Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Dentistry News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/dentistry/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120530.php Tooth cavities are usually closed with plastic fillings. However, the initially soft plastic shrinks as it hardens. The tension can cause gaps to appear between the tooth and the filling, encouraging more caries to form. For the first time, researchers have simulated this process. The patient's hands are clasped firmly around the armrests as the dentist drills away the caries-stricken sections of the tooth. Once the drilling is over, most toothache sufferers can begin to relax. Dentistry Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120143.php The University of Illinois at Chicago has received a two-year federal grant to continue a study on how periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the tissues surrounding teeth, is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity. Dr. Keiko Watanabe of the UIC College of Dentistry has found that periodontitis accelerates the onset of insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fat diet. Diabetes Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119864.php "Do you frequently have bad breath?" If so, you may need more than just a mint, as persistent bad breath is one of several signs that gum disease may be present. This question, along with many others, is part of CIGNA Dental's new online Periodontal Disease Risk Assessment Tool, which helps people assess their risk for gum (periodontal) disease. Dentistry Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119842.php The General Dental Council is a highly effective and well managed regulator with a consistent focus on public protection and a commitment to continuous improvement. That's the view of healthcare regulator watchdog the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) in its review of the GDC, released recently. The GDC welcomed the review and said it was pleased its work in protecting the public had been recognised by the CHRE. Dentistry Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119764.php Do you want to hear more about the impact of recent reforms on dentists, dental care professionals and patients? A conference exploring changes in regulation affecting dentistry will be taking place on 9 October 2008 at Woburn House in London. Dentistry Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119700.php Should GDC registrants who are employed by, belong to, or are involved in, a dental body corporate be required to declare it in their practice literature? That's the question being asked by the General Dental Council in its current consultation 'Declaration of involvement with a Dental Body Corporate'. Following amendments to the Dentists Act in 2005, any corporate body can carry out the business of dentistry provided it satisfies certain conditions. Dentistry Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119613.php Believe it or not, women and men have different oral health needs. In fact, women's oral health needs change at different stages throughout their life, including puberty, pregnancy and menopause. The Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) offers a reminder that understanding these evolving oral health needs will ensure that everyone, regardless of gender or stage of life, is getting the oral health care they need to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Dentistry Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119147.php The administration of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) plans to appeal an appeals court ruling from earlier this week that temporarily halted a 10% reduction in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates to health care providers, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Fernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/21). Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119188.php Tapping into the desire to have an attractive smile is the best motivator for improving oral hygiene, and new immigrants are the most receptive to oral health messages, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. Authors Shuili Du (Simmons College), Sankar Sen (City University of New York), and C.B. Bhattacharya (Boston University) evaluated the effectiveness of an oral health outreach program in disadvantaged communities. Dentistry Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119097.php Dental caries afflict at least 90% of the world's population at some time in their lives. Detecting the first signs of this disease, which can be lethal in extreme cases, just got easier thanks to work by researchers in India discussed in the latest issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology. R. Dentistry Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118988.php A patient undergoing NHS dental treatment under the new contractual arrangements is more likely to have dentures or tooth extractions and less likely to have fillings or crowns than under the old arrangements, a report released by The NHS Information Centre (The NHS IC) suggests. The report, Dental Treatment Band Analysis: England and Wales, 2007/08, considered nearly 10,000 adult dental Courses of Treatment (CoTs) in England and nearly 1,500 adult CoTs in Wales. Dentistry Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118977.php NHS dentists and their patients still face significant problems according to reports published today by the NHS Information Centre. The reports show that more than one million fewer patients in England have been able to access NHS dentistry since the introduction of a new contract for dentists and patient charges in April 2006. Dentistry Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119089.php Researchers in Japan have successfully made stem cells from wisdom teeth, creating an alternative source of pluripotent cells for researching and treating disease and avoiding the ethical problems surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells. Scientists at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, which is funded by the government, said they used wisdom teeth that had been frozen for three years after being removed from a 10 year old girl. Stem Cell Research Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118868.php A U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles temporarily blocked implementation of a proposed 10% cut to Medi-Cal payments for doctors, dentists and pharmacies, stating the changes would violate federal laws and reduce the quality of medical care for millions of people, the Sacramento Bee reports (Yamamura/Sanders, Sacramento Bee, 8/20). Primary Care / General Practice Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118818.php Five UCSF stem cell scientists have received New Faculty grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, support that will allow them to pursue lines of investigation ultimately aimed at developing treatment strategies for such conditions as cancer, heart disease, tooth regeneration, liver disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The UCSF grants, which range from about $2 million to $3 million each, total $13. Stem Cell Research Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118792.php Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell on Tuesday discussed the efforts of two young black dentists in Chicago who are seeking to improve the oral health of black men. Mitchell notes that according to the Dentistry Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118689.php BIOLASE Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI), the world's leading dental laser company, today announced the global launch of a new software upgrade that includes innovations designed to extend the capabilities and useful life of installed first generation Waterlase™ hard and soft tissue dental laser systems. Dentistry Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118507.php Remember oral health when preparing kids for back to school. Don't forget to add a toothbrush to the list of pencils , notebooks and paper on your shopping list. Keeping an eye on kids' oral health and instilling good habits will help them start the school year right, say Assistant Professor Julie Jenks and Clinical Associate Professor Gardner Beale of the USC School of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Clinic. Dentistry Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118239.php Mouth Cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection The London Day Surgery Centre (LDSC) is the first clinic in the Capital to offer ViziLite oral lesion screening, a new pain free technique for oral cancer, one of the fastest growing cancers in the UK. ViziLite Plus with TBlue is a painless, non-invasive examination. It helps detect abnormalities than can be early indicators of cancer. Dentistry Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118117.php With more and more people considering dental treatment abroad, the UK dental regulator, the General Dental Council (GDC) has issued guidance and advice to dental patients with a checklist of questions to ask before travelling abroad for treatment. Dentistry Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118063.php Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a dental specialty pharmaceutical company, announced the publication of three clinical trials on the use of OraVerse (phentolamine mesylate) injection as a local dental anesthetic reversal agent in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA). Dentistry Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117965.php A Newsweek web exclusive last week examined efforts to provide access to dental care for low-income residents of Appalachia and other underserved rural regions of the U.S., where the "dire dental situation ... is emblematic of the larger health care crisis" in the nation. Newsweek profiled the "huge annual medical and dental expedition" set up by Dentistry Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117819.php Scientists have discovered a new species of bacteria in the mouth. The finding could help scientists to understand tooth decay and gum disease and may lead to better treatments, according to research published in the August issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Biology / Biochemistry Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117722.php The first stand-alone course for clinical dental technicians in the UK will begin in Edinburgh later this year following provisional approval from the General Dental Council. The course is open to GDC-registered dental technicians. The GDC gave provisional approval to the 37-week course at the Edinburgh Dental Institute at a recent meeting. But full approval won't be given until the course has been inspected by the GDC ahead of the first intake graduating. Dentistry Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117763.php Doctors often prescribe bisphosphonates for both osteoporosis as well as certain cancers. And usage has been increasing due to large-scale marketing and advertising to consumers. Taken orally, these medications (such as Boniva® or Fosamax®) can help promote bone density in women with osteoporosis, and taken intravenously, can help stop the spread of cancer in chemotherapy patients. Bones / Orthopaedics