Dental Research

Gum disease runs the range of being mildly uncomfortable to downright painful. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly half -- 47.2 percent -- of adults over age 30 have some form of periodontal disease. Caused by harmful oral bacteria that proliferate in our mouths, periodontal disease symptoms range from sensitive or bleeding gums to gums pulling...

Infection is one of the biggest risks of any surgical procedure, and no dentist wants his or her patients to suffer from ongoing problems. But according to a study of Minnesota dental patients in five counties, prescribing antibiotics as a "just in case" measure may have repercussions that dentists don't see. The results of the 7-year study, shared with attendees...

Dental anxiety may be dismissed by some individuals as inconsequential, but the reality is that dental anxiety can be crippling for those affected. Because of dental anxiety, individuals don't always receive the level of care needed to prevent and/or treat dental problems. As a result, minor concerns can become worse due to neglect, and major problems can linger and...

A recent study has periodontists, experts in the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of periodontal disease, encouraging patients to maintain gum health in an effort to reduce their Alzheimer’s disease risk. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, uncovered a potential link between P. gingivalis, the bacteria associated with periodontal disease (commonly known as gum disease) and Alzheimer’s. Researchers analyzed...

The composite resin materials that are used in fillings and other dental restorations are durable and easy to match to the tooth's enamel color, but they don't do anything special to repel the bacteria that led to decay in the first place. Further, they don't help eradicate harmful bacteria from forming on and around the new filling. Now, researchers...

According to research presented at the EuroPerio9 conference, coronary artery disease and periodontal disease share a mutual epidemiological relationship. The conference, which ran from June 20-23 in Amsterdam, was held by the European Federation of Periodontology. The non-profit organization focuses on sharing and promoting research related to periodontal health. Thirty individual national scientific societies of periodontology make up the European Federation of Periodontology. The lead researcher,...

Studies have found there is a strong correlation between pregnancy outcomes and a pregnant woman's oral health. The topic of how well health professionals know of this correlation was explored in a recent study titled "Evaluating Oral Health in Pregnant Women: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Health Professionals" which was published in the February 2019 edition of the Journal of...

Emerging research into the diagnostic phase of endodontics has exciting implications for emergency care, structural restoration, function, aesthetics, and most importantly--interdisciplinary care. Multidisciplinary dentistry has become essential for optimizing the patient outcome as well as the comfort and confidence of the clinician. The advances in technology afforded by thoughtful research allow for enhanced endodontic predictability. Learning endodontics techniques is an important method for...

Vaping e-cigarettes are fast becoming a popular alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. A recent study titled, "Cariogenic Potential of Sweet Flavors in Electronic-Cigarette Liquids," examined how the different e-cigarette flavors may affect a patient's oral health. The Rise of Vaping E-cigarettes E-cigarettes have various nicknames, including "e-cigs," "vapes" and "vape pens." E-cigarette devices come in many shapes and colors. Consumers can easily buy...

Researchers have found a new and exciting application for "magnetically driven" robots: to clean teeth. The Penn State scientists developed and examined two methods for using this technology to remove biofilm. One was through a tray that a patient would put in their mouth. The tray would be 3D printed, allowing the microbots to get in between the teeth. A patient would...