Dental Research

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...

A particularly intriguing study from the field of anthropology may give modern dental practitioners a way to see if their patients are low on Vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced by the human body in the presence of sunlight and is necessary for bone growth and health -- including teeth. The fat-soluble vitamin is also needed for cell growth, immune system function...

Scientists at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York recently examined the facilitators and potential barriers to implementing Oral Rapid HIV testing in the dental setting. The test is very helpful for patients who are unaware of their positive HIV status. The study, "Oral Rapid HIV Testing: Implementation experiences of dental hygiene faculty and students," was published in the Journal...

Cancer Research, a journal by the American Association for Cancer Research, published an article which revealed a potential link between periodontal disease and esophageal cancer. Dr. Jiyoung Ahn, an Associate Professor and Associate Director for Population Science at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Center at New York University Langone Health, conducted a decade-long study focused on how oral bacteria can lead to...

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...

In a study released January 16, 2018, from the Health Sciences Campus at Tufts University, researchers are reporting a noticeable connection between gum disease and incidents of cancer. Connecting the Dots This study came about through the collaborative efforts between two epidemiologists, Dominique Michaud (Tufts University School of Medicine) and Elizabeth Platz (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Kimmel Cancer Center)....

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'...

Scientists at the School of Medicine at the University of Buffalo have conducted research which appears to prove patients who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can improve their health by taking better care of their oral hygiene. Their findings, "Benefits of Non‐Surgical Periodontal Treatment in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial," was...

Dentists play an active role in managing the dental pain of their patients. It's important for every dental professional to maintain a delicate balance between the side effects and benefits of opioid and non-opioid therapies while providing the best pain relief possible. New evidence was published in The Journal of the American Dental Association that will affect how dentists prescribe medication to...

There is perhaps nothing more unsettling than being diagnosed with cancer. It is often a frightening and stressful time in one's life, but survival rates are increasing. Over the years huge strides have been made in cancer research and medicine has found more effective cancer treatments. Also, cancer screenings have become more successful at detecting cancers in the body...