https://medicalxpress.com/dentistry-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Dentistry Dental hygienists play a critical role in delivering preventive oral health care, helping patients maintain good oral health and preventing more serious and costly dental problems. Yet in many states, laws and regulations governing the dental hygiene profession can limit where and how hygienists practice—potentially restricting patients' access to essential preventive services. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-explores-leveraging-dental-hygienists-access.html Thu, 12 Nov 2026 11:20:16 EST news713700630 An international team of researchers is leveraging artificial intelligence to predict who is at high risk for cavities. The findings, published in the journal Caries Research, could help identify population clusters most at risk for tooth decay based on larger social determinants of health rather than on clinical diagnostics at the individual level. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-ai-cavities.html Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:30:01 EST news713450382 New research from Trinity College Dublin shows no link between exposure to community water fluoridation (CWF) and later-life cognitive function in older Irish adults. The research also found no evidence that exposure in early childhood had any impact either. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-link-fluoridation-cognitive-decline-older.html Mon, 09 Nov 2026 16:40:05 EST news713453581 Natural, herbal and organic toothpastes are becoming familiar sights on store shelves, often promoted as healthier alternatives to conventional products. Some contain ingredients such as aloe vera, neem or green tea. But before changing toothpaste, there is one important question to consider: does it contain fluoride? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-natural-toothpaste-good-fluoride-tooth.html Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:40:02 EST news713187136 A lot of time and effort goes into toothbrush technology, whether changing bristle angles or tweaking and improving electric models. No matter the developments, they all essentially still do the same thing to a greater or lesser degree, which is using a mechanical scrubbing motion to clean teeth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-toothbrush-generates-electricity-bacteria.html Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:20:17 EST news713093822 Rare variants in a gene involved in early development have been linked to a range of dental differences in people, including missing teeth, unusual tooth shapes and teeth present at birth. By studying changes in the same gene in mice and chickens, researchers have also uncovered clues to how differences in tooth number and shape evolved across species, including how birds may have lost their teeth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-rare-gene-variants-linked-dental.html Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:20:14 EDT news712251093 A single tooth can contain valuable clues to a person's identity, even when remains are severely decomposed or reduced to bones, according to a study by researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo. By applying multiple forensic methods to different tissues within a single tooth, the researchers obtained six types of information about the deceased. This integrated approach could provide complementary evidence to help identify unknown human remains when conventional methods are difficult to apply. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-tooth-clues-deceased-persons.html Wed, 21 Oct 2026 18:00:07 EDT news711818103 Researchers at the University of Missouri have uncovered a promising way to protect saliva-producing glands from radiation damage that can make it difficult to eat, swallow, sleep and maintain oral hygiene. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-drug-salivary-glands-treatment.html Wed, 21 Oct 2026 11:40:02 EDT news711795335 Boil them, mash them, simmer them in a sauce. Whether they're sweetening a salad, garnishing a cocktail or brightening up home decor, cranberries are an iconic ingredient in holiday festivities. UIC College of Dentistry researcher Christine Wu found another reason to add these tart treats to your grocery cart: oral health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-cranberry-juice-boon-oral-hygiene.html Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:10:01 EDT news711736201 You can tell a lot about your teen from their oral health, says a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report. Many teenage health problems—eating disorders, smoking, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases—can be uncovered by examining their mouth, teeth and gums, the AAP says in a clinical report titled "Oral Health for Adolescents." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-teen-dental-exam-results-window.html Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:40:15 EDT news711621210 If you've ever had a mouth ulcer, you'll know even the smallest sore on your lips, gum, tongue or inside cheek can make eating and talking extremely painful. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-mouth-ulcers.html Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:00:18 EDT news711362292 A research team from the Faculty of Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), working in collaboration with Su Ryon Shin's group at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, has advanced and preclinically validated a shape-adaptive hydrogel designed for challenging clinical trauma scenarios involving severe bleeding, irregular bone defects and comminuted fractures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-moldable-gel-bone-preclinical.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:20:01 EDT news711296221 Antiresorptive drugs, which reduce bone breakdown, are an important part of treatment for breast cancer that has spread to the bones. However, their use can be associated with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), a condition in which bone tissue in the jaw dies. In a Finnish registry study, osteonecrosis of the jaw was diagnosed in 12.6% of patients treated with denosumab during long-term follow-up. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-jawbone-necrosis-advanced-breast-cancer.html Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:00:06 EDT news711189435 A 16-year-old boy in India has had a tooth removed from his left eye socket, between the eyelid and the eyebrow. He had noticed a painless swelling for about a month but was only taken to a hospital when two hard, whitish points began poking through. A scan revealed a fully formed canine tooth—an extremely unusual example of an ectopic tooth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-case-teeth-eye-socket-ectopic.html Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:01 EDT news711104963 Whether you're a quick or slow thinker depends on several factors, such as the efficiency of the brain's wiring and the amount of gray matter in specific control centers. But there may be another, rather surprising influence, and that's the bacteria in your mouth. Scientists have found an association between the mix of microbes on your tongue and how well the brain performs cognitive tasks as we age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-bacteria-tongue-linked-brainpower.html Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:40:02 EDT news711023251 In hypophosphatasia, a rare inherited condition that weakens bones and teeth, early tooth loss can be the first or even the only obvious sign. Yet why dental symptoms differ so much between patients has remained unclear. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-teeth-reveal-hidden-rare-bone.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:40:07 EDT news710509862 Scientists have shown that a naturally occurring virus can dismantle complex bacterial communities responsible for severe gum disease, offering a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics. In the first study to demonstrate this effect, La Trobe University researchers found that the FNU1 virus selectively attacked Fusobacterium polymorphum, a bacterial species that helps other disease-causing bacteria stick together and thrive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-scientists-gum-disease-bacteriophage-virus.html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:20:03 EDT news708611454 For a patient having their wisdom teeth removed, the days after surgery can bring an important question: How much pain medication will I actually need? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-ai-tools-postoperative-opioid-individualized.html Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:20:01 EDT news708348904 If you've ever had a mouth ulcer, you'll know how much a tiny sore can take over your day. These small, painful patches that suddenly appear inside your mouth make eating, drinking and even talking surprisingly uncomfortable. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mouth-ulcers.html Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:20:04 EDT news707392501 A new review by a team of researchers from Indonesia, Japan and China, led by Professor Nurhasni Hasan from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Hasanuddin University in Indonesia, examines how emerging local drug delivery systems could be designed to overcome barriers to treating oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which is one of the most common malignancies affecting the oral cavity and head and neck region and contributes significantly to the global burden of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-rethinking-oral-cancer-treatment-generation.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:40:01 EDT news706956968 Millions of cases of tooth decay could be prevented if Australia introduced a 20% tax on sugar, new Griffith University research has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-sugar-tax-oral-health.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:40:03 EDT news706939861 Air pollution can affect oral health. A study conducted in Brazil by researchers from São Paulo State University (UNESP) and the University of São Paulo (USP) demonstrated for the first time that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a major component of urban air pollution, causes changes in oral tissues and accelerates the destruction of periodontal tissues that support teeth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-air-pollution-oral-mucosa-worsen.html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:05 EDT news706459381 Prenatal visits might include bloodwork, discussions of due dates and vitamins, and ultrasounds. What if these visits could also improve oral health care among pregnant patients? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-dental-prenatal-boosts-oral-health.html Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:00:06 EDT news705758822 A combination of omega-3 and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) produced results comparable to antibiotics in treating severe periodontitis. This conclusion is based on a study conducted by researchers affiliated with Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, Guarulhos University (UNG), the University of Taubaté (UNITAU), and the Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry at USP (FORP-USP) in Brazil, as well as Harvard University in the United States. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-omega-dose-aspirin-antibiotic-results.html Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:00:05 EDT news705319681 CT images taken before patients begin treatment with bone resorption inhibitors may contain measurable clues about who will later develop medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), according to a retrospective study by a researcher at Hiroshima University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-pretreatment-ct-scans-clues-medication.html Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:43:20 EDT news705321782 Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have created an innovative treatment for periodontitis that targets and eliminates harmful bacteria while preserving beneficial oral microbes essential for health. The findings were published in the Journal of Translational Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-therapy-gum-disease-bacterium-beneficial.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:40:01 EDT news705066901 Somewhere in Australia, a child is wobbling a baby tooth loose as an adult tooth pushes up behind it. For one in seven Aussie kids, that new tooth arrives already weak, marked with a creamy white or brownish patch in the enamel. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mystery-weak-teeth-australian-kids.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 11:20:03 EDT news704968322 Fermented plant-based foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut could help inspire a new generation of microbiome-informed dietary strategies for supporting oral and gut health, according to a review paper published in Nature Reviews Microbiology. The study, led by investigators at Penn's School of Dental Medicine with collaborators at Penn Medicine, Penn Nursing and Jeonbuk National University in South Korea, examines how fermented foods interact with the microbes that live in the mouth and gut. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-fermented-food-precision-nutrition-oral.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:00:03 EDT news704964967 Exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke during the first days of life can cause changes in tooth enamel mineralization without causing visible changes to the teeth. This was demonstrated in an animal model study conducted by researchers at the Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry at the University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) in Brazil. The results were published in May in the scientific journal Calcified Tissue International. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-rat-early-secondhand-exposure-tooth.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 07:00:03 EDT news704769247 Oral health is known to be linked to overall health, and research has shown relationships with a variety of diseases. Impaired oral health has been linked to prognosis in colorectal cancer and esophageal cancer. Previous studies have also shown an association between oral health and postoperative complications in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the more lethal forms of cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-natural-tooth-term-survival-pancreatic.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:56:29 EDT news704710562