Fear of dentist puts 20pc off appointments
DailyMail, UK
More than one in five Britons do not go to the dentist because they are too frightened,
according to new research.
And almost 30 per cent do not have regular check-ups because of the cost.
The survey of 4,000 Europeans found 20 per cent of those living on the Continent
were also left quaking in their boots at the thought of the dentist's chair.
It discovered Italians have the whitest teeth and clean them most often while
Belgians do the least brushing.
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Teeth Yield Clues to Neanderthals' Lives
RedNova.com, TX
Enamel deposited on teeth 150,000 years ago suggests that one of our closest
evolutionary relatives, the Neanderthals, grew and matured at the same rate as modern humans.
The dental evidence does not settle two thornier questions, however: Were the Neanderthals
- who died out 30,000 years ago - a separate species, and why did they become extinct?
Still, the finding that the two groups reached puberty at similarly slow rates
"gives valuable, partial support to people who see Neanderthals as extremely close
to modern humans," said Neanderthal craniofacial expert Jeffrey Laitman, a professor
of otolaryngology and director of the department of anatomy at Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
in New York City.
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Black Raspberries May Prevent Oral Cancer
Lex 18, KY
Researchers at Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital have already shown that black raspberries
may help prevent colon and esophageal cancers. Now, their latest studies suggest the berries
may help battle oral cancer as well. In lab tests,
the berries reduced tumors in the mouth by 44 percent. But there's just one problem.
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Many things trigger reactivation of herpes simplex
Louisville Courier-Journal, KY
Q: My children keep coming home from their dad's with cold sores on their lips.
Could he have herpes and be giving it to the kids by kissing them on the lips?
A: After people are exposed to the herpes simplex virus for the first time,
it isn't necessary for them to be kissed for the virus to be reactivated,
said Dr. F. John Firriolo, an associate professor at the University of Louisville.
"They could be getting outbreaks for any reason," said Firriolo, director of the Division
of Diagnostic Sciences in the U of L School of Dentistry.
The virus lies dormant in the body after the first exposure, and anything that challenges
the immune system can trigger a reactivation, Firriolo said.
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Headaches Bite
Yahoo! News (press release)
There is new relief for headache pain right under your nose, about 2cm under your nose actually.
Have you thought to see a dentist about your headaches? Many tension headaches are actually
caused by problems arising from the wear and tear on the teeth and jaw. Many people who
have resigned themselves to tension headaches have no idea that it could actually be solved
by their dentist. Leading physicians, including many top medical researchers, are
recommending the new dental procedure Full Mouth Revitalization, the fusion of neuromuscular
dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. Best-selling author and expert, Dr. David Frey
illustrates this rapidly growing signature process in his book, Revitalize Your Mouth.
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Ondine Biopharma Corporation (TSX: OBP; AIM: OBP) today announced the successful
completion of the first human trial of its PERIOWAVEŽ photodynamic disinfection
(PDD) system, in patients with chronic periodontitis (gum disease).
Periodontitis is a common human affliction, affecting one third of all adults,
and over half of the population aged 50. Periodontitis results in gum tissue detachment,
bleeding gums, oral malodour, and bone and tooth loss as well as other complications.
Periodontitis is a chronic malady and is associated with biofilms of anaerobic bacteria
that colonize the tooth structures beneath the gum line. According to the CDC
(Centre for Disease Control), biofilms are responsible for 60% of all human infections.
Currently, periodontal disease is treated with Scaling and Root Planing, or gum surgery, or both.
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More than wisdom in those wisdom teeth
Reuters
Young adults in their 20s and 30s who can't part with their third molars
(a.k.a., wisdom teeth) may be at risk for chronic oral inflammation, increasing
the risk of inflammation in other areas of the body as well.
That's according to a long-term study presented this week at the opening of the
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons annual meeting in Boston.
This study shows that the wisdom teeth are "an area of potential chronic inflammation
with little continuing observation or actually early recognition,"
Dr. Robert S. Glickman from New York University College of Dentistry
who was not affiliated with the study told Reuters Health.
"Everyone should know the status of their third molars," he said.
"It doesn't necessarily mean that they should come out at that time,
or ever, but because there is this potential for early inflammation
to start and obviously that can have long-term health consequences - most dramatically,
in pregnant women who deliver preterm babies."
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Young hit by mouth cancer increase
Scotsman, United Kingdom
Increasing numbers of young people are being hit by mouth cancer,
sparking new warnings about the disease.
Mouth cancer was once considered to mostly affect older men,
but it is now becoming more common in younger people and women.
It is possible that binge-drinking and smoking could be helping to
fuel rising rates of the disease as these are key risk factors.
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Dentists, Pediatricians Urge Mouthguard Use as Kids Head Back to School
Ada.org News
As part of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) annual back-to-school health promotion, when some 6 million high school students
plan their participation in team sports, both health organizations remind parents that
the use of mouthguards can help protect children from mouth injuries.
Mouthguards help cushion blows that might otherwise cause broken teeth,
and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. They also may reduce the severity
and incidence of concussions. If a child wears braces or another fixed dental
appliance on their lower jaw, the dentist may suggest a mouth protector for
those teeth as well.
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