The Health Blog
Stay Healthy, the Natural Way

Researchers recently took a look at how senior citizens perceive the importance of their oral health. And the answer can make the difference whether they seek treatment or not.     Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray Spotts    

Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray SpottsA topic of great interest in the dental field concerns the ability of adult stem cells to generate various tissue-specific cell populations. Since these cells can replace damaged cells, they represent a good alternative to classical medical treatments for tissue regeneration - and may even allow the formation of entire tissues and organs in the future.

Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray SpottsA recent study a 160,000-year-old archaic human molar fossil discovered in China offers the first morphological evidence of interbreeding between archaic humans and Homo sapiens in Asia. While this rare trait is primarily found in modern Asians and was thought to have evolved after H. sapiens dispersed from Africa, these findings point to a different evolutionary path.

A study published in the journal Clinical Oral Investigations reveals that sugar-sweetened acidic drinks, such as soft drinks, are also the common factor between obesity and tooth wear among adults. Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray Spotts    

Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray SpottsA new guideline indicates that in most cases antibiotics are not recommended for toothaches.  The new guideline and systematic review - published in the Journal of the American Dental Association - finds that healthy adults experiencing a toothache are best served not by antibiotics but by dental treatment and, if needed, over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

Reviewed By Ray Spotts Special gum cells that trigger the immune system to control the amount and type of bacteria in the mouth could one day lead to personalized dental treatments against gum disease. Researchers with the Monell Chemical Senses Center and Sichuan University have learned that chemical-sensing cells in the gums protect the mouth by standing guard against infections that damage soft tissue and destroy the bone that supports the teeth.

A new Dentavox Survey shows that the demand for these remote dentistry services is on the rise. Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray SpottsResearchers have discovered previously unknown breastfeeding patterns of an extinct early human species by studying their two-million-year-old teeth. This also provides insights into the evolution of human breastfeeding practices, say the Mount Sinai researchers working as part of an international team. Breastfeeding is a critical aspect of human development, and the duration of exclusive nursing and the timing of introducing solid food to the diet are also important determinants of health in human and other primate populations. Many aspects of nursing, however, remain poorly understood.

Reviewed By Ray Spotts Oral diseases - including tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancers - are major global public health problems affecting half of the world’s population, but they have gone largely unnoticed. A new special series on oral health presents an “urgent need for radical reform” of oral healthcare to prioritize prevention and integrate dentistry into primary care.

A new study compiling the best available evidence to examine the odds of high blood pressure in patients with moderate and severe gum disease has determined that people with gum disease – also known as periodontitis - have a greater likelihood of high blood pressure – also known as hypertension.

Reviewed By Ray SpottsResearchers have found potent antibacterial capabilities in dental restoratives – also known as filling materials. Tooth decay is among the costliest and most widespread bacterial diseases. Virulent bacteria cause the acidification of tooth enamel and dentin, which, in turn, causes secondary tooth decay. This disease is a major causative factor for dental restorative material failure and affects an estimated 100 million patients a year at an estimated cost of over $30 billion.

Reviewed by Ray Spotts Researchers with the University of Plymouth's Peninsula Dental School - along with collaboration worldwide – have discovered a mechanism that may offer a potential solution to tooth repair. With the knowledge that stem cells hold the key to wound healing as they develop into specialized cell types throughout the body - including in teeth, the study - published in Nature Communications - shows that a gene called Dlk1 enhances stem cell activation and tissue regeneration in tooth healing. The researchers discovered a new population of mesenchymal stem cells - the stem cells that make up skeletal tissue such as muscle and bone - in a continuously growing mouse incisor model.