A new report from the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe takes the European Union (EU) to task for not taking better care of its citizens’ oral health. Over half of the European population suffers from some form of periodontitis, with more than 10% having severe cases of the disease, the report found. Among Europeans ages 60 to 65, 70% to 85% have severe periodontitis. Oral cancer rates also
Vita is now offering of Vitapan Plus anterior teeth in 3D-Master shades. Vitapan Plus will now be available in 3D-Master shades 1M1, 2L1.5, 2M2, 3L1.5, 3L2.5, 3R2.5, 4M2, and 5M1 for greater shade matching options. Vitapan Plus can be combined with Vita Physiodens, Vita Lingoform, Vitapan Cuspiform, and Vita Synoform posterior teeth. Vitapan Plus is also economically efficient, the company noted, due to the availability of compact, comprehensive shade and
SAN FRANCISCO – The ADA kicked off its annual meeting this week by having150 volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental students provide 2,000 school children with oral health screenings, education, and treatment as part of the ADA’s Give Kids A Smile program. The three-day Give Kids A Smile program started Monday at the Gordon J. Lau Elementary School in San Francisco’s Chinatown, with students first getting an oral screening in a
With Halloween just around the corner and candy consumption is almost unavoidable as a result, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is offering recommendations on good and bad candy options. Worst: Chewy/sticky sweets, such as gummy candies, taffy, and even dried fruit, can be difficult for children and adults to resist and even more difficult to remove from teeth. “These candies are a serious source of tooth decay, particularly when
There is nothing like the feel of a new toothbrush. The fresh bristles really do what they are supposed to do, and the gingiva truly appreciates it. Regardless if you use a manual or power brush, the feel of a new brush is much different than one that is past its prime. Why would I wax poetically about a toothbrush? Something most of us give out to our patients on
A South Carolina lawmaker says the state should consider routine inspections of dental offices, as is done in 15 other states. But another legislator who’s also a dentist questions the need for such inspections, saying several state agencies already oversee the facilities and respond to complaints. State Sen. Harvey Peeler, who heads the state’s Medical Affairs Committee, recently said the Legislature should consider the idea of routine inspections that could
The makeup of bacteria in the oral cavity is driven more by environmental factors than genetics, according to a new long-term study of human twins by University of Colorado Boulder researchers (Genome Research, October 12, 2012). The study compared saliva samples from identical and fraternal twins to see how much “bacterial communities” in saliva vary from mouth to mouth at different points in time, according to lead author Kenneth Krauter,
Virginia will pay $100,000 to the family of a 6-year-old boy who died while under sedation at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Dental Faculty Practice in Richmond last year, NBC12 reported. The commonwealth maintained that it is not liable for the boy’s death, and a judge has yet to determine whether to approve the settlement, according to the news report. Jacobi Hill was anesthetized on May 11, 2010, to have crowns
A confidential agreement has been reached in a lawsuit filed against Merck, maker of the osteoporosis drug Fosamax, by a woman who claimed she suffered from Fosamax-related damages to her jaw. The plaintiff, Shirley Boles, first brought a claim against Merck in September 2009, alleging that the drug caused her to suffer from osteonecrosis of the jaw. That lawsuit resulted in a mistrial. In a subsequent trial in June 2010,
How2Media, producers of the TV show “World’s Greatest!…”, has selected Dental R.A.T. to appear on the TV series. “World’s Greatest!…” is a 30-minute show that highlights companies and their products from around the world. Dental R.A.T. has patented products that help combat cross-contamination, one of which is a foot-operated computer mouse allowing hands-free computer access, the company noted in a press release. As part of the show, How2Media will be
Patients who lose their ability to speak after surgical treatment for throat cancer may be able to regain that ability much more quickly thanks to a new device developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS). A project led by Chui Chee Kiong of the NUS department of mechanical engineering and David Lau, consulting ENT surgeon at Raffles Hospital, reduces a two-week waiting time before patients can speak
Mass spectrometry presents a unique method for analyzing gingival crevicular fluidas a source of biomarkers for predicting periodontal disease progression, according to a new study in the Journal of Periodontal Research (October 11, 2012). Researchers from the University of Melbourne used mass spectrometry to examine the relationship between the relative amounts of proteins and peptides in gingival crevicular fluid and their relationship with clinical indices and periodontal attachment loss in