IBC Foundation awards $50K to Kids Smiles

The Independence Blue Cross (IBC) Foundation is donating $50,000 to Kids Smiles nonprofit children’s dental centers to help expand services at their west Philadelphia location. The foundation’s support will help Kids Smiles add three new dental chairs, increasing the total to 10, and introduce digital x-rays and record management to the office. In its west and southwest Philadelphia locations, Kids Smiles currently accepts 1,150 patients per month, approximately 30% of

Delta Dental gives $1.5M to support special needs in NJ

Delta Dental of New Jersey has given a $1.5 million gift to the Foundation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to expand and modernize the New Jersey Dental School’s Special Care Center to increase access to quality dental care for patients with severe cognitive or physical impairments. The new center will have eight dedicated operatories and a private reception area. It will be built alongside the

Smoking turns body against helpful oral bacteria

Smoking causes the body to turn against its own helpful bacteria, leaving smokers more vulnerable to disease, according to a study published in Infection and Immunity (November 2011, Vol. 79:11, pp. 4730-4738). Researchers from Ohio State University (OSU) found that the mouth of a smoker is a much more chaotic, diverse ecosystem, and is much more susceptible to invasion by harmful bacteria than that of a nonsmoker. The study results

FDA issues warning about battery-powered toothbrushes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to consumers that certain electric toothbrushes can break during use and cause serious injuries. The alert specifies the battery-powered Arm & Hammer Spinbrush, known as the Crest Spinbrush prior to 2009, according to a consumer update from FDA Consumer Health Information. “It’s important that consumers know how to avoid the risks associated with using the Spinbrush,” said Shumaya Ali,

The pros and cons of oral bacteria

The mouth provides a hospitable environment for many microorganisms. It is warm, nutrient-rich, continuously bathed with saliva, and has a pH of between 6.75 and 7.25. Hence the oral cavity is home to a rich microbiota, most of which are beneficial organisms and live in harmony with each other and the host. Section nav Sections DrBicuspid Salivary Diagnostics Moves Iinto the Mainstream Shedding Light on the Link Between Periodontitis, Diabetes,

Company to debut cosmetic ‘tooth paint’

NuDent will introduce a cosmetic “tooth paint” called Whiten-10 at next week’s Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. The temporary paint can be applied to teeth in a way similar to the application of nail polish on fingernails, according to the company. The paint adheres to natural teeth and dental modifications, such as porcelain crowns, veneers, bondings, anterior restorations, and denture teeth. It also does not impact the integrity of the

Salivary diagnostics moves into the mainstream

Will oral health providers one day be able to scout for evidence of systemic disease in the time it takes to clean a patient’s teeth? It’s an ever-likely scenario, according to those at the forefront of salivary diagnostics research. Section nav Sections DrBicuspid Salivary Diagnostics Moves Iinto the Mainstream Shedding Light on the Link Between Periodontitis, Diabetes, CVD, and More The Pros and Cons of Oral Bacteria Inflammation Key to

Start-up uses visible light to balance biofilm bacteria

The average individual already counts a toothbrush and floss among their tools for maintaining a healthy mouth. PhotOral, a new company based in Lexington, MA, is hoping that its unique technology will soon be added to that list. Using concepts originally developed by researchers at the Forsyth Institute, PhotOral is working to create an intraoral device that uses blue light of the appropriate wavelength and dosimetry to restore homeostasis in

Inflammation key to understanding periodontal disease

In the quest to better understand the causes of periodontal disease, researchers are making big strides on two key fronts: understanding the nature of the bacteria that stimulate gingival inflammation, and the genetic and physiologic foundations that can determine the body’s response to that stimulus. Section nav Sections DrBicuspid Salivary Diagnostics Moves Iinto the Mainstream Shedding Light on the Link Between Periodontitis, Diabetes, CVD, and More The Pros and Cons

FTC grants stay on NC teeth-whitening issue

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has agreed to stay enforcement of its finding that the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners’ efforts to block nondentists from providing teeth-whitening services violate antitrust laws. The stay, issued February 10, was granted to give the board a chance to have the case heard by an appellate court. The board asserted that a decision issued last July by a FTC judge would

NJ dentist investigated for 2nd child’s death

Two New Jersey families whose children died during visits to the same dentist are seeking a criminal investigation into the deaths, NJ.com reported. The families have hired an attorney together. Last week, Juan Quiej, age 3, died after going into cardiac arrest during a procedure to address caries while under local anesthesia, according to the article. He had been restrained in a papoose when he went limp, his lips turned

Shedding light on the link between periodontitis, diabetes, CVD, and more

After more than three decades spent exploring the connections between periodontal disease and other diseases and health conditions, Robert Genco, DDS, PhD, believes he’s got the big picture. Section nav Sections DrBicuspid Salivary Diagnostics Moves Iinto the Mainstream Shedding Light on the Link Between Periodontitis, Diabetes, CVD, and More The Pros and Cons of Oral Bacteria Inflammation Key to Understanding Periodontal Disease Return to Content *:focus { outline: 0; }