Plant-heavy diets may be linked to lower risk of periodontitis

Patients who follow diets rich in plant-based foods but restrict refined grains and added sugars may be less likely to experience periodontitis, according to a study published recently in Nutrients. Those with poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet more often had inadequate oral hygiene, like more plaque and higher bleeding on probing compared to those who followed these eating plans closely

DSO Jefferson Dental opens 2nd office in Okla.

Texas-based dental service organization (DSO) Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics has opened a second practice in OK. The new office opens December 6 at 780 SW 19th St. in Moore, OK. The DSO’s first out-of-state location was opened in Oklahoma City in August. In the coming months, the DSO plans to add another Oklahoma City location and a new office in Midwest City, OK. Additionally, Jefferson Dental & Orthodontics has 70

OHSU dental school names new dean

Dr. Ronald Sakaguchi, PhD, has been named dean of Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) School of Dentistry. Sakaguchi has served as the school’s interim dean since October 2020. He has served in multiple leadership roles since 1994. Sakaguchi has published extensive research on dental biomaterials and biomechanics, and, currently, he is a fellow at the Academy of Dental Materials and the American College of Dentists.

Is cold saline the key to less pain after root canals?

Using a cold saline solution as a final irrigating agent during root canal treatment may reduce patients’ postoperative pain, according to a systematic review published on November 28 in the Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice. Intracanal cryotherapy, which is the superficial application of a cold solution, such as saline, to alleviate pain, may be most effective at reducing postoperative pain one day after root canal treatment or obturation, the

Dental Dose: The one supplement proven to work — in weird ways

Dental Dose is a twice-monthly video series featuring pharmacologist Tom Viola, RPh. In each episode, Viola shares bite-sized pieces of dental pharmacology news, facts, and myths. There’s one dietary supplement that’s proved to be medically effective but also to cause drug interactions and weird side effects. Viola explained what you need to know about St. John’s wort in the latest episode of Dental Dose. “If you were to say to

5 ways to improve leadership

Leadership is situational. There is no one method, approach, or answer. But leadership does need to change as the environment changes. Leaders who are using the same methods to run their practices that they did prepandemic may find they have new challenges. Loss of staff, less staff motivation, staff members with personal issues or changes in attitude, and difficulty hiring are just some of the staffing issues that practice leaders

SoftSmile exhibits updated Vision software at 2021 GNYDM

SoftSmile exhibited an upgraded version of its artificial intelligence-based orthodontic software, Vision, at the 2021 Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM). Vision features a user-friendly interface that allows clinicians to create aligner treatment plans in-house and then further develop them using 3D printing. The updated version features an automated treatment planner based on real-time stress calculation and biomedical principles, a web viewer, an editor, a distributed management system, and postprocessing

Lasers can help restore trust in pediatric oral care

As the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people across nearly all aspects of day-to-day living, one of the most notable consequences has been in the approach to healthcare needs. Many families only visited the dentist when absolutely necessary, skipping preventive and routine treatments, which serve as a pillar in maintaining and ensuring a child’s oral health. The primary reason cited for skipping dental visits is fear of being exposed to the

Carestream Dental offers prosthetic-driven implant planning tool

Carestream Dental now offers the prosthetic-driven implant planning software Swissmeda Dental Planning to improve patient outcomes. The cloud-based platform allows users to upload cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and intraoral scanner data, share diagnoses, and exchange treatment plans among dental teams. The platform offers a patent-protected drilling template that has a lightweight wire frame that is designed to improve accuracy and visibility during surgery. Additionally, Carestream has integrated a Swissmeda export

Hygiene Insider: Plant-heavy diets may be linked to lower risk of periodontitis

Dear Hygiene Insider, Patients who follow diets rich in plant-based foods but restrict refined grains and added sugars may be less likely to experience periodontitis, according to a study published November 21 in Nutrients. Those with poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet more often had inadequate oral hygiene, such as more plaque and higher bleeding on probing, compared to those who

Can Teeth Heal Themselves?

Your teeth are made of the strongest substance in the human body. However, once your permanent teeth emerge in late childhood, you don’t get another set. If a tooth suffers a major fracture or damage, your tooth doesn’t grow back like your skin does when it is injured. But that doesn’t mean your teeth are completely helpless when damage occurs. When it comes to natural damage, like what happens when

Researchers seek comment on dental pain management guide

The ADA Science & Research Institute, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Pittsburgh are seeking feedback on a draft acute dental pain management guideline. The draft addresses the use of pain management medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. Comments must be submitted by December 5, and questions can be emailed to [email protected].