Coated gauze may help with pain and dry socket after wisdom teeth removal

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An interesting article titled “Retrospective analysis for predictors of postsurgical complications from third molar extraction with use of oxytetracycline–hydrocortisone-coated gauze inserted in extraction socket” appears in Oral Science International, written by Sayumi Matsuda and et. al. and published on June 15, 2023. The article sought to explore a study of a technique of inserting gauze coated with oxytetracycline–hydrocortisone ointment into a wisdom tooth extraction socket and look at the occurence of dry socket and pain when compared to a those without the gauze. The researchers applied the gauze technique to 286 patients who had lower wisdom teeth removed. The authors found the incidence of dry socket after extraction was 1.05% (with a 95% confidence interval of 0.22% to 3.03%) and the incidence of post-extraction infection was 0.35% (with a 95% confidence interval of 0.01% to 1.91%). These percentages were lower … Read more

Woman dies after wisdom tooth extraction in Brazil

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A 23 year old woman in Brazil had wisdom teeth extracted on May 10, 2023 in Brazil. Two days later she returned to the dental clinic complaining about pain at the extraction site. After being evaulated at the clinic the woman was sent home. The next day her pain continued and she sought care at a local Emergency Room. The woman was discharged. The woman’s pain continued and she went back to the Emergency Room the next day and was again discharged. On May 15, 2023, the woman returned to see her dentist and the dentist referred her to a Hospital. The woman was found to have an acute facial infection and a dental abscess in the location where the wisdom tooth was extracted. The woman was given medication to help with her infection. Unfortunately two days later the woman … Read more

Risk Factors for Delayed Infection After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

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An interesting article titled “Risk Factors for Delayed-Onset Infection after Mandibular Wisdom Tooth Extractions” written by A.M. Smith et al., appeared in Healthcare in 2023. The article investigated the risk factors for delayed-onset infection (DOI) after lower wisdom teeth extractions. Delayed-onset infection (DOI) is a potential complication of wisdom tooth extraction that occurs one to four weeks after surgery. Even with precautions, such the use of antibiotics and not smoking and following good oral hygiene after surgery delayed-onset infection can occur with a reported incidence from 0.5% to 1.8%. Prior studies have shown that the depth and the tilt of the tooth axis of the lower wisdom tooth are risk factors for local delayed-onset infection and the development of delayed-onset infection is related to the space distal to the second molar. The authors of the current study sought to identify … Read more

Burnout amongst dentists and dental students

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A study exploring burnout in dentists is published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice titled “High prevalence rates of burnout and emotional exhaustion among the dental profession,” written by Kelvin I. Afrashtehfar and  Carlos A. Jurado (26 April 2023, 101886). A another study exploring burnout in dental students is published in the Joural of Dental Education titled “Correlates of burnout in predoctoral dental students in the United States,” written by Alex Joseph et. al (19 April 2023). Studies to date have shown that burnout has become a problem for dentists. Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. It is beleived to occur in response to chronic stress that is unmanaged. In the first study a systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 studies was performed that resulted in 31 used in the quantitative analysis. These studies demonstrated … Read more

Invasive dental procedures linked to heart inflammation

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An interesting study titled “Endocarditis, invasive dental procedures, and antibiotic prophylaxis efficacy in US Medicaid patients” appears in Oral Diseases on April 27, 2023, written by Martin Thornhill and et. al. The study investigates the association between invasive dental procedures and endocarditis, which is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves. In the study the authors used the MarketScan multi-state Medicaid database to examine 1.68 million Medicaid patients with linked medical, dental, and prescription data and compared it to 7.95 million individuals with employer-provided Commercial/Medicare-Supplemental health coverage with linked dental and prescription benefits. The authors found that the cohort study showed increased endocarditis incidence within 30 days of invasive dental procedures in those at high risk, particularly after extractions or oral surgery. It was also determined that antibiotic prophylaxis significantly reduced endocarditis incidence following invasive … Read more