Dentistry News and Research

Latest Dentistry News and Research

Cranberry juice may help protect against heart disease

Protection against a wide variety of diseases is among the many benefits of a diet high in whole fruits and vegetables. Cranberries over the years have been identified with preventing or ameliorating urinary tract infections and playing a positive role gum disease, ulcers and even cancer.

3 Apr 2005

First UK cases of previously rare disease reported in gay men

A previously rare disease has been reported for the first time in the UK, Lymphograunuloma venereum (LGV) is a genital/anogenital bacterial infection caused by a particularly invasive strain of Chlamydia trachomatis.

3 Apr 2005

Lip piercing bad for gums

Researchers from Ohio State University - in a study of 58 young adults have found that having a lip piercing is bad for the gums and can make them shrink back from the teeth. The researchers also warn the longer people wear the piercing, the worse the recession.

29 Mar 2005

Smoking can harm your sexual health

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare today released survey findings that decisively refute the myth that smokers are "sexy." In fact, in a national survey of 784 adults aged 18-44, an overwhelming majority of respondents - 87% - disagreed with the sentiment that smoking is sexy. Adding insult to injury, among all adults, almost one quarter (24%) have actually turned down sex because the potential partner was a smoker.

28 Mar 2005

Discovery of gene STAT6(B) may lead to new treatments for inflammatory diseases

In a paper featured in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), researchers from Boston University School of Dental Medicine report the discovery of a new gene, STAT6(B), that helps regulate production of the potentially deadly tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) cytokine.

28 Mar 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

Bacteria found in the mouth may predict pregnancy outcomes

Researchers from New York University found that certain bacteria from the mouth may be related to preterm delivery and low birthweight according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).

23 Mar 2005

Degradable glass to help new bone growth

The University of Kent is collaborating with research teams from the University of Warwick, Imperial College London and University College London (UCL) to develop novel forms of degradable glass for a variety of medical applications, including new bone growth.

23 Mar 2005

You're never too old to quit smoking

According to US Government officials you're never to old to quit smoking, announcing that Medicare will immediately start covering the cost of counselling for certain beneficiaries who want to quit tobacco.

22 Mar 2005

Foods with a low pH value can lead to irreversible dental erosion

Frequently consuming foods with a low pH value, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, pickles, fresh fruit and yogurt can lead to irreversible dental erosion, according to a report in the January/February issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

21 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

Aloe vera can also treat many oral health problems

New reports prove that the aloe vera plant, which has been used to heal skin for more than 2,000 years, can also treat many oral health problems including canker sores, cold sores, herpes simplex viruses, lichen planus and gingivitis

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

Genomic analysis may one day be a primary diagnostic tool for physicians deciding on a course of treatment for trauma

The researchers showed that state-of-the-art techniques for rapidly analyzing changes in activity of all human genes will likely produce useful insights into the health of critically ill patients. The findings, which are available online and will be published in the March 29 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, make it possible for physicians to begin answering important questions about critical care through genomic analysis.

21 Mar 2005

Dental researchers map the gene that causes dentinogenesis imperfecta

Dental researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center are the first in the world to successfully map the gene that causes dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) Type III, a disease that affects tooth density and color and over time can cause teeth to wear to the gum line.

16 Mar 2005

First study of dental injury done in Ontario

Nearly one in five Ontario Grade 8 students shows evidence of damage to his or her front teeth, says a new University of Toronto study.

14 Mar 2005

Fewer than 44% of dental practitioners currently assess their patients for eating disorders

Dental practitioners play a crucial role in the early identification, referral, and case management of their patients with eating disorders, yet little has been reported regarding current secondary prevention practices. Dental professionals are often the first health care providers to identify manifestations of disordered-eating behavior.

14 Mar 2005

Radiography used to identify teens with sleep apnea

Fifteen percent of all teenagers in the United States undergo orthodontic treatment. Craniofacial Risk Index (CRI) scores, calculated from the radiographs routinely obtained on all orthodontic patients, correctly classified 80% of apneic and 78% of non-apneic adult snorers into high-and low-Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) groups.

14 Mar 2005

Link between cardiovascular disease and periodontal bacteria

Researchers report this week that older adults who have higher proportions of four periodontal-disease-causing bacteria inhabiting their mouths also tend to have thicker carotid arteries, a strong predictor of stroke and heart attack.

14 Mar 2005

Naturally occurring antifungal agent in saliva kills oral pathogen responsible for most HIV-related oral infections

Oral biologists at the University at Buffalo have shown for the first time how histatin, the naturally occurring antifungal agent in saliva, kills the oral pathogen Candida albicans, the fungus responsible for most HIV-related oral infections.

14 Mar 2005