Researchers May Have Discovered Mechanism Connecting Periodontal Disease, Other Inflammatory Conditions

University of Toronto may have found “the mechanism of action” connecting “periodontal disease and certain inflammatory conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.” The researchers suggest the connection may be “rooted in a hyperactive immune response.” The findings were published in the Journal of Dental Research. The University of Toronto …

Chewing Sugarless Gum May Help Prevent Tooth Decay, Review Finds

The Press Trust of India reports a systematic review suggests that chewing sugarless gum may “reduce the advancement of dental caries” and “be used as a viable preventative agent.” The researchers analyzed “12 studies published in the past 50 years which explored the impact and intervention outcome of chewing sugar-free …

Study Finds Dental Offices Among Safest, Most Essential Businesses Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Fast Company (6/15, Cohen) reported that a new study “identifies the businesses that have the best overall risk-benefit profiles when weighing important factors such as essential value to shoppers and the economy, as well as relative risk of contracting COVID-19 – or as one researcher put it, which businesses give …

Antibiotic Use – and Overuse

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious public health problems in the United States and threatens to return us to the time when simple infections were often fatal. CDC works to improve antibiotic prescribing and use in human health care, and educate patients about the importance of appropriate use. …

Vaping Can Have Similar Effect On Teeth As Cigarette Smoking

Health discusses the effects vaping may have on the teeth, featuring information from American Dental Association spokesperson Dr. Matthew Messina. Vaping adds “heat in the mouth,” Dr. Messina says, which “changes the bacterial presence in the mouth. It dries the mouth out.” Dr. Messina adds, “[The] rate of tooth decay …

Prenatal Vitamin D Intake May Reduce Risk Of Enamel Defects In Children

The New York Times reports, “Women who take large doses of vitamin D during pregnancy may be giving their children a lower risk of dental problems,” a “double-blinded clinical trial” suggests. Researchers randomly assigned 623 women into two groups and beginning on the “24th week of pregnancy, one group took …

Antibiotic-Resistant Microbes May Be Leading Cause Of Death By 2050, WHO Says

Newsweek reports that the World Health Organization estimates the “worldwide death rates from drug-resistant microbes will climb from the current 700,000 per year to 10 million by 2050,” surpassing “cancer, heart disease and diabetes to become the main cause of death” for humans. Health care providers are “scrambling to tighten …