Cardio issues are changing dentistry, expert says

Blood pressure cuffs? Yes. Amoxicillin? Not so much. Dentists must change the way they attend to their patients’ cardiovascular health, according to oral medicine specialist Michael Siegel, D.D.S., M.S., who chairs the department of diagnostic sciences at Nova Southeastern University. And the good news is that you can bill for your medical advice. In particular, he said, guidelines from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are putting dentists on the

7-year-old’s death ruled an accident

The death of 7-year-old Jacqueline Martinez, who died after a dental procedure earlier this year, has been declared an accident by officials who have been investigating the case. Martinez went to New Smile Dental Office in Riverside, CA, on March 4 and died after choking on an extracted molar. According to a San Bernardino County coroner report, the official cause of death was hypoxic encephalopathy — lack of oxygen to

Delta Dental accepting applications for $25,000 grant

The Delta Dental Foundation is accepting applications for a $25,000 grant for education or research focused on oral cancer. The grant is open to not-for-profit organizations in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. “There is an incredible need for more research as well as public awareness and education about this disease because it has a low survival rate but early detection helps increase a patient’s chances dramatically,” said Nancy Hostetler, senior vice

Dental experts offer tips for helping smokers quit

Every year 440,000 people in the U.S. die as a result of illness caused by cigarette smoking — deaths that could have been prevented. Dentists can play an important role in helping patients quit or avoid smoking altogether, according to a panel of experts at the California Dental Association (CDA) Fall Scientific Session last week in San Francisco. Tobacco use is the leading preventable risk factor of periodontal disease, said

Multicenter trial to study periodontitis/diabetes link

Researchers at Stony Brook University’s School of Dental Medicine and School of Medicine received a $12.5 million five-year grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), an arm of the National Institutes of Health, to conduct a multicenter clinical trial to evaluate whether treatment of chronic periodontitis may help to improve diabetes control. Specifically, they will test whether nonsurgical periodontal therapy helps to improve glycemic control in

Maine dental board challenges oral sedation safety

The Maine Board of Dental Examiners (MBDE) has come under fire for proposed rule changes that would, among other things, require general dentists to use heart monitors on patients who choose to undergo moderate oral sedation for dental procedures. Opponents say the proposed changes would set dentistry in Maine back 10 years and put a financial burden on dentists, according to news reports. The state says it is a matter

California dental experts push prevention

SAN FRANCISCO – Too many dentists are acting like mechanics instead of doctors, according to organizers of the California Dental Association (CDA) fall meeting, which kicked off Thursday with an all-day session on caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA). .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; padding-top:2px; } “We’re trying to engineer a shift from the restorative model to more of a medical model of prevention.”

Nicotine gum may whiten teeth too

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Sep 12 – Nicotine gum may not only help some smokers quit, but may give them a whiter smile as well, a study suggests. In experiments with cow tooth enamel, researchers found that two nicotine gum products were better at removing stains than a regular “whitening” chewing gum. All of the gums bested the whitening ability of ordinary human saliva, however. The findings, reported in the

CDA Foundation showcases CAMBRA at conference

The California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation is promoting a new oral health campaign at the CDA’s 2008 Fall Scientific Session Conference this week in San Francisco. The campaign showcases caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA), which is designed to help dentists assess the risk for cavities and other oral health problems. CAMBRA is the first program of its kind to move dentistry toward a medical model of preventive care, according

Dental IDs help pediatric patients feel safe

John Haze, D.M.D., an orthodontist in New Jersey, offers his young patients something more than perfectly aligned pearly whites — he throws in free dental IDs known as Toothprints. Developed by Dave Tesini, D.M.D., a pediatric dentist from Massachusetts, Toothprints are dental impressions that serve as a unique form of personal identification that can help law enforcement officials should a child go missing, get lost, or be abducted, Dr. Haze

Can licorice lollipops defeat decay?

Delta Dental is funding research to determine whether sugarless lollipops containing licorice extract can reduce tooth decay. The product will be tested on nursing home residents and preschool students. “Despite great advances, dental decay is one of the most common childhood diseases, with more than half of children ages 5 to 9 having had at least one cavity or filling,” said Jed Jacobson, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H., chief science officer at

As price soars, gold loses luster

Gold occupies a place of honor in dentistry. Beyond the rich gleam of the precious metal, beyond its storied past, gold has properties that — in many experts’ opinions — make it the ideal material for many restorations. That’s why the patients who are still most likely to request gold are themselves dentists. And that’s why many dentists are frustrated that the spiraling price of gold is putting it out