New Method May Help Identify Bacteria That Causes Severe Dental Decay In Early Childhood
Researchers from the U.S. and abroad suggest that a new method of genetic profiling may distinguish bacterial populations that cause severe dental decay in children and be used as a basis for intervention and prevention development. They report their findings in the January 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.Severe early-childhood caries (S-ECC) is an extremely destructive form of bacterial tooth decay generally involving multiple teeth. [click link for full article]

Dental Researchers Test No-Needle Anesthesia, No-Drilling Cavity Care
Imagine having a decayed tooth repaired, painlessly, without drilling or shots of anesthesia to numb the area.Wishful thinking? Not if two studies being conducted at the University at Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine show positive results.In one study, funded by a $100,000 grant by Apollonia, LLC, researchers in the school's Center for Dental Studies are testing a nasal spray that numbs the upper teeth. [click link for full article]

Pacifier Use Assists In Reducing The Incidence Of SIDS
Pacifier use often attracts negative attention for potentially harming children's oral health. There are positive effects of pacifier use, however. In addition to calming the infant, pacifier use can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to a report/study that appeared in the January/February 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal. [click link for full article]

Good Oral Health Practices Should Begin In Infancy
February is National Children's Dental Health Month and as the American Dental Association (ADA) kicks it off with its Fifth Annual Give Kids A Smile Day on February 2 at nearly 2,200 locations across the country, the ADA offers advice for parents and caregivers to help children maintain healthy teeth and gums. "Preventive dental care has greatly improved the oral health of American children," states Kimberly Harms, D.D.S. [click link for full article]

Possible Link Between Oral Health And Heart Health, From The Harvard Heart Letter
The billions of bacteria and other microscopic critters that live in the mouth unquestionably influence the health of teeth and gums. But do they also cause problems for the heart and blood vessels? And can improving oral health prevent cardiovascular problems? The notion that problems in the mouth cause diseases elsewhere in the body makes sense but has been difficult to prove, explains the Harvard Heart Letter. [click link for full article]

Periodontal Disease And Pancreatic Cancer Linked
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.; more than 30,000 Americans are expected to die from the disease this year. It is an extremely difficult cancer to treat and little is known about what causes it. One established risk factor in pancreatic cancer is cigarette smoking; other links have been made to obesity, diabetes type 2 and insulin resistance. [click link for full article]

A Low-calcium Diet Can Harm The Supporting Structures Around Teeth And Gums, Especially For Nursing Mothers
Mothers who breastfeed should be sure to have enough Calcium in their diet, or may risk bone loss around their teeth and gums, according to a new study that appears in the January issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan investigated if lactation affects alveolar bone loss, the bone surrounding the roots of teeth, in rat models of experimental periodontitis. [click link for full article]

Race, Education, Income, Weight Affect Oral Health
In an Alabama statewide survey, scientists at UAB (the University of Alabama at Birmingham) have found that certain demographic factors influence the oral health of people 65 and older. "Analyses suggested a strong association between oral health-related quality of life and race, education, income and transportation difficulties," said S.K. Makhija, M.P.H., D.D.S., assistant professor of diagnostic sciences at the UAB School of Dentistry. [click link for full article]

Gum Disease Associated With Pancreatic Cancer Risk
Having gum disease is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study. However, the authors caution that further studies are necessary to determine whether the relationship is causal.There are few known risk factors for pancreatic cancer, including cigarette smoking and chronic pancreatitis. The latter is marked by inflammation, suggesting that inflammation may be involved in the initiation or progression of pancreatic cancer. [click link for full article]

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome: Recurring And Unexplained Episodes Destroy Teeth
Health risks are everywhere and as many as people know about, there are still many of which people are unaware. Parents face even more concerns when it comes to protecting children. Some diseases and problems are more prevalent in children--like cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS).CVS mainly affects children, and is something of which parents should be aware. [click link for full article]

Orthodontic Treatment May Not Help Psychological Health
A major 20-year study by psychologists and dentists has cast doubt on the assumption that orthodontic treatment improves psychological well-being.The multidisciplinary team studied the long-term effects of both orthodontic treatment and lack of treatment when a need had been identified in childhood, in a paper published in The British Journal of Health Psychology (January 22 2007). [click link for full article]

Continued Improvement For NHS Dentistry, UK
The amount of dental activity commissioned by the NHS is continuingto rise, according to new statistics released today.Significantly, the figures also show that since the new dentalcontract was introduced in April, more services have beenrecommissioned than were lost in rejected contracts. [click link for full article]