The end of daylight savings time may harm your oral health
EurekAlert, DC
Beginning in 2007, daylight savings time will be extended by almost a month. This additional
amount of daylight may also help extend the life and health of people's teeth and bones.
That's because vitamin D, also known as the "sunshine vitamin," is made by the body through
casual and minimal sun exposure. Vitamin D is just as essential as calcium for
healthy teeth and bones according to
a paper that was published in the September issue of the Journal of Periodontology.
Read more
C-section 'baby teeth decay risk'
BBC News, UK
Babies born by Caesarean section are more at risk of tooth decay, research suggests.
A New York University team found C-section babies were infected by a cavity-causing
bacterium nearly a year earlier than those born naturally.
A study of 156 babies found those born vaginally were exposed to more bacteria
during birth and built up resistance.
But the authors accepted a range of social factors also played a role, the Journal
of Dental Research said.
Read more
An end to sensitive teeth in sight?
Irish Health, Ireland
Scientists may finally have figured out a way of blocking the pain of sensitive teeth.
Preliminary research carried out at the University of Leeds has shown that creating tiny
spheres of a ceramic material called hydroxyapatite, could be a long-term solution or even
cure for sensitive teeth. This material is highly compatible with teeth and bone and is
already widely used for dental coatings and bone grafts.
Read more
True age revealed in tooth enamel
Daily Times, Pakistan
Tests of nuclear bombs conducted in the 1950s have had an unexpected benefit for
forensic scientists.
A permanent record of the fallout from above-ground tests is embedded in tooth enamel
and allows scientists to estimate the age of a person at the time of death more precisely.
Jonas Frisen, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who developed the method,
said it has already been used to help identify people who died in the Indian Ocean
tsunami last year.
Read more
Pennsylvania Dental Association Offers Tips on Wisdom Teeth Extraction
PR Newswire (press release), NY
What to do about third molars,
commonly known as wisdom teeth, is a quandary that most people face during the
course of their dental treatment. The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA)
offers the following advice to help patients understand when and why it is
necessary to remove wisdom teeth.
There has been some debate about whether wisdom teeth can remain healthy
and unobtrusive in the mouth long-term. A recent seven-year, landmark
clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) will, in large
part, settle the debate.
Read more
Mouth problems can worsen with age
PakTribune.com, Pakistan
As you age, you may be more prone to problems of the teeth and gums.
Teeth are often lost by people over 35 to periodontal or gingival gum disease.
Caused by infections and plaque, gum disease can contribute to receding gums and the
loss of supporting bone.
Receding gums can contribute to a cavity problem, because as gums pull back from the teeth,
pockets are created where cavity-causing bacteria can dwell and do their nasty thing.
Read more
Healthy Weight, Better Gums?
WebMD
Losing extra pounds, revving up physical activity, and eating nutritious foods may
give you a new reason to smile.
Healthy teeth and gums are more common in active people who eat nutritiously and aren't
overweight, a new study shows.
Read more
Periodontitis and heart disease
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The classic comic’s line about dentists is that they tell you your teeth are okay but
your gums need to come out. But it ain’t so funny when it’s true.
The condition’s called periodontitis and is a chronic infection of the gums which
can threaten the teeth.
And according to some researchers people with gum disease are at risk of heart disease as well.
One reason may be that smoking is a risk factor for both but even then, periodontitis
seems to stand up in it’s own right.
Read more
New clue to tooth decay could lead to advances in screening children at high risk of dental disease
UW News
A study comparing antimicrobial peptides, or AMPs, a group of small proteins that occur
naturally in human saliva and act like antibiotics against oral bacteria, could lead to
new ways to screen children for risk of tooth decay and protect them against this common,
chronic problem.
The study, "Salivary Antimicrobial Peptide Expression and Dental Caries Experience in Children,"
published in the September 2005 issue of the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy,
involved oral examinations performed on 149 middle school children.
Read more
Preventing Dental Debt and Decay
The Harvard Crimson
"Despite a lifetime of dedicated brushing, flossing and checkups, I just had to have
a root canal and crown on one of my molars. Because I don’t have insurance, I have
had to pay $3,800 out of pocket,
a huge amount for someone like me. It’s about the cost of my rent for six months.
Read more
