Bacteria flowing through medical devices form biofilms that then trap more bacteria, ultimately creating a net-like barrier that can clog water lines, tubes, and filters much more quickly than previously thought, according to a new study from Princeton University researchers. The microbes join to create slimy ribbons of biofilm that tangle and trap other passing bacteria, creating a full blockage in a startlingly short period of time, according to researchers

A survey of state Medicaid early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPSDT) guidelines shows there is a reasonable level of adherence across the U.S. to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommendations for infant and toddler oral health practices (Journal of the American Dental Association, March 2013, Vol. 144:3, pp. 297-305) However, the information on some of the states’ EPSDT guidelines can be hard to find and is

Headline-grabbing news from Switzerland this week has its roots in a defunct toothpaste company. According to an article in the Atlantic Wire, Thomas Minder — the Swiss Parliament member who was behind the “fat cat initiative” limiting executive pay by large corporations recently approved by voters — had an ax to grind after his family’s herbal toothpaste business went down with the collapse of Swissair in 2006. Minder’s company had

Children with developmental disabilities often have higher rates of oral diseases because they have oral aversions or are unable to find dentists who are comfortable treating them, according to a new study in Pediatrics (February 25, 2013). Children with developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and craniofacial anomalies have a greater risk of developing dental disease, according to researchers at the University of Virginia in