Laura Dorr is the former executive editor of DPR's Modern Dental Network and a regular contributing author.

Laura Dorr

	The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have released a study examining the correlation between dental implant failure and the use of a widely prescribed antidepressant drug.

SSRIs and the Risk of Osseointegrated Implant Failure – A Cohort Study”

 (SSRIs) increased the risk of failures in osseointegrated inplants. SSRIs, one of the most widely used drugs for the treatment of depression, have reportedly reduced bone formation and resulted in increased risk of bone fracture. Since osseeointegration is influenced by bone metabolism, researches felt the need to investigate the potential impact SSRIs could have on dental implants – and found that there was indeed a correlation.

The study examined 490 patients  (with a total of 916 dental implants) who were treated with dental implants between January 2007 and January 2013, 51 of which were using SSRIs. Out of the 94 implants on these 51 SSRI users, 10 implants failed, as opposed to 38 dental implants out of the group of 784 nonusers. In the end, the failure rates for SSRI non-users came to 4.6%, while SSRI users had a failure rate of 10.6%.  The study concluded that treatment with SSRIs was associated with an increased risk of failure in osseointegrated implants.

This story is based on materials provided by the International & American Associations for Dental Research. The full study was published in the Journal of Dental Research 2014.

Articles

 The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have released a study examining the correlation between dental implant failure and the use of a widely prescribed antidepressant drug.  

Antidepressant drug linked to dental implant failure

 has found that a very unpopular weed that ravages gardens and crop fields around the world may not have always been a nuisance: it may have actually protected prehistoric humans from tooth decay.

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Considered one of the world’s worst invasive weeds due to how difficult it is to control, 

 (commonly known as purple nutsedge or nutgrass) has been found in at least 92 countries and infects over 52 different crops worldwide.  It is highly invasive, growing in all types of soil, and displaces native plants, while competing with crops for valuable resources. However, prehistoric humans in the Sudan may not have considered it such a pest.

 on food, cooking and plant processing in prehistoric Central Sudan, 

, analyzed dental calculus (hardened plaque) in fossilized teeth taken from a site on the White Nile in Central Sudan. The teeth dated back thousands of years to 

 periods, and showed very high levels of the chemical compounds found in purple nutsedge, indicating that the prehistoric populations were eating the plant. Surprisingly though, the teeth possessed a startling lack of cavities.

Recent study: Runners at higher risk for tooth decay 

The low level of cavities led researchers to conclude that the plant, in addition to serving as a good source of carbohydrates, may have actually protected against tooth decay. They posited that the purple nutsedge’s ability to inhibit the 

 bacteria that contributes to tooth decay might have been a contributing factor.

 in Spain. “The main usage by the prehistoric people most surely would have been food.”

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In addition to eating the plant, prehistoric people may have drawn on its medicinal or aromatic purposes. Hardy added “This study provides direct evidence not only of the fact that they ate plants, but also has identified a specific plant that was collected and eaten, before agriculture developed.”

Now that agriculture has developed, however, most gardeners and farmers would probably agree that, despite potential dental health benefits, it is nothing more than an infuriating nuisance.  

Information for this article was taken from the study “

 Calculus Reveals Unique Insights into Food Items, Cooking and Plant Processing in Prehistoric Central Sudan,” published in 

 A recent study has found that a very unpopular weed that ravages gardens and crop fields around the world may not have always been a nuisance: it may have actually protected prehistoric humans from tooth decay.  

Invasive weed may have provided surprising dental health benefits

	Athletes may be in peak physical condition, but that good health doesn’t always extend to their dentition.  According to several studies, athletes, particularly runners, are more prone to oral health problems such as dental caries and erosion than the general population. 

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Several factors, predominantly stemming from training regimens, played into this greater risk of tooth decay, including diet, consumption of sports drinks, and mouth breathing. Runners typically ingest large quantities of carbohydrates during training, which can lower a runner’s oral pH level, increasing the risk of dental erosion and decay. Additionally, runners’ tendency to breathe through their mouths while exercising can dry out the mouth, providing a hospitable environment for bacteria.

Recently published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports,  a 

 by a team of German dental researchers found a significantly higher rate of tooth erosion in triathletes than in non-athletes.

“The trithlete’s high carbohydrate comsumption, including sports drinks, gels, and bars during training, can lower the mouth’s pH level below the critical mark of 5.5,” said study author Cornelia Frese. “That can lead to dental erosion and caries. Also, the athletes breathe through the mouth during hard exercise. The mouth gets dry, and produces less saliva, which normally protects teeth.”

published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine examined a group of triathletes in New Zealand.  The study reported that 83.9% of athletes sampled consumed sports drinks while training, while 93.5% reported eating while training. Only 3.2% of those surveyed perceived training as a risk to oral health.  

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The studies referenced in this article were published in the June 11, 2014 issue of the 

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports

,  and the September 2011 edition of the 

 respectively. Full versions of the studies can be found 

 Athletes may be in peak physical condition, but that good health doesn’t always extend to their dentition.  According to several studies, athletes, particularly runners, are more prone to oral health problems such as dental caries and erosion than the general population.   

Runners at higher risk for tooth decay

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

 discovered that some dentists are not encouraging patients who smoke to ditch the habit. Researchers found that only 1 in 10 smokers who saw a dentist in the past 12 months received the recommendation to quit smoking. 

While much research has been done on the effectiveness of healthcare provider's advice to quit smoking, the authors of the OSU study noted that no recent research had examined the difference in the prevalence of smoking cessation advice offered by physicians versus dentists. The researchers also examined how factors such as the patient's sex, age, race, marital status, type of health insurance and more affected the rate of advice.

Do you know what tobacco use is doing to your patient? Tips to help your patients kick the habit.

The study found that over half of current smokers who visited any healthcare provider received advice to quit smoking, while 

were given similar advice from a dentist specifically. Results also indicated that those who were married or had smoking-related diseases were more likely to receive smoking cessation advice from healthcare providers in general. Higher-income smokers or those with better health insurance also received advice at a higher rate.

What dental professionals need to know about e-cigarettes [VIDEO]

Although smoking is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States, approximately 21% of American adults smoke. 

that around 70% of smokers have expressed interest in quitting, and that 41% of smokers have reported an attempt to 

Top 10 oral hygiene tips for patients with cancer

Click below to hear thoughts from Anastasia Turchetta, RDH, on how dental professionals can incorporate smoking cessation into their practices ... 

 A recent study from the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center discovered that some dentists are not encouraging patients who smoke to ditch the habit. Researchers found that only 1 in 10 smokers who saw a dentist in the past 12 months received the recommendation to quit smoking. 