Study finds opioids less effective after tooth extraction

Patients who took opioids for pain relief after tooth extraction reported higher levels of pain than patients who took other analgesics in a new study, published in JAMA Network Open. The findings suggest nonopioid analgesics should be the first-line pain relief for extractions. The researchers also reported no difference in overall procedure satisfaction between patients who were given opioids and those who were not. “This study found that after routine

Canadian dentist dies from COVID-19 after conference

A dentist from British Columbia has died due to suspected complications from COVID-19 following his attendance at the Pacific Dental Conference earlier this month, according to a March 23 report on Global News. About 20 people who attended the Vancouver conference have since tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Denis Vincent, DDS, of North Vancouver was at the conference, which was held at the Vancouver Convention Centre from March 5-7,

Want to reduce cavities? Maybe use cannabinoids

Chemicals found in cannabis or cannabinoids may be more effective at reducing bacteria associated with dental plaque than well-established synthetic oral care products, according to a recent study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science. Cannabinoids were more effective than toothpastes made by Procter & Gamble’s Oral-B, Colgate-Palmolive’s Colgate, or Cannabite F (CannIBite), which is formulated with pomegranate and algae, according to the results. “Cannabinoids have the potential to

Those with bad teeth, disabilities barred from jobs in Nigeria

If you want a job as a superintendent, inspector, or assistant cadre with the Nigerian Immigration Service, you better not have any disabilities or physical flaws, such as crooked teeth, according to news reports. The Civil Defense, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, which is Nigeria’s government arm in charge of its paramilitary services, released on March 13 a brochure that stated any person who has any speech or physical

Tooth fairy exempt from Argentina’s COVID-19 quarantine

In response to a 7-year-old boy’s question, Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez said that the tooth fairy is exempt from his order that all nonessential workers remain in home quarantine to prevent COVID-19 spread. The tooth fairy is a fantasy figure who is said to collect the primary teeth of children, according to a March 22 article from the Jerusalem Post. The figure likely originated from Nordic cultures.

Nobel Biocare meeting postponed until 2021

Dental implant maker Nobel Biocare is postponing its 2020 global symposium until early 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Originally slated to take place from April 16-18 in Las Vegas, Nobel Biocare’s annual meeting will be rescheduled for a different date and location. Participants’ registration will automatically be transferred to the 2021 event, and those wishing to cancel their registration may do so at no cost, the company said.

Week in Review: How COVID-19 has impacted our industry | Thoughts on pain management | Unique idea for dental implants

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Where were you when the dental industry stopped turning this week? OK, maybe it didn’t come to a complete halt, but much of our industry and how it does business have changed and slowed in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on our society. With the ADA’s recommendation that dental practices postpone elective procedures and several states enforcing that recommendation, dentistry in

New campaign uses cognitive method to get kids to brush at night

Do you want to get more children brushing their teeth every night before they go to bed? Encourage your young patients and their parents to pair nightly oral hygiene with book reading for at least three weeks, according to new research. The research was conducted by Smile, an organization comprised of the oral care brands Pepsodent, Mentadent, P/S, Aim, Prodent, and Signal. Smile unveiled its new Brush, Story, Sleep campaign

Elephant gets root canal to alleviate tusk ache

An elephant in India has undergone a root canal to relieve pain from a longtime tusk injury. The elephant had 0.5 kg (about 1.1 lb) of flesh that grew within the fractured tooth removed prior to the procedure, according to an article in onmanoramaonline.com. P.B. Giridas, MD, and C.K. Jerish, DDS, recently performed the root canal treatment on the 50-year-old elephant named Shankarakulangara Udayan in Thrissur, which sits in the

Australia reports worse dental health in 2020

The percentage of Australian adults with periodontal disease and untreated caries is on the rise, according to a new report by the Australian Dental Association. The association’s Adult Oral Health Tracker survey found 32% of Australian adults had untreated tooth decay in 2019, an increase of more than five percentage points from 2018. The percentage of adults with periodontal pockets of at least 4 mm also rose dramatically, from 19.8%

AAO cancels annual meeting due to COVID-19

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has canceled its annual meeting, scheduled for May 1-4 in Atlanta, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Registered attendees will receive a fee refund, and exhibitors will also receive a refund (less an administrative fee) or a credit toward the 2021 meeting. Contributions to Donated Orthodontic Services will not be refunded, although they are tax-deductible. The association has no plans to reschedule a face-to-face meeting

Dentist pleads guilty to diverting oxycodone for own use

A dentist in Wisconsin has admitted to writing a prescription for oxycodone to his dental hygienist and then having her divert the painkillers to him for his personal use, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin. Christopher Kania, DDS, whose dental practice is permanently closed, pleaded guilty on March 12 in U.S. District Court in Madison to obtaining oxycodone by use of misrepresentation, fraud, and