Wisdom Teeth

Fish Oil to Help Periodontal Disease

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I have previously discussed in this post http://blog.teethremoval.com/omega-3-fatty-acids-inversely-proportional-to-periodontitis/ that you should be taking omega 3 fatty acids such as fish oil regularly. This is because omega 3 fatty acids have been found to be inversely associated with periodontitis which is inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth. Recently researchers in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique studies that involved humans to evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis. Their review of these studies showed that improvements in clinical measures were common in all studies, but were scientifically significant in two that used a combination of fish oil and aspirin. Although not conclusive, intake of fish oil is recommended for health benefits which extend beyond just your teeth. Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia says: “I would recommend that people ensure they have a … Read more

Reconsideration of decision making for third molar extraction

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An article recently appeared in the Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery titled “Reconsideration of decision making for third molar extraction, “(vol. 37, pages  343-348, 2011) by Wonse Park and et al. I am unable to read the article since it is in Korean but the abstract is in English. The introduction of the article states “Third molar extraction is one of the most common procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The impacted third molar causes many pathological conditions, such as pericoronitis, caries, periodontitis, resorption of adjacent teeth, and cyst or tumors associated with impacted teeth. Extraction is often considered the treatment of choice for impacted lower third molars. On the other hand, imprudent extraction of deeply impacted third molars can cause permanent complications, such as inferior alveolar nerve damage. Therefore, guidelines for the extraction of … Read more

The Body Fights Gum Disease Better When You Are Not Fat

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An interesting study was conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. The study included 31 obese people with gum disease. Half of those in the group with an average BMI of 39 had gastric bypass surgery and had had fat cells from the abdomen removed. This half did better than a control group of people with an average BMI of 35 who did not have gastric bypass surgery or had fat removed. It was stated that “All study participants underwent nonsurgical periodontal treatments of scaling/root planing and oral hygiene instructions for home care. While both groups showed improvement, the surgery group did even better on the measures for periodontal attachment, bleeding, probing depths and plaque levels.” Periodontal disease is a potential risk of keeping wisdom teeth and is discussed in more detail over at http://www.teethremoval.com/risks_of_keeping_wisdom_teeth.html. Periodontal disease has … Read more

Alveolar Expansion Technique for Extraction of Third Molars (Wisdom Teeth)

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An interesting study titled “Comparison of an alveolar expansion technique and buccal guttering technique in the extraction of mandibular third molar. A pilot study,” appeared in the Open Journal of Stomatology (vol 1, pages 103-108, 2011) written by Babatunde O. Akinbami and Lukcy I. Ofomala from Nigeria. As stated in the abstract the background for this study was “The over-ambitious use of surgical drills for almost every case of third molar impaction is on the increase in most established oral surgery centers. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the severity of post operative symptoms of swelling and pain that accompany the use of surgical drill in the buccal guttering technique and the non application of drill in an alveolar expansion technique.” The authors open in the introduction by discussion how bone around impacted third molar teeth … Read more

Periodontal disease may associate with breast cancer

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An interesting study was published in Breast Cancer Res Treat (vol 127, pages 497 – 502, 2011) titled “Periodontal disease may associate with breast cancer,” by Birgitta Soder and et al. The study evaluated the association between periodontal disease and the incidence of breast cancer in a prospective study of 3273 randomly selected subjects aged 30 to 40 at baseline. The authors open by discussing how periodontal disease is characterized by chronic infection and inflammation leading to destruction of the bone surrounding the teeth. Some studies estimate that between 15 to 35% of the adult population in industrialized countries suffers from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is initiated by a biofilm of bacteria on the teeth which triggers an immune-inflammatory response in the adjacent host tissues. Periodontal disease is of particular importance when considering whether or not to have wisdom teeth … Read more