Dentist criticized for selling supplements

As patients prescribe more and more nutritional supplements for themselves, some dentists see an opportunity. “You can improve the health and well-being of your patients and increase your revenue substantially,” says Alphonse Matrone, D.M.D., a Scranton, PA., dentist. Dr. Matrone sells his patients subscriptions to “customized” nutraceutical packages provided by Bioceutica of Newbury, MA. Dentists who sell subscriptions get a cut of at least $12 out of the $69.95 that

Dementia linked to tooth loss

A new study reveals that the fewer the teeth a patient has, the more likely they’ll suffer from dementia later in life. Patients with the fewest teeth are at the highest risk. The longitudinal study conducted by University of Kentucky researchers looked at a sample of 144 nuns from Milwaukee between the ages of 75 to 98. The participants are part of a larger study which is studying 678 nuns

The ‘Four Seasons’ practice

A rippling waterfall. A soothing foot massage. The scent of lavender wafting in the air. Not what you’d ordinarily expect from a trip to the dentist, even in a tourist mecca like Honolulu. And at Dr. Wynn Okuda’s Dental Day Spa, that’s the whole point. “People come to us looking for something different,” says Dr. Okuda, an accredited cosmetic dentist and past president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

Yogurt may take the bite out of gum disease

NEW YORK (Reuters) Jan. 21 Regularly eating yogurt and other foods with lactic acid may be good for your mouth, Japanese researchers report. Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki and colleagues found that consuming yogurt and lactic acid drinks was significantly associated with better periodontal health. “But, milk and cheese were not,” Shimazaki said. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial condition associated with receding gums and tooth loss in adults. Outside of regular

Are supplements endangering your patients?

A new patient comes to you needing a tooth extraction. As always, you ask,” are you on any medications?” The patient says, “no.” You pull the tooth and the next thing you know, the patient is rushing to the emergency room with bleeding that just won’t stop. What complicated this fairly simple procedure? Nutraceuticals. Increasingly patients are treating themselves with nutraceuticals (used here to include herbs, vitamins, minerals, and other

General anesthesia safe for special needs patients

Is it safe to administer general anesthesia to special needs patients undergoing dental procedures? The answer is yes, according to a new study in Anesthesia Progress. Good thing. Given their mental and physical limitations — and the possibility of injury or excessive stress during dental treatment — local anesthesia may not be enough. “[Dental] patients with mental and physical limitations often pose a challenge,” wrote the study’s authors. “Lack of

BSML offers cheaper faster veneers

BSML, Inc., a provider of teeth whitening systems, has released a new veneer product called BriteVeneers. BriteVeneers eliminates the need to remove or alter healthy tooth structure or administer injections/anesthesia. This product uses an all-in-one tray that permanently fits over teeth. Patients go in for two visits: The first one for photos and impressions, and the second one for the veneer fitting. “Typically, the patients who need veneers the most

A worry-free pucker up for Valentine’s Day

Attention orthodontists! It’s Valentine’s Day and as people everywhere prepare to pucker up, your braces-wearing patients might have a few concerns. That’s why the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has taken this opportunity to dispel some common myths — from the ordinary to the bizarre — about braces. With today’s smaller sleeker braces, two people wearing braces can kiss without locking braces. Braces are made with lightweight material and will

Dentists attack sleep apnea

Dentists can do a lot more than give their patients healthy smiles these days. They can also help them get a healthy night’s sleep. Dentists are becoming leaders in the fight to combat sleep apnea, an under-diagnosed disorder that can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine declared in 2006 that oral appliances — fitted by dentists — could be used instead

ADA Foundation offers $300K grant to train pediatricians

The American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF) has announced a $300,000 grant — to be issued in annual installments of $100,000 — to fund oral health summits and other educational ventures for pediatricians. At the summits, pediatricians will learn to conduct oral health risk assessments and teach families about oral health and prevention. All 66 chapters of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will get the opportunity to send representatives, who will

Furor over no-drill technique

Is placing a crown without preparing the tooth a brilliant innovation or dangerous negligence? Debate on that question is heating up as Scottish researchers spread the news of their no-drill Hall Technique around the globe. The Hall Technique gets its name from Norna Hall, B.D.S., a general dentist in rural Scotland where there are many children with caries and few pediatric dentists available. To avoid the need for both drilling

Study links marijuana smoking to gum disease

WASHINGTON (Reuters) Feb. 5 Smoking marijuana, much like smoking tobacco, may increase a person’s risk for gum disease that can lead to tooth loss, researchers said on Tuesday. A study of 903 New Zealanders found that people who smoked marijuana frequently had triple the risk for severe gum disease and a 60 percent higher risk for a milder form of it compared to people who did not smoke the drug,