A common oral bacterium associated with periodontal disease may drive the development and spread of breast cancer, particularly in genetically susceptible patients, according to new research from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. The study, published Jan. 15 in Cell Communication and Signaling, found that Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacterium commonly found in the oral cavity, … Read more
Two researchers from the University at Buffalo have received a two-year US$440,275 grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to study how salivary glands repair and regenerate after injury. Rose-Anne Romano, PhD, associate professor of oral biology in the University at Buffalo University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, is leading the … Read more
The University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry has secured a $2-million international research partnership aimed at advancing oral, dental and craniofacial science through collaboration with Brazilian researchers. The agreement with the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) will fund joint projects over five years, supporting 10 research grants annually for a total of 50 studies. The … Read more
Dental researchers have discovered that the primary bacterium driving gum disease carries an internal “genetic brake” that controls its own aggression — a finding that could open the door to targeted genetic therapies. Researchers at the University of Florida College of Dentistry say that by locking this brake in place, future treatments could silence Porphyromonas … Read more
Gum disease in children is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular complications in adulthood, according to a new Danish study of more than half a million children. Researchers analyzed data from 568,778 children born between 1963 and 1972 using records from the Danish Health Authority’s National Child Odontology Register (SCOR). They compared those records … Read more
The average carbon footprint of a single nitrous oxide — commonly known as laughing gas — sedation appointment is 28.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO₂e), equal to a 72.8-mile journey in a gasoline car, according to a study by the UCL Eastman Dental Institute at University College London. Researchers analysed data from 891 … Read more
An artificial intelligence (AI) dental algorithm has demonstrated 96.4% accuracy in helping orthodontists determine the best treatment approach for patients missing permanent second premolars — a common but complex clinical scenario, the University at Buffalo reported. While most children see their permanent second premolars erupt around age 11, between two and 11 per cent of … Read more
Diabetes screening in dental clinics could be a new frontline for early detection, study suggests. HbA1c values — the standard diagnostic marker for diabetes — rose progressively with worsening gum disease, from periodontal health to gingivitis to periodontitis, according to a cross-sectional study published Feb. 13 in the Journal of Dentistry. Researchers at King’s College … Read more
A prototype aimed at supporting gum healing using electromagnetic stimulation earned first place at the University of Toronto’s bioengineering competition, SmileHacks, on Saturday. Ten teams — primarily undergraduate students — presented ideas ranging from xerostomia solutions and gamified pediatric oral health tools to robotic automation designed to address staffing shortages in dental offices. The $800 first-place prize … Read more
A randomized clinical trial suggests sublingual wheatgrass extract may reduce acute dental pain more effectively than a commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. The study, published Feb. 4 in Odontology, compared the analgesic effects of sublingual wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) extract with piroxicam and a placebo. Researchers enrolled 45 patients … Read more
Researchers have generated a detailed multi-omics atlas of the human oral mucosa, revealing that the gingiva is organized into distinct immune zones that remain structurally intact even during inflammatory disease. The study, published Feb. 9 in Nature Immunology, describes a “remarkable immune zonation” at the tooth–gum interface, where a dynamic epithelium is underlined by a … Read more
The University of Toronto’s Biomedical Engineering Design Competition (BMEC) is expanding nationally for the first time this year, with dentistry and oral health selected as the central theme — an area drawing increased national attention. As of Dec. 31, more than six million Canadians have been approved under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), with … Read more
Regular dental care may significantly reduce the risk of a second ischemic stroke among patients with cardiovascular disease, according to research presented at the International Stroke Conference (ISC) 2026. One abstract showed that patients who visited a dentist at least once a year had a 39 per cent lower risk of secondary ischemic stroke compared … Read more
Is there a link between pollutant exposure and dental caries risk? Using artificial intelligence to analyze large U.S. health datasets, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say they have uncovered previously unrecognized patterns that broaden how dental caries risk may be understood. Researchers at Penn Dental Medicine analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition … Read more
Growing evidence suggests systemic inflammation may influence oral disease risk, with new findings from University at Buffalo researchers identifying a protein that helps regulate inflammatory pathways associated with aging, immune function and bone loss. The UB study, led by Keith Kirkwood, professor of oral biology and senior associate dean for research at the University at … Read more
Even with consistent brushing and flossing, some people develop more cavities than others — a difference that may be partly explained by genetics and the make-up of microbes in the mouth, according to a new study based on the largest collection of oral microbiome profiles to date. The study, led by scientists at the Broad … Read more
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded US$2.91 million to the Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) to investigate why dental implants sometimes fail and how those failures might be prevented. Dental implants made of titanium have been used successfully for decades to replace … Read more
Study links EGFR signalling to oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance, raising interest in repurposing existing cancer drugs to manage pain.
Acidifying oceans are damaging shark teeth, researchers report. The findings offer a stark reminder of how acidic environments can weaken tooth structure — even in nature’s most formidable predators.
Integrating oral health into primary care has long been a professional goal for Harvard alumna and physician-dentist Lisa Simon. That goal is now taking on a broader scope following Simon’s recent appointment as director of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine, a program focused on bridging the … Read more