Soft drinks found to be the crucial link between obesity and tooth wear=

A new study published today in the journal Clinical Oral Investigations, has found that sugar-sweetened acidic drinks, such as soft drinks, is the common factor between obesity and tooth wear among adults.
Scientists from King's College London found that being overweight or obese was undoubtedly associated with having tooth wear. Significantly, they also found that the increased consumption of sugary soft drinks may be a leading cause of the erosion of tooth enamel and dentine in obese patients.
Drawing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004, they analysed a representative sample of survey participants of 3,541 patients in the United States. Patient BMI and the level of tooth wear were the exposure and outcome measurements in the analysis. The intake of sugar-sweetened acidic drinks was recorded through two non-consecutive 24-hour recall interviews where the patients were asked to provide details of diet intake across these two days.
"It is the acidic nature of some drinks such as carbonated drinks and acidic fruit juices that leads to tooth wear," said lead author Dr Saoirse O'Toole from King's College London.
Tooth wear is ranked as the third most important dental condition, after cavities and gum disease and the consumption of acidic food and drink is a leading cause of this. Obese patients also have other risk factors such as increased likelihood of gastric reflux disease (heartburn) which was controlled for in this study.
"This is an important message for obese patients who are consuming calories through acidic sugar sweetened drinks. These drinks may be doing damage to their body and their teeth. There is also an important message for dentists. We should be asking our patients who are obese and have tooth wear what calories they are drinking as this may be having an effect on their full bodies - not just their teeth," Dr O'Toole added.
Previous research from King's has found that tooth wear affects up to 30% of European adults. It is the premature wearing of teeth due to the softening of the dental enamel from dietary or gastric acids, combined with wear and tear. It occurs when the outer layer (enamel) of the tooth slowly dissolves. This can lead to changes in the shape or appearance of teeth, and they can become sensitive when eating or drinking cold food and drinks. At its worst, the tooth structure can gradually wear away. Severe Erosive Tooth Wear reduces quality of life and can mean complex and costly procedures, costing up to £30,000 per patient. Tooth wear is preventable and changes to consumption habits can help stop people from getting it or making it worse.

Antibiotics not necessary for most toothaches, according to new ADA guideline

American Dental Association

The American Dental Association (ADA) announced today a new guideline indicating that in most cases, antibiotics are not recommended for toothaches. This guidance, published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, aligns with the ADA's longstanding antibiotic stewardship efforts and its pledged commitment to the U.S. government's Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge.
Patients with toothaches are often prescribed antibiotics by physicians and dentists to help relieve signs and symptoms and prevent progression to a more serious condition. However, the new guideline and accompanying systematic review find that healthy adults experiencing a toothache are best served not by antibiotics but by dental treatment and, if needed, over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
"Antibiotics are, of course, tremendously important medications," said Peter Lockhart, D.D.S., chair of the ADA expert panel that developed the guideline and research professor at Carolinas Medical Center - Atrium Health. "However, it's vital that we use them wisely so that they continue to be effective when absolutely needed."
Studies have shown that antibiotics, which are designed to stop or slow the growth of bacterial infections, don't necessarily help patients experiencing a toothache. In addition, antibiotics can cause serious side effects, and overuse has resulted in bacterial strains that are resistant to antibiotics.
The guideline offers example scenarios when antibiotics may be prescribed for a toothache. "When dental treatment is not immediately available and the patient has signs and symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, or extreme tiredness, antibiotics may need to be prescribed," said Dr. Lockhart. "But in most cases when adults have a toothache and access to dental treatment, antibiotics may actually do more harm than good."

Advances in precision oral health research proceedings published in Advances in Dental Research

International & American Associations for Dental Research

Alexandria, VA, USA - On November 8-9, 2018 the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) held the "9^th AADR Fall Focused Symposium: Advances in Precision Oral Health Research" meeting on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. The papers resulting from this symposium are published in the latest issue of Advances in Dental Research, an e-Supplement to the Journal of Dental Research (JDR).
Unprecedented advances in genomics, data science and biotechnology have ushered in a new era of healthcare in which interventions are increasingly tailored to individual patients and  extended to population precision-based approaches which can be applied oral health. Harnessing the full potential of precision oral health will depend on research to more fully understand the factors that underlie health and contribute to disease -- including the human genome, microbiome, epigenome, proteome and others.
This two-day symposium addressed the current state of precision oral health research and its clinical application, the future of personalized oral health and the research gaps that need to be filled to realize the full potential of personalized oral care. The symposium, summarized in these proceedings, was organized into sessions on the topics of: an introduction to precision oral health research, oral health in the context of overall health, precision reengineering of the oral microbiome for caries management, the molecular basis of dental caries and periodontitis, the integration of studies for diagnostic and therapeutic precision in head and neck cancer and the rehabilitation of patients sustaining orofacial injuries.
"Precision medicine continues to revolutionize healthcare. Oral health professionals and insurers will need to work with the research community and industry to develop new strategies to achieve optimal oral and overall health based on advances in precision oral health research that utilizes genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics and systems biology," said AADR Immediate Past President Maria Ryan, Colgate-Palmolive Company. "Clearly implementing precision health care into clinical practice is not without challenges. Precision healthcare will require human capital, infrastructure and education of the healthcare workforce, as well as empowering the general public with accurate information to facilitate adoption of new preventive and therapeutic strategies. Various ethical and social issues should be addressed, such as privacy, protection of genomic data and access to care."
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by the Task Force on Design & Analysis in Oral Health Research and a conference grant R13DE027882 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Oral implants -- The paradigm shift in restorative dentistry

International & American Associations for Dental Research

Alexandria, VA, USA – 2019 marks the Centennial of the Journal of Dental Research (JDR). Over the last century the JDR has been dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge and information on all sciences relevant to dentistry and to the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease.
To celebrate, the JDR is featuring a yearlong, commemorative article and podcast series that highlights topics that have transformed dental, oral and craniofacial research over the past 100 years.
The discovery of the phenomenon osseointegration has led to the development of oral implants with high clinical performance. In the JDR Centennial article “Oral Implants — The Paradigm Shift in Restorative Dentistry,” Niklaus P. Lang, Professor Emeritus, University of Berne, Switzerland, reviews history and progression of dental implants but emphasizes the importance of advocating for treatment philosophies that help retain more teeth.
“While the osseointegration facilitates the use of implants as prosthetic abutments, it must be kept in mind that the peri-implant soft tissue may be subject to biological complications and, in turn, this may result in an infectious process that will jeopardize the osseointegration,” said Lang. “Consequently, the monitoring of the peri-implant tissues is an important aspect and early intervention in situations with peri-implant mucositis is mandatory for the prevention of peri-implantitis. In the light of these facts, it would appear to be logical to advocate that treatment philosophies should change to retain more teeth.”
The November 2019 issue of the JDR also includes a JDR Centennial podcast “Oral Implants — The Paradigm Shift in Restorative Dentistry,” which features a conversation between Lang and Lisa Heitz-Mayfield, University of Western Australia, Perth, moderated by JDR Editor-in-Chief William Giannobile, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, and Historical Highlight 12 on the cause of mottled enamel by JDR Associate Editor, Nicholas Jakubovics, Newcastle University, England.
The legacy of the JDR was honored during a celebration at the 97^th General Session of the IADR, held in conjunction with the 48^th Annual Meeting of the AADR and the 43^rdAnnual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 19-22, 2019. For more information on the JDR Centennial, please visit: www.iadr.org/JDRcentennial.
Click here to view a PDF of this press release.
About the Journal of Dental Research
The IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research (JDR) is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge in all sciences relevant to dentistry and the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease. The JDR continues to rank #1 of 90 journals in Eigenfactor with a score of 0.021290, ranks #2 in Impact Factor of 90 journals in the “Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine” category at 5.125 and ranks #2 of 90 in Article Influence with a score of 1.643.The JDR’s 5-year Impact Factor has remained above 5 for the fourth year at 5.722, ranking #2 of 91 journals. With over 20,000 citations, the JDR also boasts the most citations in the “Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine” category — 4,500 citations above the second ranked journal in the field.
International Association for Dental Research
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with over 11,400 individual members worldwide, with a Mission to drive dental, oral and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being worldwide. To learn more, visit www.iadr.org. The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) is the largest Division of IADR with 3,300 members in the United States. To learn more, visit www.iadr.org/aadr.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Evolution of aesthetic dentistry

International & American Associations for Dental Research

Alexandria, VA, USA - 2019 marks the Centennial of the Journal of Dental Research (JDR). Over the last century the JDR has been dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge and information on all sciences relevant to dentistry and to the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease. To celebrate, the JDR is featuring a yearlong, commemorative article and podcast series that highlights topics that have transformed dental, oral and craniofacial research over the past 100 years.
One of the main goals of dental treatment is to mimic teeth and design smiles in the most natural and esthetic manner, based on the individual and specific needs of the patient. The JDR Centennial article "Evolution of Esthetic Dentistry," by Markus B. Blatz, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, Gerald Chiche, Augusta University Dental College of Georgia, USA, Oded Bahat, Beverly Hills, California, USA, Richard Roblee, Roblee Orthodontics, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA, Christian Coachman, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA and Harald Heymann, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, provides a historical review of the evolution of esthetic dentistry over the past 100 years and highlights advances in the development of dental research and clinical interventions that have contributed to the science and art of esthetic dentistry.
"There is strong scientific evidence that the appearance of a person's face and teeth has a profound impact on the perception and judgment by others," said Blatz. "The options to reach the goal of mimicking the most natural esthetics have significantly improved over the last decade. In the future, artificial intelligence and machine learning will likely lead to automation of esthetic evaluation, smile design and treatment planning processes."
"Among the most noteworthy advancements in esthetic dentistry over the past decade are the establishment of universal esthetic rules and guidelines, the development of tooth whitening and advanced restorative and prosthetic materials, progress in orthodontics and periodontal and oral and maxillofacial surgery," said Chiche. "And most recently, the implementation of digital technologies in the 3D planning and realization of truly natural and individual smiles."

Tooth loss associated with higher risk of heart disease

Adults missing one or more teeth from nontraumatic events more prone to heart attack, stroke

American College of Cardiology

Adults who have lost teeth due to nontraumatic reasons may have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease according to a presentation at the American College of Cardiology Middle East Conference 2019 together with the 10th Emirates Cardiac Society Congress. The conference is Oct. 3-5 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death of men and women in the United States, and previous studies have linked cardiovascular disease with oral disease. Oral disease is an inflammatory disease that frequently causes tooth loss due to the breakdown of periodontal tissue.
The causal association between oral disease and cardiovascular disease is not well known, so researchers in this study conducted a secondary analysis of the 2014 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System that looked at tooth loss not caused by trauma, as well as cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, angina and/or stroke.
The study included 316,588 participants from the United States and territories between the ages of 40-79. Overall 8 percent were edentulous (had no teeth) and 13 percent had cardiovascular disease. The percentage of people who had cardiovascular disease and were edentulous was 28 percent, compared to only 7 percent who had cardiovascular disease but did not have missing teeth.
In addition to edentulous participants, those who reported having one to five missing teeth or six or more, but not all, missing teeth were also more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, even after adjusting for other factors such as body mass index, age, race, alcohol consumption, smoking, diabetes and dental visits.
"Our results support that there is a relationship between dental health and cardiovascular health," said Hamad Mohammed Qabha, MBBS, lead author of the study and Chief Medical and Surgical Intern at Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. "If a person's teeth fall out, there may be other underlying health concerns. Clinicians should be recommending that people in this age group receive adequate oral health care to prevent the diseases that lead to tooth loss in the first place and as potentially another way of reducing risk of future cardiovascular disease."