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Dentistry news

Oncology & Cancer

Bacteria involved in gum disease linked to increased risk of head and neck cancer

More than a dozen bacterial species among the hundreds that live in people's mouths have been linked to a collective 50% increased chance of developing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a new study shows. Some ...

Health

Yes, you do need to clean your tongue. Here's how and why

Has your doctor asked you to stick out your tongue and say "aaah"? While the GP assesses your throat, they're also checking out your tongue, which can reveal a lot about your health.

Dentistry

Engineers' invention improves dental safety

UIC Distinguished Professor Alexander Yarin and a team of researchers at UIC invented a product that helped the dental industry and made it safer.

Dentistry

Altered blood markers detected in individuals with periodontitis

Individuals with periodontitis have altered concentrations of various proteins in their blood, according to a new study from Umeå University, Sweden. These findings pave the way for research into biomarkers for periodontitis ...

Health

Oil pulling for oral health: To swish or not to swish?

After scrolling social media, you might be tempted to ditch your typical oral care regimen in favor of melted coconut oil, or other similar oils, for a practice known as oil pulling. A method of traditional Ayurvedic medicine ...

Dentistry

Do your pearly whites sometimes cause you pain?

(HealthDay)—Do you feel a sharp pain when you eat or drink something cold or hot? You may have sensitive teeth, a common problem caused by a number of factors.

Dentistry

Understanding genetic synergy in cleft palate

Like all of the individual elements of fetal development, palate growth is a marvel of nature. In part of this process, ledges of tissue on the sides of the face grow downwards on each side of the tongue, then upward, fusing ...

Dentistry

Biting and chewing gets you teeth

Biting and chewing force our buried teeth to emerge, not an innate 'eruptive' force from within the bone of the jaw as previously thought, according to biomechanical modelling done by Babak Sarrafpour and an interdisciplinary ...

Dentistry

Need braces? Say goodbye to 'metal-mouth' taunts

(HealthDay)—Braces have long been a kind of geeky right-of-passage—something that must be endured for a few years to ensure a lifelong smile with straight teeth.

Dentistry

Orofacial pain fact and fiction

Patients looking for relief from the radiating pain of temporal mandibular disorders (TMDs) in the face, jaw or neck will find an avalanche of misinformation online—and surprisingly, a lot of it comes from dentists ...

Dentistry

Do wisdom teeth have to be removed?

Should you have a wisdom tooth removed if it is not causing you any pain? Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Hossein Ghaeminia of Radboud university medical center researched the risk of complications when removing these teeth. ...

Dentistry

Use of prefabricated blood vessels may revolutionize root canals

While root canals are effective in saving a tooth that has become infected or decayed, this age-old procedure may cause teeth to become brittle and susceptible to fracture over time. Now researchers at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, ...

Dentistry

Grape seed extract could extend life of resin fillings

A natural compound found in grape seed extract could be used to strengthen dentin—the tissue beneath a tooth's enamel—and increase the life of resin fillings, according to new research at the University of Illinois at ...

Dentistry

Dental anxiety has consequences beyond tooth decay

(HealthDay)—Does the mere thought of a dentist's drill make you cringe in fear? Be forewarned: Dental phobia can damage more than your teeth, a new British report indicates.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Remember mouth guards when purchasing sporting goods

One piece of safety equipment often ignored when purchasing sporting goods is the mouth guard. Each year, more than five million teeth are avulsed (come out of the socket) due to trauma. The cost to treat an avulsed tooth, ...

Dentistry

Preventing tooth decay in children

Applying fluoride varnish to children's teeth is just as effective at preventing tooth decay as the alternative method of sealing teeth and could save the NHS money, concludes a study led by Cardiff University.

Dentistry

Crooked bite may indicate early life stress

Research has repeatedly confirmed that the first 1,000 days after conception strongly influence a person's life expectancy and susceptibility to chronic diseases. The primary marker used to identify early life stress is low ...