Oral Care

We're a few weeks into the new year, and it's likely that some of us have already slacked off our New Year's resolutions.

Vibrant, energetic and fitness-conscious, Sandy Wexler, a pediatric nurse who appeared to be in perfect health, was shocked to learn during her routine dental check up that she had a large suspicious lump on the right side of her neck. Sandy had not noticed anything different about her neck until that moment and thought it must be simply a swollen lymph node due to a subclinical infection of some kind. She assumed a course of antibiotics would easily remedy the situation.

Is it possible that our patients would be better served if we observed characteristics we assess on a daily basis through a fresh, clear lens? With the beginning of the New Year, we can achieve this one goal as a team of dental professionals.

Periodontal disease has been linked to a host of medical problems, but now researchers say there’s another risk to be added to the list: breast cancer. Recent research discovered that postmenopausal women with periodontal disease are more likely to develop the cancer than those without the oral health condition.

"It isn’t difficult, but it takes team cooperation, new thinking, and practice." That's the mantra from author Patti DiGangi in this article.

Dental professionals are a patient’s primary source of screening within the oral cavity; thus attention must be paid to the most common oral malignancy: squamous cell carcinoma. Historically such malignancies were attributed only to patients with a history of extensive alcohol and tobacco use. However, other risk factors such as human papilloma virus and medication use are shifting the profession’s perception of who may be at risk for oral cancer.

It’s common knowledge that eating the wrong things can be bad for one’s teeth – especially if proper oral hygiene is not observed afterward. However, the changing face of Americans’ diet has an impact beyond candy and cavities.

Despite the purveyance of articles online and on social media, I find some hygienists are still unaware of oil pulling.

A new study published in the scientific journal Advanced Functional Materials illustrated the possibility of 3D-printable teeth with antimicrobial properties, according to a recent New Scientist article.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.3 million Americans smoke tobacco from pipes, and many of those who smoke waterpipes, or hookahs, believe it’s less harmful than cigarettes.

As November is set aside as National Diabetes Month, special attention was paid to its effects on dental patients and what dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants should know during a panel discussion at the recent American Dental Association Annual Session in Washington, D.C.

During the 91st annual Greater New York Dental Meeting, the event’s organizers will be hosting the first International Oral Cancer Symposium on Saturday November 28th for all registered Greater New York Dental Meeting attendees.

Every day is the perfect day to screen for oral cancer, but, as we move into November, now is an excellent time to make preparations for Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (OHNC) Awareness month coming up in just 6 months.

When will we get it right? When will dentistry be more proactive in the screening and diagnosis of oral cancer? When will we remember that dysplastic tissues quite often become cancerous? When will we see oral cancer walks in all 50 states to raise awareness? If not now, when?

The Trojan horse ploy worked for the Greeks, and now it’s working for researchers, too. A team from the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine is employing the age-old strategy to combat a common oral fungus – and it appears they will win the battle.

When it comes to technology and the integration of it, there are many ways to skin the “Technology Cat.” For many, it might mean integrating computers into your daily clinical routine. Or it might mean finally embracing digital radiography and adding that component to your office armamentarium.

Visual Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vista Dental Products, is focused on developing transformative life changing technologies for cancer screening, detection and intervention through the use of molecular markers.

A new study could help dentists give caretakers better instructions for caring for children after dental anesthesia.

The debate about potential links between Alzheimer’s disease and dental infection and treatment has been grabbing headlines recently. Now, two researchers have examined an extensive collection of research and determined a potential correlation between the disease and oral bacteria.

The national average of number of adjunct oral cancer screenings billed under CDT D0431 per clinic has risen sharply. From 2012 to 2014, clinics performed an average of six to seven tests each month.

"The design of the nylon toothbrush has remained virtually unchanged for more than 70 years," said Cindy Yu, president of O'Nano Solutions. "Our vision is to reinvent past toothbrush designs using advanced technology and materials to bring a better toothbrush to the world. Because gum disease is epidemic, we wanted to focus our first designs on care for this population."

The event will take place in Frisco, Texas, from Nov. 13-14, 2015, and is designed to prepare dental professionals to care for the unique oral health needs of patients with cancer.

The reportedly devout Christian says he was victimized by a drug gang via email. He attempted to bring about 10 lbs. of cocaine, worth about $1 million, hidden in 27 bars of soap to Australia from India.

How much school missed: 18 percent of parents reported their children missed at least a half a day of school, while 4 percent said their children missed one day, 4 percent reported children missing two days and 6 percent said their children had to miss three or more days.

In the case of baby formula, the need to better understand human iron metabolism has become more urgent with the global popularity of formula and fortified cereals. Adding iron to formula has been an industry standard for decades, in part because about two billion people worldwide – mostly in developing nations – are thought to have chronic anemia and iron deficiency.

A new study is calling on dental teams to alert parents to the oral health risk of sharing spoons with toddlers at mealtimes.

Introducing Mint™, the world's first portable breath quality and hydration level detection product. 

Incorporating oral systemic health knowledge and practice is becoming more important when it comes to improved dental and medical patient care and outcomes. The growing use of “next generation” EHRs will support its adoption into practices and groups.

Are your patients lying to you about their oral hygiene habits? Probably so, says one new national survey. 

Brazilian researchers discovered that consumption of alcoholic beverages can have adverse effects on the health of a person’s gums, aggravating existing cases of severe periodontal disease or increasing periodontal disease risk factors.