Wisdom Teeth

Antibiotics for Dental Use Contributing to SuperBugs

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Research has shown that antibiotics prescribed by dentists for various dental surgeries and procedures may contribute to the development of Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a serious and potentially deadly infection with severe diarrhea. A common questions many patients ask if they are having their wisdom teeth out includes if they should take antibiotics. This topic has been covered before on teethremoval.com, for example see http://www.teethremoval.com/antibiotic_resistance.html, https://blog.teethremoval.com/patients-perception-of-antibiotic-need-after-teeth-removal/,and https://blog.teethremoval.com/the-effect-of-a-single-dose-of-antibiotics-prior-to-wisdom-teeth-surgery/. The current guidance seems to recommend a single dose of antibiotics prior to surgery for high risk patients for postoperative infections but other healthy patients do not need any antibiotics prior to surgery. During the annual ID Week2017, which is an annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), researchers presented their findings on antibiotic prescriptions leading … Read more

Prevent cavities in sensitive teeth

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People with sensitive teeth know that taking a sip of an ice cold drink can cause a painful jolt in the mouth. There are different approaches to treat this condition but the treatment usually does not last very long. Research appearing in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces shows the development of a new material with an extract from green tea that can help treat sensitive teeth and even help prevent cavities. Tooth sensitivity occurs when the protective layers of teeth are worn away and exposing the bony tissue called dentin. Dentin contains microscopic hollow tubes which allow hot and cold liquids and food to contact the underlying nerve endings in the teeth leading to pain. Unprotected dentin is vulnerable to having cavities form around it. Placing a mineral called nanohydroxyapatite in these tubes has often been used to treat sensitive teeth. … Read more

Preventing Tooth Cavities with an Inhibitor

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Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have created a small molecule that prevents tooth cavities in a preclinical model. The inhibitor blocks the function of an enzyme in an oral bacterium and prevents it from forming biofilms. Specifically the inhibitor causes Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) which is the prime bacterium that causes tooth decay and dental cavities, to not make the sticky bioflim that has it glue to a tooth surface. The selective inhibition of the sticky biofilm acts against S. mutans reduced dental caries in rats fed a diet intended to promote cavities. The glucan biofilm is made by three S. mutans glucosyltransferase (Gtf) enzymes. It is know what the crystal structure of the GtfC glucosyltransferase is, and the researchers used the structure to run numerous computer simulations for drug-like compounds for binding at the enzyme’s active site. Ninety compounds with diverse … Read more

Dental problems of Teenagers – Five Most Common Causes

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Teenagers have a lot of issues to think about and deal with everyday. School pressures, navigating social issues, and trying to figure out just where they fit in the grand scheme of things is enough for anyone to worry about. In light of this, one of the things that tends to get overlooked during this time of growth and change is that of dental health and oral hygiene. There are several factors to consider when talking about teens and oral health. Below is some information about the five most common dental problems facing teenagers. Smoking and Drug Use Along with all of the other pressures kids are facing, smoking and drug use are high on the list of things that can affect dental health. Aside from staining your teeth, smoking leads to gum disease and gingivitis as well as many … Read more

Dentist Removed the Wrong Teeth, What Can I Do?

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When it comes to visiting the dentist, there aren’t too many people who particularly enjoy the prospect of having dental work done nor, of course, the possibility of having to have a tooth removed. Fortunately, the vast majority of dental procedures are safe, effective and go according to plan without any problems along the way.  That said, of course, (and as with anything else in life), there’s always potential for something to go wrong and having the wrong tooth extracted is certainly no laughing matter (in every sense of the word). What can I do if my dentist extracts the wrong tooth, or teeth? If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having the wrong tooth (or teeth) extracted then you’ll naturally want to make a claim against your dentist to compensate you for their error. Using a team … Read more