What do IRS audits and root canals have in common? They both strike terror in the hearts of people. But there is a simple way to reduce the trauma of getting a root canal — go to an endodontist. At least that’s what a recent press release from the American Association of Endodontists claims, which points to an L.C. Williams & Associates poll. The poll’s not-so-surprising results: almost half of
Once the brightest flower in the health food field, fruit juice has come under a cloud lately. Sure, it’s chock full of vitamins, but as public health experts point out, it’s also too sugary, and the acid erodes tooth structure. Now a new day may be dawning; a study in the December Journal of the American Dental Association suggests that calcium can counteract the acid in the juice. Juice makers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) Dec. 13 U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bill expanding a popular children’s health care program for the second time, angering Democrats who are locked in a fight with the administration over the budget and spending. Pushed by the Democratic-led Congress but also supported by many Republicans, the bill was aimed at providing health insurance to about 10 million children in low and moderate-income families.
Chalk one up for the American Dental Association (ADA). Having lost a battle to keep dental health aide therapists out of Alaska, the organization has nearly won its war to ban them from the rest of the country. With only a high school education and two years of intensive dental training, dental health aide therapists are certified by the federal government to do simple extractions and restorations, as well as
Orthodontists take note: Ortho Organizers has added a rectangular version to its Super Elastic Nitanium Black Ti arch wire product line. This new product, like others in the line, has an ultrasmooth hard oxide surface that provides increased arch wire integrity and improved resiliency, while reducing sliding friction, according to the company. Ortho also claims the black oxide will not chip, wear, or peel. The rectangular Super Elastic Nitanium Black
A picture can be worth a thousand bucks–if you know how to take it properly. A clear, sharp, well lit intraoral photo can convince that stubborn insurance company or nervous patient that yes, some perio treatment or restorative work really is needed. Taking a winning shot doesn’t necessarily require mastering f/stops and Photoshop, says Richard Young, D.D.S. Dr. Young, who gave a talk on dental photography at the recent ADA
It’s safe. No it isn’t! Yes, it is! Reading the reports about bleaching and its dangers to dental structure is like watching a ping-pong match. That’s why in December two dental journals stepped in to arbitrate. And happily both agree on the winning message: bleaching is safe. But before you celebrate by uncorking a bottle of bubbly hydrogen peroxide, bear in mind that significant warnings still come along with the
They kill human cells on contact. They cause allergies. They mimic female hormones. And as more and more people keep using them, a health crisis may loom. That’s the dire assessment on resin-based composite filling materials, courtesy of Michel Goldberg, D.D.S., Ph.D., an emeritus professor of dental surgery at Paris Descartes University, who published his paper online in the November Clinical Oral Investigations. “It would be surprising [if] the harmful
For some patients, getting that crown or root canal means saving up for a year. The good news for them–and you–is that Medilinq, a health benefits provider that offers savings of up to 40 percent on medical and dental care, has formed a partnership with DenteMax, an independent dental PPO network. Medilinq members pay a monthly premium and get preferred out-of-pocket rates on prescription drugs, traditional healthcare services, and nontraditional
Toothpaste and mouthwash flavors can be so ho hum. Crest, for example, offers Peppermint. Also Strong Mint, Mild Mint, Vanilla Mint, Citrus Clean Mint, and Mint + Green Tea Extract. Did we mention mint? Colgate’s not much more imaginative with its Max Fresh Clean Mint, Cool Mint, Cinnamint, and Kiss Me Mint. Why does everything have to be so darn refreshing? Why not garlic toothpaste washed down with an olive
How many root canals do general dentists do? How often do orthodontists fill cavities? Answers to such questions can be found in a recently released report by the American Dental Association (ADA). The report, which covers a year from the second quarter of 2005 to the first quarter of 2006, updates surveys the ADA published in 1990 and 1999. It offers estimates of the number of procedures done and the
Editor’s Note: A few years ago there were no calcium phosphate products to be had and now they seem to be everywhere and in every form. It’s confusing, and our October report sorting out these products was one of the most popular articles on our site. But we weren’t satisfied. To do justice to the variety on the market, Assistant Editor Rabia Mughal spent the past few weeks compiling data
