Patients Advised To Consult With A Dentist Prior To Any Tooth Whitening Regimen

Consumer Reports discussed home tooth whitening treatments, which may help remove surface stains, according to a dental adviser to Consumer Reports. “You will see a noticeable difference, but final results can vary depending on individual teeth and the depth of staining or discoloration,” says Dr. Edmond Hewlett, a professor of dentistry at the University of California Los Angeles and spokesperson for the American Dental Association. Home tooth whitening kits can’t address all discoloration, however, says Dr. Hewlett, and checking with a dentist first before beginning a tooth whitening treatment is advised. The article noted that “good dental hygiene is key,” and Dr. Hewlett says, “Keep your teeth clean with regular brushing and flossing.”

ADA Spokesperson Discusses How To Prevent Cavities

A consumer-directed video on the Business Insider website features American Dental Association spokesperson Dr. Ada Cooper discussing dental caries. “The biggest myth about cavities is that if it doesn’t hurt you don’t need to fix it,” Dr. Cooper said. “That is completely wrong.” She states that when a cavity has begun to cause pain, it usually requires “more extensive treatment” at that point. Explaining what causes dental decay and why some people may have more cavities than others, Dr. Cooper says “brushing and flossing, of course, are the best way to minimize the number of cavities that you get.” In addition, dentists have many tools available, such as fluoride rinses and treatments, to make teeth more resistant to dental decay. “The best thing to do,” Dr. Cooper says, is to have regular dental visits to ensure detection and treatment of cavities while they’re still small.

Taking Preventive Steps To Manage Inflammation Advised

Harvard University (MA) stated that although “inflammation plays a central role in healing,” if “left to run wild, this process can lead to arthritis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.” To help keep chronic inflammation under control, Dr. Andrew Luster, of the Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, recommends people manage their diet and lifestyle and take several other preventive steps, including fighting gum disease. The article stated that “if your gums bleed when you brush or floss, you most likely have inflammation,” recommending people improve oral hygiene and visit the dentist.

Increasing Number Of People Choosing Medicare Advantage Plans

In an article in the Houston Chronicle , Holly Steinbrecher, CEO, Unitedhealthcare Medicare & Retirement In Texas, discusses Medicare Advantage plans, stating an increasing number of people eligible for Medicare are choosing Medicare Advantage, both in Houston and across the country. Steinbrecher says several characteristics of Medicare Advantage plans may be fueling the shift, including “predictable costs, additional benefits and care coordination.” For example, “some plans cover hearing aids and preventive dental care,” notes Steinbrecher.

FDA Approves Intranasally Administered, Needleless Dental Anesthetic

UPI reported in continuing coverage that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Kovanaze, “a nasal spray anesthetic” for use during a restorative procedure “after it was shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials.” The FDA approved Kovanaze, which is a combination of tetracaine and the nasal decongestant oxymetazoline, “for use with patients over 88 pounds, though the company plans to investigate its use with children, as well as for other procedures.” The article noted that the results of the phase 3 trial are published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

        In a release carried on EurekAlert (8/25), the University of Pennsylvania stated Kovanaze “was deemed safe and effective in a recent Phase 3 clinical trial led by University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine researchers.” Dr. Elliot V. Hersh, the study’s lead author and a professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology at Penn Dental Medicine, said, “This is obviously a great thing for needle-phobic individuals, and it can reduce inadvertent needle-stick injuries in the clinic as well.”

        The ADA (7/15) had reported previously that “Kovanaze™ is indicated for regional pulpal anesthesia when performing a restorative procedure on teeth 4 through 13 and A through J in adults and children who weigh 40 kg (88 lbs) or more.”

Cheat Sheet Identifies “Essential Tools” For Oral Healthcare

Cheat Sheet states that Business Insider reported that neglecting oral health may lead to other health issues, noting that in the article the American Dental Association says, “The mouth is a gateway into your body’s overall health.” With this in mind, the article identifies “essential tools” for oral health. The article includes toothpaste and floss in its list, recommending people select “a toothpaste that contains fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent decay.” The article also includes flossing daily to remove food debris trapped between teeth in its list. The article adds that some people may benefit from using an electric toothbrush. ADA spokesperson Dr. Kimberly Harms “says electric powered toothbrushes can help people who have trouble physically moving their brushes around their mouth to clean all the surfaces of your teeth.”

Researchers Use Nanoparticles To Reduce Plaque, Prevent Dental Decay

Science Daily carries a University of Pennsylvania release stating “the bacteria that live in dental plaque and contribute to tooth decay often resist traditional antimicrobial treatment, as they can ‘hide’ within a sticky biofilm matrix, a glue-like polymer scaffold.” University of Pennsylvania researchers have conceived a new strategy that uses “iron-containing nanoparticles to catalyze the activity of hydrogen peroxide,” finding it effectively “reduced the onset and severity of cavities” in an animal model. The findings were published in the journal Biomaterials.

Some Medications May Cause Xerostomia

The Global Dispatch discussed xerostomia, describing how saliva helps promote oral health by flushing out bacteria and “helping to provide a healthy environment for beneficial bacteria.” Noting that dry mouth can result as a side effect from some medications, the article identified symptoms of decreased salivary production and provided treatment tips, such as chewing sugarless gum and using oral rinses.

WebMD Considers “15 Myths And Facts” About Dental Caries

WebMD provides a list of “15 myths and facts,” about dental caries, featuring quotes from American Dental Association spokesperson Dr. Kimberly Harms throughout. For example, the list states that it is a myth that sugar is the only cause of dental caries. Dr. Kimberly Harms states, “The truth is, acid produced by bacteria in your mouth is the cause of cavities.” Another myth is that children have more dental caries than adults. As a result of fluoride in tap water, “we’ve actually cut decay in school-aged children by half in the last 20 years,” Dr. Harms says. On the flip side, more senior citizens are getting dental caries because of medication that reduces saliva, she says. WebMD also states that the following are myths: aspirin on a tooth will alleviate a toothache; all fillings will eventually need replacing; people will know if they have a cavity; bruxism causes dental caries; gaps in teeth lead to dental caries; dental sensitivity means there is decay; dental caries are the cause of root canals; and dental caries aren’t possible in baby teeth. In addition, the article states it’s true that acid causes dental decay; once treated, the decay stops; dental caries are more likely to appear between teeth; dental chips and cracks can lead to decay; and proper dental hygiene helps prevent decay.

Coverage Continues: Nearly A Third Of Americans Never Floss Their Teeth, CDC Study Finds

Newser reports in continuing coverage that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers surveyed “more than 9,000 Americans aged 30 and over” about how often they floss, finding “32.4% said they didn’t floss their teeth at all, in contrast to the 30.3% who said they flossed daily.” Discussing the oral health benefits of regular flossing, the article notes that the American Dental Association recommends flossing daily.

Studies Examine How Triclosan Affects The Body

The ADA reports that a “study by Poole et al. in the May 2016 issue of mSphere...was designed to examine whether use of consumer products,” including toothpaste, “would alter gut microbiome composition, endocrine function, and markers for obesity, diabetes, and inflammation.” The ADA says the study does not provide insight as to how fluoride toothpaste containing triclosan “[reduces] plaque and gingivitis more than toothpaste containing fluoride alone,” as was demonstrated in a 2013 Cochrane review. Moreover, the results of the mSphere study “are not consistent with the hypotheses that use of triclosan at physiologic levels achieved through the use of consumer products has a major impact on human gut or oral microbiome composition.”

        Regarding the mSphere study specifically, HealthDay also reports that “triclosan doesn’t dramatically alter the microbiome of the gut or the mouth, or significantly affect the endocrine system.” After randomizing “13 healthy people to use household and personal care products with or without the ingredient,” researchers found “little effect on the endocrine system” and “now major blow to oral flora or gut flora.”

        TIME reports that “in light of new evidence” that the antibacterial triclosan may be linked to “bacteria resistance, hormone disruption, and possibly even liver cancer,” the Food and Drug Administration is “currently reviewing” those studies.

Eight Common Mistakes People Make Brushing Teeth

Reader’s Digest states that it’s easier than one might think “to make tooth brushing mistakes,” identifying eight common mistakes people may make while brushing. The article states, for example, that a common mistake is not brushing teeth long enough, noting that “the American Dental Association recommends brushing for two minutes, but many people fall woefully short—and don’t even realize it.” According to the article, common mistakes also include brushing too hard, using an incorrect angle while brushing, using a toothbrush with bristles that are too firm, using a toothbrush head that is too large, using the same toothbrush for too long, not flossing regularly, and not brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. “Dental disease is totally preventable,” says ADA spokesperson Dr. Sally Cram, “and a lot of it can be avoided by stepping up your home brushing program and having check-ups.”

   

Feline Stem Cell Trial Holds Hope For Treating People With Oral Disease

Reuters (3/17, Gruber) reports that researchers at the University of California, Davis are using stem cell therapy to treat cats with feline chronic gingivostomatitis or FCGS, a debilitating, inflammatory mouth disease. The researchers hoped to reduce inflammation and promote tissue regeneration with stem cell therapy, and so far the feline patients are responding favorably to the treatment. According to the article, UC Davis is planning to conduct human trials using stem cell therapy for treatment of inflammatory mouth disease in the future.

Xerostomia Can Contribute To A Variety Of Oral Health ProblemsXerostomia Can Contribute To A Variety Of Oral Health Problems

In an article in the Pharmacy Times (2/10), clinical pharmacy writer Yvette C. Terrie discussed xerostomia, stating that “if left untreated, xerostomia can cause discomfort and contribute to halitosis, dental caries, periodontal disease, and other oral health problems, such as candidiasis infection due to disturbance of the oral microflora resulting from decreased salivary flow.” Medications and medical conditions are among the variety of causes of xerostomia, Terrie noted, adding that “the goals of treating xerostomia include identifying the possible cause, relieving discomfort, and preventing complications such as dental caries and periodontal infections.”

Research Shows Gut Microbiome May Be Linked To Bone Health

Dr. Rana Samadfam, the principal scientist in musculoskeletal research at Charles River, writes a guest blog for Scientific American (2/10) saying that our gut microbiome, which is “now known to influence heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and obesity,” may also help bones heal. Dr. Samadfam says that “exciting new research now shows that the gut microbiome can affect bone strength in both animal models and humans.” Dr. Samadfam says that the results from rodent models may be “related to the immune system,” as “different cells in the immune system can regulate bone density, and an imbalance in this regulation leads to diseases such as arthritis, cancer and osteoporosis (a disease in which bones become weak and brittle).” In addition, treatments with probiotics in rodent models have been shown to improve bone mass, which may “indicate that treatments that affect the composition of the microbiome can also regulate bone health.”

Study: Children With High Risk Of Cavities Not Receiving Needed Preventive Dental Care

PRNewswire (12/29) hosts a Delta Dental Plans Association release announcing that its “study of more than 97 million dental claims...found two-thirds of children who are at higher risk of developing cavities aren’t getting recommended preventive dental care.” The study determined 27 percent of children are at higher risk of developing cavities based on their history of recent fillings. Of those children, the study found that “65% did not receive two fluoride treatments per year,” “68% of 6- to 9-year-olds didn’t receive sealants on their first permanent molars,” and “85% of those ages 10 to 14 didn’t receive sealants on their second permanent molars.” According to the release, the ADA “recommends children at higher risk of tooth decay receive two fluoride treatments a year as well as sealants on their first and second permanent molars.” The ADA provides fluoridation FAQs online.

American College Of Prosthodontists Releases Guidelines For Patients With Dental Restorations

Globe Newswire (12/29) hosts a release from the American College of Prosthodontists, which announced it has published new clinical practice guidelines suggesting “patients with dental restorations supported by natural teeth such as crowns, bridges and veneers, or supported by implants can keep their teeth healthy using a lifelong recall and maintenance approach.” Carl F. Driscoll, DMD, FACP, the President of the American College of Prosthodontists, said, “The take home message from the systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines is that implant supported restorations require ongoing at-home maintenance and regular recalls for an enduring result.”

Dental Visit Was “Turning Point” For Runner With Eating Disorder

In an article in The Guardian (UK) (1/8), marathon runner Tom Fairbrother described how he developed and recovered from an eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, stating the “turning point” was when he went to the dentist to seek care for a toothache. Fairbrother said the dentist “asked if I was making myself sick, because my front teeth had been eroded by 75% due to the stomach acid from vomiting.” Fairbrother said, “It was the first time I had ever been asked directly, and I had no choice but to confess to him,” adding, “He informed me that if this behaviour continued, within six months I would lose my front teeth entirely.” The ADA provides additional information on eating disorders and oral health at MouthHealthy.org.

Dental Care Advised Before, During, And After Cancer Treatment

The About (12/29) website states that “mouth complications...can and do occur in more than one-third of those being treated for breast cancer,” adding that untreated dental problems may impact treatment. Given this, the article recommends seeing “your dentist as soon as you know you will be having chemotherapy,” adding, “Consider your dentist a part of your care team as you will be seeing him or her during treatment, as needed, and after treatment is completed.”

Children With High Risk Of Cavities Not Receiving Needed Preventive Dental Care

PRNewswire (12/29) hosts a Delta Dental Plans Association release announcing that its “study of more than 97 million dental claims...found two-thirds of children who are at higher risk of developing cavities aren’t getting recommended preventive dental care.” The study determined 27 percent of children are at higher risk of developing cavities based on their history of recent fillings. Of those children, the study found that “65% did not receive two fluoride treatments per year,” “68% of 6- to 9-year-olds didn’t receive sealants on their first permanent molars,” and “85% of those ages 10 to 14 didn’t receive sealants on their second permanent molars.” According to the release, the ADA “recommends children at higher risk of tooth decay receive two fluoride treatments a year as well as sealants on their first and second permanent molars.” The ADA provides fluoridation FAQs online. Additional information on fluoride is available on MouthHealthy.org.