Dental Research

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...

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...

Researchers at Umea University in Sweden have recently released the results of a study that links highly virulent types of the Streptococcus mutans bacterium to children with increased risk of dental caries. The study, conducted over five years, sampled saliva from 452 children at 12 years of age and then reviewed their dental health again at 17 after five years of ordinary dental and...

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Periodontology revealed a potential link between Type 2 diabetes and dental hygiene. The results of the study will have a significant impact in the medical community, especially because Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90% of all diabetes cases and impacts over 30 million Americans according to the Center for Disease Control. A randomized clinical study...

The Journal of Dental Hygiene recently published a study that focused on a major occupational hazard commonly associated with dental professionals. The article, titled "Magnification and Coaxial Illumination in Dental Hygiene Education: Experience and Attitudes of Clinical Educators," discussed how dental professionals are more at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders and two potential prevention methods. About Musculoskeletal Disorders According to the World...

A recent thesis out of Sahlgrenska Academy (of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden) is convincingly positing the importance of proper dental hygiene education in battling rising obesity levels among children. Studying the Diets of Children Specifically, one of the sub-studies presented in the paper "Diets of European Children, With Focus on BMI, Well-being, and Families" looked into eating behaviors in addition...

A team of researchers from the University of Illinois Bioengineering department has helped advance the field of dentistry with their latest groundbreaking research. The scientists successfully sequenced the genomes of three different strains of Streptococcus sobrinus, a bacteria which is known to contribute to tooth decay. Their work was featured in the journal Microbial Resource Announcements, which is published by...

Fluoride varnish shows great promise for preventing tooth decay in young children, according to recent findings by researchers at the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. Below is more information about this important study and its implications for using fluoride varnish to protect the vulnerable teeth of young children. What Is Fluoride Varnish? Fluoride varnish is composed of concentrated fluoride mixed...

Researchers at the University of Florida in Gainesville have discovered another factor that can cause tooth erosion. According to recent data from their study, dry mouth lozenges may lead to tooth erosion due to their high level of acidity. A Closer Look at Tooth Erosion According to the American Dental Association, dental erosion occurs when excessive acid in the mouth causes tooth enamel...

It seems like science fiction, but researchers at The University of Nevada Las Vegas have developed a method for the harvestation of viable, preservable stem cells from tooth root pulp. The stem cells are then multiplied in Petri dishes and frozen for possible future use to treat any number of chronic illnesses. The multidisciplinary research team at UNLV has worked diligently to develop a...