Health

How to Manage Pain Patients in Dental Practice

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An interesting article appears in J Can Dent Assoc 2012;78:c83 titled “Neuropathic Orofacial Pain Patients in Need of Dental Care,” written by Gary D. Klasser and Henry A. Gremillion. It was posted online on August 17, 2012, over at http://www.jcda.ca/article/c83. The abstract of the article states “Dental pain is a common complaint among the general population. Most pain is a result of traumatic injury or bacterial infection in pulpal and periapical tissues, and dental practitioners are successful at diagnosing these conditions and providing prompt relief. However, in some cases, patients continue to complain of persistent pain, which may be categorized as neuropathic. These people may avoid or neglect routine dental treatment or interventions to prevent precipitation, perpetuation or exacerbation of their pain condition, and practitioners may have to modify their procedures when managing the dental needs of this unique population.” … Read more

Stem Cells Can Help Fight Inflammatory Disease

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A recent study shows that stem cells found in mouth tissue can help relieve inflammatory disease. The stem cells studied are gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSC) which are found in gum tissue in the mouth. Similarly to other types of stems cells, GMCS develop into cells that effect the immune system. The study found two differet types of GMSC: those that arise from the mesoderm layer of cells during embryonic development (M-GMSC) and those that come from cranial neural crest cells (N-GMSC).  The two types of stem cells vary substantially in their benefits. N-GMSC was found to be easier to change into other cells include neural and cartilage-producing cells. N-GMSC was found to have more of a healing effect on inflammatory disease. When the researchers transplanted N-GMSC into mice with dextrate sulfate sodium-induced colitis, which is an inflamed condition of … Read more

Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants

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Dental Implants A dental implant is a replacement tooth that looks exactly like your real teeth. There is a root that is placed into the jawbone, which holds the replacement tooth in place. Dental implants are a perfect option for people who have lost teeth because of an injury, periodontal disease, or for any other reason. Types of Dental Implants There are two types of dental implants. The type of dental implant that you receive depends on what condition your mouth is in. The two types are Endosteal and Subperiosteal. Endosteal: This is the type of implant that is used most often, and is placed in the jawbone. Screws, blades, and cylinders are used to secure the teeth to the jawbone. Each of the implants holds one prosthetic tooth, and it is used as an alternative for patients with removable … Read more

Is Public Health and the First Amendment At Odds with Each Other

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An interesting article appears in the vol. 2 and 3. edition of the American Journal of Law and Medicine in 2013 titled “The First Amendment and Public Health, at Odds,” by Seth Mermin and Samantha Graff. The article talks about how the interpretation of freedom of speech in the First Amendment has, in recent years, been altered to benefit corporations. Usually when one thinks of the First Amendment they think of protecting individual’s rights to express their opinions and thoughts. The authors essentially state that with recent changes in the interpretation of the law now companies can push products without much regard to their effect on the health of their customers. The authors state “There has been nothing comparable to an uproar over the Supreme Court’s granting…in the infamous Citizens United versus Federal Election Commission. It is time – well … Read more

Should you Consider a Lasik procedure: Is it worth the cost?

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Many people wear glasses or contacts regularly. Some think glasses make them look bad or nerdy. Others may try contacts for a while and then stop wearing them because they take time and can be a pain. The following infographic gives some useful information on the LASIK procedure for those who are tired of the hassle of contacts and glasses. Over time, having a LASIK procedure can save you money and time when compared to contacts or glasses. Via: King Lasik