Nearly 20 million teeth are extracted each year, leaving scores of people to deal with the psychological effects of a less-than-perfect smile. At the 2008 Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) meeting being held in Orlando, FL, this week, H. Asuman Kiyak, Ph.D., gave a presentation on the psychological issues affecting people who must deal with the loss of a tooth and how this loss can affect their quality of life.
Sen. Barack Obama is outsmiling Republican opponent Sen. John McCain by more than two to one in Florida’s first presidential smile poll, held online at www.smileperfect.com/forpresident. According to cosmetic dentist William Balanoff, D.D.S., Obama’s lead in the early tally may be due to his wider, broader smile and larger teeth versus McCain’s more retrained, narrower smile. So far Obama has 120 votes compared to McCain’s 74. Both candidates are excellent
Being a teen’s dentist is not easy. You are already battling problem trends such as crystal meth, smoking, questionable eating habits, and even diabetes. Now a new study has pushed an old enemy to the forefront: oral piercings. Researchers at the recent International Association for Dental Research (IADR) session in Toronto reported that the most common complications related to oral piercings are chipped, fractured, or cracked teeth and gingival recession.
A Michigan teenager who was critically injured in a recent gun fight appears to have been saved by his braces, according to an NBC news story. Anthony Pittman, 18, was hit in the mouth with a .45-caliber bullet last week. The bullet split into pieces on contact with his braces, according to police. “We believe what happened is that the bullet was split, in part by the braces, so it
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When it comes to the attractiveness of orthodontic braces, less metal is better, according to a survey published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (April 2008, Vol. 133:4, pp. S68-S78). The study of the public’s attitude about the attractiveness of various styles of braces indicates that the types of dental appliances with no visible metal were considered the most attractive. Braces that combine clear ceramic brackets with
When dentists and their staff ask their patients simple questions, they shouldn’t expect truthful answers. That’s the take-home message of a recent survey, in which more than four in 10 adults admitted they would tell their dentists they always brushed for the recommended time — even if it weren’t true. One in four, meanwhile, said they would fib about flossing, too, according to a Harris Interactive poll of 1,001 U.S.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jul 7 – By maintaining adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy, mothers may be protecting their babies against early tooth decay in childhood, according a study reported Friday at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Toronto, Canada. Dr. Robert Schroth from the University of Manitoba reported that mothers of children who developed cavities at an early age had significantly lower vitamin D levels
TORONTO – Speakers at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting on Thursday called for wider adoption of glass ionomers for restorations, linings, and bases. First developed in the U.K. in the 1970s, glass ionomers have long been used in Europe, Asia, and developing countries for restorative and lining purposes, offering a readily available, cost-effective alternative for caries treatment, particularly in children. But their use in the U.S. has
TORONTO – Acupuncture might calm patients who fear their dentists, but there isn’t enough evidence yet to recommend this approach. So said researchers from King’s College in the U.K. at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) on Wednesday. The researchers headed by Nora Donaldson, Ph.D., M.Sc., searched Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane database, and several complementary medicine databases for studies on acupuncture for dental anxiety. Discarding
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters Life!), Jun 20 – Doctors warned parents in Asia on Friday not to take hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) lightly as it is increasingly associated with complications like encephalitis, which can be fatal. HFMD affects mainly children younger than 10 years old. In the past, it was mostly caused by the coxsackievirus A16 and complications were rare. But another little-known agent, enterovirus 71 (EV71), has crept
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jun 19 – Baseball, the American pastime, appears relatively safe compared with other high school sports, researchers report. Nonetheless, injuries do occur and many could be prevented, they say. About 12% of high school baseball injuries result from players being hit by a batted ball, and nearly two-thirds of these injuries are to the head and face or mouth and teeth, said Christy Collins, of the
