Impressions

Study Finds Poor Self-Reported Oral Health As Risky As Gum Disease for Overall Health

A new study, published in The Journal of the American Dental Association and led by researchers at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, revealed that individuals who think their oral health status is poor might face similar health risks as people diagnosed with gum disease. This comes from results of data analysis from two large studies. One of the studies focused on women over 45 years old and another on a broader group of people. The studies analyzed how oral health affects other health-related issues like diabetes and heart disease.

The women-only study found that those who had gum disease by 2006 often said the condition got worse by 2018. Additionally, if they thought their own oral health was poor, they were more likely to have diabetes and heart disease. The study analyzed a variety of people and showed that if they thought their oral health was poor, they had an elevated mortality rate.

The researchers discovered that basic questions related to dental health can provide a lot of information, particularly when getting a dental checkup is not possible. The work uncovered that many people don’t go to the dentist every year, and this lack of oral health care is tied to poor health outcomes. This spotlights how critical regular dental visits are for overall health, and not just for oral health.

The research team is continuing to study the association between overall health and oral health by working with specific populations, for example veterans. The researchers are urging medical doctors to ask their patients about their dental care habits as part of their general health assessments. Additionally, they are advocating for more health and research studies to include oral health questions to help understand any connection between overall wellbeing and oral health.

University of Adelaide Innovates with Probiotic Toothpaste to Fight Tooth Decay

University of Adelaide researchers are developing a special toothpaste that facilitates oral microbiome transplants by introducing beneficial oral microbial communities into the mouths of those who have a harmful imbalance in their native microbiomes. The researchers are hoping to secure funding for human trials to analyze the effectiveness and safety of oral microbiome transplants.

As part of the project, the team is collecting “good” microbes from people with healthy oral microbiomes. These micriobiomes will then be utilized to make a gel or toothpaste that can elevate the oral health of those who have unhealthy mouths.

The work involves a screening tool to identify who these donors are and a 3D flow cell that can recreate the environment of a mouth. This allows for the donors’ microbiomes to be maintained properly. The initial results are promising, indicating that more than 250 types of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, that are important in preventing tooth decay can survive in a biobank for as long as three months. The research also suggests that the transplant of bacteria may help reduce cavities without affecting other areas of the body, such as the gut.

For those at higher risk for dental issues, like young children and the elderly, this research has the potential to affect oral health. If the transplants are a success, this approach may offer a cost-effective solution to combatting tooth decay and improving oral health.

“Fake Tongue” Sensor Detects and Destroys Tooth Decay-Causing Bacteria

Researchers at Shanghai University of Engineering Science in China published a study that highlights a “fake tongue,” or chemical sensor array, that can identify dental plaque from saliva samples.

This study, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, opens the door for a more cost-effective and faster strategy for treating and diagnosing bacterial dental diseases such as periodontitis, caries and peri-implantitis. Traditional methods for identifying harmful bacteria strains within the mouth are typically expensive and slow because they involve complex equipment and procedures. This artificial tongue, on the other hand, uses nanozymes to simulate natural enzymes that are coated in DNA strands. These nanozymes change color when mixed with a hydrogen peroxide/colorless substance solution (mimicking saliva) indicating the presence of dental bacteria. By utilizing different DNA strands, the sensor can identify 11 types of dental bacteria with a high accuracy rate. The sensor also inactivated three of the tested bacterial species by getting rid of their membranes.

The research team is optimistic about the potential applications of the sensor and believe it could revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. If dentists could cheaply and quickly identify and treat dental infections at an early stage, it could effectively mitigate severe progression of dental disease and lessen its impact on an individuals’ quality of life.

New App Uses CBT to Combat Dental Anxiety, Shows Promising Results in Pilot Study

A research team from the Penn School of Dental Medicine and the NYU College of Dentistry have developed a smartphone app that tackles dental fear utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and it is showing promising results. A pilot study of the app, called Dental Fearless, showed that 49% of the users reported overcoming their fear and 97% felt they could manage discomfort associated with dental visits. Additionally, 85% said their dental appointments went better than expected. The study, published in Wiley, included 48 participants with severe or moderate dental fear before their next appointment with their dentist.

Educational content on coping strategies for dental visits is what is provided to users of the Dental Fearless app. This includes things such as muscle relaxation, breath work and communication skills. It also includes practice sessions and action plans for upcoming appointments. Users who still have fear after using the app, have the option to use a Zoom session with a mental health practitioner. This session includes a dental visit simulation.

The app’s development team notes that the app format offers a more affordable and accessible solution to CBT in dental care. The intention of the app is to improve oral health outcomes by encouraging people to maintain regular dental visits particularly those people who avoid their dental visits due to fear. The researchers pointed out that the cycle of avoiding dental care as a result of fear leads to more severe oral health issues, which ultimately, creates even more fear. Further testing with Dental Fearless is set to take place in a more widespread national study, which is expected to explore virtual reality options, as well as the development of a toolkit for dental practices to utilize when speaking to patients about fear.

Study Shows Patients Open to Weight Management Advice During Dental Visits

Research out of Loughborough University has revealed that patients are open to the idea of receiving weight management advice during dental visits. The study highlights this as a novel approach to tackling obesity rates. The research, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, explored the potential role that dentists might have in obesity intervention and stated that even with low involvement dental teams currently have in this process, those who have offered support for weight management have received positive feedback from patients.

The study suggests integrating weight management interventions and weight management screenings into the dental care routine. Provided the screenings are conducted in a universal and sensitive manner, the researchers state the public shows a positive response to the concept. Further, the study’s findings show that if dental teams have the proper training in delivering weight management advice, they could greatly help reduce obesity and improve overall health in the patients.

The researchers did acknowledge that barriers exist to implementing such practices, including weight stigma, fear of offending and time constraints. However, they suggest that dentists, who typically see their patients annually, are in a good position to offer behavioral and lifestyle advice, including weight management support. The researchers suggest that this could be part of an “all hands on deck” approach to overall health and a positive step toward reducing obesity rates. This still depends on training and guidance to handle these discussions properly.