Patients without wisdom teeth perform better on taste test

Patients who undergo third-molar extraction have better long-term taste function than those who haven’t received the procedure, according to research published in Chemical Senses. The findings hold true even though mandibular third-molar extraction can cause postoperative taste and other neurosensory deficits. Researchers led by Dane Kim of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia retrospectively studied the whole-mouth taste function of 364 individuals who had not received

SDF protocol reduces dental hospitalizations for kids

A dental caries management protocol that combines a single application of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) with comprehensive oral health education can decrease the number of preventative dental hospitalizations, according to research published in the International Dental Journal. Researchers led by Dr. Rana Yawary of Dental Health Services Victoria in Australia compared the results of the SDF protocol with referral for dental treatment under dental general anesthesia in a study involving

Ill. man dies after being administered too much anesthesia

An Illinois man died after being administered an inappropriate amount of anesthesia during dental surgery, according to a report published on July 26 in the Lake and McHenry County Scanner. Corey Causey, 51, of Volo was taken to the hospital by ambulance on July 9 after his oral surgeon, Dr. Aaron Cwik of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons of Lake County in Gurnee, gave him 200 mg of propofol and failed to monitor

Eating fish may protect men from gum disease

Eating fish may be linked to reduced periodontal disease in men, according to a poster session on July 24 at the virtual International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting. Higher levels of biomarker 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid (CMPF) in men were linked to less bleeding on probing and fewer periodontal pockets. However, there was no significant link between CMPF and periodontal health in women, researchers from the U.S. and Sweden noted. “CMPF

Researchers develop thermometer for gum tissue

Researchers from the ADA Science & Research Institute and National Institute of Standards and Technology developed a prototype device that measures changes in gingival temperature. They showcased the device on July 23 at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) virtual meeting. The device is roughly the full length and half the width of a U.S. dollar bill. It contains a sensor and Bluetooth system that can measure temperature and

Fluoride varnish blocks caries development in children

Quarterly application of a casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) fluoride varnish reduces the development of caries in young children, according to research presented on July 9 at the European Organisation for Caries Research (ORCA) annual meeting in Zagreb, Croatia. Dr. Jekaterina Gudkina of Riga Stradins University in Riga, Latvia, presented results from a three-year study on reducing tooth decay in 6- and 12-year-old children. In previous work, she and her team

Week in Review: Broken 1.3-cm needle | Masks and dental health | IADR 2021

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and two injection needles used as reference points assisted in the removal of a broken 1.3-cm suture needle from a man’s buccal mucosa. Our summary of the case report was the top story of the week. The incident happened after a dentist accidentally cut the suture needle during explantation and local flap surgeries. The dentist referred the patient to a team of oral

Adverse events are common in pediatric dental patients

In a recent study, approximately 90% of U.S. pediatric dentists reported having at least one child experience an adverse event during dental treatment within the past five years. The findings were presented on July 23 at the virtual International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting. Though the most prevalent adverse events involved self-inflicted trauma after children received local anesthesia, pediatric dentists also reported major events, including death, during this time

Cortexyme touts success of periodontal disease drug candidate

Cortexyme touted new preclinical data for its atuzaginstat (COR388) drug candidate in treating periodontal disease at the 2021 International Association for Dental Research (IADR) virtual meeting. The drug candidate was able to engage with and inhibit its target, lysine-gingipain from Porphyromonas gingivalis, within a biofilm and disrupt the biofilm integrity, the company said. In addition, a second-generation lysine-gingipain inhibitor, COR588, demonstrated biofilm penetration and target engagement similar to atuzaginstat, according

Align investors ask court to approve $16M settlement

Invisalign maker Align Technology and investors who claim the company misled them about the financial consequences of a discount program have asked a California federal judge to approve a $16 million settlement. The agreement comes after “nearly three years of contentious litigation,” according to a court document filed July 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. At the heart of the dispute is whether Align made

SmileDirectClub lawsuit against Ga. dental board moves forward

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld a panel ruling from last year to advance SmileDirectClub’s antitrust lawsuit against the state of Georgia’s dental board. SmileDirectClub is in a legal battle with the board over regulations that ban the teeth-straightening company’s web-based business model, according to an article from Bloomberg Law. The company is engaged in a similar legal battle with Alabama’s dental board. In a press

CBD spray may help treat oral ulcers

Cannabidiol (CBD) oral spray may inhibit inflammation in tongue ulcers, relieve pain, and accelerate the closure of lesions, according to an animal study presented at the virtual 2021 meeting of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). The finding may help advance efforts to develop new therapeutic strategies for oral ulcers. Oral ulcers are a common oral inflammatory lesion associated with severe pain, yet few effective treatments are available. CBD