Philips to acquire Discus Dental

Royal Philips Electronics will acquire Discus Holdings — parent company of Discus Dental — through a merger designed to enhance Philips’ health and wellness business and expand Discus’ reach in the global teeth-whitening market, the companies announced October 11. Previously privately held, Discus offers a number of well-known professional teeth-whitening products, including Zoom, BriteSmile, and NiteWhite. In recent years the company expanded into other areas in dentistry, including oral care, restoratives,

6-year-old gets bone infection after dentist visit

A Scottish girl was hospitalized with a bone infection after a visit to the dentist, according to an article in the Daily Record. Doctors believe that 6-year-old Cameron McGlashan obtained the infection during a procedure to remove two teeth. Subsequently, Cameron told her mother that she had a sore elbow. During three separate visits to the hospital, one of which required a weeklong stay, she received blood tests and scans

Manhattan Scientifics to debut nanotitanium implant material

The first U.S. FDA-approved dental implant made with nanotitanium, a metal that is stronger than conventional alloys and integrates much more quickly with human bone, will be installed this week in the mouth of the scientist who helped develop it. Terry Lowe, Ph.D., chief scientist at dental implant manufacturer Manhattan Scientifics, will receive the 10-minute, nanotitanium implant procedure to replace a molar on October 14 at the company’s Albuquerque, NM,

SD to amend dental sedation rules

The South Dakota Board of Dentistry is proposing to amend rules regarding sedation and advertising, according to the Academy of General Dentistry. The proposal would include a change from regulating sedation by the modality of the delivery of the sedative or anesthetic to regulations based on the level of sedation. The proposal also defines four levels of sedation. Dentists who are not specialists would be required to include that information

Early treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may speed recovery from stroke

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Early treatment of obstructive apnea (OSA) with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) may speed recovery from ischemic stroke, researchers from Spain say. Previous studies of nCPAP in the management of stroke have yielded inconsistent results, the researchers say, although in a recent study of patients with moderate to severe OSA, nCPAP started in the stable phase of stroke was associated with a reduction in

Lying prompts mouthwash cravings

Lying appears to create a desire for mouthwash, according to researchers from the University of Michigan (Psychological Science, September 7, 2010). “The references to ‘dirty hands’ or ‘dirty mouths’ in everyday language suggest that people think about abstract issues of moral purity in terms of more concrete experiences with physical purity,” said Spike W.S. Lee, a doctoral candidate in psychology, who conducted the study with Norbert Schwarz, Ph.D., a psychologist

NIDCR funds $102M in research over 2 years

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, used $101.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds over the last two years to fund numerous dental, oral, and craniofacial research projects. The institute provided support for the following: 141 new or competing two-year research and research training grants 128 administrative supplements to scientists with active NIDCR grants Research projects in 33 states

Novartis wins 2nd ONJ/bisphosphonate trial

A New Jersey jury ruled October 6 that Novartis provided adequate warnings about the risk of its bisphosphonate drugs, rejecting a lawsuit by a woman who claimed the drugs contributed to her development of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), according to a story by Bloomberg. Jane Bessemer, 73, sued Novartis after developing severe mandible damage while taking Aredia and Zometa to slow bone loss related to her battle with breast

Crest debuts Pro-Health rinse with fluoride

Crest has introduced the newest addition to the Crest Pro-Health product line: Pro-Health Complete Rinse with fluoride. “Crest Pro-Health Complete Rinse provides benefits for your mouth with the added power of fluoride to help individuals improve their oral health,” the company noted in a press release. Copyright © 2010 HuangshanDental.com

Survey: 21 states allow dentists to use Botox

A survey of U.S. state dental boards conducted by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) shows that 21 states allow dentists to use Botox, but stipulations almost always surround its usage. Fifteen states (29%) have no policy on Botox usage by dentists, but three states are considering adding or making changes to their policies in the coming months, according to an article in the AGD Transcript (October 2010). Some states

CMS criteria mean sleep apnea patients could lose CPAP benefits

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) criteria for coverage of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment may be too strict, a study in the October issue of Chest suggests. According to these criteria — which were adopted by all four Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors in 2008 — patients with obstructive sleep apnea who don’t meet high adherence requirements after three months

Gum disease treatment recommended during pregnancy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Gum disease can be safely treated during pregnancy and appears to significantly reduce the risk of premature birth associated with periodontal disease, Pennsylvania researchers report. “The present study has potential implications” for the calculations dentists make when deciding whether to treat gum disease during pregnancy, they write in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Gum disease — typically caused by a bacterial infection that