News

Researchers spotlight garlic extract mouthwash as possible alternative to chlorhexidine

by Oral Health
A new review finds high-concentration garlic extract shows antimicrobial effectiveness comparable to chlorhexidine. (iStock)

Garlic’s pungent smell may not make it an obvious candidate for a mouthwash, but a new review suggests the bulb’s extract could offer a promising antimicrobial alternative to chlorhexidine. The findings, published this month in the Journal of Herbal Medicine, highlight growing interest in plant-based formulations as concerns mount over side-effects and long-term antimicrobial resistance … Read more

Bariatric surgery raises risk of gum and tooth disease — researchers urge integrated dental care

by Oral Health
Nearly 600,000 bariatric procedures were recorded worldwide in 2023, according to IFSO. (iStock)

A new study in the International Dental Journal suggests patients who undergo bariatric surgery (BaS) face a significantly increased risk of periodontal and dental disease — prompting calls for integrated medical–dental aftercare. Although bariatric surgery is often hailed for dramatic weight loss and metabolic benefits, the authors note mounting evidence of unintended consequences for oral … Read more

Tooth decay rising in England, first adult clinical survey in more than a decade finds

by Oral Health
Survey by King’s College London shows tooth decay in England is now worse than in 2009, affecting nearly two-thirds of adults and signalling a growing access crisis across NHS dental services. (iStock)

King’s College London announced on Tuesday results of the 2023 Adult Oral Health Survey (AOHS), the first clinical survey of adult oral health in England since 2009. According to lead academic Jenny Gallagher MBE, the findings are alarming. Roughly 64 per cent of adults showed clinical signs of tooth decay — a largely preventable disease. … Read more

Crown says Calgary dentist could face up to 3 years in prison for insurance fraud

by Oral Health
“I get that she’s sorry,” said presiding judge Gord Wong. “It’s less impactful at this stage in the game.”(iStock)

At a sentencing hearing Friday, Crown prosecutor Greg Whiteside told court that Calgary dentist Alena Smadych could receive a prison sentence of up to three years after admitting she submitted nearly $684,348.10 in falsified dental-insurance claims between 2013 and 2023, different media outlets reported. Smadych, 55, previously owned All About Family Dental — once identified … Read more

Northwest Territories allows dental hygienists to work independently

by Oral Health
The regulatory change stems from a private member’s bill introduced in March 2023 by MLA Caitlin Cleveland. (iStock)

As of Monday, dental hygienists in the Northwest Territories now have the legal right to practise without supervision by a dentist, its government announced. Under the first phase of the newly enacted Dental Hygiene Profession Regulations — a change anticipated since 2023. Previously, all dental hygienists had to operate under the direction and control of … Read more

Dentalcorp securityholders approve acquisition by GTCR-affiliated funds

by Oral Health
“Oral Science is a Canadian success story much like our own,” says René Goehrum, president and CEO of BioSyent. (iStock)

The securityholders of Dentalcorp (TSX: DNTL) have approved a plan of arrangement under which an acquisition vehicle controlled by U.S. private-equity firm GTCR LLC will buy all of the company’s subordinate- and multiple-voting shares for C$11.00 per share. The vote took place at a special meeting on Thursday. The acquisition, first announced in September, will … Read more

Low maternal vitamin D tied to early childhood cavities — large Chinese cohort finds link

by Oral Health
Previous research had linked maternal vitamin D deficiency to enamel defects and early caries in children — but results varied across studies and populations. (iStock)

A new prospective study of more than 4,100 mother–child pairs suggests that maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy may play a significant role in shaping children’s early-life dental health — with low vitamin D linked to notably higher odds of early childhood caries (ECC). Researchers from Zhejiang University followed 4,109 pregnant women (enrolled between 2011 … Read more

NDP questions why dentist with ties to Ford government received $2M in training funds

by Oral Health
The Ford government is facing questions from the NDP over a clinic that received $2 million in Skills Development Fund financing. (iStock)

NDP Leader Marit Stiles pressed the Ontario government Monday over why a dentist with alleged personal ties to Premier Doug Ford received $2 million through the province’s Skills Development Fund (SDF). During Question Period, Stiles asked the premier to explain “why his close personal friend and dentist… got $2 million from this government,” saying images … Read more

Tooth decay rates unchanged in Canada for 15 years, new national data show

by Oral Health
Clinical assessments collected in the 2022–24 Canadian Health Measures Survey reveal stable rates of tooth decay and rising gum inflammation. (iStock)

New data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) suggest Canadians are retaining more of their natural teeth than they were 15 years ago, but indicators of gum disease have worsened sharply. The findings, released Monday by Statistics Canada, are based on the first set of clinical oral-health assessments collected since 2007–09. Cycle 7 of … Read more

U of A expands culturally grounded dental care in Métis communities with $2.6-million federal grant

by Dina Al-Shibeeb, Oral Health Group
Members of the Access for All team during a recent trip to a remote Alberta community. (Photo supplied)

The University of Alberta’s Access for All program — a non-profit mobile dental clinic that became an elective course for dentistry and dental hygiene students last year — has secured $2.6 million in federal funding to expand culturally grounded care in rural Métis communities. The funding, approved in July after a year-long competitive process, will … Read more

N.B. Dental Society says staff shortages limiting impact of CDCP

by Oral Health
New Brunswick received $552,011 in OHAF grants for two dental-training projects, support Blanchard says will help but won’t quickly ease staffing shortages. (iStock)

The New Brunswick Dental Society says staffing shortages are undermining the full impact of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), with some patients now waiting up to 10 months for routine care. In an interview with local outlet Country94, executive director Paul Blanchard said about 85 to 90 per cent of dentists in the province … Read more

Study links typical fluoride exposure to modestly better cognitive performance in U.S. adolescents

by Oral Health
Public-health agencies in both Canada and the United States recommend an optimal fluoride concentration of 0.7 mg/L. (iStock)

U.S. children exposed to fluoride concentrations typical of community water systems show “modestly better” cognitive performance in secondary school, according to a new national study. Published Nov. 19 in Science Advances, the study—“Childhood fluoride exposure and cognition across the life course”—examined data from the nationally representative High School and Beyond cohort, which followed 26,820 students … Read more

U.S. plan to cap federal student loans would hit dental hygiene and other health programs

by Collin Binkley And John Seewer, The Associated Press
New Brunswick received $552,011 in OHAF grants for two dental-training projects, support Blanchard says will help but won’t quickly ease staffing shortages. (iStock)

A coalition of nursing and other health care organizations are angry over a Trump administration plan that could limit access to student loans in some cases. Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy, public health and some other fields would face tighter federal student loan limits under the plan because it doesn’t consider them … Read more

Health Canada invests $35M in 30 projects to expand dental training at 22 post-secondary institutions

by Oral Health
The University of Manitoba received the largest single award at $3,592,000. (iStock)

Health Canada has announced more than $35 million in funding for 30 projects across 22 post-secondary institutions to improve dental training, expand outreach and strengthen access to oral-health services nationwide. The funding—delivered over three years through the Oral Health Access Fund (OHAF)—is designed to support and complement the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) by improving … Read more

British Dental Association slams inquiry call into private dentistry

by Oral Health
“No one in the 21st century should be left in a situation where they cannot access a dentist,” says Health minister Stephen Kinnock. (iStock)

The British Dental Association (BDA) warned Wednesday that the decision by Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ask the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) to probe private-dentistry pricing is “merely a fig-leaf” for the failure to properly fund the National Health Service (NHS) in England. Reeves, who is set to unveil her budget next week, wrote to … Read more

Nova Scotia court acquits retired dentist accused of slapping young patients decades ago

by Oral Health
“I get that she’s sorry,” said presiding judge Gord Wong. “It’s less impactful at this stage in the game.”(iStock)

A Halifax provincial court judge on Thursday has acquitted the 83-year-old retired pediatric dentist Dr. Errol Gaum of assaulting four child patients for incidents alleged to have occurred in the 1970s and ’80s. The allegations gained public attention after former patients created a Facebook group titled The victims of Dr. ERROL GAUM (public), which had … Read more

Analysis links gum disease to higher risk of erectile dysfunction

by Oral Health
More men than women have gum disease. (iStock)

Severe gum disease may significantly increase the risk of erectile dysfunction, adding to growing evidence that oral health is closely linked to overall wellbeing, according to new analyses highlighted by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP). Periodontitis — an advanced form of gum disease — has long been associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis … Read more

Mothers’ cortisol levels during pregnancy tied to faster baby teething, study finds

by Oral Health
The timing of a baby’s first teeth may be shaped by hormone changes in late pregnancy, (iStock)

A new U.S. study suggests the hormonal environment of late pregnancy may influence when babies cut their first teeth — a finding researchers say could help explain why eruption timelines vary so widely in early childhood. The prospective cohort study, published in Frontiers in Oral Health, followed 142 mother–child pairs from late pregnancy through the … Read more

Study: Root canal treatments linked to better glucose control and lower systemic inflammation

by Oral Health
Successful root canal therapy lowers glucose levels and inflammation markers tied to diabetes and heart disease. (iStock)

Yet another clinical study is adding to growing evidence that oral infections can affect the whole body. Researchers from King’s College London report that patients with chronic root canal infections who received successful endodontic treatment showed improved blood sugar control, better lipid profiles and reduced systemic inflammation over two years. “Long-standing root canal infections can … Read more

US$6M in new NIH funding to find treatment for ‘growing’ oral cancer and its pain relief

by Oral Health
Oral squamous cell carcinoma develops in the lining of the mouth and makes up more than 95 per cent of all oral cancer cases, underscoring the urgent need for new therapies. (iStock)

Researchers at the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry have secured three National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants totalling US$6 million to improve oral cancer therapies, prevent treatment-related complications and develop better pain-relief strategies. Oral squamous cell carcinoma accounts for more than 95 per cent of oral cancer cases and carries a five-year survival … Read more