Another reason to stay in shape: Healthy teeth, gums
PRNewswire via The Sacramento Bee
The health complications of being overweight, such as increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, have long been reported. Health care professionals often urge patients to manage their weight and strive to get physical exercise each day to achieve and maintain overall health. And now researchers have uncovered another benefit of maintaining a fit lifestyle: healthy teeth and gums. In a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Periodontology, researchers found that subjects who maintained a healthy weight and had high levels of physical fitness had a lower incidence of severe periodontitis.More

Study to examine diabetes, gum disease connection
WBRC
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is one of three sites across the country preparing a study to find out if the treatment of gum disease improves control of diabetes. The UAB School of Dentistry, in a statement to FOX6 News, said it is recruiting patients for a clinical trial to test whether the treatment of chronic periodontitis improves control of Type 2 diabetes. "Research clearly shows an association between chronic periodontitis and Type 2 diabetes, and there is early evidence that treating periodontal infection and inflammation can improve glycemic control," said co-principal investigator Michael S. Reddy, D.M.D.More

Gene may hold key to reducing spread of oral cancers
HealthCanal.com
The spread of cancer cells in the tongue may be reduced if a gene that regulates cancer cell migration can be controlled, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Oral cancer is an under-treated and poorly understood disease, says Xiaofeng "Charles" Zhou, assistant professor in the UIC Center for Molecular Biology of Oral Diseases and lead researcher of the study. More than 90 percent of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that normally start on the gums, floor of the mouth or tongue.More

6 signs of periodontal disease
Dental Health Magazine
Many people are completely unaware that they even have periodontal disease. Prior to the occurrence of a pain and a major symptom, this problem already may have begun. For people who don't get a dental checkup every six months, they may be well on their way to losing their teeth and to contributing to other significant health problems. Prior to this problem becoming severe, there are six easy ways to tell if it is a problem for you.More

Oral health can reveal many early symptoms of other health problems
Carroll County Times
Dentists can tell a lot about your health by the condition of your teeth. Research has shown that the mouth can reveal some of the first symptoms of heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Dr. Pari Moazed, a general dentist who practices in Westminster,Md., said she has referred people to get checked for diabetes after treating their teeth. And she has had two patients come back with a positive diagnosis for the high blood glucose disease.More

Older patients' oral health critical prior to surgery
DrBicuspid.com
Elderly patients presenting for surgery may be harboring undetected oral infections that could lead to expensive and life-threatening complications, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The entire medical team — including oral care providers — needs to be aware of these risks and conduct preoperative oral assessment in this vulnerable population, according to Jeffrey Yasny, D.D.S., lead author and an assistant professor of both dentistry and anesthesiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. (May require free registration to view article.)More

The best solution for lost tooth is dental implant
Dental Health Magazine
People lose teeth all the time as a result of illness, injury and aging. The loss of a tooth results in an open space between your teeth and is more than simply a cosmetic issue. There are other ramifications to tooth loss. For instance, it can affect the bite, can cause the teeth to shift, and food fragments may get stuck in the open space. But the solution is not only dentures or partials.More

Mouthwash staining lawsuit dismissed
Crain's Detroit Business
Two metro Detroit law firms have resolved the proposed class-action lawsuit against Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. in federal court alleging that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash causes teeth stains and browning. U.S. District Judge Denise Page Hood signed a stipulated order to dismiss the 2009 lawsuit case, where three individual plaintiffs sought to certify a class of mouthwash users.More

Evidence-based dentistry not just for dentists
DrBicuspid.com
Evidence-based dentistry is not a new concept. But throughout the years it more often has been associated with general dentists and specialists than the rest of the dental team. With the advent of lightning-quick access to information and the growing emphasis on preventive care and the oral-systemic link, however, hygienists and dental assistants are being called upon to adopt evidence-based decision-making into their daily clinical practice as well. (May require free registration to view article.)More

Dianne Glasscoe Watterson: The red flag strategy
RDH
In my office, all new patients are scheduled in hygiene first. I don't know why they aren't scheduled with the doctor first, but what the heck, I just work there. We have two recurring problems related to new patients. First, because we never have seen these patients before, we have no idea what to expect regarding their oral condition. The range of severity could be from an easy prophy to an advanced periodontal patient. New patients who have periodontal disease seem disappointed when they don't actually get any scaling on the first visit.More

Is your office copier a HIPAA security risk?
DrBicuspid.com
The lowly office copy machine can be a treasure trove of data vulnerable to identity theft and a potentially massive health care privacy rule violation. Health care providers are scrambling to shut this security hole following reports of patient data found on copiers discarded by medical facilities. From a privacy and security perspective, office copiers are not benign. (May require free registration to view article.)More

Managing and motivating a multigenerational practice
DentistryIQ
For the first time in our nation's history, we have four generations in our workforce, often in the same work place. Not surprisingly, each generation has their own way of viewing the world and of communicating, which can make life difficult for the person who is tasked with managing these diverse groups within a confined area in the office. Let's take a closer look at who these generations are and what they want and need in a manager.More