Fight Back! Proactively Addressing the Caries Process

[Drsumitra]

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that called for an increase in the recommended daily intake of vitamin D, but also said that the current body of research did not offer the evidence needed to confirm that vitamin D has the larger positive health effects its proponents claim it does.

Research has shown a positive link between vitamin D and oral and systemic health, the IOM noted; however, these studies have yielded "conflicting and mixed results and do not offer the evidence needed to confirm that vitamin D has these effects."

Now a new systematic review, conducted by Philippe Hujoel, PhD, DDS, MSD, MS, of the University of Washington School of Dentistry and School of Public Health, points to a positive association between vitamin D and lower rates of dental caries (Nutrition Reviews, November 9, 2012).

Vitamin D was first discovered in the early 1920s, and at least 20 prospective clinical studies evaluating its impact on dental caries were initiated in Europe, North America, and Asia over the next two decades, according to Dr. Hujoel. However, professional and governmental groups varied widely in their interpretation of the scientific evidence.

For example, the American Medical Association and the U.S. National Research Council concluded around 1950 that vitamin D was beneficial in managing dental caries, but the ADA said otherwise — based on the same evidence. In 1989, the National Research Council, despite new evidence supporting vitamin D’s caries-fighting benefits, called the issue "unresolved."

More recent reviews by the Institute of Medicine, the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services, and the ADA draw no conclusions on the vitamin D evidence as it relates to dental caries, Dr. Hujoel noted in a press release.

"Such inconsistent conclusions by different organizations do not make much sense from an evidence-based perspective," he said.

24 studies, 6 decades

For the Nutrition Reviews study, Dr. Hujoel analyzed 24 controlled clinical trials (CCTs) that met the inclusion criteria. The CCT quality was quantified using a 21-item questionnaire and content-specific measures such as method of treatment assignment, setting, clinician blinding, use of placebo, commercial funding source, and study duration.

The 24 CCTs included in the study spanned the 1920s to the 1980s and were conducted in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Austria, New Zealand, and Sweden in institutional settings, schools, medical and dental practices, or hospitals. All told, the CCTs encompassed nearly 3,000 participants between the ages of 2 and 16 years.

The trials increased vitamin D levels in these children through the use of supplemental ultraviolet (UV) radiation or by supplementing the children’s diet with cod liver oil or other products containing the vitamin.

"My main goal was to summarize the clinical trial database so that we could take a fresh look at this vitamin D question," Dr. Hujoel said.

These trials showed that vitamin D was associated with a 47% reduction in the incidence of tooth decay, he noted. No robust differences could be identified between the caries-preventive effects of UV therapy and nutritional supplementation with either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3.

"The analysis of CCT data identified vitamin D as a promising caries-preventive agent, leading to a low-certainty conclusion that vitamin D in childhood may reduce the incidence of caries," Dr. Hujoel concluded.

The vitamin D question takes on greater importance in the light of current public health trends, he noted. Vitamin D levels in many populations are decreasing while dental caries levels in young children are increasing.

"Whether this is more than just a coincidence is open to debate," Dr. Hujoel said. "In the meantime, pregnant women or young mothers can do little harm by realizing that vitamin D is essential to their offspring’s health. Vitamin D does lead to teeth and bones that are better mineralized."

Dr. Hujoel added a note of caution: "One has to be careful with the interpretation of this systematic review," he stated. "The trials had weaknesses which could have biased the result, and most of the trial participants lived in an era that differs profoundly from today’s environment

 

        

[Drsumitra]

Coconut oil attacks the bacteria behind tooth decay and could be used in dental care products, according to research.

Scientists found that coconut oil which had been treated with enzymes stopped the growth of Streptococcus bacteria – a major cause of tooth decay.

Tooth decay affects 60% to 90% of children in industralised countries.

Speaking at the Society for General Microbiology’s conference, the Irish researchers say that coconut oil also attacks the yeast which causes thrush.

The research team from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland tested the impact of coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil in their natural states and when treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion.

The oils were then tested against Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth.

Only the enzyme-modified coconut oil showed an ability to inhibit the growth of most strains of the bacteria.

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

It is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection”

Dr Damien Brady
Athlone Institute of Technology
It also attacked Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium which is a major cause of tooth decay.

Active acids
It is thought that the breaking down of the fatty coconut oil by the enzymes turns it into acids which are active and effective against bacteria.

Previous research found that enzyme-modified milk could stop Streptococcus mutans from binding to tooth enamel.

Researchers now want to look at how coconut oil interacts with Streptococcus bacteria at the molecular level and which other strains of harmful bacteria it can inhibit.

Dr Damien Brady who led the research at the Athlone Institute of Technology with Patricia Hughes, a Masters student, said coconut oil could be an attractive alternative to chemical additives.

"It works at relatively low concentrations.

"Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection."

Their studies are also looking into the workings of antibacterial activity in the human gut.

"Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonise the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health," said Dr Brady

 

        

[drmithila]

— Scientists in Canada and China are reporting development of a new dental filling material that substitutes natural ingredients from the human body for controversial ingredients in existing “composite,” or plastic, fillings. The new material appears stronger and longer lasting as well, with the potential for reducing painful filling cracks and emergency visits to the dentist, the scientists say.

Julian X.X. Zhu and colleagues point out that dentists increasingly are using white fillings made from plastic, rather than “silver” dental fillings. Those traditional fillings contain mercury, which has raised health concerns among some consumers and environmental issues in its production. However, many plastic fillings contain controversial ingredients (such as BisGMA) linked to premature cracking of fillings and slowly release bisphenol A, a substance considered as potentially toxic to humans and to the environment.
The scientists developed a dental composite that does not contain these ingredients. Instead, it uses “bile acids,” natural substances produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that help digest fats. The researchers showed in laboratory studies that the bile acid-derived resins form a hard, durable plastic that resists cracking better than existing composites

        

[Drsumitra]

The free app, developed by Beam Technologies for Android or Apple iOS, tracks brushing habits, including frequency and duration, as well as time spent in each quadrant of the mouth. Users sync data to the smartphone app by pushing a button on the brush handle. The app supports multiple users so families can compare statistics and then upload data to their dentists.

Beam Technologies is providing the connectivity free to dental practices that want to participate and will be selling targeted advertising on the app for dentists to promote their services, according to the company.

In addition, the company is offering a rewards program for people who meet certain targets, including the basic goal of brushing at least twice a day for two minutes each time. The app can play user-selected music for those two minutes.

The Beam Brush and related app received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance last June.

Beam Technologies is selling the toothbrush for $49.99. It is available in blue or pink, with adult- or child-size brush heads. Replacement brush heads cost $3.99. The brush draws power from one AA battery.

 

        

[Drsumitra]

What’s App Brush: Bluetooth Beam Toothbrush for Oral Gaming

The daily grind of brushing your teeth just got game, as the app connected Beam Brush allows you to challenge your family and friends to a daily brush off. Utilizing a Bluetooth sensor, the brush sends data about your brushing habits to the app (available on Android and iPhone) and uploads info on brushing length and frequency.

This information is then mapped in a handy chart so you can compare your progress to your family and see where you need to improve. If your phone is with you when you start to brush you can opt for a musical 2 minute timer to encourage you to keep going- and this service is free.

Once you’ve purchased the initial brush, there are no further costs, apart from replacement heads, which are $3.99. Powered by an AA battery, the brush will last around 90, and there are plans for development of an electric model at some point in the future.

Users also have the option to send their data to their dentist ahead of cleanings so oral care habits can be considered in treatment planning. The app displays a timer with the ability to play music for 2 minutes through the app while brushing. It will even tell you when it’s time to replace the brush head and send it to you automatically! By using the Beam Goals feature, users will achieve brushing milestones that result in real-world rewards.

Where this gets really exciting is the potential for real time rewards for brushing well, as the company is in talk with dental insurance plans to enable users to get discounts for brushing efficiency. The app can be authorized to send dentists reports on your brushing which can then be used for insurers to potentially give you lower premiums. Nothing is confirmed so far, but they say they are talking to two major providers, and this will really incentivize people to brush well.

It comes in two colors- pink and blue, and 2 sizes, adults and kids.

 

        

[drmithila]

Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health senior research fellow Dr Jason Armfield is the lead author of a new study of more than 16,800 Australian children that shows 56 per cent of those aged between five and 16 consumed at least one sweet drink, such as soft drink or juice, each day.

The findings, published on the American Journal of Public Health website, show the number of decayed, missing or baby teeth with fillings was 46 per cent higher in children who had three or more sweet drinks a day than those who consumed none.

Dr Armfield said the results highlighted the role soft drinks played in tooth decay.

“There’s a lot of problems that excess consumption may cause and these should be included as part of any potential warning package on sweet drinks,” he said.

“But the potential tooth decay caused by the drink’s high acidity and sugar content should be a focus.”

He also said children needed greater access to fluoridated water.

Dr Armfield’s call comes as 3000 South Australian children have their teeth examined in a national dental survey.

        

[Drsumitra]

GSKCH rolls out global niche toothpaste brand Parodontax
Consumer and healthcare firm GlaxoSmithKline on Friday announced the national roll out of its second global oral care brand Parodontax – a toothpaste that helps in reducing bleeding in gums. The firm already sells Sensodyne toothpaste for sensitive teeth, launched two years back.

The average incidence of bleeding gums globally is 33% and in India too, there’s untapped opportunity for specialised oral care products, Jayant Singh, executive VP, marketing, GSKCH said.

 

        

[drmithila]

A new breakthrough By Tawnya Ann Bobst RDH, BS
Can natural dental products provide effective cleaning and de-sensitization with less abrasion? Why would we care to switch?

I have been using therapeutic grade essential oil infused oral hygiene products on myself and sharing this information with my patients with exceptional results. Anything that I put in my mouth or on my skin goes into the blood stream so I want the products that I use to be non-toxic and safe. Just as nitroglycerin works under the tongue, chemicals in mouth products are absorbed into the mucosa and travel throughout the body.

Bacteria from the teeth can affect the joints and the heart, that is why there are pre-medication guidelines for people with joint replacements and certain heart conditions. The link between cardiovascular disease and dental plaque has been well established. The oral pathogens linked to periodontal disease cause inflammation that can be linked to heart disease, according to periodontist Dr. Sally Cram, DDS, spokesperson for the ADA.(1)

What if we could offer our patients a way to get antibacterial and antimicrobial products that only attack the bad microbes and not the healthy tissue?

Dr. Jean Valnet, MD, said, “Essential oils are especially valuable as antiseptics because their aggression toward microbial germs is matched by their total harmlessness toward tissue.”(2)

Frankincense essential oil was used in a University of Oklahoma study on bladder cancer. It eliminated the bladder cancer cells and left the other cells unharmed!(3,4) Frankincense was more precious than gold in biblical times.(5)

The Thieves oil blend of oral hygiene products that I use contains essential oils of peppermint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, thyme, clove, lemon, cinnamon, and rosemary. At Andhra University, Department of Biochemistry, essential oils of cinnamon, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus and lemon were tested and found to have effective anti-bacterial properties.(6)

The Thieves blend of oils contain these five oils. At the Medical University at Lodz, Poland, they studied the microbial action of thyme oil. They found that it strongly inhibited the growth of the bacteria tested.(7)

In the Journal of the American Dental Association, the efficacy of an essential oil containing antiseptic mouth rinse has been demonstrated in numerous double blind studies.(8,9)

Many of my patients are concerned about tooth sensitivity and plaque build-up. They complain about canker sores, sloughing tissue, and sore gums from the toothpaste and mouthwash that they are using. What solutions do we have to offer them?

Fluoride, desensitizers in toothpaste, and varnishes only offer a band aid approach. Once the product is discontinued, the sensitivity returns. The toothpaste for sensitivity contains a chemical, potassium nitrate, and an abrasive agent, hydrated silica. Hydrated silica is a form of sand.

Does it make sense to use a chemical to desensitize and then brush it on with an abrasive?

The particle size of toothpaste should be very small so it does not cause excess wear of the dentin and enamel. Most commercial toothpastes use large size abrasive particles. Scanning electron microscope photos of enamel show the damaging effects of popular household toothpastes with large particle sizes as compared to using ultra-fine particle size toothpaste. After viewing these photos, it is clear that the bigger particles damage the fine tooth structure.(10)

Some toothpaste contains strong chemicals that cause the tissue to slough off. I have seen long strings of sloughed tissue on the buccal mucosa of people using certain toothpastes. Tartar control toothpastes are especially damaging to the mucosa. Zinc Citrate containing toothpastes have been shown to reduce calculus naturally by 26%.(11)

I attended a seminar given by Integrative Body Psychotherapy (IBP) with Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Merrily Kuhn, ND, RN, PhD.(12) Dr. Kuhn said that an antibacterial chemical in popular toothpastes is proving to be an endocrine disruptor in the American bullfrog.(13)

The FDA reported that is has been shown to alter hormone regulation in animals.(14) This chemical is also used in antibacterial hand soaps and hand sanitizers. The chemical kills the good and bad bacteria. Thieves foaming hand soap and hand purifiers offer a great alternative to the chemical products.

When I was in dental hygiene school, the fluoride representative came to speak to us. After hearing his presentation, I was convinced that fluoride was the next best thing to heaven. It was reported to work for decay, sensitivity, plaque, and gingivitis. Prescriptions were given by the dentist as a take home treatment for patients with adult periodontal disease and root decay problems. I was convinced that everyone needed it to protect the teeth.

I later learned about a little boy that ingested too much fluoride in a dental office treatment and had to be rushed to the hospital. Because we now have natural tooth products available that don’t carry the warning label “call poison control if ingested” on the tube, does it make sense to use chemical brands?

Dr. Joe Mercola wrote in a recent article: You’re Still Told Fluoridation Prevents Tooth Decay, but Science Proves Other Wise. He interviewed Dr. Bill Osmunson, a dentist with a Masters Degree in Public Health, who has been studying the literature on fluoride. Dr. Osmunson said that fluoride did not reduce decay to any significant degree, and it has many health risks such as lowered IQ, impaired thyroid function, weakened bones, and lowered immune function. He says it is more toxic than lead.

Fluoride is found in toothpaste, water, nonstick pans, processed food and beverages, and many teas. Certain types of tea leaves are rinsed with fluoride.(15) Dr. Mercola’s interview with Dr. Osmunson can be viewed on his website.(16)

Dr. Joan Barice, MD, recommends not using fluoride toothpaste.(17) Dr. Barice recommended using a toothpaste called Thieves Dentarome Ultra, containing the blend of oils that was used during the plague in 15th century France that the grave robbers used to stay healthy during the plague. The toothpaste formula contains edible ingredients. It has no fluoride, sodium laurel sulfate (which has been linked to canker sores), sugar, synthetic chemicals, hydrated silica or colors.(18)

It contains calcium and xylitol, shown to inhibit bacteria linked to decay and periodontal disease, and zinc citrate for tartar control. The Thieves mouthwash contains similar essential oils with no alcohol. KidScents toothpaste has no fluoride and is formulated with essential oils and xylitol.(19)

Dr. Ulrich Bruhn, a German dentist, has had remarkable results using xylitol on patients with caries and periodontal disease. He said that teeth tightened up and periodontal problems were improved. Xylitol inhibits strep mutans in dental caries.(20)

As a personal testimonial, I have been using Thieves Dentarome Ultra since 2008, I have had no sensitivity, decay, or bleeding since using this toothpaste. One of my patients, a 65-year-old male with diabetes, with severe periodontal pockets, bleeding, inflammation and exudate, began using Dentarome Ultra. At his next visit, he exhibited pink gingiva, no bleeding, and no exudate. I was very impressed.

My friend in Virginia, a smoker, said her dental hygienist was so pleased with the change in her dental health that she wanted to know what she was doing differently. Her cleaning time was also reduced by half.

The Thieves lozenges have worked for my sore throats. They contain stevia, no sugar, and the blend of lemon rind, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and peppermint essential oils. Thieves mouthwash is equally effective and can be used as a gargle for sore throats. A drop of Thieves oil on the bottom of the feet is great at the first sign of a cold.(21)

I have used a drop of Thieves essential oil on a Q-Tip and placed it on a canker sore. The sore dried up in a couple days as opposed to weeks. While treatment with debacterol (sulfuric acid/phenolics solution) is often recommended to patients by the dentist for the canker sores, I prefer the Thieves oil.(22) It burns for a minute but reduces the healing time.(23)

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this week released a draft evidence report and draft recommendation statement on how primary care physicians can help prevent dental caries in young children (birth through age 5 years).

The draft recommendation includes two ways that primary care clinicians can help prevent dental caries in young children:

Provide fluoride supplements, usually in the form of drops, tablets, or lozenges, to children whose water supply is deficient in fluoride starting at 6 months.

Apply fluoride varnish to the primary teeth of infants and children once the teeth start coming in.

New evidence showing that children benefit from the application of fluoride varnish has emerged since the task force last examined this topic in 2004, and the evidence in support of oral fluoride supplements remains strong, the task force noted in a press release. However, there is still not enough evidence on whether screening for dental caries by primary care clinicians improves outcomes, so the task force is not able to recommend for or against such screening.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this week released a draft evidence report and draft recommendation statement on how primary care physicians can help prevent dental caries in young children (birth through age 5 years).

These interventions are more vital than ever because, after decades of decline, the rate of tooth decay in children is rising, particularly among 2 to 5 year olds, noted Glenn Flores, MD, a task force member.

 

 

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

Cargill, an international producer of food, agricultural, financial, and industrial products and services, is poised to step into the global oral health market with a noncaloric sweetener that the company says rivals — perhaps even bests — xylitol in preventing caries.

Erythritol, which Cargill has sold commercially under the brand name Zerose since 1994, "looks like sugar, behaves like sugar, tastes like sugar, but has no calories and is noncariogenic," according to Peter Decock, nutrition and regulatory manager for Cargill. It is a member of the polyol family, which typically are hydrogenated carbohydrates used as sugar replacers. Erythritol, however, is made naturally by fermentation.

Available as a sweetening agent in more than 60 countries, Zerose has also been found to be similar to xylitol in its oral health benefits, according to Decock. This prompted the company to sponsor a six-month study comparing three polyols — erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol — to determine their effect on Streptococcus mutans in saliva and dental biofilm (Caries Research, May-June 2005, Vol. 39:3, pp. 207-215).

For this study, 136 teenagers from two public high schools were assigned either to one of the three polyol groups or an untreated control group. Those in the polyol groups were given chewable tablets containing 7 g of the polyol daily, supplemented by twice-a-day use of a dentifrice also containing the polyol.

The study authors, from the University of Tartu, found that the use of erythritol and xylitol was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the plaque and saliva levels of S. mutans (p < 0.001 in most cases), plus a reduction in the amount of dental plaque with the highest reduction for erythritol. These same effects were not observed in the other groups.

"Erythritol and xylitol may exert similar effects on some risk factors of dental caries, although the biochemical mechanism of the effects may differ," the researchers concluded.

3-year follow-up

Those findings gave Cargill the confidence to fund a more extensive study that is slated to be published later this year in Caries Research, Decock explained.

"We were eager to do a caries study, but it has to be done over multiple years and with many subjects," he said. "So we figured it would be more meaningful to first do a shorter test as a proof of concept and to justify an investment in a full-blown caries study."

For the second double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, researchers from the University of Tartu followed 485 first- and second-grade students who were randomly assigned to three groups: erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol. Over the course of three years, the children were given candies containing one of the sweeteners three times a day during school: in the morning, right after lunch, and at the end of the school day. They consumed about 7.5 g of a polyol per day for 200 days per year. They were also provided oral health education, dietary advice, toothbrushes, and fluoride toothpaste.

The researchers examined the study participants at baseline and then once each year to assess their oral health and the impact of the polyols on plaque and caries, Decock noted.

"The clinical investigators examined every child and all their teeth, the surfaces of their teeth, using the ICDAS [International Caries Detection and Assessment System]," he said. "They were examined for cavities, how much plaque, how much S. mutans in the saliva and plaque — but mostly to see the impact on caries."

After the second and third years, the researchers found that the number of dentin caries was lowest in the erythritol group and that plaque formation in the erythritol group was lower after the first, second, and third year, according to Decock.

"In past clinical trials using xylitol chewing gum, it was generally accepted that sugar substitution in combination with saliva stimulation was responsible for lowering the risk of caries," he said. "We now understand that there may be important differences between how sugar substitutes affect the oral microbiota and dental health when used in candies — and that erythritol may offer greater benefits."

New oral health claims

At the end of the study, the researchers also examined an end-point control group made up of children who had not participated in the study but were recruited from the same region and had many similarities, such as living conditions and diet, Decock noted.

"These children had not received any treatment or dietary/oral hygiene advice or dentifrices," he said. "We wanted to know how the three polyol groups compared to them, and we found that all three groups scored significantly better than the end-point group."

Cargill is now looking to work with its customers in the food and personal care products industries to develop new oral care products containing erythritol, Decock added, noting that some erythritol oral care products are already on the market outside the U.S. No additional regulatory clearances are needed; Zerose already is authorized for use in pharmaceutical and food products, and can carry the claim "does not promote tooth decay."

But with this most recent study, the company is looking to add a new claim, Decock noted: "promotes dental plaque reduction."

 

 

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

                                                                           

Consuming cheese and other dairy products may help protect teeth against caries, according to a new study published in the May/June 2013 issue of General Dentistry (Vol. 61:3, pp. 56-59).

The study sampled 68 subjects ranging in age from 12 to 15, and the authors looked at the dental plaque pH in the subjects’ mouths before and after they consumed cheese, milk, or sugar-free yogurt. A pH level lower than 5.5 puts a person at risk for tooth erosion, the researchers noted.

The subjects were assigned into groups randomly. The researchers instructed the first group to eat cheddar cheese, the second group to drink milk, and the third group to eat sugar-free yogurt. Each group consumed their product for three minutes and then swished with water. Researchers measured the pH level of each subject’s mouth at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after consumption. 

The groups who consumed milk and sugar-free yogurt experienced no changes in the pH levels in their mouths. Subjects who ate cheese, however, showed a rapid increase in pH levels at each time interval, suggesting that cheese has anticaries properties.

The study indicated that the rising pH levels from eating cheese may have occurred due to increased saliva production, which could be caused by the action of chewing. Additionally, various compounds found in cheese may adhere to tooth enamel and help further protect teeth from acid, the researchers concluded.

 

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

 Coating toothbrush bristles with chlorhexidine appears to reduce concentrations of some harmful oral bacteria more than coating them with silver nanoparticles.

A study presented at the International Association for Dental Research’s 2013 annual meeting found that chlorhexidine-coated toothbrushes (Butler GUM) reduced concentrations of Streptococcus mutans by 99.8% 16 hours after the toothbrushes were immersed for three minutes in a microbe-containing suspension. The silver nanoparticle-coated toothbrushes (Mouth Watchers) reduced the bugs’ concentration by 93% at 16 hours. Neither had a statistically significant effect on levels of Candida albicans.

"Mouth Watchers’ patent-pending, innovative antibacterial bristles naturally eliminate 99.9% of bacteria to help your teeth, gums, and body stay healthier," the Mouth Watchers website claims.

As lead investigator Lt. Col. Jeremy Hamal, DDS, explains, the Mouth Watchers brushes are relatively new to the market, and the only available research on them is from Korea, where these brushes are manufactured. Moreover, their effectiveness in toothbrush disinfection has proved controversial in prior studies, he noted.

"So I decided to compare them to a control and also to the chlorhexidine brush, which has not been the subject of any independent study to date," said Dr. Hamal, who is an AEGD-2 senior resident at the Dunn Dental Clinic, Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, TX. "The GUM brush manufacturers have made no overt claims of percent reduction in microbes."

 

Comparing bristles to bristles

The study was funded by the Wilford Hall Clinical Research Division. Dr. Hamal and his group used 80 each of the silver-nanoparticle and chlorhexidine toothbrushes, along with 80 toothbrushes that did not have coated bristles. They immersed half of each type of toothbrush for three minutes in a solution of Streptococcus mutans and the other half in a Candida albicans solution.

They immediately immersed one-quarter of each type of toothbrush in sterile saline and mixed them vigorously for 15 minutes to remove all of the organisms. At eight hours after initial immersion they repeated this (mixing to remove microorganisms) with another 20 of each type of toothbrush. They repeated this, each time with another set of 20 of each type of toothbrush, at eight and 16 hours post-initial immersion. They then diluted and placed on agar plates the resulting saline solutions. After incubating the plates, the investigators counted the resulting colony-forming units.

Reduction in colony-forming units at 3 time periods postimmersion

Microorganism/brush type          8 hours 16 hours               24 hours

S. mutans/control            88.6%    96.3%    95.4%

S. mutans/chlorhexidine              98.8%* 99.8%* 99.3%*

S. mutans/silver nanoparticles   90.6%    93.0%    96.3%

*p < 0.05 compared to control and silver-nanoparticle toothbrushes

The chlorhexidine-coated brushes brushed off more of the S. mutans at all three time periods compared to the other two types of toothbrushes. However, not even the chlorhexidine-coated toothbrushes ever reached the 99.9%-reduction level, which is "a benchmark for disinfection," according to Dr. Hamal.

With the C. albicans groups, the chlorhexidine-coated toothbrushes’ level of disinfection peaked at 97.5% at 24 hours, while the nanoparticle-coated toothbrushes reached 99.5% disinfection at this time period. However, Dr. Hamal’s team reported that none of the levels of disinfection were statistically significantly greater at any time period and between any of the types of brushes.

DrBicuspid.com queried Dr. Hamal about the potential for antibiotic resistance with the use of broad-based antimicrobial agents: "Antibiotic resistance is certainly a long-term problem in the management of infectious diseases; however, it is not my area of expertise, and I cannot comment on that," he responded.

        

[drsnehamaheshwari]

 Frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks exposes teeth to acids and prevents the mouth’s pH level from stabilizing. Now, U.S. researchers have found that certain combinations of foods and beverages affect dental plaque acidity. In particular, they observed that the consumption of milk reduced plaque pH drop after eating a sugary breakfast cereal.

In the study, 20 adults were given four combinations of foods. The first group ate 20 g of a dry sugary cereal only. The second, third and fourth groups consumed the same amount of this cereal followed by 50 mL of whole milk, 50 mL of 100 percent apple juice and 50 mL of tap water, respectively.

In order to examine the combinations’ effectiveness in reducing dental plaque acidity after a sugary meal, the researchers measured the plaque pH in the participants’ mouths. While relatively low values were observed in the groups that had consumed the dry cereal (5.83), or juice (5.83) or water (6.02) after the cereal serving, a significantly higher plaque pH (6.48) was found in the group that had consumed the milk after the cereal.

The researchers concluded that drinking milk after a sugary cereal challenge significantly reduced plaque pH drop due to the sugary challenge. "When discussing the cariogenicity of foods and beverages with patients, dentists and other health care professionals should emphasize that the order of ingesting sugary and nonsugary foods is important and may affect their oral health," they recommended.

The study, titled "The Effects of Beverages on Plaque Acidogenicity After a Sugary Challenge," was conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

        

[Author]

Posts