More than 36,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms for preventable oral health conditions cost the Massachusetts health care system between $14.8 million and $36 million in 2014, according to a new Health Policy Commission report. Sixty percent of the the 36,060 preventable oral health visits to emergency departments were made during traditional weekday business hours … Read more
College students are failing to show up for vital dental checks forcing some to face painful and expensive consequences. Blenheim dental therapist Andrea Carr revealed some days up to half her patients failed to show for scheduled appointments. And many have to seek urgent care later on, she says. She is appealing for teenagers not … Read more
Dentists have long taught people the benefits of flossing as part of good oral health. A new made in Manitoba study put the practice under the microscope and the results are surprising. Dentists actually asked some of their patients to stop flossing and now their work is changing the way some people clean between their … Read more
A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study in 45 women with pregnancy gingivitis showed that supplementation of L. reuteri Prodentis significantly reduced inflammation and plaque compared to placebo. “Our study shows that L. reuteri containing lozenges may be a valuable adjunct in the control of pregnancy gingivitis”, says Professor Ulrich Schlagenhauf, Department of Periodontology, University Hospital Würzenburg, … Read more
This article is the second in a series for Oral Health. The first article was published in the August 2015 issue, with the title “Surgical Risk Factors in Implant Dentistry: Influence on Failures and Bone Loss”. Table 1 in this article, organizes risk factors in implant dentistry into four categories. These were introduced in the … Read more
There may be sparse evidence in the medical literature that flossing helps prevent cavities and gum disease, but the Canadian Dental Association says that, for dentists, the proof is in a patient’s mouth. The Associated Press looked at the most rigorous research over the past decade and found the evidence of flossing having benefit was … Read more
Bringing “virtual dental homes” to schools, nursing homes and long-term care facilities can keep people healthy — reducing school absenteeism, lessening the need for parents to leave work to care for an ailing child, and helping to prevent suffering for millions of people who have no access to a dentist, a six-year study by University … Read more
Cancer patients are found to face oral health problems like dryness of mouth, change in sense of taste, mouth sores, difficulty in swallowing, breaking of teeth and pain in gums, especially as they undergo chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. These are often neglected leading to problems like gum diseases and oral complications, which are addressed at … Read more
According to a study carried out at the University of Helsinki, an infection of the root tip of a tooth increases the risk of coronary artery disease, even if the infection is symptomless. Hidden dental root tip infections are very common: as many as one in four Finns suffers from at least one. Such infections … Read more
It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: Floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities. Except there’s little proof that flossing works. Still, the federal government, dental organizations and manufacturers of floss have pushed the practice for decades. Dentists provide samples to their patients; the American Dental Association insists on … Read more
Five research projects that aim to improve our understanding of the human microbiome have been selected to receive the first round of funding from the University at Buffalo Community of Excellence in Genome, Environment and Microbiome (GEM). The projects, together awarded nearly $200,000, will study how the interplay of the human microbiome – the collection … Read more
People who are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are at a greater risk of developing mouth cancer, according to a new report. New research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has shown evidence that patients who have HCV were more than twice as likely to develop either cancers in mouth … Read more
An increasing percentage of American seniors are working rather than retiring. A recent report shows that almost 1 in 5 are working full time or part time; this amounts to 9 million Americans. The trend to seniors’ working is a long one (see chart) and contrasts with younger age groups where the percentage with jobs … Read more
Underserved Kentuckians living with HIV/ AIDS can continue to rely on comprehensive oral health care offered through the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, thanks to $2 million in federal funding. The funding has been awarded to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Department for Public Health HIV/AIDS Services Branch, Ryan White Part … Read more
The Minnesota Dental Association and the Minnesota Dental Foundation, in partnership with the North Dakota Dental Association and the North Dakota Dental Foundation, hosted its Minnesota Mission of Mercy on July 22 and 23 in Moorhead, providing free dental care to children and adults who face barriers to accessing dental care. This fifth Mission of Mercy event held in Minnesota delivered free dental care valued at over $1 … Read more
An ongoing investigation in to a Memphis area dentist by the Shelby County Health Department continues to reveal unsettling details. Dr. Alfred Brown’s SPT Dental Clinic was closed by the SCHD on July 1 after officials discovered unsanitary conditions. The investigation identified breaches in infection control which may have put patients at risk for Hepatitis … Read more
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) joined the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity’s (AO) Columbus, Ohio, chapter in recognizing 13 area oral health professionals for their participation in a program that provides free dental care to Holocaust survivors in need. The Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program was launched in November 2014 in response to … Read more
Many Syrian Refugees arriving in Canada are in urgent need of basic healthcare like dental work. They suffer from gum infection, tooth decay, and rotten or discoloured teeth. On Friday, Algonquin College opened their clinic to Syrian Refugees to offer free dental services. Khaled Gonaym said it was his first visit to the dentist since coming … Read more
New Program Reinforces Company’s Commitment to Provide Future Dental Professionals With State-of-the-Art Equipment, Technology and Training to Succeed in Digital Era of Dentistry Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, announced the opening of the Henry Schein Digital Dentistry … Read more
Biostage, Inc. (BSTG), a biotechnology company developing bioengineered organ implants to treat cancers and other life-threatening conditions of the esophagus, bronchus and trachea today announced significant, pre-clinical data, including the complete regeneration of a segment of the esophagus, from its collaborative large-animal study of its Cellspan™ organ implants with Mayo Clinic. Biostage will review this … Read more