A new study examined the association between obesity and dental caries in school children aged 6 to 12 years old in the U.S. It found that obesity was more common among Mexican American children and that those living in families with a low socioeconomic status had a higher prevalence of …
The AP examined a claim made in a video posted on Facebook that “the No. 1 cause of heart attacks is a tooth treated for a root canal.” The AP said, “There’s no credible scientific evidence that having a root canal can cause a heart attack, according to endodontists,” and …
The Washington Post reported, “Inflammation in the body may be triggering or exacerbating depression in the brains of some patients,” with clinical data suggesting that “targeting and treating the inflammation may be a way to provide more-precise care.” According to the Post, “It appears that inflammatory agents in the blood …
HealthDay reports, “A new study funds that adults who are genetically prone to have cavities, dentures and missing teeth are also more likely to show signs of declining brain health.” A group led by Dr. Cyprien Rivier, a postdoctoral fellow in neurology at Yale School of Medicine, analyzed the potential …
KHN reports smartphones “are being repurposed and commercialized for quick access to information needed for monitoring patient health,” but their use “as diagnostic tools remains a work in progress.” While “doctors and their patients have found some real-world success in deploying the phone as a medical device, the overall potential …
DrBicuspid reported, “Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and other oral germs may show bacterial resistance to antiseptics, including chlorhexidine, according to a review published on October 21 in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene.” Additionally, “resistance may rise over time.” The authors wrote, “This scoping review may support clinicians and leaders of …
A systematic review published in The Journal of the American Dental Association associated dental treatment prior to radiation for head and neck cancer with a higher risk of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw, but the evidence was of very low certainty, ADA News reported. “Maintaining optimal oral health may help reduce …
HealthDay reports, “Poor periodontal health and tooth loss are associated with increased risks for cognitive decline and dementia, according to a review published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.” After conducing “a systematic review of the available longitudinal evidence,” researchers found that poor periodontal health was “associated …
DrBicuspid reports, “Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at greater risk of developing periodontal disease and caries due to difficulties they may have performing oral care and accessing a dentist, according to a clinical paper published in the British Dental Journal.” Given “the degenerative nature of the disease, clinicians should …
Should you floss? For decades and decades, dentists and dental hygienists have been repeating the mantra about flossing ad nauseam. For sure, some people took that recommendation to heart and developed a flossing habit. GOOD JOB! A year or so ago, a large-scale study was released that compared the three …
