AAP reaffirms position on saving natural dentition
Dentistry IQ
As the field of dental implantology continues to have an effect on dental treatment planning, AAP recently reaffirmed its position that — whenever reasonable — efforts should be made to save a patient's natural dentition. What's more, the AAP stressed that an evidence-based approach always must be taken when considering an individual's treatment options, especially when it comes to surgical procedures such as tooth extraction and dental implant placement.More

Brush teeth to 'prevent' heart disease
BBC News
People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are putting themselves at risk of heart disease, research suggests. The Scottish study of more than 11,000 adults backs previous research linking gum disease with heart problems. The researchers said more work is needed to confirm if poor oral health directly causes heart disease or is a marker of risk. A charity added that oral hygiene was just one factor in good heart health.More

Mouth fluid may lead to non-invasive test for gum disease
Sify News
Gum diseases are the primary cause of tooth loss in adults, but now scientists have found a little-known mouth fluid that may allow them to develop an early, non-invasive tests for the diseases. The fluid, called gingival crevicular fluid, is not saliva, but produced in tiny amounts in the gums produced at the rate of millionths of a quart per tooth. GCF has become a prime candidate for a simple inexpensive test to distinguish mild gum disease from the serious form that leads to tooth loss.More

Texas cracks down on unlicensed dental practitioners
WFAA
It's against the law to practice dentistry without a license in Texas, but in neighborhoods around Dallas-Fort Worth — in homes, apartments and the back rooms of businesses — some people are running underground oral care operations. "It's almost kind of like a clubhouse, where you do the secret knock and everybody knows who to go to," said Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Raquel "Rocky" Jones. Jones is investigating five cases involving unlicensed dentists. She told us they use real chairs, supplies, drills and anesthesia.More

Coenzyme in toothpaste helps control perio disease
DrBicuspid.com
Perfect Smile fluoride toothpaste with the coenzyme CoQ10 yielded "significant improvement" over regular fluoride toothpaste in healing gingivitis, according to a study in the May 2010 issue of the Natural Medicine Journal. The small (30 participants), parallel-group, double-blind study was conducted by principals of Perfect Smile and BioActives, which acquired a significant equity position in Perfect Smile in April 2010. (May require free registration to view article.)More

Why it is so important to address gingivitis aggressively
Dentistry IQ
Rare indeed is the day in which a dental professional spends time at the chair and does not see at least one case of gingivitis. It is so common that we seldom give it much thought. Recommendations commonly are limited to encouraging the patient to increase his or her home-care efforts. After all, clinical intervention is not the standard of care; gingivitis is a reversible condition, and we have more severe disease states to address. The reversible nature of gingivitis has been dental dogma as long as anyone can remember, and it may in fact be one of the most widely accepted facts in the profession.More

Testing for HPV in the dentist's office
KING 5 News
Genetic tests have gotten a lot of attention lately, but you might be surprised to learn where they're turning up next: at the dentist's office. Jennifer Bottjer is a dental assistant but also a patient. She worries about oral cancer because she's beyond the age range for the HPV vaccine. "Females under the age of 40 and nonsmokers, which I am, are also at a high risk," Bottjer said. "You always think it's someone a little bit older, somebody who smokes are the people who get cancer. I just want to make sure I'm safe for myself."More

The challenge of dental patient compliance
Dentistry.co.uk
To say that patients do not always adhere to best practice in oral hygiene is an understatement. Research shows that most people, on most days, do not brush and floss for the required time. This has been supported by a survey carried out in 2007 by the British Dental Health Foundation, which found that only 30 percent of people brushed for the required two minutes. When it comes to flossing, a survey by BDHF in 2006 found that 40 percent of people admit to never flossing.More

More dentists making house calls
DrBicuspid.com
In what seems like a throwback to a bygone era, an increasing number of dentists are making house calls to treat seniors, the disabled and even busy people willing to pay for the convenience. Some dentists, such as Dr. Amir Ghorbani of Los Gatos, Calif., are motivated by the growing number of calls they get from the elderly and infirm and from patients whose parents are unable to get to their offices because of physical or cognitive disabilities or simply lack transportation. (May require free registration to view article.)More