The human papillomavirus (HPV) is more likely to be found in tumors of laryngeal cancer patients who are male and those with private health insurance, according to a new study from researchers at Henry Ford Hospital. The study findings also reveal that laryngeal cancer patients with Medicare, who tend to be 65 and older, have a lower prevalence of HPV, suggesting that HPV infection may be closely tied to age
September is National Healthy Aging Month, and Delta Dental wants dental practitioners to remind their senior patients that practicing good oral health habits is part of a healthy aging process. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, this is a message that still needs to get out, Delta Dental noted in a press release: 60% of seniors older than age 65 visited the dentist in 2009 (that percentage
Oral Health America (OHA) has awarded a $20,000 Smiles Across America grant to CHS Healthcare of Collier County, FL, for an elementary school-based dental sealant program. The Walmart Foundation provided a matching $20,000 grant. CHS Healthcare is a federally qualified health center that provides safety net healthcare services, including basic dental and specialty pediatric dental services, to communities around Collier County. OHA’s award was made possible through funding from the
Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures today, but it can have negative side effects. For example, some studies have reported that whitening agents containing carbamide peroxide or peroxide may soften dental hard tissues. But a new study has found that adding a remineralizing agent such as casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) to the bleaching agent could mitigate this effect (Operative Dentistry, August 5, 2011). “I decided
A Henry Ford Hospital study has identified 23 microRNAs for laryngeal cancer, a discovery that could yield new insight into what causes certain cells to grow and become cancerous tumors in the voice box. Findings from the study were presented September 13 in San Francisco at the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery Foundation annual meeting. The role of microRNA (miRNA), the small, noncoding RNA molecules that
Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (Clinical Cancer Research, September 15, 2011, Vol. 17:18). This study is a follow-on to previous research by the same group showing the potential for saliva to
DOCS Education has recently revamped SedationRegulations.com, a free website that summarizes each U.S. state or Canadian province’s sedation dentistry regulations, to demystify sedation regulations for dentists. DOCS Education’s Regulatory Counsel John Bitting researches and writes each summary to provide a plain language description of the regulation, according to the company. The redesigned and updated site includes regulation summaries for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the 10 provinces and
The ADA’s Give Kids A Smile program, Henry Schein Cares, and 3M ESPE are teaming up to put good oral health on the fast track for young fans of NASCAR. On October 15, the three organizations will host a dental health screening event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Kid Zone during the NASCAR Charlotte Race Weekend. Volunteer dentists and other dental team members will give underserved children free dental evaluations,
Researchers from the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco have discovered another reason to be wary of products that contain bisphenol A (BPA): It can interfere with the effectiveness of drugs used to fight breast cancer (Carcinogenesis, September 1, 2011). The study is part of growing research looking at the negative health effects of BPA, a synthetic chemical with estrogenic properties that is used in various products, including dental
Respire Medical, a manufacturer of oral appliances for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea, has introduced the Respire Blue Series. The product, which the company says is the most affordable oral appliance on the market, recently gained marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Respire appliance is designed to allow patients to adjust it themselves, making it easier to use, according to t the company. “In
Radiographs don’t adequately reveal the amount of root filling material that remains following a root canal, according to a study in the International Endodontic Journal (September 8, 2011). Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Hadassa and Hebrew University compared five methods for removing root filling material and the ability of radiographs versus a microscope to determine the true extent of material that remains on canal walls following this procedure. After
Medtronic has introduced the Artisan space maintenance system for bone grafting space maintenance in oral-maxillofacial applications. The device is cleared for temporary use in oral-maxillofacial surgical reconstruction and dental regeneration procedures to maintain space during bone graft procedures and to support soft tissue until bone formation occurs, according to the company. The Artisan system has a screw design that provides a low profile and a good interface between the screwdriver