Oral Bacteria found in Heart Tissue, how to treat excessive Gum Display, Laser in Endo

Detection of oral bacteria in cardiovascular specimens
Oral Microbiology and Immunology -Volume 24 Issue 1, Pages 64 - 68
Background/aims: Oral bacteria, including cariogenic and periodontal pathogens, are thought to be etiological factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. To define this relationship, we analyzed the distribution of oral bacterial species in cardiovascular specimens.


Method: Following acceptance into the study, 203 consecutive patients were analyzed, from whom 82 aortic valve specimens, 35 mitral valve specimens, and 86 aortic aneurysmal wall specimens, of which 16 contained aneurysmal thrombus tissues, were obtained. In addition, a total of 58 dental plaque specimens were collected from the same group of patients who underwent heart valve replacement or removal of aortic aneurysms. Bacterial DNA was extracted from both cardiovascular tissues and dental plaque in those cases and then species-specific polymerase chain reaction assays were used to analyze the occurrences of six oral streptococcal and six periodontal bacterial species.


Results: Streptococcus mutans was the most frequently detected species in the cardiovascular specimens, followed by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. As for dental plaque specimens from patients who underwent cardiovascular operations, most of the tested periodontitis-related species as well as oral streptococci were detected at high frequencies. Furthermore, the positive rate of S. mutans in cardiovascular specimens from patients whose dental plaque specimens were also positive for S. mutans was 78%, which was significantly higher than any other tested species when the same analysis was performed.


Conclusion: Our results suggest that specific oral bacterial species, such as S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans, are related to bacteremia and may be etiologic factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases.

BIOLASE Announces First Nationally Televised Laser Root Canal Procedure to Be Broadcast January 8
the world's leading dental laser company, today announced that the nationally syndicated TV show "The Doctors" is scheduled to broadcast a root canal procedure performed using BIOLASE's Endolase(TM) RFT Root Canal Therapy System on Thursday, January 8.
The procedure, videotaped on November 10, was performed live by Dr. Darrell Chun, a leading Waterlase Dentist. The entire root canal procedure, performed using a Waterlase® MD YSGG laser system and Endolase(TM) radial firing laser tips, was completed without numbing this dental-phobic patient, who had previously experienced a very painful, traditional root canal.
BIOLASE Chief Executive Officer Jake St. Philip said, "This is great exposure for our dental laser systems and provides an opportunity for viewers to see firsthand what a difference this advancement can do for a notoriously painful dental experience. We believe laser dentistry is becoming an emerging standard, enhancing outcomes and providing a more comfortable patient experience."
In March of this year, the Company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance of its Waterlase MD with RFT endoTips for root canal disinfection after endodontic instrumentation, making BIOLASE the first company to receive clearances that allow dentists to treat infected, painful toothaches with advanced laser technology. To watch Video Click HERE

Gummy Smiles: The Challenge of Gingival Excess: Prevalence and Guidelines for Clinical Management - Sem in ortho dec 08

Orthodontic treatment planning should be a multidisciplinary approach to achieve periodontal health and maximal esthetics. The presence of altered passive eruption may complicate treatment in the presence of inflammation and compromise esthetic outcomes. The prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of active and arrested passive eruption in the orthodontic patient will be the focus of this article. In a recent landmark study, the prevalence of altered passive eruption in postorthodontic patients, and the same patients 5 years after treatment, were studied for their need for periodontal plastic surgery, esthetic crown lengthening. Less than ideal smile characteristics, namely length-to-width ratios and asymmetry, were found in 65% and 60% of patients, respectively. Enhancing orthodontic results and providing the patient with maximal esthetic results can be achieved through the control of inflammation and esthetic crown lengthening.

Next-Generation Cell Phones in 2009, wait before you buy your next mobile handset

you decided to take the smartphone plunge in 2008 and pick up an iPhone 3G or a T-Mobile G1, based on Google's Android. That's great. But consider yourself warned: You might soon feel a bit of buyer's remorse. Why? Next year's crop of cell phones is right around the corner, and these shiny new models may have you wishing you had held out a little longer before signing a multiyear contract with a wireless carrier and snapping up a new handset.
What can you expect in 2009? You can look forward to smartphones that sport razor-sharp displays, lightning-fast processing speeds and built-in videoconferencing capabilities, as well as phones with cameras that have the potential to put your point-and-shoot to shame.
I wouldn't bet my iPod that absolutely all of the phones in this slide show will be available in 2009. Most will, but some may never make it. I selected only the phones I think have the best chance of surfacing in the United States in 2009. Read on for a peek at new upcoming models click HERE

Patients With Diabetes pay lower medical cost if Gums are healty

December 27th, 2008
A new report suggests that treating gum disease in patients who have diabetes with procedures such as cleanings and periodontal scaling is linked to 10 to 12 percent lower medical costs per month.
The findings are encouraging but the study was not designed to firmly establish cause and effect, said George Taylor, University of Michigan associate professor of dentistry, who also has an appointment in epidemiology in the U-M School of Public Health. Taylor led the research project to investigate whether routine, non-surgical treatment for gum disease is linked to lower medical care costs for people with diabetes.
“Cleanings and other non-surgical periodontal treatment remove the harmful bacteria,” Taylor said. “We believe this helps prevent the body from producing those harmful chemicals that can enter the systemic circulation and contribute to poorer diabetes control.” More HERE

Orthodontics tricks to succeed, Healthy Gums lead to Healthy Heard,

Orthodontic Pearls: A Selection of Practical Tips and Clinical Expertise

This outstanding book synthesizes a wealth of information gleaned from clinical and administrative experiences in orthodontic practice. Contributors from around the world provide tips, techniques and practical hints to assist in everything from diagnosis and the use of appliances to patient management. It is essential reading for any practitioner, even the most experienced orthodontist, who wishes to improve skills and knowledge in the clinical treatment of patients. To get a copy send us email at icdr@hotmail.com

Complications of Dental Implants

Great dentist is one who does implant as a very last resort. Any piece of root is anytime better than the best implant, Why ? read below the reasons ( not reported in meetings or journals for obvious reasons)

-Progressive infraocclusion even in adults
-Blue-coloring of labial gingiva
-Visible abutment with time (metal, porcelain)
-Don´t upright like natural incisors
-Non-adjustable by orthodontic means
-Interdental recession particularly distal papilla
-Not easy to make crown entirely natural
-No long term observations (> 10-15 years) courtesy Dr Bjørn Zachrisson

Cardiovascular disease parameters in periodontitis
Journal of Periodontology Posted online on October 31, 2008.

Forty patients with periodontitis and 40 healthy sex, body-mass index (BMI) and age matched individuals were compared measuring: the total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, levels of cytokines, antibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total and differential white blood cell counts and the nonlinear index of refraction.
Conclusions: Our results confirm and further strengthen the suggested association between coronary artery disease and periodontitis.
Conclusions: Our results confirm and further strengthen the suggested association between coronary artery disease and periodontitis. More HERE

A Prediction Model for Chronic Kidney Disease Includes Periodontal Disease
Journal of Periodontology Posted online on October 30, 2008.
Conclusion: This US population-based study suggest the importance of considering multiple risk factors, including periodontal status, as this improves the identification of individuals at high-risk for chronic kidney disease and may ultimately reduce its burden. More HERE

Proper Dental Care Can Reduce The Risk Of Atherosclerosis, A Leading Cause Of Heart Disease

A new research study by Italian and U.K. scientists published online in The FASEB Journal shows that infected gums may be contributing factor forAtherosclerosis.

To reach this conclusion, the scientists examined the carotid arteries of 35 otherwise healthy people (median age 46) with mild to moderate periodontal disease before and after having their periodontal disease treated. One year after treatment, the scientists observed a reduction in oral bacteria, immune inflammation and the thickening of the blood vessels associated with atherosclerosis. MORE HERE

Influence of gender and menstrual cycle on volatile sulphur compounds production-Halitosis
Archives of Oral Biology Volume 53, Issue 12, December 2008

The menstrual cycle has been pointed out as a factor influencing halitosis. However, this relationship has not yet been clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of gender and the menstrual cycle on the production of volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) in women (n = 14) across the menstrual cycle, and in men (n = 17). Volunteers in good oral and general health were submitted to the evaluation of VSC, salivary flow, cortisol and anaerobic bacteria counts in saliva. Data were compared among groups by Analysis of Variance (α = 5%). VSC was higher in the menstrual and premenstrual phases when compared with men and the follicular phase (p <> 0.05). Levels of anaerobic micro-organisms, however, were not different among groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the production of VSC is influenced by menstrual cycle and protein concentration and salivary flow might be involved in this process.

Dieting May Cut Risk For Gum Disease, Mostly In Males

For men, especially older men, dieting may help reduce the risk of gum disease more than for women, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and other institutions.

The study, published in the journal Nutrition, also provides the latest clue to a powerful link between chronic inflammation and poor health, according to Mark Reynolds, DDS, PhD, associate professor at the Dental School, part of UMB.

"Chronic inflammation appears to be an important factor underlying aging and many age-related disorders, and dietary restriction has been shown to reduce the risk for chronic disease and promote longevity in multiple animal models," says Reynolds, who is chair of the Department of periodontics at the School. Full report here

Dentist Asked to Pay 40,000 for Extracting Wrong Tooth

LUCKNOW: Your tooth is precious and hence the dentist cannot afford to take their job lightly. An order to this effect was passed by the district consumer protection forum, Lucknow, recently. The forum took cognizance of a woman's plight who approached a dentist with a toothache but got her healthy tooth extracted instead. The judgment was passed in a case - Sushila Srivastava versus Dr Ikhlaq Khan, on December 11. The forum observed that the dentist in question did not perform his job carefully because of which the woman petitioner had to undergo physical and mental agony. The consumer forum took cognizance of the complaint and served a notice to the other party (dentist). The forum passed an ex-parte decision in the case. The dentist was directed to pay compensation of Rs 40,000 to the complainant in 30 days time failing which he will have to pay 9% interest till the time compensation is paid. Besides, he will also have to pay Rs 1,000 as litigation cost to the complainant. Full Report here

Fighting Gum Disease With Gene Therapy

Scientists at the University of Michigan have shown that gene therapy can be used to successfully stop the development of periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

The findings will be published online Dec 11 in advance of print publication in Gene Therapy.

Using gene transfer to treat life threatening conditions is not new, but the U-M group is the first known to use the gene delivery approach to show potential in treating chronic conditions such as periodontal disease, said William Giannobile, professor at the U-M School of Dentistry and principal investigator on the study. For more CLICK HERE

The Use of Intraosseous Anesthesia among Endodontists

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of supplemental intraosseous (IO) anesthesia among endodontists.Data from 833 respondents were collected with a response rate of 33%. It was discovered that 94.77% of the respondents used some form of IO anesthesia, with the periodontal ligament injection (PDL) being the most commonly administered (49.78%). Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis is the pulpal diagnosis for which respondents most often use some form of IO anesthesia (61.99%), and 2% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:100,000 is the most common anesthetic solution used in IO anesthesia (37.62%). Although more than half of the respondents use some form of IO anesthesia more than twice a week, newer IO anesthesia delivery systems such as Stabident (Fairfax Dental, San Francisco, CA) and X-Tip (Dentsply International, Johnson City, TN) are used less often than the PDL injection. Full PAPER


Current Trends in Endodontic Practice

The current clinical practice of endodontics includes the utilization of a variety of new technological advances and materials. The last comprehensive survey that compared treatment modalities used in endodontic practices was conducted in 1990. The purpose of the current survey was to determine the frequency with which these new endodontic technologies and materials are being used in endodontic practices today.

An e-mail questionnaire was sent to the 636 active diplomates of the American Board of Endodontics with current e-mail addresses. Two hundred thirty-two diplomates responded for a response rate of 35%. Calcium hydroxide was found to be the most frequently used intracanal medicament for all cases diagnosed with necrotic pulps. Ibuprofen was the most frequently prescribed medication for pain, and penicillin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic when an active infection was present. Eighty-two percent of the respondents are still incorporating hand files in some fashion during the cleansing and shaping phase of treatment. Lateral condensation and continuous wave were the most common methods used for obturation. Digital radiography was reported as being used by 72.5% of the respondents, whereas 45.3% reported using the microscope greater than 75% of the patient treatment. Ultrasonics was used by 97.8% of the respondents. It appears from the results that new endodontic technology is currently being used in the endodontic offices of those who responded to the survey. Full PAPER

Old paradigm for orthodontic tooth movement, Does it still hold good ? Probably NOT

Concept of Optimal force is a myth, higher force levels do not improve tooth movement.
Orthodontic literature is dominated by the pressure-tension theory with regard to the tissue reaction following mechanical loading of teeth. The present article discusses the reaction of the alveolar bone to the perturbation generated by different orthodontic force levels. Orthodontists generally relate the pressure zone to resorption and the tension zone to apposition.
Conversely, orthopedic surgeons know that unloading generates a negative balance of the ongoing bone remodeling and that loading will result in a positive balance leading to increased bone density. Research based on histological analysis of monkey teeth, which were loaded with different force levels, demonstrated that direct resorption could be a response to a relatively lower force level. Undermining resorption, on the other hand, is a repair mechanism attempting to remove the alveolar bone underlying the ischemic periodontal ligament (PDL). From Sem ortho Dec 2007 issue.


Oral Cancer Patients Could Be Diagnosed Earlier, Study Suggests

Worldwide, more than 500,000 new cases of cancer of the mouth are diagnosed each year. The majority of these cancers are found too late, causing many people to die within five years of finding out they have cancer. There exists much information addressing issues related to the patient who has undergone surgery or chemotherapy but little information related to early diagnosis and referral.

A new article in the Journal of Prosthodontics describes the epidemiology of oral cancer and the diagnostic tools currently available to prosthodontists to ensure that their patients are diagnosed at the earliest possible time.

Although the need for prosthodontics was expected to decline with the promotion of preventive measures, it is actually increasing with the aging population. The highest risk of developing oral cancer is in adults over 40 who use both tobacco and alcohol. However, these cancers can develop in anyone, so annual prosthodontist visits are increasingly important.

The majority of oral, head and neck cancer are initially diagnosed in a late stage, which has a five year prognosis of less than 50 percent. If these tumors are found in their earliest stage, the five year prognosis is 95 percent. Full NEWS