Dental Research

True pain of any kind is an immeasurable and incomparable phenomenon that affects everyone at various times of their lives. Pain comes from many sources, tangible or not, and when one of our patients comes into the office with pain, we must assume that said pain not only stems from actual physical pain but also from psychological problems and...

Scientists have long speculated about the prevalence of dental caries and their potential long-term risk factors among the geriatric population. Recently, the topic was further explored in an article titled, "Caries disease among an elderly population—A 10-year longitudinal study." The piece was published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, which is the official scientific peer-reviewed journal of the International...

A recent study has shown that a woman's oral health can be strongly linked to her menstrual cycle. The study noted that, even when women practice good oral hygiene, the hormonal changes created during menstruation can present harmful, short-term changes in the microbial load in saliva. Consuming sugar and smoking can make these changes even worse. About the Study The study, published...

It's common knowledge that poor dental health may lead to serious systemic complications when left untreated. However, scientists have gathered groundbreaking evidence that suggests advanced stages of periodontal disease can also affect a patient's mental health. The Journal of Clinical Periodontology recently published an article titled "Periodontal diseases and depression: A pre‐clinical in vivo study" that further explored this theory. A Closer...

If a child is not familiar with going to the dentist or unsure what treatments they will be subjected to, anxiety may arise but should mostly dissipate with age. When dental anxiety occurs in older teens, especially without a history of anxiety, there may be another problem that they are dealing with that we, and their guardians, may be...

Finding the Virus Vectors During the first year of the pandemic, there was growing worldwide consensus that COVID-19 was spread primarily through respiratory means. It was also shown quite early in the pandemic that transmission from presymptomatic/asymptomatic carriers was a virus vector as well. The reported respiratory studies drove the vast majority of research and focus to those areas, and reporting...

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system, which is responsible for protecting the body from harmful bacteria, starts to malfunction and attack healthy cells instead. The autoimmune and inflammatory disease can cause inflammation in the joint area of the knees, ankles, hands, and wrists. Patients may feel pain or stiffness when they move. The most common symptoms associated with...

Periodontitis is one of the most widespread preventable diseases in the world. A vast majority of studies, both qualitative and quantitative, looked at the association between periodontal disease and osteoporosis in geriatric populations. But what about the occurrence of periodontal disease and osteoporosis in adults that are currently determined to be 'middle-aged'? Are the two conditions related to someone...

The majority of our education in dentistry rightfully consists of increasing our patients' quality of life by addressing current dental issues and preventing future problems. We provide an essential service to our communities full of people who desperately need our help and guidance. At the same time, who is looking out for us? Our jobs can be very physical, which may...

To some, it may seem impossible that bad (virulent) bacteria in your mouth can affect memory cells in your brain. DNA researchers, however, discovered that bacteria in the mouth that cause periodontitis could move from the mouth to the brain. The most common periodontal bacteria found in patients with Alzheimer's is Porphyromonas gingivalis, also known as P. gingivalis. Data from...