scientists crack tooth decay

About half of today’s children have tooth decay, so a new solution that blocks the action of bacteria which attack teeth could bring significant benefits, according to scientists speaking Monday at the Society for General Microbiology’s 155th Meeting at Trinity College Dublin.

7 Sep 2004

Gum disease vaccination aim of world-first research

Vaccinating people against gum disease will be the aim of world-first Melbourne research that today receives a $21.2 million boost from the Federal Government.

2 Jul 2004

BDA raises concerns over lack of improvement in the percentage of five-year-olds suffering serious decay

Commenting on the recent publication of the preliminary findings of the 2003 Children’s Dental Health Survey, the BDA has raised concerns over the lack of significant improvement in the percentage of five-year-olds suffering serious decay, though the oral health of older children has improved.

30 Jun 2004