The sooner a person smokes a cigarette upon waking in the morning, the more likely he or she is to acquire lung or oral cancer, according to Penn State researchers in a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (March 29, 2013). “We found that smokers who consume cigarettes immediately after waking have higher levels of NNAL — a metabolite of the tobacco-specific carcinogen NNK — in their blood
Going forward, Heraeus Kulzer’s communications with dental professionals will emphasize the message “Giving a Hand to Oral Health,” conveying its support for dental practices and laboratories. The emphasis on hands is because they are dental professionals’ “most valuable assets,” explained Christopher Holden, Heraeus president, in a press release. These professionals are able to help patients with restorative and other treatments through the valuable combination of their hands and expertise, he
The ADA has released a statement saying it “strongly objects” to a March 28 segment of the “Dr. Oz Show” about dental amalgam, alleging that the show relied on sensationalism while ignoring sound science. The segment — titled “Are Your Silver Fillings Making You Sick?” — focused on conjecture rather than fact, according to ADA President Robert Faiella, DMD, MMSc. Producers for the show rejected requests by the organization to
Oklahoma health officials are notifying approximately 7,000 patients of a Tulsa oral surgeon about potential exposure to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. The surgeon was cited as a health “menace” after investigators found rusty instruments and lax sterilization procedures in his office. The state Board of Dentistry launched an investigation of W. Scott Harrington, DMD, on March 15 after being notified that Tulsa Department of Health officials were looking
Tom’s of Maine has introduced its new Naturally Clean toothbrush made with a plant-based handle from renewable castor oil plants instead of petroleum. It also has dye-free, multiheight bristles to clean between teeth and along the gumline. Made of bisphenol-A-free No. 7 plastic, the toothbrush is available with soft or medium bristles in green, blue, or purple hues with mineral-based pigments. It is recyclable through the Tom’s of Maine TerraCycle
Smokers have a richer population of microbes associated with periodontal disease than nonsmokers, according to research presented at the recent International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Seattle. Matthew Mason, an oral biology graduate student at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, described the efforts he and his co-investigators undertook to compare and characterize the oral microbial fingerprints of 100 smokers and 100 nonsmokers selected at random from
African-Americans with throat cancer who are positive for the human papillomavirus (HPV) have better outcomes than African-Americans without HPV, according to a new study in Clinical Cancer Research (March 26, 2013). African-Americans who are HPV-negative also fared worse than Caucasians both with and without HPV present in oropharyngeal cancer, concluded lead author Maria Worsham, PhD, from Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, and colleagues. “This study adds to the mounting
Heraeus Kulzer has launched the Venus Smile Store, allowing dental practices to sell the company’s Venus whitening and oral care products to patients online. The program gives practices a personalized Web store to which they can refer patients, generating profits for the practice while improving patient access to professional whitening and oral care products, according to the company. Heraeus manages the website for the practice, which receives a portion of
The dental hygiene program at Prairie State College (PSC) in Chicago Heights, IL, has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements” by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The PSC program must be reaccredited every seven years; the next site visit for the program is 2019, according to the college. The dental hygiene program at PSC is an 82-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree that prepares graduates to
White-spot lesions (WSLs) are a source of ongoing frustration for many orthodontists and patients. While a number of solutions are at the disposal of an orthodontist, are any of them truly effective? A new systematic review examined the impact one popular treatment approach — remineralizing agents — has on WSLs (American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, March 2013, Vol. 143:3, pp. 376-382.e3). While several randomized clinical trials have studied
The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) has two new “Super Sponsorship” partners in Air Techniques and Biolase. OSAP’s membership program unites a committed community of clinicians, educators, consultants, associations, policymakers, and companies working together for safe oral healthcare. Super Sponsor status offers the most inclusive relationship with OSAP, allowing access to publications, meetings, and programs, the organization explained. Super Sponsors receive strategic partner recognition through placement in all
Maine House Speaker Mark Eves has sponsored a bill, LD 1230, designed to address the state’s dentist shortage with midlevel providers (MLPs), according to an article in the Boston Globe. MLPs would receive a specific license for preventive and limited oral care treatment if the bill passes. There are 15 counties in the state facing a lack of dentists, forcing residents to seek care in emergency rooms at a significantly
