Teeth News and Research

Latest Teeth News and Research

Amalgam fillings not so risky after all

Although dental amalgam has been used for at least 150 years to fill dental cavities, because it is made up of 50% mercury there have been on-going concerns over the potential side effects to health.

19 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

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

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

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

Drink up that vino - it stops your teeth falling out!

Red wine contains antioxidants known as polyphenols, which are already believed to reduce cholesterol but are now also thought to prevent gum disease.

13 Mar 2006

Link between beverage fluoride and fluorosis of the front teeth

Fluoride is a mineral that protects against dental cavities; however, too much fluoride during tooth formation can lead to dental fluorosis, which is usually characterized by white streaks or splotches on the teeth.

13 Mar 2006

High levels of a salivary protein IL-1-beta associated with increased bone loss

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have identified two components of saliva that may serve as the basis for novel tests to determine the risk for future loss of the bone that holds teeth in place.

13 Mar 2006

Components found in red wine can help prevent periodontal diseases

Periodontitis is a progressive infectious disease affecting the gums and bone that surround and support teeth, often causing tooth movement and leading to permanent tooth loss.

13 Mar 2006

Passionate kissing a danger for those with allergies

The coroner in the case of the Canadian teenager who was initially thought to have died from a peanut allergy after kissing a boyfriend, says lack of oxygen to the brain was the most likely cause of her death.

7 Mar 2006

Smoking increases risk for root canal treatment

According to a new study appearing in the April issue of the Journal of Dental Research, cigarette smoking can lead to not only tooth discoloration and gum disease, but also a common dental procedure that helps to heal a diseased tooth--the root canal.

27 Feb 2006

Relationship between periodontal disease, obesity and insulin

The relationship between periodontal disease, obesity and insulin resistance was examined in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).

23 Feb 2006

Gum destruction can start in diabetic children as young as six years old

A new study from Columbia University Medical Center has shown that the destruction of the gums can start in diabetic children as young as six years old. While the link between diabetes and periodontal disease was previously established, it was believed that the regression of gums began much later and increased with age.

21 Feb 2006