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Dentistry news

Dentistry

Countries agree to end mercury tooth fillings by 2034

Countries agreed Friday to phase out the use of mercury-based dental amalgams in tooth fillings by 2034, in a move that will change dentistry around the world.

Neuroscience

Over-the-counter painkillers match or surpass opioids for dental surgery in all adults, analysis confirms

Over-the-counter pain medications work as well or better than opioids after wisdom tooth extraction for both men and women, according to a Rutgers Health-led follow-up to a landmark paper on comparative pain relief.

Dentistry

Countries call for mercury dental fillings ban by 2030

Multiple countries including the United States called Monday for a worldwide ban on mercury-based dental amalgams by 2030, at a meeting of signatories to a treaty on limiting the toxic metal.

Medical research

Scientists find cells that know when, where and how to grow teeth

Tooth development is a dynamic process that involves the stages of the bud, the cap, and the bell, followed by root development and subsequent tooth formation. Processes such as the bud-to-cap transition are mediated by epithelial-mesenchymal ...

Medications

Antidepressants show promise for alleviating jaw pain

Certain antidepressants can help alleviate chronic jaw pain caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), according to a research review by a team of researchers with expertise in dentistry and pharmacy published in the Journal ...

Dentistry

AI-assisted growth prediction advances orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment is most effective when timed to coincide with a child's growth peak. Traditionally, clinicians estimate growth by examining X-ray images of the cervical vertebrae—the neck bones visible in routine ...

Dentistry

Important step toward development of biological dental enamel

Currently, cavities and damage to enamel are repaired by dentists with the help of synthetic white filling materials. There is no natural alternative to this. But a new 3D model with human dental stem cells could change this ...

Immunology

Double-stranded RNA induces bone loss during gum disease

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology researchers reported on a new discovery regarding the mechanisms for bone loss in gum disease (periodontitis). They found that double stranded RNA molecules can activate the ...

Dentistry

For kids, toothaches become another kind of pandemic pain

Very little has been normal for children these past two years, and some youngsters are feeling the pandemic's effects in their mouths. Pediatric dentists report seeing more decay and cavities, along with serious infections—some ...

Cardiology

How flossing and brushing may be good for your lungs

Did you ever think that a simple task like brushing your teeth could actually keep your lungs healthy—in addition to preventing cavities and gum disease? From chewing sticks to using twigs, hog bristles and horsehair, people ...

Dentistry

Nocturnal teeth grinding may damage temporomandibular joints

Nocturnal teeth grinding and clenching of the upper and lower jaw are known as sleep bruxism and can have a number of consequences for health. In dental science, the question of whether sleep bruxism is associated with the ...

Dentistry

Evidence grows for vaping's role in gum disease

A series of new studies by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry highlights how e-cigarettes alter oral health and may be contributing to gum disease. The latest, published in mBio, finds that e-cigarette users have a unique ...

Dentistry

Research reveals impact of COVID-19 on dental hygienists

Nearly two years into the pandemic with widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines and a decrease in infections, new studies reveal dental hygienists have low COVID-19 infection rates and high vaccination acceptance. In ...

Cardiology

Is good dental care key to stroke prevention?

For adults who have had a stroke staying on top of dental care may prevent a second stroke, according to research co-authored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and presented at the American Heart Association ...

Cardiology

Poor oral health more likely for children with heart conditions

(HealthDay)—Children with heart conditions are more likely to have poor oral health and teeth in fair or poor condition than those without heart conditions, according to research published in the Feb. 11 issue of the U.S. ...

Dentistry

Why dentists are prescribing fewer opioids

If you've ever had a root canal or tooth extraction, you might have been handed a prescription for Vicodin or another opioid painkiller to help you recover after your procedure.