You are browsing the archive of dental articles on subject oral cavity.

Chemotherapy Oral Health Side Effects

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health, approximately 1/3 of the patients who undergo cancer treatments, will experience some oral health side effects we well. Quite often, it can happen that these complications interfere severely with the treatment itself, and of course, these side effects will have a direct impact upon the quality of life of the patient.

Oral Cancer Screening: The Life Saving Decision



April is the oral cancer awareness month, and this is yet one more reason for which everyone should consider asking for an oral cancer screening at the dentist. According to statistics released by the Oral Cancer Foundation, in the US alone someone is dying every hour of every day because of oral cancer.

Mouthwash with Silver Nanoparticles Kills Candida Infection

Quite recently, researchers have found that these extremely difficult to treat mouth infections can actually be cured by using nanoparticles in the lab tests. The next step is to test whether or not mouthwash containing silver nanoparticles can be used as a preventative measure against these types of fungus infections. The research is run by Professor Mariana Henriques and her staff of professionals from the University of Minho.

Study: New Oral Bacterium Linked to Meningitis & Heart Complications

A study published quite recently in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology reveals that a common oral bacterium poses a danger to the human organism, if it enters the bloodstream. Researchers from the Institute of Medical Microbiology of the University of Zurich were the ones to identify this bacterium as having the potential to cause serious diseases in the human system.

Effects of Drugs on Your Oral Health



Problems of the oral cavity can arise for an array of reasons, one of them being drug use. Both medications and illegal drugs can cause tooth decay, discoloration, and many other dental problems. These disorders at times can be long-term and irreversible. Thus, it is important to understand the potential side effects of any drug on your teeth.

Common Etiological Factors for Oral Cancers



Oral cancer has become a scourge in today’s world. According to the World Health Organization, oropharyngeal cancer is the eleventh most common cancer in the world. Nearly 39,400 people were estimated to be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2011 in the US alone, as per the SEER Stat Fact Sheet on the Cancer of the Oral Cavity and Pharynx.

Overcoming Dental Fear with Sedation Dentistry



Though it may sound ridiculous to hear a grown-up man or woman strongly express distaste and revulsion when they hear the word dentist, this fear for the tooth doctor as a matter of fact is something that should not be taken so lightly. Dental phobia, also known as odontophobia, is a very real mental and behavioral problem that needs to be properly addressed.

Lab-made Tissue Picks Up the Slack of Petri Dishes in Cancer Research

New research demonstrates that previous models used to examine cancer may not be complex enough to accurately mimic the true cancer environment. Using oral cancer cells in a three-dimensional model of lab-made tissue that mimics the lining of the oral cavity, the researchers found that the tissue surrounding cancer cells can epigenetically mediate, or temporarily trigger, the expression or suppression of a cell adhesion protein associated with the progression of cancer.

10 Tips for Keeping your Teeth Extra Clean during Christmas Holidays



A beautiful, bright & white smile will always help you stay self-confident. Here are the top 10 tips for keeping your teeth extra clean during Christmas Holidays.

Useful Tips for Clean and White Teeth



Taking care of the natural set of teeth that you are born with is very important. Of course, during lifetime one will go through a few fillings, or restorative dental procedures, but even so, it is very important to stick to a proper oral health regimen. The following are a few tips that you can easily follow, and by following these habits, you will get cleaner, stronger and whiter teeth.

Gum Disease: A Threatening Public Enemy?



Currently, between 24% and 33% of the American adults are affected by major gum disease. Moreover, there are 7,500+ Americans dying of oral and throat cancer on an annual basis, and there are 35,000 new cases of such cancers diagnosed every year.

New Enzyme Inhibits Plaque Formation on Teeth

Japanese researchers have brought to light very good news for the dental health. After in vitro tests, it has been showed that the Streptococcus Salivaris bacterium inhibits the formation of plaque on the teeth.

In-Office Oral Hygiene, Professional Teeth Cleaning



The main preventive dental procedure is a professional mechanic or ultrasonic teeth cleaning. Our teeth enamel has an uneven surface and if you do not regularly clean your teeth, the proteins contained in food form a film and tartar on the tooth enamel due to its sticky surface.

Orthodontic Retainers a Pool of Infection if Not Cleaned Properly



Studies conducted by scientists at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and reported in the Letters of the Society of Applied Microbiology journal show that orthodontic retainers may pose a major risk for infections if not cleansed properly.

Oral Care After Dental Implant Procedure



Dental implant procedure is a complex, multistage process, requiring the responsible attitude of not only the doctor performing the surgery, but also the patient. In order to reduce the risk of complications and rejection of dental implant to a minimum, and maximize its life, it is necessary to comply with a dentist’s prescription strictly, including those relating to the features of hygienic oral care at various periods of time after dental implant procedure.

Tooth Extraction Procedure, Postoperative Problems and Care



If you can’t restore these teeth with conservative methods of treatment, the dentist will have to remove them. Tooth extraction procedure enjoys a reputation of a very painful one, but it is absolutely wrong. After tooth extraction, the dentist gives some advice to patients to minimize possible postoperative problems.

Primary Teeth (Milk Teeth): Losing Milk Teeth, Baby Bottle Caries, Treatment under Anesthesia



Many parents believe that it doesn’t make sense to treat milk teeth, because they will still be replaced. However, it is necessary to stop the destructive process and remove the source of infection from the oral cavity.

The Causes of Chronic Mouth Infections



There are many things that can cause a chronic mouth infection and the cause can range from a serious problem to something very minor. A chronic mouth infection may involve the tonsils, lips, cheeks, gums, and teeth.

10 Tips to Deal with Dental Emergencies

Nowadays, dentists have many options for dealing with dental emergencies. We can benefit from advancements in dentistry, like pain management and techniques to restore teeth. Teeth can be restored with synthetic materials that resemble the natural teeth and are strong enough to bear any amount of load.

Does Kissing Affect Oral Health?



Research into passionate kissing has uncovered many valuable health benefits. Healthier mouth, saliva contains substances that fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. But Kissing may also transmit a small number of disease-causing bacteria and viruses through the oral cavity. Bacteria and viruses in the saliva or blood of one person can be spread to another person by kissing. Some diseases are more easily spread through kissing than others.

Rapid HIV Test at a Dentist

HIV is one of the most wide-spread and dangerous diseases seen all around, and people who are unaware of it, never try to get it checked when it’s in the initial stages and mild symptoms appear. The same negligence is shown by the medical practitioners who don’t usually check the patients for HIV infection, being concerned about time management, and more consent and patient time is needed.

Deep Teeth Cleaning Methods: Scaling and Root Planing



Even though you might take care of your teeth by regular brushing, flossing techniques, still there is some amount of food debris remained, which is the most favorable condition for bacteria to reside and start the plaque formation. This plaque initially is loose and adheres to the tooth surface that is open in the oral cavity, but if not removed with the help of brushing or cleansing techniques, it becomes calcified, harder to become dental calculus.

Bad Foods for Teeth: Improper Diet can Cause Dental Cavity.

Dental cavities are a very common dental health problem, which is caused by improper and imbalanced diet and poor dental hygiene. Diet also plays an important role at the time of teeth development and eruption as any deficiency could affect the tooth formation and make it more prone to dental caries. But generally it’s the diet we eat that makes us more susceptible to caries; therefore in such condition maintaining a good dental hygiene plays a vital role to prevent caries. Just by brushing your teeth after every meal, you can stop dental caries.

Oral Cancer Facts and Myths

Oral cancer is a cancer that begins in the mouth or the throat at the back of the mouth, called the oropharynx. An oral cancer can appear anywhere in the oral cavity, including the lips, the lining of the mouth, under the tongue, the tongue, the gums, the area behind the wisdom teeth, the back of the throat, the tonsils, and the roof of the mouth.

Avoid Tooth Decay with Dental Chewing Gum

Our mouth is like an open door to all kinds of bacteria and infection. It is highly important to have healthy teeth, because this guarantees that our body will always receive only clean and qualitatively chewed food. One of the modern and largely used method of keeping teeth healthy is the sugar-free dental chewing gum.

New Dental 3D System Scans Oral Cavity



When toothache makes a visit to the dentist unavoidable this often marks the start of a time-consuming treatment marathon for the patient. If the tooth cannot be saved and a dental prosthesis is necessary, the dentist first has to make a silicone impression for the dental laboratory.

Toothbrush and Toilet Bad Bacteria



Scientists have found more than 10,000,000 bacteria living on a single toothbrush. This huge number does not vary a lot. Now think how dangerous becomes the everyday procedure of ‘cleaning’ your teeth if not to take the right care about your dental toothbrush. Millions of bacteria infects the oral cavity and can badly infect your damaged gums, too.

Mouthwash May Increase Risk Of Oral Cancer



Mouthwashes containing alcohol can cause oral cancer and should be removed from supermarket shelves, a dental health study claims. Scientists say there is now “sufficient evidence” that such mouthwashes contribute to an increased risk of the disease.