AN FRANCISCO, Calif., USA: Although many studies have provided evidence of a link between periodontitis and coronary heart disease, there is insufficient scientific data on periodontal disease and patients with established heart disease. Therefore, ... Read more

icrobes from the human mouth provides insight into periodontitis. Periodontitis is a disease marked by inflammation and infection of the ligaments and bones that support the teeth. Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have cracked the genetic ... Read more

strong>Fluoride. Dentists say that drinking it can protect your teeth against cavities. Cities and towns all across the world actually dump it into the water supply, hoping to indiscriminately medicate the population through their tap water ... Read more

strong>SEATTLE, Wash., USA: A new cross-sectional study of almost 800 U.S. adults has found that one in eight patients suffer from dentine hypersensitivity. The prevalence was especially high among patients younger than 65 and women in ... Read more

f you sometimes get a jolt of pain in your mouth when you drink or eat something hot or cold, you're not alone: A new survey of U.S. dental offices finds that one in eight people has over-sensitive teeth. Sensitive teeth were most common in young ... Read more

strong>Postmenopausal women who have smoked are at much higher risk of losing their teeth than women who never smoked, according to a new study published and featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Dental Association by researchers ... Read more

span style="line-height: 1.5;">Designed to improving flossing habits and compliance with home care recommendations for patients with orthodontic appliances, bridges or dental implants, EasyThread Floss is threader floss packaged in a ... Read more

� You’ve probably heard before that your dental health can have an impact on your overall health, sometimes in surprising ways. For sufferers of sleep apnea, dental care can take the form of devices designed to cut down on this nightly problem. Sleep apnea is characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing during sleep. These pauses can last several seconds and even upwards of a minute. The sufferer often does not even realize that he or she has the condition. There are three types of sleep apnea – central, obstructive, and mixed. Central sleep apnea is a disruption in breathing due to lack of respiratory effort, whereas obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a physical blockage that impedes air flow, and snoring is often a result. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of both other forms of the condition. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles of the neck relax and the tongue falls back into the throat, constricting the airway. When this happens, the soft palate may vibrate, causing snoring. If the airway becomes completely obstructed, breathing can stop entirely. Snoring and sleep apnea can have an impact on sleep quality and result in fatigue during the day. Sleep apnea can also lead to more serious conditions such as severe insomnia and sleep paralysis, and even cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. In severe cases, some individuals have died when their airways become completely blocked. Fortunately, there is help for those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea in the form of oral appliances that your dentist may suggest. Historically, CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) devices have been used to treat many sleep apnea patients. These devices consist of a plastic face mask connected to a machine that supplies pressurized air to keep the airway open. CPAP masks are available in different models, and they have been used as a traditional approach to treating sleep apnea. However, dentists have pioneered simpler, less invasive oral appliances that are more comfortable and compact than a traditional CPAP device. This new type of oral appliance treatment has yielded effective results and has proven easier to adopt than traditional CPAP therapy. Since oral appliances must be custom fit to achieve maximum efficacy, they may need to be adjusted over time. A dentist who is educated in dental sleep medicine can work with a sleep physician to create a solution that works best for each sleep apnea patient. If you suffer from sleep apnea, it might be worth a conversation with your dentist to learn about your treatment options. Nothing compares to the worth of a good night’s sleep. Tags:dental healthsleep ... Read more

icki Rowland, Practice Manager at Perfect 32 Dental Practice in Beverley, was invited to be a consultant for the Mouth Cancer Foundation in light of her work to raise public awareness of mouth cancer and the mouth cancer screening service offered at ... Read more

URHAM, N.C., USA: A new study has found that bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used industrial chemical found in hard-plastic bottles and dental resins, affects the development of the central nervous system by disrupting regulation of gene expression. The ... Read more

cid attacks caused by food are more frequent and prolonged.UK dentists and hygienists have revealed that people who snack throughout the day are a key group at risk of developing oral health problems. In a recent survey, 42% of dentists and ... Read more

� A new laboratory study of the erosive potential of fruit smoothies on teeth has been published in the latest issue of the British Dental Journal (BDJ). The authors of the BDJ report,In vitro investigation of the erosive potential of smoothies, maintain that encouraging healthier eating habits, including five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, could inadvertently promote damage to teeth if beverages such as fruit smoothies are regularly consumed as fruit and veg substitutes outside of mealtimes. The ethically approved laboratory study, which has been undertaken to provide more scientifically robust patient education, found that the majority of fruit smoothies investigated had a pH acidity level below the critical 5.5 pH of enamel, at and below which erosion occurs. Some fruit smoothie combinations proved more erosive than others and double the erosive capacity of fresh orange juice. Those containing kiwi, apple and lime produced over 28 per cent surface loss in a tooth immersed in the drink for 60 minutes compared to strawberry and banana combinations which produced less than two per cent surface loss. The report’s authors suggest the success of national initiatives such as five-a-day has contributed to a rise in consumption of shop-bought smoothies from 6.3 million liters in 2001 to 34 million liters in 2006, with consumption projected to treble over the next five years, while the public remain largely unaware of the potential risk to their teeth. Dental erosion can range from minimal tooth surface loss leading to sensitivity and pain, to excessive loss of tooth enamel and poor dental aesthetics where restorative treatment can be time-consuming and expensive. Commenting on the findings, the British Dental Association’s Scientific Adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, said:“This study adds to the growing body of evidence linking dental erosion with the consumption of popular fruit beverages with a typical pH below 5.5 (acidity), such as fruit smoothies, particularly if they are regularly consumed as snacks, outside of mealtimes. “It is important that the public is aware of this link so fruit juices and smoothies in particular, are consumed as part of a balanced diet and preferably through a straw to minimize the impact to dental health.” Tags:dental health ... Read more