Depression Drugs (SSRIs) Linked to Dental Implant Failure

by

The Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) drugs are known to be the most widely used for depression. In a new study by the International and American Associations for Dental Research it has shown that SSRIs can reduce bone formation and lead to an increased risk of bone fracture. The study looked specifically at osseointegration implants and the risk of failures. The study was conducted on patients with dental implants from January 2007 to January 2013. A total of 916 dental implants in 490 patients were explored with 94 implants on 51 patients using SSRIs. The specific data analysis used generalized estimation equations models and Kaplain-Meier analysis. After 3 to 67 months of follow-up, 38 dental implants failed and 784 were successful in those without SSRIs and 10 dental implants failed an 84 were successful in SSRI users. When compared with … Read more

Natural Tooth Loss Linked to Memory and Walking Speed Declines

by

A study appearing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society looked at the memory and walking speed of older individuals with and without their natural teeth. A total of 3,166 adults age 60 and over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were looked at. The results showed that people with none of their own teeth were around 10% worse in both memory and walking speed tests when compared to people who still had some teeth. The results were adjusted for a large amount of potential factors such as existing health problems, physical health, drinking, depression, sociodemographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status. The link between older adults without any of their natural teeth who had worse memory and physical function was more evident in adults aged 60 to 74 years old than those aged 75 and older. The researchers say … Read more

Heart Infections on the Rise in Dental Patients After Antibiotic Reductions

by

In March 2008, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence issued guidelines recommending that dentists should no longer give antibiotics before invasive treatments to people who are considered at risk of developing a life threatening heart infection. The life threatening heart infection is known as infective endocarditis and 40% of all cases are caused by bacteria in the mouth. Researchers at the University of Sheffield set out to explore the impact of these guidelines. It was found that an increase in cases of infective endocarditis was observed above what was expected. In March 2013, this increase accounted for an extra 35 cases of infective endocarditis per month. The researchers found that the number of  prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis fell by 89% from 10,900 prescriptions per month, before the 2008 NICE guidelines, to 1,235 a month by March 2008. The researchers … Read more

Periodontal Disease Can Lead to More Risk of Kidney Disease

by

As previously discussed on this website periodontal disease is something one should be aware of when considering whether or not to have wisdom teeth removed as periodontal disease can develop when wisdom teeth are maintained. This is discussed over at http://www.teethremoval.com/risks_of_keeping_wisdom_teeth.html. Many previous studies have looked at periodontal disease and how having it can lead to increased risk for other diseases. See for example https://blog.teethremoval.com/high-level-evidence-to-identify-diseases-and-disorders-associated-with-periodontal-disease/, https://blog.teethremoval.com/periodontal-disease-and-pregnancy-risks/, and https://blog.teethremoval.com/periodontal-disease-may-associate-with-breast-cancer/. In the first post mentioned above it was said “The diseases for which an association with periodontitis has been reported include cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus (types 1 and 2), preterm delivery, low-birth-weight delivery, preeclampsia, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.” A new study  has now associated periodontitis with an increased risk of kidney disease. The article looked at 699 African American adults who underwent complete dental examinations … Read more

Dental Emergency: What You Need to Know to Handle the Situation

by

It’s interesting how when it comes to an emergency, some people don’t find their oral health as important as the rest of their body. When anything in your mouth becomes broken or damaged, the implications can be quite serious, even if it seems like the situation can be easily managed at home. A tooth that breaks might not even hurt if no nerve endings have been exposed, so it feels like it’s something that can be dealt with at a later stage. But should you wait? Advances in dental technology means that even fairly major issues can be remedied if you act quickly. The simple fact of the matter is that any changes to your teeth, gums, or soft tissue inside your mouth should be examined by a dentist as soon as possible, and it’s not wise to delay. So … Read more