Dentistry News and Research

Latest Dentistry News and Research

Tongue scraping for treating halitosis

Despite widespread use of mouthwashes, breath mints, sprays, chewing gums and mechanical tongue cleaning, research is inconclusive about which method is most effective at attacking bad breath, investigators conclude in a new review of clinical studies.

18 Apr 2006

Study shows mercury amalgam fillings pose no health concerns for children

There were no statistically significant differences in neuropsychological and neurobehavioral effects among children whose dental caries were treated with mercury amalgam fillings and those treated with a composite dental restorative material

18 Apr 2006

Humans perceive more than they think they do

Faces tell the stories in UC Riverside Professor Larry Rosenblum's ecological listening lab, as volunteer test subjects show that they can "read" unheard speech - not just from lips, but from the simple movements of dots placed on lips, teeth and tongue.

18 Apr 2006

First gene therapy human trial in the United States for a form of muscular dystrophy under way

The clinical trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) tests the safety and effectiveness of a therapy that was developed over two decades by scientists at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh.

16 Apr 2006

Computer program lets people with Trigeminal neuralgia diagnose themselves

Trigeminal neuralgia, or TN, is a disorder affecting the areas of the face where the trigeminal nerve's branches are distributed, including the lips, eyes, nose, scalp, forehead, and upper and lower jaws.

13 Apr 2006

Analysis of different sweeteners and sweet substances

The most important factor in what kind of sweetener people prefer has little to do with how sweet it tastes. Rather, it has more to do with other tastes in the sweetener, such as bitterness or sourness, new research suggests.

13 Apr 2006

Oral post-surgical complications following the administration of bisphosphonates given for osteopenia related to malignancy

The patient of a periodontist in private practice in New Orleans developed osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a condition that can cause severe, often irreversible and debilitating damage to the jaw, following periodontal surgical therapy.

11 Apr 2006

Seniors cite financial need as the greatest barrier to receiving dental care

A survey of seniors' access to dental care conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College presents a sobering picture of the dental needs and barriers to dental care experienced by seniors.

11 Apr 2006

Salivary biomarkers of existing periodontal disease

A University of Kentucky study published in the Journal of American Dental Association could help change the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease.

11 Apr 2006

Link between bacteria found in the mouth and the amniotic fluid of a woman in preterm labor

A 37-year-old-mother, who gave birth to a low-weight preemie at 24 weeks, exhibited the first-found link in a human between bacteria found in the mouth and the amniotic fluid of a woman in preterm labor.

6 Apr 2006

Adult stem cells can be used to make new tendon or ligament tissue

Weekend athletes who overexert themselves running or playing basketball may one day reap the benefits of research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that shows that adult stem cells can be used to make new tendon or ligament tissue.

4 Apr 2006

Nicotine and chemotherapy not a good mix

Researchers in the U.S. say that preliminary research has suggested that nicotine can prevent chemotherapy drugs such as taxol from killing lung cancer cells.

3 Apr 2006

Full-scale experiment designed to bring about tooth decay

In 1947-1949 a group of mental patients in Sweden were used as subjects in a full-scale experiment designed to bring about tooth decay. They were fed copious amounts of candy, and many of them had their teeth completely ruined. But, scientifically speaking, the experiment was a huge success.

31 Mar 2006

Link between alcohol abuse and dependence with medical conditions in two American Indian reservation communities

Alcohol abuse and dependence are known to be major health problems among American Indians, yet little research has examined alcohol's detrimental effect on organ systems among these populations.

27 Mar 2006

Researchers combat tuberculosis - help may come from protective protein

Most Americans think of tuberculosis as a disease of the past, but with HIV and drug-resistant strains fueling epidemics in India and Africa, TB kills someone every six seconds across the world.

23 Mar 2006

Early risk, attention and brain activation in adolescents born preterm

In one of the first studies to use brain imaging with adolescents born prematurely, New Jersey researchers report that the effects of premature birth and environmental risks on the brain during the first three years of childhood continue through adolescence.

23 Mar 2006

Study confirms that the children with dental decay are not underweight in comparison to their peers

New evidence from pediatric dentists at the University at Buffalo has shown that, contrary to previous findings, most young children with decayed "baby" teeth are not underweight, and actually may be overweight or at risk of being overweight.

22 Mar 2006

Study identifies patients at risk for sudden cardiac death

Researchers have found a more accurate way to tell which children and teenagers are likely to be among the thousand or so who suddenly die each year in the United States from genetic heart conditions that cause arrhythmia

21 Mar 2006

Orthodontics can make kids feel better about themselves

Orthodontics are often necessary to help improve the stability, function, and health of an individual's teeth; otherwise, many people would be at higher risk for gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss because of improper teeth positioning in their mouth

19 Mar 2006

Using nicotine gum or patches while still smoking may help smokers quit

Smokers trying to kick the habit might stand a better chance of staying smoke-free if they begin using replacement nicotine patches or gum in the weeks before they quit cigarettes.

19 Mar 2006