Teeth-whitening firm takes peroxide-free products to EU

White Smile Global has signed a distribution agreement with Institut Saint Paul for European distribution of the company’s peroxide-free teeth-whitening and oral health products. The contract allows Institut Saint Paul to distribute White Smile brand products throughout Europe, according to the company. White Smile Global is negotiating distribution agreements in other European Union countries, where the European Commission recently adopted amended regulations regarding teeth-whitening products. Under the amended regulations, teeth-whitening

Xylitol helps prevent ear infections

There is “fair evidence” to support the use of xylitol to prevent inner ear infections in healthy children, according to a meta-analysis in the Cochrane Library (November 9, 2011). In the new review, researchers at the University of Toronto sought to figure out whether there is sufficient evidence to support the use of xylitol to prevent ear infections. They searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled

$2M grant to fund tumor drug study

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Research Program has been awarded a $2 million grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals to develop a program to scientifically evaluate and define the clinical effectiveness of Afatinib in solid tumors, including breast, head and neck, and non-small cell lung cancers. The first phase of the program will involve the establishment of an NCCN Afatinib request for proposals development team to evaluate existing data

Whip Mix partners with Glidewell

Whip Mix and Glidewell Laboratories have formed a partnership that will enable Whip Mix to fabricate BruxZir full-contour zirconia restorations, Inclusive abutments, Inclusive bars, and other Inclusive restorative components for dental laboratories. Whip Mix is now one of only two authorized BruxZir milling facilities for laboratories located in the Eastern time zone.

High-tech mouthpiece measures head traumas in athletes

Members of the Stanford University football team are wearing mouthpieces equipped with tiny sensors to measure the force of head impacts during games and practices this season. The goal is to help scientists better understand what sorts of football collisions cause concussions, as well as whether any positions or particular plays are associated with a greater risk of these traumatic brain injuries. The impact-sensing mouthpieces, which were developed by X2

Parents sue Texas dental chain over ‘unnecessary treatments’

A group of parents in San Antonio has filed a lawsuit against Smile Center, a chain of dental clinics, alleging that their children were subjected to unnecessary and excessive treatments so the dental chain could “bilk” millions from Medicaid, according to a story in the San Antonio Express-News. The lawsuit, which was filed November 8 in Bexar County District Court, alleges “some children suffered physical injuries from dental instruments penetrating

U.K. oral cancer survival rates not improving

A professor of oral medicine at King’s College London has expressed concern about the lack of improvement in U.K. oral cancer survival rates compared with other cancers. The latest figures show a 41% increase in the occurrence of oral cancer in the U.K. in the last decade, according to Saman Warnakulasuriya, BDS, PhD. He expressed his concerns during a speech at the launch of November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, sponsored

FDA tells retailers to stop selling tobacco to minors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to more than 1,200 retailers regarding violations relating to selling tobacco to minors. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act gives the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products to prevent use by minors. One of the law’s provisions permits the FDA to contract with states and territories to conduct compliance check inspections of tobacco retailers. In 2011, the

XyliMelts help relieve dry mouth overnight

A self-adhering, slowly dissolving disk that releases xylitol, cellulose gum, and mild mint flavor has been found to be effective in relieving dry mouth during prolonged periods of sleep, according to a small study in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene (October 31, 2011). Many patients have a sensation of dry mouth (xerostomia) while they are awake, which generates serious complaints, but there are consequences of dry mouth during sleep

Study to examine hearing loss in dentists

Does listening to the whir of a dental handpiece all day lead to hearing problems for dentists? This is the focus of research being conducted by a doctoral student at East Tennessee State University, according to an Associated Press (AP) story. Krisztina Bucsi Johnson received $5,000 in funding from the National Hearing Conservation Association Foundation and is recruiting area dentists for the research, the AP reported. The study will be

New Calif. Medicaid cuts may affect kids’ dental services

In 2009, some 3 million adults in California lost their Medicaid dental benefits as the state struggled to close a severe budget gap. Now many of the state’s poorest children are facing potential cutbacks in Medicaid dental services as well. On October 27, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a state proposal to reduce Medi-Cal provider reimbursements by 10% in the 2012 fiscal year, retroactive to

Md. hygienist wins OSAP contest

Judith Runser, RDH, of Annapolis, MD, has won the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP) dental “Contagion” Contest. The contest encouraged dental professionals to use the movie “Contagion” as a “teachable moment” to discuss these issues with staff, students, and peers. Contestants were asked to submit the three actions they would immediately take if they learned that a pandemic was imminent. The OSAP global office drew one entry to