Hospital Stays Deteriorate Oral Health

According to recent research studies, during hospitalization, ones oral health deteriorates.  It is connected to an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections and a reduced quality of life.

The research claims that overlooked oral health in hospitals can lead to potentially serious consequences.  The research found that plaque accumulation, and gingival as well as mucosal inflammation was rapidly increased, especially amongst among patients who had breathing problems.   

Pain-free Dental Injection Recently Invented

Thanks to a Dr. John Meechan, there has been a new syringe invented that is able to stop the agony of having an injection at the dentist.

A British Researcher and Senior Lecturer in Dental Sciences at Newcastle University; he has invented a syringe, which enables the anaesthetic.

"We think our idea has great potential to improve the comfort of dental injections, which will benefit all patients who need anaesthetics at the dentist," the Daily Mail quoted Dr. Meechan as saying.

"The whole idea was to make dental injections more comfortable for patients and we've done that by changing the delivery system," he said.

African-Americans Get a Raw Deal on Dental Care?

The fact that African Americans tend to get poorer dental care in comparison to white Americans peaked the interest of researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the College of Dental Medicine.  The researchers surveyed African American adults with recent oral health symptoms.

The poll was conducted through a qualitative survey of 118 men and women.  Despite the fact that most of adults (75 percent) in the study claimed to have at least some type of dental insurance coverage, it was appreciably limited to Medicaid (50%) only 21% claimed to have a private coverage and 4 % noted other types of dental insurance.

Making Scents to Fight Dental Fear

In a recent study conducted by Dutch researchers, the research team surveyed 150 adults who were waiting for dental treatment.  The scents of either apples or oranges were sprayed into the waiting room 30 minutes before the patients arrived.  Another group of 69 adults surveyed, were not exposed to either scent.

Despite the fact that previous studies have found that orange, lavender, vanilla and heliotropin scents reduce anxiety, this study showed that none of the scents had an effect on the amount of anxiety or pain that patients felt in the dental clinic.  Scents however, have been tested as weight-loss aids as well as suggested as treatments for depression and dementia.

Severe Tooth Infections Connected With Heart Attacks

This study (from Norway) involved more than 1,000 men; nearly half of which had heart attacks.  The men ranged in ages from 48 to 77.

During the study it appeared that men who had a history of heart attack were more likely to have had teeth pulled because of infection (because of gum disease, or a tooth infection.)

"When a tooth is extracted because of an infection, the bacteria get into the bloodstream.  This is called a "bacteremia."  The body's inflammatory response to infections may help lead to increased plaque in arteries near the heart, which can increase risk of heart attack."

Athletes at Risk for Tooth Decay

A group of New Zealand researchers gave questionnaires to professional athletes whom take part in various sports which involve, running, biking and swimming.

Nearly 94% of the professional athletes stated that they ate during training, 84% mentioned the consumption of sports drinks.  Approximately 50% said that during training sessions they drank sports drinks or water by taking "little sips, often, from a bottle."  Just few of them thought however, that the way they eat and drink during training could put them at risk for cavities.  Upon further research, 10 out of 10 athletes who had oral exams were at high risk of developing cavities.

Could There be More than Lunch Lurking on Your Retainer?

According to a recent study, held by the researchers at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, poor cleaning may allow for build-up of microbes on orthodontic retainers.

The study was published in the "Society for Applied Microbiology's," journal Letters in Applied Microbiology. Dr Jonathan Pratten, together with his team studied the types of microbes which live on retainers. The study showed that potentially pathogenic microbes were growing on at least 50 percent of the retainers. This may very well indicate a need for the development of improved cleaning products for orthodontic retainers.

CSADC Reached 16,000 Children during National Children's Dental Health Month

During National Children's Dental Health Month, which took place in February, more than 16,000 children across the country received free dental screenings and/or oral health education, announced Church Street Health Management (CSHM).

This was the third year when "Healthy Child, Happy Smile Day," together with supporting community outreach initiatives provided free dental screenings and taught children about brushing and flossing and the importance of regular dental visits.

As part of the company's "Healthy Child, Happy Smile Day," Church Street Health Management's associated network of (which consists of more than 70 dental clinics in 22 states throughout the U.S.) caregivers held free screenings and community events.