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 technology has advanced tremendously in the past few decades, and it continues to move forward at a rapid pace as new materials and techniques are constantly being introduced. A wide variety of appliances are now being used in the treatment of countless conditions, and many of these innovative devices are manufactured from plastics. While plastics offer numerous advantages to...

Several states have made it legal for patients to use cannabis for medical purposes and recreational use. As a result, the rate of cannabis use has risen significantly across the nation. New research suggests that frequent cannabis use can have a negative impact on a person's oral health. The study, which was published in the Journal of Substance Abuse, revealed...

It's not uncommon for professional athletes to treat their body like a temple. From meticulous diet plans to vigorous exercise routines, elite athletes understand what it takes to keep their bodies in optimal condition so that they are more likely to achieve their goals. Based on the above assumptions, it was surprising to learn that this was not necessarily the...

Tooth whitening is growing ever more popular, not to mention lucrative, in the dental industry. According to statistics, 38.29 million Americans used tooth whiteners in 2019, and that number is predicted to increase by 2023. Whether whitening occurs in-office or out-of-office, applied whitening gels contain varying concentrations of carbamide or hydrogen peroxide as active agents (concentrations commonly used for in-office whitening...

The American Dental Hygienists' Association recently published an article, "Variations in Periodontal Diagnosis Among Clinicians: dental hygienists' experiences and perceived barriers," in their June 2018 edition. The purpose of the study was to investigate how different clinicians face barriers when they try to use evidence-based protocols to diagnose and treat periodontal disease. The researchers wanted to understand how the dental hygienists'...

Researchers at the West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia have recently discovered a gender disparity among young dental patients. According to their research, female children were more likely to have at least one tooth missing than their male peers. The study was recently published in the April 2019 edition of the Journal of Dental Hygiene under the title, "Hypodontia,...

In nearly all oral surgeries, blades are common tools. But these tools cannot distinguish between diseased and healthy tissues. And that's why they may result in unnecessary damage, pain and longer recovery times. It is also one of the reasons why a dental appointment often instills fear in most patients. Add the fear of surgery to that appointment, and most...

Every year, advances in medical and dental research uncover new ways in which a healthy oral cavity contributes to overall health and vice versa. Many of the bacteria we once thought were limited to the mouth and throat have been discovered to play important roles in health or disease conditions throughout the body. For decades, periodontitis has been positively linked...