Babies Oral Care Can Prevent Future Cavities

A recent study performed by scientists from the University of Illinois confirms the presence of bacteria associated with early childhood caries (ECC) in infant saliva.  Now there is one more reason for parents to pay more attention to the oral health of their children.

Early childhood caries is a virulent form of caries, which is more often known as tooth decay or a cavity.  In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is the most widespread infectious disease among U.S. children.

New $4.7-Million Study On Early-Stage Oral Cancer

A new study performed by the researchers from UBC's Faculties of Medicine, Science, and Dentistry, is aimed at improving the outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for oral squamous cell cancers.  The study involves universities and hospitals in nine Canadian cities.

The researchers claim that “Findings from the study could revolutionize clinical practice here and around the world.”

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, every year approximately 3,400 Canadians are diagnosed with oral cancer.  In 2010, the estimated number of deaths caused by oral cancer was 1,150; now nearly 30% of the patients who have oral surgery do end up having their cancer recur.

In order to differentiate between healthy tissues from tumours or pre-cancerous cells in the mouth, the study is going to investigate the effectiveness of a fluorescence visualization, or "blue light," under which normal tissue generates a fluorescence, the fluorescence is absent in tumour or pre-cancerous tissue.

Obesity Leads to Poor Oral Health

According to a recent study by the British Dental Health Foundation, "Poor oral health has joined the list of knock-on effects of obesity."

Just a few years ago, 1.5 billion adults (ages 20 and older,) were overweight, of that number, over 200 million men and about 300 million women were obese.  Periodontal pockets are food and plaque traps that irritate and decay teeth to the point that the tooth will finally fall out.

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.