teeth

Dentists Find Additional Bacteria Species Involved with Tooth Decay

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An interesting article titled “Selenomonas sputigena acts as a pathobiont mediating spatial structure and biofilm virulence in early childhood caries,” written by Hunyong Cho and et. al. appears in Nature Communications (vol. 14, no. 1, 2023). The article seeks to study if other bacteria besides Streptococcus mutans are involved with tooth decay and cavities in children, also known as dental caries. Prior to the study it was believed that S. mutans and other acid-making bacteria are adequately removed by teeth-brushing and oral care, and this creates a protective biofilm, or plaque, on teeth. If the plaque is left in place for too long, bacteria consumes sugars from food and drinks and coverts them to acidsm which erode the enamel of affected teeth, in time creating cavities. The article investigated the role of Selenomonas sputigena (S. sputigena) in early cavities in children. S. … Read more

Cinematic and Volume Rendering of the Facial Skeleton CT can aid Visualization

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An interesting article titled “Three-dimensional perception of cinematic rendering versus conventional volume rendering using CT and CBCT data of the facial skeleton,” written by Tobias Steffen and et al. appears in the April 2022 edition of the Annals of Anatomy (151905). The article sought to explore if three-dimensional cinematic rendering image re-constructions offer advantages over conventional volume rendering to visualize cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and computed tomography (CT) images of the facial skeleton. In the study, ten dentists reviewed 10 different patient cases of CT or CBCT exams of reconstructed cinematic rendering or volume rendering of the orofacial skeleton. The dentists were given a questionnaire to assess objective and subjective criteria of image perception. To assess objective criteria, predefined questions on the visual perception of anatomical image characteristics, were given to the denists. To assess subjective criteria, a visual … Read more

The Relationship Between Bruxism and Vitamin D

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An interesting article titled “Association between bruxism severity and serumconcentrations of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels” appears in the 2022 edition of Clinical and Experimental Dental Research written by B. Allaf and M. Abdul-Hak (pp. 1-9). In the article discussion is made of a study that was conducted to investigate the relationship between bruxism, when someone unconsciously clenches or grinds their teeth, and blood levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, commonly known as Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essenetial vitamin found in foods, like salmon, eggs, and dairy products. Vitamin D can also be obtained from mainly through skin exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Obtaining a low amount of vitamin D has been linked to greater risks of diseses ike cancer and heart diasese and could help prevent gum disease. In the study, 100 patients who had dental treatment peformed at Damascus … Read more

Social Isolation in Old Ages Leads to Fewer Teeth

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An interesting article titled “Social isolation, loneliness and accelerated tooth loss among Chinese older adults: A longitudinal study.” appears in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology in 2022 written by Xiang Qi, Yaolin Pei, Katherine Wang, Shuyu Han, and Bei Wu. The article sought to explore the effects of social isolation and loneliness for older Chinese adults by looking particularly at the number of teeth remaining and the rate of tooth loss over time. In the article the authors analyzed data from 4,268 adults ages 65 and older fromthree different timepoints of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2011-2012, 2014, 2018). The surveys captured measures of social isolation, loneliness, and tooth loss. In these surversy more than a fourth (27.5%) of the study participants were socially isolated and also more than a fourth (26.5%) reported feeling lonely. The authors found that if … Read more

Illinois Man Dies From Too Much Anesthesia While Having Teeth Extracted

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A 51 year old man from Illinois died after having five teeth extacted in July 2021. He had has teeth extracted by an oral surgeon in Lake County which is North of Chicago. During the procedure he was given as given a single dose of 200 milligrams propofol. There was no anesthesiologist present and the oral surgeon was the one also administrating the anesthesia. During the tooth extractions, the man stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest. Emergency responders were called and when they arrived took the man to a hospital where he died the next day. According to statements from the Lake County Coroner there was too high of a dose of propofol given and this dose would cause a person to not breathe. Further, the oral surgeon did not supply supplemental oxygen until the tooth extractions were already … Read more