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Research has shown that playing a musical instrument can help nourish, cultivate, and increase intelligence in children, but playing a used instrument also can pose a potentially dangerous health risk.
Used woodwind and brass instruments were found to be heavily contaminated with a variety of bacteria and fungi, many of which are associated with minor to serious infectious and allergic diseases, according to a study published in the March/April 2011 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).
"Many children participate in their school's band ensemble and often the instruments they play are on loan," said R. Thomas Glass, DDS, PhD, lead author of the study. "Most of these instruments have been played by other students, and without the proper sanitation, bacteria and fungi can thrive for weeks and even months after the last use."
A total of 117 different sites, including the mouthpieces, internal chambers, and cases, were tested on 13 previously played instruments of a high school band. Six of the instruments had been played within a week of testing, while seven hadn't been touched in about one month. The instruments produced 442 different bacteria, many of which were species of Staphylococcus, which can cause staph infections. Additionally, 58 molds and 19 yeasts were identified.
"Parents may not realize that the mold in their child's instrument could contribute to the development of asthma," said Dr. Glass.
Additionally, the yeasts on the instruments commonly cause skin infections around the mouth and lips ("red lips").
"Because these instruments come into contact with the mouth, it's no wonder they're a breeding ground for bacteria," said AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, FAGD. "As dentists, we see this same growth of bacteria in dentures, athletic mouthguards, and toothbrushes."
Researchers found that many of the bacteria can cause illness in humans and are highly resistant to the antibiotics normally prescribed by general practitioners. This finding makes sterilization of instruments extremely important.
"Instruments should be cleaned after each use to reduce the number of organisms," said Dr. Sherwood. "And cleaning should not be confined to the mouthpiece, since the bacteria invade the entire instrument."
To avoid transmission of bacteria from instrument to player, parents and students should frequently wipe the surface of the instrument that comes into contact with the skin and mouth. The instrument should be taken apart for thorough cleanings on a regular basis. Dr. Glass suggests using cleaning cloths and solutions made specifically for instruments. Most importantly, students are advised not to share their instruments with others. Students should consult with their band instructor for additional ways to disinfect their instruments.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Coffee drinking linked to reduced stroke risk in women
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Drinking more than a cup of coffee a day was associated with a 22 percent to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with those who drank less, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Low or no coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of stroke in a study of 34,670 women (ages 49 to 83) followed for an average 10.4 years. It's too soon to change coffee-drinking habits, but the study should ease the concerns of some women, researchers noted.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. "Therefore, even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences," said Susanna Larsson, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
Groups who reported drinking 1-2 cups per day, 3-4 cups per day or 5 or more cups per day had similar benefits compared with those who reported daily intake of less than a cup of coffee, researchers said.
The differences were unchanged by smoking status, body mass index, history of diabetes, hypertension or alcohol consumption, indicating that coffee's effects are not influenced by those known cardiovascular risk factors.
Scientists have theorized that coffee could have either beneficial or harmful effects on the cardiovascular system, but earlier studies have been inconclusive. Only one previous prospective study, which was also inconclusive, examined the association between coffee consumption and stroke incidence in healthy women.
"Our research group has previously observed an inverse association between coffee consumption and risk in Finnish male smokers," Larsson said. "We wanted to assess the situation in women."
The women participated in the long-running Swedish Mammography Cohort, an epidemiological study investigating the association between diet, lifestyle and disease development. All the women were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline in 1997, when they answered the food frequency questionnaire analyzed in the study.
Researchers collected data on cases of first stroke that occurred between Jan. 1, 1998 and Dec. 31, 2008, by linking the study group with the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry that provides almost complete coverage of Swedish hospital discharges.
Researchers documented 1,680 strokes: 1,310 cerebral infarctions/ischemic strokes (caused by blockages), 154 intracerebral hemorrhages (caused by bleeding inside the brain), 79 subarachnoid hemorrhages (caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain) and 137 unspecified strokes.
After adjustment for other risk factors, coffee consumption was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of total stroke, cerebral infarction and subarachnoid hemorrhage, Larsson said.
The small numbers of intracerebral hemorrhage could have factored in the lack of an association with that stroke subtype, she said. In general, cerebral infarction is most strongly associated with dietary factors.
The food frequency questionnaire made no distinction between regular and decaffeinated coffee but decaffeinated coffee consumption in the Swedish population is low, Larsson said.
Potential ways that coffee drinking might reduce the risk of stroke include weakening subclinical inflammation, reducing oxidative stress and improving insulin sensitivity, she said.
The study's limitations include the use of a self-administered questionnaire to determine medical history and history of coffee consumption — which inevitably includes some measurement error and misclassification of exposure — and the possibility of an unrecognized confounding factor associated with either low or moderate coffee consumption, Larsson said.
"Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy. In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke."
More studies on coffee consumption and stroke are needed before firm conclusions can be reached, Larsson said.
Drinking more than a cup of coffee a day was associated with a 22 percent to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with those who drank less, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Low or no coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of stroke in a study of 34,670 women (ages 49 to 83) followed for an average 10.4 years. It's too soon to change coffee-drinking habits, but the study should ease the concerns of some women, researchers noted.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. "Therefore, even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences," said Susanna Larsson, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
Groups who reported drinking 1-2 cups per day, 3-4 cups per day or 5 or more cups per day had similar benefits compared with those who reported daily intake of less than a cup of coffee, researchers said.
The differences were unchanged by smoking status, body mass index, history of diabetes, hypertension or alcohol consumption, indicating that coffee's effects are not influenced by those known cardiovascular risk factors.
Scientists have theorized that coffee could have either beneficial or harmful effects on the cardiovascular system, but earlier studies have been inconclusive. Only one previous prospective study, which was also inconclusive, examined the association between coffee consumption and stroke incidence in healthy women.
"Our research group has previously observed an inverse association between coffee consumption and risk in Finnish male smokers," Larsson said. "We wanted to assess the situation in women."
The women participated in the long-running Swedish Mammography Cohort, an epidemiological study investigating the association between diet, lifestyle and disease development. All the women were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline in 1997, when they answered the food frequency questionnaire analyzed in the study.
Researchers collected data on cases of first stroke that occurred between Jan. 1, 1998 and Dec. 31, 2008, by linking the study group with the Swedish Hospital Discharge Registry that provides almost complete coverage of Swedish hospital discharges.
Researchers documented 1,680 strokes: 1,310 cerebral infarctions/ischemic strokes (caused by blockages), 154 intracerebral hemorrhages (caused by bleeding inside the brain), 79 subarachnoid hemorrhages (caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain) and 137 unspecified strokes.
After adjustment for other risk factors, coffee consumption was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of total stroke, cerebral infarction and subarachnoid hemorrhage, Larsson said.
The small numbers of intracerebral hemorrhage could have factored in the lack of an association with that stroke subtype, she said. In general, cerebral infarction is most strongly associated with dietary factors.
The food frequency questionnaire made no distinction between regular and decaffeinated coffee but decaffeinated coffee consumption in the Swedish population is low, Larsson said.
Potential ways that coffee drinking might reduce the risk of stroke include weakening subclinical inflammation, reducing oxidative stress and improving insulin sensitivity, she said.
The study's limitations include the use of a self-administered questionnaire to determine medical history and history of coffee consumption — which inevitably includes some measurement error and misclassification of exposure — and the possibility of an unrecognized confounding factor associated with either low or moderate coffee consumption, Larsson said.
"Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy. In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke."
More studies on coffee consumption and stroke are needed before firm conclusions can be reached, Larsson said.
CWRU RESEARCHER SENDS HEALTH MESSAGE TO POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN: “INCREASE YEARLY DENTAL CHECKUPS”
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Postmenopausal women have a new health message to hear. Two annual dental checkups aren’t enough. Older women need more, according to research findings from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.
That message comes from a comparison study of women on and off bone-strengthening bisphosphonate therapies for osteoporosis.
Leena Palomo, assistant professor of periodontics from the dental school, and Maria Clarinda Beunocamino-Francisco from the Center for Specialized Women’s Health at the clinic, set out to study the long-term effects of bisphosphonate therapies on the jawbone, but came up with this new findings that impacts all women after undergoing menopause.
Twenty-eight postmenopausal women with normal bones were compared with 28 women on bisphosphonate therapies for at least two years or more. The participants (all between the ages of 51 and 80) received conebeam CT scans of their jaws and a complete periodontal check for dental plaque, bleeding, and loss of bone attachment and of the alveolar bone socket.
Both groups of women had followed the recommended American Dental Association oral health standards to brush twice daily, floss and have at least two dental checkups a year.
The findings for bone strength and other markers for osteoporosis were similar for both groups. But the researchers found both groups had increased dental plaque levels, which could endanger the jawbone of normal postmenopausal women and reverse any benefits gained in bone mass.
Dental plaque is the fuzzy bacterial material that covers the teeth when you wake up in the morning. The biofilm is a mixture of bacteria, bacterial waste and food particles stuck to the teeth and provide nourishment for more bacteria.
While women from both groups had similar bone health results and women on the long-term oral bone-strengthening therapies showed no signs of bone death, they had abnormal dental plaque.
Their findings were announced in the article, “Is long-term bisphosphonate therapy associated with benefits to the periodontium in postmenopausal women?” that was published in the February issue of Menopause.
Menopausal women at risk for osteoporosis also are at risk for periodontal disease, which affects bone that anchors teeth, says Palomo.
A prior study by Palomo showed that short-term use of bisphosphonates had increased bone density in the jaw.
But over time, if the hard plaque is left on teeth, it triggers the processes for gum disease. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is an inflammatory reaction that produces the cytokines protein reaction. Cytokines act like water runoffs on the side of the hill and erodes the socket that anchors the tooth in place.
If that bone loss isn’t stopped, Palomo said, a woman could potentially lose her teeth.
She added that those cytokines also set in motion the process that weakens bones in osteoporosis.
Palomo said women may need to see the dentist as many as four times a year to control dental plaque by deep periodontal cleanings.
“Women also have to realize that bone disease and gum disease are two separate diseases,” Palomo said. The bisphosphonate therapy isn’t enough to keep jawbones strong and healthy, she added, that means getting rid of the dental plaque.
Postmenopausal women have a new health message to hear. Two annual dental checkups aren’t enough. Older women need more, according to research findings from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.
That message comes from a comparison study of women on and off bone-strengthening bisphosphonate therapies for osteoporosis.
Leena Palomo, assistant professor of periodontics from the dental school, and Maria Clarinda Beunocamino-Francisco from the Center for Specialized Women’s Health at the clinic, set out to study the long-term effects of bisphosphonate therapies on the jawbone, but came up with this new findings that impacts all women after undergoing menopause.
Twenty-eight postmenopausal women with normal bones were compared with 28 women on bisphosphonate therapies for at least two years or more. The participants (all between the ages of 51 and 80) received conebeam CT scans of their jaws and a complete periodontal check for dental plaque, bleeding, and loss of bone attachment and of the alveolar bone socket.
Both groups of women had followed the recommended American Dental Association oral health standards to brush twice daily, floss and have at least two dental checkups a year.
The findings for bone strength and other markers for osteoporosis were similar for both groups. But the researchers found both groups had increased dental plaque levels, which could endanger the jawbone of normal postmenopausal women and reverse any benefits gained in bone mass.
Dental plaque is the fuzzy bacterial material that covers the teeth when you wake up in the morning. The biofilm is a mixture of bacteria, bacterial waste and food particles stuck to the teeth and provide nourishment for more bacteria.
While women from both groups had similar bone health results and women on the long-term oral bone-strengthening therapies showed no signs of bone death, they had abnormal dental plaque.
Their findings were announced in the article, “Is long-term bisphosphonate therapy associated with benefits to the periodontium in postmenopausal women?” that was published in the February issue of Menopause.
Menopausal women at risk for osteoporosis also are at risk for periodontal disease, which affects bone that anchors teeth, says Palomo.
A prior study by Palomo showed that short-term use of bisphosphonates had increased bone density in the jaw.
But over time, if the hard plaque is left on teeth, it triggers the processes for gum disease. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is an inflammatory reaction that produces the cytokines protein reaction. Cytokines act like water runoffs on the side of the hill and erodes the socket that anchors the tooth in place.
If that bone loss isn’t stopped, Palomo said, a woman could potentially lose her teeth.
She added that those cytokines also set in motion the process that weakens bones in osteoporosis.
Palomo said women may need to see the dentist as many as four times a year to control dental plaque by deep periodontal cleanings.
“Women also have to realize that bone disease and gum disease are two separate diseases,” Palomo said. The bisphosphonate therapy isn’t enough to keep jawbones strong and healthy, she added, that means getting rid of the dental plaque.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Dental School Warns of Potential Zinc Hazards for Patients
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Dentists need to take a closer look at potential hazards of exposing patients to zinc, a common ingredient of many dental products, according to a report by Amar Patel, DDS, resident and colleagues at the University of Maryland Dental School in the March/April 2011 issue of the journal General Dentistry.
Small amounts of the element zinc are essential to the proper functioning of nearly every body system, but too much can be toxic. Some patients develop neurological problems from zinc. Toxicity from zinc also can be manifested as nausea, stomachache, and mouth irritation.
The authors reviewed and analyzed a wide range of information now available to dentists and physicians on the use of zinc in dentistry. Many dental patients are regularly exposed to zinc from certain restorative materials, mouthwashes, toothpastes and denture adhesives.
“Dentists are suddenly hungry for more information on zinc,” says co-author Nasir Bashirelahi, PhD, a professor with the School. “It is used in dental products abundantly, especially denture adhesives or pastes.”
Growing concern with denture adhesives may tip the decisions of some patients away from getting fitted with dentures, which may require perpetual pasting to the gums, to opting for dental implants instead, typically a more expensive choice, says Bashirelahi.
In the paper “What Every Dentist Should Know About Zinc,” Patel writes, "Of direct concern to dental professionals ... has been the recent discovery of neurologic disorders resulting from excessive use of denture adhesives, having high leachable zinc contents which can cause copper deficiencies."
They explain that the link of excessive zinc intake has been related to copper insufficiency due to the competition in absorption patterns for the two metals in the gastrointestinal tract. Several studies, according to the review paper, link copper deficient anemia and neutropenia with an increase of zinc intake. (Neutropenia is a blood disorder of abnormally low counts of neutrophils, important white blood cells.)
"Suddenly this issue is very important for the dental profession, with many practical applications," said Bashirelahi, who knows of at least one manufacturer that has added a consumer warning label on a product. And the authors also urge dentists to thoroughly understand the relationship among zinc, health, and dental products because of "legal ramifications." Presently there are zinc-free adhesives in the market.
Bashirelahi lectures in continuing education classes on dentistry where the topic raises eyebrows. He says, "People are living longer these days and want to stay healthy for as long as possible."
Zinc plays an important role in human physiology. It is involved in the proper functioning of the immune system, cellular growth, cell division and normal cell death (a replacement system). The element also plays a key patho-physiological role in major neurological disorders as well as diabetes. Zinc deficiency is a worldwide problem, whereas excessive dietary intake of zinc is relatively rare.
Bashirelahi, a molecular endocrinologist, says that among the principal roles of zinc is proper function of the pancreatic system. Another zinc-dependent process is spermatogenesis, as zinc is important for testosterone metabolism.
Dentists need to take a closer look at potential hazards of exposing patients to zinc, a common ingredient of many dental products, according to a report by Amar Patel, DDS, resident and colleagues at the University of Maryland Dental School in the March/April 2011 issue of the journal General Dentistry.
Small amounts of the element zinc are essential to the proper functioning of nearly every body system, but too much can be toxic. Some patients develop neurological problems from zinc. Toxicity from zinc also can be manifested as nausea, stomachache, and mouth irritation.
The authors reviewed and analyzed a wide range of information now available to dentists and physicians on the use of zinc in dentistry. Many dental patients are regularly exposed to zinc from certain restorative materials, mouthwashes, toothpastes and denture adhesives.
“Dentists are suddenly hungry for more information on zinc,” says co-author Nasir Bashirelahi, PhD, a professor with the School. “It is used in dental products abundantly, especially denture adhesives or pastes.”
Growing concern with denture adhesives may tip the decisions of some patients away from getting fitted with dentures, which may require perpetual pasting to the gums, to opting for dental implants instead, typically a more expensive choice, says Bashirelahi.
In the paper “What Every Dentist Should Know About Zinc,” Patel writes, "Of direct concern to dental professionals ... has been the recent discovery of neurologic disorders resulting from excessive use of denture adhesives, having high leachable zinc contents which can cause copper deficiencies."
They explain that the link of excessive zinc intake has been related to copper insufficiency due to the competition in absorption patterns for the two metals in the gastrointestinal tract. Several studies, according to the review paper, link copper deficient anemia and neutropenia with an increase of zinc intake. (Neutropenia is a blood disorder of abnormally low counts of neutrophils, important white blood cells.)
"Suddenly this issue is very important for the dental profession, with many practical applications," said Bashirelahi, who knows of at least one manufacturer that has added a consumer warning label on a product. And the authors also urge dentists to thoroughly understand the relationship among zinc, health, and dental products because of "legal ramifications." Presently there are zinc-free adhesives in the market.
Bashirelahi lectures in continuing education classes on dentistry where the topic raises eyebrows. He says, "People are living longer these days and want to stay healthy for as long as possible."
Zinc plays an important role in human physiology. It is involved in the proper functioning of the immune system, cellular growth, cell division and normal cell death (a replacement system). The element also plays a key patho-physiological role in major neurological disorders as well as diabetes. Zinc deficiency is a worldwide problem, whereas excessive dietary intake of zinc is relatively rare.
Bashirelahi, a molecular endocrinologist, says that among the principal roles of zinc is proper function of the pancreatic system. Another zinc-dependent process is spermatogenesis, as zinc is important for testosterone metabolism.
Does fluoride really fight cavities by 'the skin of the teeth'?
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In a study that the authors describe as lending credence to the idiom, "by the skin of your teeth," scientists are reporting that the protective shield fluoride forms on teeth is up to 100 times thinner than previously believed. It raises questions about how this renowned cavity-fighter really works and could lead to better ways of protecting teeth from decay, the scientists suggest. Their study appears in ACS's journal Langmuir.
Frank Müller and colleagues point out that tooth decay is a major public health problem worldwide. In the United States alone, consumers spend more than $50 billion each year on the treatment of cavities. The fluoride in some toothpaste, mouthwash and municipal drinking water is one of the most effective ways to prevent decay. Scientists long have known that fluoride makes enamel — the hard white substance covering the surface of teeth — more resistant to decay. Some thought that fluoride simply changed the main mineral in enamel, hydroxyapatite, into a more-decay resistant material called fluorapatite.
The new research found that the fluorapatite layer formed in this way is only 6 nanometers thick. It would take almost 10,000 such layers to span the width of a human hair. That's at least 10 times thinner than previous studies indicated. The scientists question whether a layer so thin, which is quickly worn away by ordinary chewing, really can shield teeth from decay, or whether fluoride has some other unrecognized effect on tooth enamel. They are launching a new study in search of an answer.
In a study that the authors describe as lending credence to the idiom, "by the skin of your teeth," scientists are reporting that the protective shield fluoride forms on teeth is up to 100 times thinner than previously believed. It raises questions about how this renowned cavity-fighter really works and could lead to better ways of protecting teeth from decay, the scientists suggest. Their study appears in ACS's journal Langmuir.
Frank Müller and colleagues point out that tooth decay is a major public health problem worldwide. In the United States alone, consumers spend more than $50 billion each year on the treatment of cavities. The fluoride in some toothpaste, mouthwash and municipal drinking water is one of the most effective ways to prevent decay. Scientists long have known that fluoride makes enamel — the hard white substance covering the surface of teeth — more resistant to decay. Some thought that fluoride simply changed the main mineral in enamel, hydroxyapatite, into a more-decay resistant material called fluorapatite.
The new research found that the fluorapatite layer formed in this way is only 6 nanometers thick. It would take almost 10,000 such layers to span the width of a human hair. That's at least 10 times thinner than previous studies indicated. The scientists question whether a layer so thin, which is quickly worn away by ordinary chewing, really can shield teeth from decay, or whether fluoride has some other unrecognized effect on tooth enamel. They are launching a new study in search of an answer.
What Every Denture Wearer Needs to Know About Zinc
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From its involvement in a healthy immune system to its role in cell growth, zinc is an essential mineral for the human body. Zinc deficiency is a worldwide problem that affects approximately 4 million people in the U.S. alone.
Consumed naturally in the human diet, zinc can be found in food sources, such as beef, yogurt, eggs, and fish. Furthermore, zinc is widely used in dental products, specifically denture adhesives.
However, as with any herb, vitamin, or mineral, excess intake of zinc could pose a potential health hazard. Denture wearers are advised to pay special attention to the amount of zinc they consume, according to an article published in the March/April 2011 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).
“If a patient wears dentures, it is essential that he or she follows the instructions and recommended dosages on the product label,” advises J. A. von Fraunhofer, MSc, PhD, co-author of the article. “Many times, patients will overuse the adhesive and, although it happens rarely, they can ingest toxic levels of zinc, with adverse neurologic effects.”
The optimal use of denture adhesive involves placing a thin film or a series of dots across the denture surface, which will ensure that a patient is not overusing the adhesive. A single tube should last three to 10 weeks with daily use, although actual usage depends on the number of applications per day.
“An ill-fitting denture is one reason that a patient could be overusing adhesive,” says AGD spokesperson Manuel A. Cordero, DDS, MAGD. “With age, your mouth will continue to change as the bone under your denture shrinks or recedes. If the denture doesn’t fit correctly, the patient tends to use more adhesive to try to get the denture to stay in place.”
To maintain a proper fit over time, patients should be evaluated by a dentist every six months.
“Abusing denture adhesive could cause nausea, stomachache, and mouth irritation,” says Dr. Cordero. “Over time, toxic levels of zinc could cause a copper deficiency, which has been linked to neurological damage.”
Currently, the FDA has issued no warnings regarding the use of denture adhesives, but patients should limit their usage of adhesive in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and speak with their dentist if they have additional questions or concerns.
From its involvement in a healthy immune system to its role in cell growth, zinc is an essential mineral for the human body. Zinc deficiency is a worldwide problem that affects approximately 4 million people in the U.S. alone.
Consumed naturally in the human diet, zinc can be found in food sources, such as beef, yogurt, eggs, and fish. Furthermore, zinc is widely used in dental products, specifically denture adhesives.
However, as with any herb, vitamin, or mineral, excess intake of zinc could pose a potential health hazard. Denture wearers are advised to pay special attention to the amount of zinc they consume, according to an article published in the March/April 2011 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).
“If a patient wears dentures, it is essential that he or she follows the instructions and recommended dosages on the product label,” advises J. A. von Fraunhofer, MSc, PhD, co-author of the article. “Many times, patients will overuse the adhesive and, although it happens rarely, they can ingest toxic levels of zinc, with adverse neurologic effects.”
The optimal use of denture adhesive involves placing a thin film or a series of dots across the denture surface, which will ensure that a patient is not overusing the adhesive. A single tube should last three to 10 weeks with daily use, although actual usage depends on the number of applications per day.
“An ill-fitting denture is one reason that a patient could be overusing adhesive,” says AGD spokesperson Manuel A. Cordero, DDS, MAGD. “With age, your mouth will continue to change as the bone under your denture shrinks or recedes. If the denture doesn’t fit correctly, the patient tends to use more adhesive to try to get the denture to stay in place.”
To maintain a proper fit over time, patients should be evaluated by a dentist every six months.
“Abusing denture adhesive could cause nausea, stomachache, and mouth irritation,” says Dr. Cordero. “Over time, toxic levels of zinc could cause a copper deficiency, which has been linked to neurological damage.”
Currently, the FDA has issued no warnings regarding the use of denture adhesives, but patients should limit their usage of adhesive in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and speak with their dentist if they have additional questions or concerns.
Bone-creating protein could improve dental implant success
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Using a bone-creating protein to augment the maxillary sinus could improve dental implant success, according to Georgia Health Sciences University researchers.
Dental implants, screws that anchor permanent prosthetic teeth, won't work if the bone in which they are anchored is too thin. Bone-thinning is a common cause and consequence following tooth loss. The current favored solution is to supplement the area with bone grafts to stabilize the implant base. But that technique is problematic "primarily because it involves additional surgeries to harvest the bone," said Dr. Ulf M.E. Wikesjö, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise in the GHSU College of Dental Medicine.
In animal studies, he and his team at the GHSU Laboratory for Applied Periodontal & Craniofacial Regeneration found that implanting bone morphogenetic protein in the sinus more new bone will form within four weeks than using conventional bone grafting at the same site.
"We found that BMP induced superior bone quality over that following bone grafts, which improves the chances for successful implants," Wikesjö said. "BMP is phenomenal, because it's a true, off-the-shelf product with ease of use that can produce real results, and it could be the new gold standard for this procedure."
According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 69 percent of adults ages 35-44 have lost at least one tooth due to decay, disease or trauma, and 26 percent of adults have lost all permanent teeth by age 74. Before dental implants were available, the only options for replacing these missing teeth were dentures and dental bridges, both of which could lead to further bone loss. Implants provide patients with numerous benefits, including improved oral health, appearance, speech, convenience, durability and ability to eat.
Using a bone-creating protein to augment the maxillary sinus could improve dental implant success, according to Georgia Health Sciences University researchers.
Dental implants, screws that anchor permanent prosthetic teeth, won't work if the bone in which they are anchored is too thin. Bone-thinning is a common cause and consequence following tooth loss. The current favored solution is to supplement the area with bone grafts to stabilize the implant base. But that technique is problematic "primarily because it involves additional surgeries to harvest the bone," said Dr. Ulf M.E. Wikesjö, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise in the GHSU College of Dental Medicine.
In animal studies, he and his team at the GHSU Laboratory for Applied Periodontal & Craniofacial Regeneration found that implanting bone morphogenetic protein in the sinus more new bone will form within four weeks than using conventional bone grafting at the same site.
"We found that BMP induced superior bone quality over that following bone grafts, which improves the chances for successful implants," Wikesjö said. "BMP is phenomenal, because it's a true, off-the-shelf product with ease of use that can produce real results, and it could be the new gold standard for this procedure."
According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 69 percent of adults ages 35-44 have lost at least one tooth due to decay, disease or trauma, and 26 percent of adults have lost all permanent teeth by age 74. Before dental implants were available, the only options for replacing these missing teeth were dentures and dental bridges, both of which could lead to further bone loss. Implants provide patients with numerous benefits, including improved oral health, appearance, speech, convenience, durability and ability to eat.
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