Is amalgam SAFE?

I often get concerns from people about the use of dental amalgam (often termed “silver fillings”) because of information floating around the Internet, the media, and as many places as one might imagine. It seems always to be sensational news because everyone likes a smoking gun! My first response is …

Can being overweight put you at risk for gum disease?

Impacting approximately one-third of the U.S. population, obesity is a significant health concern for Americans. It’s a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer, and now, according to an article published in the January/February 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of …

Danger: Newly discovered bacterium delivers one-two punch to the mouth

The newly discovered bacterium that causes gum disease delivers a one-two punch by also triggering normally protective proteins in the mouth to actually destroy more bone, a University of Michigan study found. Scientists and oral health care providers have known for decades that bacteria are responsible for periodontitis, or gum …

Decoding Migraine Pain

Wielding a joystick and wearing special glasses, pain researcher Alexandre DaSilva rotates and slices apart a large, colorful, 3-D brain floating in space before him. Despite the white lab coat, it appears DaSilva’s playing the world’s most advanced virtual video game. The University of Michigan dentistry professor is actually hoping …