Keeping your teeth white can be a complicated process, as there are several different things to consider. Part of the consideration is founded in dental health, as healthy and clean teeth will generally remain whiter. However, even if your teeth are healthy, you may experience problems with some staining or discoloration due to what you eat or drink. For example, you may take perfectly good care of your teeth, but find that they still become yellowish at times due to smoking habits or excessive coffee drinking. There are a number of different ways to address problems like these, from looking up cosmetic dental treatments at websites like TopDentists.com to purchasing teeth whitening kits from drug stores and grocery stores, and even reading up on which foods and drinks can contribute to whiter, cleaner teeth. One newer method that you may want to consider if you have had problems with the color and brightness of your teeth is laser whitening treatment, which is being offered by an increasingly large number of cosmetic dentists. Here are a few details on this type of procedure.

In a recent edition of the Indian Journal of Dental Research Dr. K Venu Gopal Reddy comments in a guest editorial on the need for Teledentistry in India (IJDR, 22(2):189, 2011).  In his editorial he presents the argument that given the inequalities of delivery of oral health care in India, particularly the problem of specialist distribution throughout the country as it relates to care, Teledentistry might provide a good option for disseminating information and care in underserved areas.  As he states: “Teledentistry is a newly emerging area of dentistry that uses dental health records, telecommunications technology, digital imaging and the Internet to link dental health care providers in rural or remote communities with specialists in larger communities to enhance communication, the exchange of health-related information and access to dental care for underserved patients”.

The Parkinson Resource Organization has been posting an article online titled:  ‘TMJ Dysfunction, An Ounce of Prevention’.  In the text the author, Dr David Wooten makes many claims regarding the relationship between TMJ Dysfunction and Neural Dysfunction. For example, he states that a Dr Casey Gusay has ‘determined’ that “the muscle controlled “pivotal axis” of the lower jaw occurred at the dens between C1 (the atlas or first cervical vertebrae) and C2 (the axis or second cervical vertebrae). Therefore, TMJ dysfunction and dental malocclusion causes a disturbing posturing of C1 and C2” and that this connection ‘torques’ the dura mater that is attached to C1 and C2.  He goes on to state that because of the connection of a ‘torquing’ of this connective tissue can lead to a number of problems including “scoliosis, cervical hypolordosis (military neck), thoracic  hyperkyphosis (hump back), excessive lumbar lordosis (sway back), rotation of the pelvis resulting in uneven leg length, uneven shoulder height and quite possibly head tilt”.

The Dental Hub has previously published two articles on bisphosphonate drugs which are primarily taken by women to prevent osteoporosis (see:

In 2008 a lawsuit was filed against Medicare for its refusal to cover dental treatment associated with a number of medical conditions including Sjögren’s disease.  Recently in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, on behalf of an additional three Medicare beneficiaries and the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA), the suit was amended to reflect these additional victims as it relates to Medicare’s policy on dental care associated with medical treatment.