Green Glasses for Less Scary Wisdom Teeth Surgery

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Getting your wisdom teeth pulled can provoke fear and anxiety for many. A new study titled “Effectiveness of wearing glasses with green lenses on dental anxiety for third-molar surgery” written by Gokhan Gurses and et. al. appearing in March 21, 2024, appearing in the Journal of the American Dental Association suggests a simple trick might help: wearing green glasses. Wearing green lenses for just 10 minutes before wisdom teeth surgery can significantly reduce anxiety and heart rate in patients. The benefits may even extend to the surgery itself, with patients reporting lower pain levels when wearing green glasses throughout the procedure. Why Green? The calming effect of green isn’t exactly new. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces, like forests, can reduce anxiety and depression. Green light has also been linked to pain reduction and improved quality of life … Read more

Missing Teeth Could Lead to More Gray Hair

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An interesting article titled “Premature gray hair development in the interbrow region owing to the loss of maxillary first molars in young mice” written by Masae Furukawa and et. al. appears in Genes to Cells (published 20 February 2024). The article suggests that losing your teeth might also be affecting your appearance in a way you wouldn’t expect and suggests a link between missing teeth and premature graying hair in the eyebrows. Image by Pexels from Pixabay Chew on This: Less Chewing, More Gray Hair? This study, the first of its kind, investigated the connection between reduced chewing due to tooth loss and the development of gray hair. Researchers extracted upper first molars from young mice and observed them for three months alongside a control group that kept their teeth. Mice missing teeth developed gray hair between their eyebrows, while … Read more

Link Between Poor Oral Health and Systemic Health

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An interesting article titled “Self-reported oral health is associated with systemic health outcomes and all-cause mortality” written by Yau-Hua Yu and et. al. appears in the Journal of the American Dental Association (vol. 155, no. 3, pp. 233-243, March 2024). There’s a growing body of evidence suggesting a strong link between oral health and overall health. This article explores how just asking people about their oral health can reveal important information about their risk of developing other chronic diseases. People who indicated they had poor oral health may be as likely as those already had gum disease to have negative systemic health outcomes. Image by Dana from Pixabay The Link Between Gums and General Health Researchers have known for some time about the connection between gum disease (periodontal disease) and health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. This study looked at a different approach: using people’s … Read more

Hydrocortisone Shows Promise in Reducing Pain and Swelling After Wisdom Tooth Removal

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An interesting article titled “Efficacy of Hydrocortisone, Povidone-Iodine, and Normal Saline as an Irrigating Solution During Surgical Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars: A Randomized Controlled Trial” written by Faheem Ahmed and et. al. appears in Cureus published February 01, 2024. The study sought to compare the effects of three irrigating solutions, hydrocortisone, povidone-iodine, and normal saline, on pain, trismus, and edema following removal of impacted lower wisdom teeth. Wisdom tooth removal, also known as the surgical removal of impacted third molars, is a common dental procedure, often accompanied by pain, swelling (edema), and difficulty opening the mouth (trismus). Researchers have been looking for ways to alleviate these post-surgical concers. The study metnioned in this article compared the effectiveness of three irrigation solutions used during surgery. The study involved 105 patients between the ages of 18 and 40 who needed … Read more

Microscopic Robots Could Revolutionize Stopping Infections

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Its possible one day that tiny robots one day can swim through your bloodstream, delivering medication directly to infected cells or removing harmful bacteria. This is the future of medicine, and it’s being made possible by microrobotics. Microrobots are micrometer-sized robots that have the potential to revolutionize healthcare. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including: Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania propose using microrobots to deliver medication and remove biofilms more effectively. Microrobots can be powered intrinsically or extrinsically. Microrobots are still in the early stages of development, but they have the potential to transform healthcare. These microrobots may be used to target infections stuck in areas, such as between the teeth. The technology may reduce antimicrobial resistance. Image by Thor Deichmann from Pixabay Microrobots also offer a new way to collect microbial samples that could be used to diagnose other diseases. Microrobotics relies on … Read more