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Dental News: University of Kentucky researchers have developed a chewing gum that can help replace both the toothpaste and a toothbrush, thus improving the health of soldiers in the field as well as children in poor countries.
That's right, Gum.
Developed via what's known as the "military gum project,", researchers have found that an antimicrobial, known as KSL, can be infused in chewing gum. KSL is anti-adhesive and abrasive agent that disrupts and helps dissolve plaque and, as every toothpaste commercial has told us for years, fighting plaque is key to good oral hygiene.
Since World War I, thousands of American soldiers have suffered from the extreme form of gingivitis that can result in painful ulcers, infection and bleeding gums. You’ve probably heard it called "trench mouth." Even today, about 15 percent of all U.S. Army sick calls are related to dental problems.
The gum could also be key in protecting children in impoverished nations from potentially deadly infections. For example, she said, children born with AIDs in Africa often have serious and painful dental problems. The gum could enhance their quality of life.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Some Dentists Now Offering Botox
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Dental News: The same person who fills your cavities also could be filling your wrinkles with Botox.
Some dentists now are offering cosmetic procedures such as Botox. Dr. Michael Firouzian of Columbus, Ohio started offering Botox and other dermal fillers after some of his patients asked about it.
"I found out that it’s something within our scope that we can do. I went down to Florida and did some training, and I had a plastic surgeon come in for a whole week and I trained with him," Firouzian said.
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson said that a week of training can’t compare to years of training required for board certification in plastic surgery. He said patients should stick with plastic surgeons for any cosmetic procedure.
"From my end, a plastic surgeon has specific training in cosmetic services and reconstructive services. It’s the safest bet to have those procedures done," Donaldson said. "Materials like Botox injected into the wrong anatomical area can cause things like eyelids to drop and different facial expressions to disappear."
Firouzian said he knows and understands the risks. "As dentists, we are fully trained in knowing all the anatomy and knowing where all the nerves are. This is a service we offer to our own patients with a full understanding that there are certain guidelines we have to abide by," Firouzian said.
The Ohio State Dental Board has ruled that treatments, such as Botox, are within the scope of practice for dentists as long as they are limited to the facial areas while the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said Botox falls squarely within the practice of medicine and should only be done by a board-certified plastic surgeon.
This article courtesy of nbc4i.com
Dental News: The same person who fills your cavities also could be filling your wrinkles with Botox.
Some dentists now are offering cosmetic procedures such as Botox. Dr. Michael Firouzian of Columbus, Ohio started offering Botox and other dermal fillers after some of his patients asked about it.
"I found out that it’s something within our scope that we can do. I went down to Florida and did some training, and I had a plastic surgeon come in for a whole week and I trained with him," Firouzian said.
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Donaldson said that a week of training can’t compare to years of training required for board certification in plastic surgery. He said patients should stick with plastic surgeons for any cosmetic procedure.
"From my end, a plastic surgeon has specific training in cosmetic services and reconstructive services. It’s the safest bet to have those procedures done," Donaldson said. "Materials like Botox injected into the wrong anatomical area can cause things like eyelids to drop and different facial expressions to disappear."
Firouzian said he knows and understands the risks. "As dentists, we are fully trained in knowing all the anatomy and knowing where all the nerves are. This is a service we offer to our own patients with a full understanding that there are certain guidelines we have to abide by," Firouzian said.
The Ohio State Dental Board has ruled that treatments, such as Botox, are within the scope of practice for dentists as long as they are limited to the facial areas while the American Society of Plastic Surgeons said Botox falls squarely within the practice of medicine and should only be done by a board-certified plastic surgeon.
This article courtesy of nbc4i.com
Monday, November 16, 2009
Poor Dental Health Affects The Brain
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Dental News: The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry is reporting a study that finds gum disease -due to a lack of proper dental health- in the elderly is linked to reduced cognitive ability.
The study, done by the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, found that test subjects with the highest levels of the gum disease-causing pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis were three times more likely to struggle with the verbal memory tests, and twice as likely to fail on both delayed verbal recall and subtraction tests.
The study was led by Dr James Noble and found that adults with the highest levels of this pathogen were two times more likely to fail three-digit reverse subtraction tests. This can happen by causing inflammation throughout the body, a known risk factor for loss of mental function.
"Despite the association of periodontitis with stroke and shared risk factors between stroke and dementia, to our knowledge, no epidemiological studies have investigated periodontitis relative to cognition," the study revealed. "Although results presented here are preliminary and inconclusive, a growing body of evidence supports exploration of a possible association between poor dental health and incident dementia."
Dental News: The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry is reporting a study that finds gum disease -due to a lack of proper dental health- in the elderly is linked to reduced cognitive ability.
The study, done by the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, found that test subjects with the highest levels of the gum disease-causing pathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis were three times more likely to struggle with the verbal memory tests, and twice as likely to fail on both delayed verbal recall and subtraction tests.
The study was led by Dr James Noble and found that adults with the highest levels of this pathogen were two times more likely to fail three-digit reverse subtraction tests. This can happen by causing inflammation throughout the body, a known risk factor for loss of mental function.
"Despite the association of periodontitis with stroke and shared risk factors between stroke and dementia, to our knowledge, no epidemiological studies have investigated periodontitis relative to cognition," the study revealed. "Although results presented here are preliminary and inconclusive, a growing body of evidence supports exploration of a possible association between poor dental health and incident dementia."
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