Americans Aren’t Knowledgeable About Oral Health

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 18 July 2012 14:17



If it were up to the average American, oral health would be in a bad place right now.

A survey conducted by the American Dental Association indicates that the average American’s oral health knowledge earns a letter grade of D.

The results come from a recent ADA survey about how educated people are about their oral health.

The survey concluded that 90 percent of adults think it’s best to brush their teeth right after each meal. In actuality, a person should brush when they wake up and before going to sleep. If a person brushed after each meal, he or she could spread around the possible acidic food just consumed, which could damage the enamel.

The survey also showed that 65 percent of people believe they should change their toothbrush every six months. The ADA recommends changing your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.

Roughly 75 percent of American adults were unaware of the time in which they should take their child for his or her first dental appointment. This is something that should be done when the child is a year old, according to the ADA. The survey also showed that people think flossing should be done twice per week. The ADA suggests flossing once per day.

Heartland Dental Looking for Buyer

Written by Dentistry TodayMonday, 10 September 2012 15:50



A dental company may be sold for in excess of $1 billion.

Heartland Dental Care, one of the largest practice management companies in the country, could be sold for as much as $1.4 billion, according to sources.

The company—which Chicago-based private equity firm CHS Capital Partners has a stake in—hired investment banks Jefferies and Moelis to find a buyer. It has mostly gotten interest for other buyout firms.

Heartland Dental has roughly $120 million in annual earnings before tax, deprecation and amortization.

The auction is in the second round and the final bids will happen in roughly one month.

Effingham, Ill.-based Heartland Dental manages more than 350 dental practices in 19 states. It provides dentists with essential administrative services like personnel staffing, purchasing, financial, marketing and technology support.







The company was founded by a dentist, Rick Workman.

Scientist Finds Way to Lower Bone Less, Inflammation Associated with Gum Disease

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 11 September 2012 15:53



A University of Louisville scientist discovered a way to stop the inflammation and bone loss that come from gum disease.

The researcher, David Scott, successfully accomplished this by blocking the natural signaling pathway of the enzyme GSK3b. This enzyme is a key factor in leading the immune response.

The information appears on the Internet in the journal Molecular Medicine.

This research may not only be pivotal in stopping periodontal disease but it may also be helpful when it comes to other chronic inflammatory diseases. Since GSK3b is associated with numerous inflammatory signaling pathways, it also is a factor in many other diseases. Further tests are being conducted to determine its importance in Alzheimer’s disease, Type II diabetes and some forms of cancer.

This approach differs from the normal approach in handling periodontal disease because instead of preventing plaque at the gumline, this method targets the natural mechanism to limit inflammation.

SB216763 is the enzyme that stopped the inflammation process and eventual bone loss that normally stems from GSK3b.

The next part of this study includes whether or not SB216763 has any side effects or if something else needs to be discovered to thwart GSK3b.

Children in New Zealand Missing Out on Dental Care

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 12 September 2012 15:49



Children in New Zealand aren’t taking advantage of free dental care.

The information was mentioned at World Oral Health Day. Many parents aren’t enabling their children to receive the dental treatment that is free for children under 18 in New Zealand.

It’s essential for children to receive necessary dental treatment to prevent problems from developing in the future. It’s also important because good oral health leads to good overall health.

Dental care in the country has been free for many years now. There is also a major investment program in the works that will further aid dental care in the country. It will update and improve the current dental care that’s available for all children and teenagers through age 18.







The state of oral health in New Zealand has gotten better during the last quarter century but this investment will take it to the next level.

Alcohol Can Have Disastrous Impact on Oral Health

Alcohol Can Have Disastrous Impact on Oral Health

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 15 November 2012 16:37

It’s not a stretch for oral cancer to develop after excessive alcohol consumption.

The Finnish Dental Association recently issued a warning about the danger of drinking alcohol and the adverse effect it may have on one’s oral health. According to recent data, around 400,000 to 600,000 people in Finland consume too much alcohol. Alcohol and smoking are two of the top risk factors for oral cancer.

Oral cancer can be extremely serious. It kills more people than cervical cancer and Hodgkin’s disease.

Alcohol’s danger stems from the fact that it enables more tobacco to be absorbed into bodily systems, which obviously is not a good thing for the body. Therefore, people who drink and smoke are at a higher risk for developing oral cancer than people who don’t smoke or drink.

In Finland, dentists are advising people to only drink alcohol in moderation to lower the risk of mouth cancer.