Researchers Aim To Shed Light On Lab-Grown Teeth, Tissue Regeneration

The University of California – San Francisco states that “one of the enduring puzzles for stem cell researchers” is how these cells “know when it’s time for them to expand in numbers and transform into mature, adult cells in order to renew injured or aging tissue.” In an attempt to understand this “decision-making process,” the release states researchers are studying the front teeth of mice to identify the signals that trigger the teeth to continuously grow. UC San Francisco’s Ophir Klein, MD, PhD, a professor of orofacial sciences in UCSF’s School of Dentistry, explained, “Our lab’s objective is to learn the rules that let mouse incisors grow continuously to help us one day grow teeth in the lab, but also to help us identify general principles that could enable us to understand the processes of tissue renewal much more broadly.” A study published in Cell Stem Cell discusses some of their findings into this process.

Archaeologists Discover Earliest Dental Prosthesis In Italy

International Business Times (UK) reported that “archaeologists have found the earliest dental prosthesis in Tuscany, in the collective tomb of an aristocratic family from the late Middle Ages.” The dental prosthesis, which may date back to the 14th century, is made of “five human teeth linked together by a golden band” to “replace the anterior arch of the jaw.”

        

The Daily Mail reported that the archaeologists said in their paper published in Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, “This dental prosthesis provides a unique finding of technologically advanced dentistry in this period.”

Tips For Choosing New Health Benefits Includes Recommendation To Consider Dental Plans

Virginia Business Magazine features a list of five tips for people taking advantage of open enrollment season to find a new healthcare plan, so that they can “make more informed choices that may improve [their] health and even save money.” The first four tips include: “take time to review your options;” “look for incentive-based wellness programs;” “take advantage of health care apps and online tools;” and “open a health savings account.” The fifth piece of advice is to pay attention to other sorts of benefit plans, notably dental, vision, accident and critical illness insurance plans. The magazine states, “Research shows a connection between oral health and overall health, so adding a dental plan may help prevent larger medical problems.”

Many Medicare Advantage Plans Cover Dental Care

In the Motley Fool “Industry Focus: Healthcare” podcast, analyst Kristine Harjes and contributor Todd Campbell discuss Medicare to help retirees “understand the ins and outs of this critical program.” Harjes and Campbell explain that unlike traditional Medicare, many Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for dental, vision, and hearing.

Programs Focus On Dental Care As Part Of Effort To Keep Seniors Out Of Nursing Homes

The New York Times reported that private companies are taking advantage of “a little-known Medicare program,” known as PACE, or the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, “that will pay to keep older and disabled Americans out of nursing homes.” Through the program, Medicare and Medicaid pay PACE providers on average “$76,728 a person a year, about $5,500 less than the average cost of a nursing home.” The flat payment structure encourages “organizations to invest in maintaining a patient’s health and safety to avoid big hospital bills,” and given this, “dentistry — excluded from traditional Medicare coverage — is a crucial focus.” According to the article, “Programs invest heavily to fix broken teeth and dentures to avoid costly infections or poor nutrition that can cause cascading health problems.”

Analysis: Sugary Breakfasts Approximate Dessert

Vox food reporter Julia Belluz writes that American “breakfast is often nothing more than disguised dessert,” noting that common items like pancakes, muffins, granola, cereal, and yogurt are packed with sugar. For example, Belluz asserts that “companies like Yoplait and Chobani have built yogurt empires in America by saturating their products with sugar. Yoplait recently lowered the sugar in its classic 6-ounce strawberry yogurt from 26 grams to 18 grams (4.5 teaspoons), but that’s still more than the 15 grams you’ll get in a standard brownie.” For consumers looking for healthier breakfast alternatives, she recommends Siggi’s yogurt, which “has about 100 calories and 25 to 50 percent less sugar than mainstream brands,” and eggs.

Team Uses 3D Printer To Restore Patient’s Face

The New York Observer reports in continuing coverage on its website and in an online video that a team from Indiana University has designed a new jaw for a 68-year-old Vietnam veteran who “lost the lower half of his face to tongue cancer.” The team “digitally designed a prosthesis” to complement the man’s face “perfectly.” According to the article, “Their process, dubbed the ‘IU Shirley Technique,’ is now being used to help other patients—representing the latest breakthrough in 3D printing prosthetics.”

Jaw Pain Seen As One “Odd Symptom” Women Over 40 Should Not Ignore

Today Show Online stated that turning 40 is when women may “start experiencing body changes and new aches and pains,” changes that women may not “pay enough attention to.” Although many changes are “nothing to worry about,” TODAY includes jaw pain among four “odd symptoms” women shouldn’t ignore. The article stated jaw pain most likely results from “a gum or tooth infection,” a “condition called temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction,” or moving the “jaw awkwardly,” recommending people visit a dentist “if the pain lingers for more than a few days or becomes worse.” The article added, “However, in some cases, jaw pain can signal a heart attack, especially in women,” in which case seeking immediate help is necessary. TODAY also discussed belly bloat, fatigue, and new skin growths.

ADA Provides Healthy Habits To Follow During Pregnancy

US News & World Report carries a HealthDay News article noting that during pregnancy the American Dental Association recommends women care for their teeth by brushing and flossing them daily, visiting the dentist regularly, eating a balanced diet, and rinsing “with a teaspoon of baking soda diluted in water” to help with morning sickness and vomiting.

        MouthHealthy.org provides additional information on pregnancy and oral health.

Taking Steps To Promote Oral Health Encouraged For People With Diabetes

In its “Oral Care — Secret Key to Diabetes Success” blog, Diabetes Self-Management (3/23, Spero) stated that “caring for your mouth helps your diabetes,” adding research suggests that having healthier gums and treating gum disease may help people with diabetes. After listing symptoms of gum disease, the article provides dental hygiene tips, noting “the American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, and flossing once a day.” The article also encouraged readers to avoid foods that damage teeth, as listed by the ADA.

Many Seniors Experience Xerostomia

Long-Term Living Magazine (3/24) discusses oral health problems that some seniors face, including decreased saliva production. According to the article, seniors are naturally at risk for xerostomia, with “nearly 30 percent of people age 65 and older” experiencing dry mouth. “There are 400 commonly used drugs that can cause xerostomia as a side effect, including antihistamines, diuretics, antidepressants and anti-angina,” the article states.

        The ADA provides additional information on xerostomia online.

People May Not Realize Medicare Does Not Cover Most Routine Dental Care

Fox Business (3/28) carries a Motley Fool article exploring three items many people approaching retirement may not know about Medicare, including that “some services and products are surprisingly not covered.” According to the article, “One surprising fact about Medicare is that it doesn’t cover a lot of services that millions of elderly patients typically need,” such as dental visits. “Medicare won’t pay for trips to the dentist for basic services such as cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, or dentures,” the article states, although for “an extreme dental emergency” that requires a hospital visit, Medicare will cover “certain dental services” as part of the Part A benefit.

        MouthHealthy.org provides information for adults over 60, including tips on paying for dental care after retirement.

Many Seniors Lack Dental Coverage

The Provo (UT) Daily Herald (3/16, Cook) states that “according to the Center for Disease Control, a little over half (60 percent) of today’s senior adults visited a dentist in 2013 despite the fact that one in four of seniors aged 65 and older have gum disease.” The article notes seniors face several unique challenges when it comes to accessing dental care, such as lacking dental coverage and transportation. Stating that “regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene habits remain important for seniors,” the article provides several suggestions for helping seniors overcome these and other challenges.

Gum Disease Puts Patients With Kidney Failure At Greater Risk, Study Finds

Standard Digital (2/22, Kajilwa) continues coverage of a study published Feb. 18 in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology that found patients with both “chronic kidney disease patients and periodontitis (severe gum disease) have a higher mortality rate than those with chronic kidney disease alone.” According to the article, “individuals with both periodontitis and chronic kidney disease had an all-cause mortality rate of 41 per cent at 10 years, compared to 32 percent for those with chronic kidney disease alone.” Study co-author Praveen Sharma said, “Knowing the heightened risk that gum disease presents to patients who already have another chronic disease tells us that oral health has a significant role to play in improving patient outcomes.”

When to Consider Implant Dentures

If you’re a removable denture-wearer, you enjoy the full and complete smile that dentures provide. However, there are some downsides to removable prosthetics that can begin to cause problems over time, or have an effect on quality of life.

It may be time to think about a more permanent restoration if you’re experiencing:

Ill-fitting prosthetics – Dentures that don’t fit comfortably can cause problems all day long – from shifting out of place more frequently, to making eating a hassle. While removable dentures can be re-sized to be more comfortable and secure, this is often a lengthy process that may be need to be repeated, depending on wear and tear of your appliance and whether gum tissues have shrunk
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Soft tissue irritation – Because removable dentures are not fixed in place permanently, they can become loose and rub or slip on gums. As mentioned above, this causes tissues to shrink over time. In short, removable dentures can be hard on gum tissue and cause more problems than they solve.

Dietary restrictions - If you’ve begun to feel limited by the foods you cannot eat while wearing removable dentures, it may be time for a fixed prosthetic. Removable denture wearers typically do not have full biting and chewing power, so crunchy foods and foods that are difficult to bite into should be avoided. But having to refrain from eating some of your favorite foods in order to accommodate your dental restoration is frustrating.

Choosing Implant-Supported Dentures

Getting dental implants to permanently secure your full dentures provides a huge boost for your oral health and function. If you’ve been in and out of your dentist’s office for repeated fittings lately, a fixed denture could be the solution. Implant dentures rest on dental implant posts, not on gums, and therefore do not create soft tissue problems or limit your eating habits.

A few dental implants could be a significant difference in how you feel about your smile, and how your dental restoration improves your daily life – not detracts from it.  Dr. Richard Kinsel helps patients get strong new smiles with full-arch implants in Foster City. Contact our office today for more information on trading your removable dentures for a fixed implant denture.