Hygiene Insider: Oral bacteria may influence diabetes kidney complications

Dear Hygiene Insider, Scientists already knew there was a link between gum health and diabetes, but a recent study has furthered our understanding. In a study of 30 patients with chronic periodontitis, oral bacteria significantly differed in patients who also had diabetic nephropathy, a common diabetes-related kidney complication. The study is believed to be the first to provide evidence of the potential role of oral bacteria in the development of

USOSM nets 1st partnership in Mass.

Shared services organization U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) has established a partnership with Massachusetts group Central Mass Oral Surgery, its first in the state. Central Mass Oral Surgery is an oral and maxillofacial practice of three doctors in the Leominster and Gardner areas. The group provides a full scope of oral and maxillofacial services, from bone grafting and wisdom teeth removal to tooth extractions, preprosthetic surgery, oral pathology, and apicoectomy

Could leaning back in the dental chair lead to stroke symptoms?

Two patients experienced strokelike symptoms after hyperextending their necks during dental treatment, according to a case report recently published online in the Neurologist. The two patients described in the report underwent dental procedures in which clinicians hyperextended their necks for better reach or tooth access. Afterward, they both experienced neurological symptoms and were hospitalized. Though both patients survived, these cases highlight a “plausible correlation” between their symptoms and the overstretching

Dental Practice Made Simple: Complete diagnosis

Dental Practice Made Simple is a video series from HuangshanDental.com and Levin Group. Tune in every Wednesday for a quick tip from Dr. Roger P. Levin to learn how to build high-powered, proven systems that lead to practice success. You can’t do more production if you’re not fully diagnosing a patient, Levin said in the latest episode of Dental Practice Made Simple. To reach your daily production goal, he advised doing

Dental sensor monitors body health 24/7

MyDentalWig has developed iDentalWig, a wearable dental device that the company claims can monitor the body 24/7 to catch potential health concerns. The device has a self-charging battery that is powered by the wearer’s swallowing, chewing, and talking, the company said. It can collect information on brain and heart activity, blood, muscles, and more; using an app, doctors and wearers of the device can then access the collected information. The

Bien-Air to launch new handpiece

Bien-Air Dental plans to launch Nova, a new contra-angle handpiece, at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, which will be held February 24-26. Nova has a small head with the Accu-Spray Quattro Mix system, which offers four asymmetrical air/water sprays on the end of the bur. Its stainless-steel construction makes the handpiece lighter and reduces wear on the equipment, the company said. Its chuck system features a new physical vapor

Case report: Obstructive sleep apnea treated with oral appliance

A 43-year-old woman presented with a chief complaint of snoring and difficulty maintaining sleep, along with jaw pain and daily morning headaches. She was previously diagnosed with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). All images courtesy of Dr. Mark Murphy. Although the patient treated the OSA with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask, she said she only wore it four days a week for less than

Mouse study findings could lead to safer pain meds

You’re startled by a threatening sound, and your breath quickens. You smash your elbow and pant in pain. Why does your breathing rate increase dramatically when you’re hurting or anxious? As neurobiologists studying how the brain responds to environmental threats and the neural circuitry of emotion, we were curious about the answer to this question ourselves. In our recently published study, we discovered that one particular circuit of the brain

Oral surgeon files complaint over RI vaccine mandate

A Rhode Island oral and maxillofacial surgeon filed a complaint on February 4 against the state governor and a senior health department official who ordered the clinician to stop treating patients until he was vaccinated for COVID-19. Last October, the State of Rhode Island Department of Health ordered Dr. Stephen Skoly Jr. to close his 11-person dental and surgical practice until he complied with Rhode Island’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Skoly is

Novel toothbrush outperforms sonic brush for whitening

A novel radiofrequency toothbrush left teeth whiter and worked better against tooth stains than a sonic vibrating toothbrush, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Consumers and patients have a strong demand for tools to keep teeth healthy and to remove stains, which is a common issue for people who use tobacco or drink coffee. With the new study, lead author Dr. Bennett Amaechi, PhD,

Can xylitol gum reduce preterm birth?

Chewing gum with xylitol is known to prevent tooth decay, but it could also reduce preterm births and improve birth weight, according to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. A group led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine studied preterm births and birth-weight outcomes in more than 10,000 women in Melawi who received perinatal and oral health education alone or both education and daily

Align rolls out additions to digital platform

Align Technology is introducing Invisalign system additions for its Align Digital Platform, with the aim of improving workflow and connecting its users, including doctors, labs, patients, and consumers. The additions include ClinCheck Live Update for 3D controls and the Invisalign Practice App, Invisalign Personalized Plan (IPP), and Invisalign Smile Architect. ClinCheck Live Update allows clinicians to modify treatment plans in real-time to improve practice productivity, while also improving plan quality,