Clinical

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

Articles

A recent study published by researchers in Japan found that elderly patients who wear dentures while they sleep have a higher risk of developing pneumonia than those who remove them.

Sleeping in Dentures Can Pose Major Health Hazards

 In the fight against dental caries, we commonly utilize exogenous materials such as fluoride or sealants. However, a recent study has found that a key tool for fighting caries-causing bacteria may be our own saliva.

Saliva plays key role in caries prevention

 Recent research out of the University of Adelaide in Australia is challenging the belief that people with tooth loss actually need dentures.

Do people with tooth loss really need dentures?

 New research out of England has found that weaning in human babies is tied to prenatal tooth enamel growth rates.

New research finds human tooth enamel development is linked to weaning

 Stem cells have been buzzwords in the medical industry for many years now, but little has been said about the dentist's role in regards to storing stem cell tissue for future use. What do dentists have to do with stem cells? They may provide a patient's last chance to bank potentially life-saving tissue.

Why stem cells mean the dental professional is the family’s most important doctor

 While oral hygiene habits and diet influence the risk of tooth decay, genetics are also at play in regards to susceptibility for dental caries development … genetics that can also determine hair disorders. 

Dental caries susceptibility linked to… your hair?

 While coffee may stain your teeth, research from Boston University has found that your morning java can provide some surprising dental health benefits.

A cup a day keeps periodontal bone loss away

 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

 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.   

Emerging Research