Less peroxide, more time triumph in whitening strip study

A new study has pitted an experimental 9.5% H2O2 whitening strip against a 10% H2O2 strip to see which one was more effective. The researchers from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and other universities have definitive results in their study published in the Journal of Dentistry (article in press; uncorrected proof published online December 10, 2012). The two-hour regiment for the 9.5% H2O2 high-adhesion whitening strip (the experimental

Vineyard collects carbon emissions for toothpaste

A French vineyard is working to reduce its carbon footprint with a strategy to capture carbon dioxide emitted during grape fermentation and convert it into sodium bicarbonate used for toothpaste, according to a report by Clean Technica. The owner of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux intends to sell the sodium bicarbonate they make to pharmaceutical companies. The effort could lead to new revenue streams for winemakers, the article noted.

Lollipops with licorice-root extract inhibit perio pathogens

Sugar-free lollipops containing glycyrrhizol A successfully beat back the prominent oral pathogens Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotella intermedia, at least in the laboratory. A University of Iowa team presented a study last month at the International Association for Dental Research’s 2013 annual meeting showing that a solution made from dissolved glycyrrhizol-A-containing sugar-free herbal lollipops inhibits the growth of these three types of oral bacteria. The solution did not, however,

Biolase expands dental laser patent portfolio

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Biolase a new patent for its noncontact handpiece for cutting hard and soft tissue with the WaterLase all-tissue laser. Patent No. 8,403,922, Non-Contact Handpiece for Laser Tissue Cutting, further expands Biolase intellectual property position in all-tissue laser dentistry. Biolase currently has 182 issued and 162 pending U.S. and international patents. Biolase’s noncontact laser handpiece is the only one that is user-replaceable with

OHA receives $21K toothbrush donation

Oral Health America (OHA) has received a Church & Dwight donation of nearly 5,000 Arm & Hammer Spinbrush toothbrushes to benefit the Smiles Across America (SAA) program supporting school-based and school-linked oral health programs. The donation is valued at more than $21,000, the organization noted in a press release. Spinbrush is a battery-powered toothbrush brand offering various power brushing options for kids, tweens, and adults. Spinbrush Kids’ products have been

3M, Biomet 3i work to simplify digital implant process

3M ESPE is partnering with Biomet 3i to simplify the all-digital implant workflow process. Combining the 3M True Definition scanner with the Biomet 3i BellaTek Encode impression system allows a custom implant abutment and final crown to be designed from a single digital scan, according to the companies. The combination enables the dentist to use a small wand in the patient’s mouth to digitally capture an impression of the dental

Gene mutation linked with thyroid cancer

The genetic mutation BRAF V600E is significantly associated with increased cancer-related death among patients with papillary thyroid cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 10, 2013, Vol. 309:14, pp. 1529-1530). However, because overall mortality with papillary thyroid cancer is low and the association was not independent of tumor characteristics, how to use this information to manage mortality risk in thease patients is unclear,

Fla. dentists help young students prepare for test

Florida Dental Association (FDA) member dentists recently helped some 2,500 third-graders prepare for statewide testing by providing materials to educate the children and their families about good dental health habits. The Florida Dental Health Foundation (FDHF), the charitable arm of the Florida Dental Association, partnered with the state health department and dental program to distribute Florida Comprehensive Assessment Practice (FCAT) materials in several counties that are intended to increase the

Why don’t more U.S. orthodontists offer teeth whitening?

Most orthodontists in the U.S. see patients who are interested in teeth whitening as well, but very few provide those services themselves, according to a new study in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics (April 2013, Vol. 143:4(suppl), pp. S64-S71). While the demand for teeth whitening has grown almost exponentially in the last 20 years, there are no published reports regarding how orthodontic practices in the U.S. utilize

What caused Calif. man’s death during third-molar surgery?

Authorities are looking into a San Diego man’s death last month during what was considered a routine third-molar extraction procedure. On March 21, Marek Lapinski, 24, underwent surgery in the care of Steven Paul, DDS, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Temecula, CA. In the midst of the surgery, Lapinski began to cough, was administered propofol, and subsequently went into cardiac arrest, according to news reports. Paramedics were called, they

Maine dentists oppose dental therapist bill

Some 100 dentists from across Maine visited the State House April 11 to express their opposition to a bill that would allow dental hygiene therapists to practice in the state, the Kennebec Journal reported. LD 1230, “An Act to Improve Access to Oral Health Care,” was introduced by House Speaker Mark Eves (D-North Berwick), and is intended to bring oral care to Maine’s rural areas. Those in the new role

Operation Smile, Smile Train partner on Rwanda Smiles

Smile Train and Operation Smile are launching Rwanda Smiles, an initiative to create a cleft-free Rwanda. The joint effort is in collaboration with the government of Rwanda to create the first-ever cleft-free country in Africa. To create a cleft-free Rwanda, the medical infrastructure of the country will be enhanced so that children born with clefts in the future will have access to ongoing cleft care, the organizers noted. Through Rwanda