Periodontics

A new study jointly led by the University of Southampton and King’s College London has found a link between gum disease and greater rates of cognitive decline in people with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Alan Pollack was named president of Academy of Osseointegration at the group's recent meeting in San Diego.

In recent months, gum disease has been linked to increasing number of major health problems - and researchers have now discovered another illness to add to the list.

There’s been a lot of buzz about oral systemic health in the news lately, and for good reason: A whole host of new discoveries have pinpointed that poor oral health is linked to some very serious medical conditions - and that treating oral health conditions could potentially serve as a preventative measure.

New findings from the University of Birmingham show that patients with chronic kidney disease patients and periodontitis have a higher mortality rate than those with chronic kidney disease alone.

In a recent study published by the Journal of Dental Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at 52.79% and 51.10% respectively, New Mexico an d Hawaii have the United States’ highest prevalence of periodontal disease.

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.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) issued nine special recognitions to members for their contributions to the periodontal specialty.

Oravital Inc., which recently launched the Oravital® periodontal and breath odor diagnosis and treatment system into the U.S. professional dental market, will make its debut at the Greater New York Dental Meeting at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at Booth No. 3838 from Nov. 29-Dec. 2.

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.

Any dental procedure comes with the chance of infection, but a recent study out of Sweden has discovered that patients with dental implants run a high risk – and that several contributing factors can exacerbate this risk.

LVI Clinical Instructor Dr. Jim McCreight and Tanya Dunlap, managing director at Perio Protect LLC, team up at the International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics (IAPA) conference held at the Las Vegas Institute on Friday, Oct. 23, to present the course Kill 'em Quick, Dead and Often.

A new study led by University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine researchers demonstrates that a protein called Del-1, can inhibit bone loss associated with periodontitis.

A recent study in Germany examined a group of over 23,000 subjects to explore the relationship between cigarette smoking, smoking cessation and rates of tooth loss.

Blueberries are a popular snack, but do their benefits go beyond their satisfying taste? Absolutely, says a new study by the American Chemical Society, which found that blueberries could help treat periodontitis and reduce the need for antibiotic therapy.

He’s a 30-something professional with impeccable home care, routine professional dental care and seemingly excellent overall health. He has never smoked. He eats well and gets plenty of exercise

Maya Angelou once said, “When you know better, you do better.” This quote echoes a simple and forgiving truth in all aspects of patient care; it’s about lifelong learning. When it comes to periodontal therapy, both clinician and patient benefit from heeding this poignant statement of awareness.

The dentists were shown a picture of the President's smile during the White House Correspondents Dinner in Apri and asked to supply a diagnosis. They were given a cropped photograph and not told the identity of the smile.

“Jedes kind kostet die mutter einen zahn,” says an old German saying; “every child costs the mother one tooth.” While many people dismiss old wives tales, this is one that has some basis in reality: According to researchers at New York University, the risk of tooth loss and gum disease increases with the number of children a woman bears.

While stretching out in the sun this summer has its cancer-causing risks, it can also ensure a healthier smile. Research has found that a healthy dose of sunlight could actually help stave off gum disease and increase gum health.

Implants have become increasingly popular over the last 25 years due to the flexibility in accommodating different configurations of teeth and prevention of underlying bone loss1.

According to new guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA), dentists treating patients with chronic periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss, are advised to use scaling and root planing (SRP), deep cleaning of the teeth, as initial treatment.

“…In the future, regenerative therapies could be as simple as the local delivery of regenerative molecules placed subgingivally to promote repair of periodontal and gingival defects. New drug delivery systems to stimulate wound repair of soft tissue and extraction defects may be as simple as applying medicaments directly to wounds..."

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. 

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center reported that treating gum disease reduced symptoms of prostate inflammation, called prostatitis.

A recent study found that tooth loss could be a predictor for future cardiovascular events, diabetes and even death.

In 1347, 12 galleys docked at a Sicilian port after a long journey through the Black Sea. In medieval times, ships routinely left port and traveled to faraway lands to trade not just goods, but theologies, philosophies, technologies and culture.

The latest statistics on the prevalence of periodontal disease in the United States are startling. The CDC states that 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. These findings are based on a comprehensive study conducted in 2009 and 2010, and published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research.

BIOLASE, Inc., a global leader in dental lasers, announced its groundbreaking REPaiR periodontal protocol was part of the scientific programme at Europerio 8, the world's leading conference in periodontology and implant dentistry.

Warning: What you are about to read will not be candy coated to be politically correct or apologetic about exposing the truth about a dirty little secret that is so widely accepted in the dental profession that it has become an accepted and even comfortable inconvenient truth. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on a defective methodology so pervasive and unchallenged in dentistry it is the gold standard … and yet is not even common sense. It’s time to raise the bar by raising awareness about this dirty little secret.