Losing at least two teeth in middle age is linked to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to new research presented at a 2018 American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans. Researchers investigated tooth loss and heart disease incidence in more than 60,000 middle-aged U.S. adults for eight years. Based on their findings, study author Lu Qi, MD, PhD, thinks that inflammation may be the link between the
Dentsply Sirona has announced an agreement to acquire 3D technology company OraMetrix. OraMetrix offers an advanced CAD platform for improving orthodontic treatment and is best known for its SureSmile system. OraMetrix will become a complementary part of Dentsply Sirona’s orthodontics business unit, according to the company. The transaction price was not disclosed.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill on March 23 that includes billions of dollars in funding to combat the opioid epidemic. The new bill allocates an additional $2.6 billion specifically for opioid-related programs. The increase brings the total amount reserved for opioid abuse treatment, prevention, and research to $3.6 billion. The budget also boosted funds for multiple health agencies. The Department of Health and Human Services,
Potassium iodide (KI) may lessen the black staining associated with silver diamine fluoride (SDF) on restored teeth, according to research presented on March 22 at the 2018 American Association of Dental Research (AADR) meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL. “Silver diamine fluoride offers an alternative caries treatment paradigm that is quick and low-cost for low-income children and the elderly, such as those under nursing care,” study co-author Carolyn Primus, PhD, told
Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has been shown to reduce the bond strength of composite to dentin, but SDF does not have that same effect on resin-modified glass ionomer, according to research presented on March 22 at the 2018 American Association of Dental Research (AADR) meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL. “The most intriguing aspect of this research was discovering how technique-sensitive adhesive systems in dentistry are and how the introduction of
Does breastfeeding after introducing other dietary carbohydrates place children at greater risk for early childhood caries? Current recommendations are inconsistent. New research presented on March 22 at the 2018 American Association of Dental Research (AADR) annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL, examined this issue. Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics reinforce the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and children, although an American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry policy
Dear DrBicuspid Member, We continue our coverage of the 2018 American Association of Dental Research (AADR) meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with a study on ultrasonic toothbrushes, two presentations on the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and research on early childhood caries and breastfeeding. Patients often ask about the effectiveness of different toothbrushes. A pilot study presented at AADR found that ultrasonic toothbrushes appear to effectively remove plaque and
Dental trauma in sports may be more common than you think. To further develop injury prevention strategies, researchers investigated dental injury rates in young athletes playing medium- and high-risk sports, as well as the players’ awareness and use of strategies to minimize them. The investigators surveyed participants on water polo, karate, taekwondo, and handball teams about their dental injuries and prevention strategies. Among the results, they found that athletes often
Dental supply manufacturer Parkell has introduced a new universal adhesive. The Parkell universal adhesive is compatible with light-, self- or dual-cured resins and has a high bond strength with metal, composites, and ceramics. The product adheres to dentin and enamel regardless of etching technique, according to Parkell. The product comes in a package containing one 5-mL bottle of adhesive, disposable brushes, and a mixing dish.
Teeth become more translucent as we age, but is the same true for uncolored zirconia ceramic restorations? Researchers put four of these restorative materials through an aging process to find out if their translucency changed over time and if these changes were noticeable to the human eye. They reported that the translucency of all four materials decreased when put through the aging process, and that the translucency differed between the
Is there a link between missing teeth and a patient’s risk of developing diabetes? The findings of a new study, presented in a poster on March 19 at the 2018 Endocrine Society annual meeting, suggest there is. Researchers studied the records of more than 9,600 U.S. adults examined by dentists during the 2009-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). They found a progressive increase in the number of patients
An email about fad diets and bad breath was forwarded to me. This email claimed that some fad diets, including fasting and low-carb ones, could lead to dehydration and bad breath. This makes sense. But, there was an underlying intent. The ultimate purpose of the email was to promote a dentist-developed bad-breath lozenge, but I’ve already discussed how I feel about healthcare practitioners promoting products, so I won’t go into
