Beverage Choice May Lower Diabetes Risk

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 07 June 2012 15:37



Breaking news: there is no downside to one’s health if a person’s drink of choice is water.

A study was conducted by a research team at the Harvard School of Public Health, however, to quantify the ways in which water was better than soft drinks. Women who consistently drink water instead of fizzy drinks have a much lower chance of developing diabetes. The goal of this study was determine the exact benefit of drinking water.

The researchers examined data from more than 83,000 women in the United States during a 12-year period.

The study looked at the diet and overall health of the women. About 2,700 ended up developing diabetes. Water consumption had no impact on diabetes but the study indicated that replacing one soft drink with water lowered the diabetes risk by about 7 to 8 percent.

The research, led by Dr. Frank Hsu, also showed that unsweetened tea and coffee are healthier choices then soft drinks or energy drinks.

The study appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Dental Hygiene to Blame for Komodo Dragon's Bite

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 08 June 2012 10:29



The bite of the Komodo dragon is known as one of the deadliest bites among all animals.

The reason why is now clear. It has nothing to do with sharp teeth or anything of that nature. Instead, it's the horrendous dental hygiene and a mouth filled with infectious bacteria, enabling the animal to kill prey rather easily.

The researchers also claim that the infectious bacteria spread though groups of the dragons, which makes the community as a whole more dangerous. The researchers from the University of Texas concluded that the bacteria spread by prey that isn't killed.

On average, there are 58 strains of bacteria located in the saliva of the Komodo dragon. About 93 percent of that is considered to be pathogenic. One species of bacteria, called Pastuerella multocida, killed mice after the mice were injected with the bacteria.

The Komodo dragon is the world's largest dragon, and they can grow as long as nine feet. The dragons inhabit five small islands in Indonesia. Their bite allows them to kill animals much larger than they are.

Dentists Urge People to Avoid Brushing Directly After Eating

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 08 June 2012 11:31



Brushing too soon after eating can have devastating effects.

This message sometimes can be misunderstood. Dentists urge people to clean their teeth and brush twice each day to prevent dental problems like tooth decay and gum disease. But research shows that brushing too soon after eating could do a great deal of harm when done repeatedly over time.

Dentists recommend waiting at least one hour to brush after eating.

Brushing less than 20 minutes after eating causes damage to the teeth, especially when the food or drink consumed was something sugary or acidic. The sugar and acid cause damage to the enamel, which exposes the dentin and leaves the teeth open to decay and sensitivity.

According to information from the Academy of General Dentistry, brushing too soon after eating may push acid from food or drinks deeper inside the teeth. It then reaches the enamel and dentin, and the dental problems ensue.

Teeth corrode faster if brushed within 30 minutes of drinking an acidic drink, according to research. Many trials indicated that when teeth are brushed anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes after consuming food or drinks that the results were similar to when brushing is done with more of a gap between eating/drinking and brushing.

Neanderthal Tartar Shows Insight Into Early Humans

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 19 July 2012 14:05



The first example of self-medication has been discovered after a study of Neanderthal dental tartar.

Dental tartar collected from a sight in the northern part of Spain indicated that the ancestors of humans gathered around fires to cook plants, with the goal being to create medicinal potions, in addition to food. This was about 50,000 years ago.

The research shows that Neanderthals consumed various types of food. Prior findings suggested the Neanderthals ate meat, but this research demonstrates that they ate plants as well.

A research team from the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies and a research team from the University of York compiled the data on tartar from five Neanderthals. The research included chemical tests and an investigation under and electron microscope.

The study showed that there was cracked tartar, which signifies that the Neanderthals cooked plants before eating them. The study also concluded that the plants were wood-smoked.

There wasn’t much protein in their diet, meaning these particular Neanderthals didn’t consume as much meat as others. There was one Neanderthal that showed signs of eating yarrow and chamomile, which were thought to be an anti-inflammatory.

Growing Teeth May Soon Be Possible

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 20 July 2012 14:16



A group of researchers have made a discovery that could eventually lead to the regrowth of teeth.

A research team in the group of Irma Thesleff at the Institute of Biotechnology in Helsinki, Finland recently discovered a marker for dental stem cells. The discovery was made after locating a transcription factor on the mouse front tooth.

The transcription factor Sox2 is specifically present in the stem cells of the mouse incisor. This tooth grows throughout one’s life thanks to the stem cells located at the base of the tooth.

The research team managed to create a way to record the movement, division and specification of these cells. Sox2 positive stem cells also enable enamel-forming ameloblasts and other lineages of the tooth to exist.

Human teeth are similar to mouse teeth in that the mechanisms to regulate growth is the same, even though human teeth don’t grow continuously. That’s why this could be a pivotal discovery for tooth regeneration.









This finding, however, doesn’t necessarily mean the ability to regenerate tooth is right around the corner. A detailed recipe is necessary and many factors have prevented tooth regeneration from happening at this point in time.