Life Extension releases probiotic oral health lozenge

Life Extension has introduced its Advanced Oral Hygiene oral health lozenge that contains the probiotics Streptococcus salivarius and Bacillus coagulans, two strains of beneficial bacteria, to help maintain healthy teeth and gums. Similar to the mechanisms involved with probiotics that target the gastrointestinal tract, these probiotics populate the mouth cavity with bacteria that provide protection against harmful bacteria that are implicated in the accumulation of dental film, according to the

Ultrasound finds mandible defects x-rays can’t

Could 3D ultrasound imaging improve the way periodontal disease is diagnosed and treated? A research team from West Virginia University (WVU) thinks so. While ultrasound is best known in dentistry for its scaling and surgical abilities, the WVU team is studying the use of high-frequency ultrasound to construct 3D images of the mandible and surrounding tissues. They recently received a $393,575 grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial

Dentists wake up to addicts’ scams

Years ago, Louis Woolf, D.D.S., decided to keep all his prescription pads behind the front desk of his Holbrook, NY, office. When he kept pads in operatories, they kept disappearing, and as a former addict he had no trouble guessing that patients were stealing them to get drugs he wouldn’t prescribe. Moving his prescription pads is just one of the precautions that Dr. Woolf has taken in his practice to

3Shape opens Shanghai office

CAD/CAM equipment and software supplier 3Shape has announced its expansion into Asia with the opening of new offices in Shanghai and the appointment of Ye Jin as general manager. The strategic location, combined with Jin’s extensive local experience, will enable 3Shape to develop within the Asian market for digital dentistry, hearing, and quality control while maintaining its commitment to strong support and close relations with users of 3Shape 3D scanners

Study: VELscope helps reduce oral cancer recurrence rates

The VELscope screening system from LED Dental can help surgeons reduce the recurrence rate for oral cancer following surgery, according to a recent study in Cancer Prevention Research (May 2009, Vol. 2:5, pp. 401-404). The article, “Tracing the ‘At-Risk’ Oral Mucosa Field with Autofluorescence: Steps Toward Clinical Impact” was authored by Catherine Poh, D.D.S., Ph.D.; Calum MacAulay, Ph.D., M.Sc.; and Miriam Rosin, Ph.D.; of the BC Cancer Agency and Lewei

Tooth decay, bleeding gums may herald chronic ills

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jul 27 – Our modern dental woes have a lot do to with modern whole-body ills like heart disease and diabetes, according to the author of a review of decades’ worth of studies on diet and health. The culprit in both cases? The so-called fermentable carbohydrates forming the foundation of the modern diet, says Dr. Philippe P. Hujoel of the University of Washington School of Dentistry

ADHA honors Minnesota senator for midlevel provider work

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) recently awarded Minnesota Sen. Ann Lynch (D-Rochester) with a presidential citation to recognize her efforts in passing legislation that will establish new oral health providers in Minnesota. The significant impact of Sen. Lynch’s efforts on patient access to care, as well as the dental hygiene community as a whole, are what led to her selection as a recipient of the ADHA Presidential Citation for

Rite Aid offers ADA brochures

Rite Aid will offer a free oral care guide at more than 4,800 U.S. stores and online starting July 26, the drug store chain announced this week. Rite Aid also is donating $45,000 to the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile fund, which provides free dental care for nearly 500,000 needy children nationwide. The free 12-page oral care guide from Rite Aid contains proactive tips from the ADA to help

Tooth classification system could improve diagnostics

A team of Harvard University researchers has developed what they say is an easy-to-use classification system for evaluating individual teeth that could help standardize caries assessment, simplify treatment planning, and improve outcomes. “Currently, there is no accepted comprehensive, standardized, and meaningful classification system for the evaluation of individual teeth that offers a common language for dental professionals,” wrote Nachum Samet, D.M.D., and Anna Jotkowitz, B.D.S., of the Harvard School of

Align Technology’s profits up in Q2

Align Technology reported increased net profit and revenues for its second quarter of 2009. For the quarter (end-June 30), net profit was $4.5 million, up from $2.6 million in the first quarter of 2009 and $4.0 million in the second quarter of 2008. Net revenues were $76.3 million, compared to $70.1 million in the first quarter of 2009 and $79.9 million in the second quarter of 2008. “Overall, we had

Have you looked around your office lately?

Editor’s note: Sheri Doniger’s column, Dental Diaries, appears regularly on the HuangshanDental.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion. How many times do we rush in the door of our office, minutes before our first patient? Or fly out seconds after our end-of-the-day strategic meeting? Do you ever stop and smell the roses that are (or should be) sitting at your reception desk? I try to arrive at my office 30

Adhesive surface vital in crown’s bonding strength

The type of surface that dental adhesive clings to during a crown’s bonding process plays an important role in the strength of that bond, according to researchers from Case Western Reserve University. By using an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy imaging system, Jin-Ho Phark, D.D.S., D.M.D., an assistant professor of comprehensive care at the university’s School of Dental Medicine, was able to detect what contaminants cling to the crown surface. This research