Children who have Asthma may have a high risk of having more Cavities. According to a Brazilian study with included 160 Children ages 3 – 15, children with asthma had higher levels of S. mutans. Those with a longer history of asthma tended to have higher levels of these bacteria. The study did not find that levels of S. mutans were linked with asthma drugs or other treatments. Researchers also did not find a link between higher levels of S. mutans and more tooth decay

A recent study suggest that no enough dentist are using dental sealants to help protect back teeth. Temple University’s dental school researchers who did the study, surveyed 595 general dentists and 176 pediatric dentists. The dentist were asked about whether they would use sealants on teeth with different signs of early decay. They also were asked how they felt about using sealants in different groups of people.

Two more small studies have strengthens the evidence that links periodontal disease with other health conditions. One Study focused on atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The researchers took samples of diseased arteries from 53 people. They also took samples of healthy arteries from 21 other people. They tested the arteries for bacteria that cause periodontal disease. The study found that 53% of the diseased arteries had periodontal bacteria in them and only 24% of the healthy ones did. The other study focused on people with type 2 diabetes which included 60 people.

According to Japanese researchers, older adults with more gum inflammation are at risk for kidney problems. The study was done on 317 people who where all 75 years old. At the start of the study each person had an oral exam. The researchers calculated how much of each person’s gum tissue was inflamed. The people were followed for 2 years. During that time, 45 of them developed kidney problems.

Dry mouths is more common in those over the age of 50. Long term study done suggest that Dry mouth is common in those over the age of fifty particularly in older women. In the Swedish study, started in 1992 researchers sent questionnaires to every 50-year-old in 2 Swedish counties. Fifteen years later, they sent the same questions to every 65-year-old in those counties. They also sent them to a sample of 75-year-olds.

Sugar Substitute that helps to prevent cavities may also help prevent ear infections. According to the scientists from the University of Toronto who reviewed published research. The scientists reviewed the last 61 years of studies on xylitol and ear infections. They found four studies that included a total of about 3,000 children up to the age of 12. Three of the studies included healthy children. Those who consumed xylitol gum, candies or syrup had 25% fewer ear infections.

Fine artist Steven Heward is the pioneer of tooth art called “Tattooth”. He started designing on false teeth in a mini lab and has inked around 500 teeth since then. The images can range from animals,logos, letters and pretty much any other art form that you may want. The Heward Dental Lab known world wide for their quality crown and bridge work are now also training tooth artists to apply custom hand painted tattoos on a porcelain crown for your tooth.

Did you know that your diet can play a large role in the health of your teeth and gums. Here are some tips suggested by the American Dental Associations (ADA) in maintaining teeth and gums health. Try to limit the amount of sodas and fruit drinks sweetened with sugar. Limited your consumption of cookies, candies, cakes and other desserts with added sugar. Eat nutritious snacks that are low in sugar. Brush and floss daily and drinking water often throughout the day.

Dental fear is a large issue that prevent many people from getting and receiving the necessary dental care needed for good oral health care. A new innovative device which helps to cancel out the noise of the dental drill could help end some people anxiety and fears about going to the dentist. The prototype of the device works in a similar way to noise-canceling headphones but is designed to deal with the very high pitch of the dental drill. By simply plunging the device into an MP3 player or mobile phone, and then plug the headphones into the device,it allows a person to listen to their own music while completely blocking out the unpleasant sound of the drill and suction equipment. The patient will still be able to hear the dentist and other members of the dental team speaking to them but other unwanted sounds are filtered out by the device.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, one of the common causes of toddler tooth decay is letting a toddler go to bed with a bottle. This particular condition is known as baby bottle tooth decay. The milk or juice from the bottle can sit in your toddler’s mouth all night and create an ideal breeding ground for bacteria which in turn causes tooth decay.