Researchers have recovered remarkably preserved microbiomes from two teeth dating back 4,000 years, found in an Irish limestone cave. Genetic analyses of these microbiomes reveal major changes in the oral microenvironment from the Bronze...
From Mesopotamian mouth worms to hippo ivory dentures, the history of tooth care is long, winding and absolutely gruesome Dentistry is as ancient as teeth, because teeth are terrible , just an atrocious invention. A 14,000-year-old...
A team of researchers has discovered a noninvasive, low-cost test to detect oral cancer, monitor precancerous lesions and determine when a biopsy is warranted.
An inexpensive, cavity-fighting liquid called silver diamine fluoride (SDF) works as well as dental sealants to keep tooth decay at bay in a school cavity prevention and treatment program, according to a new study. The study, which...
Researchers found that the oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii activates another bacterial species, Fusobacterium nucleatum, to produce large quantities of methyl mercaptan, a compound responsible for bad breath. Disrupting this...
Researchers have found that gargling with an antiseptic mouthwash can reduce so-called 'bad' bacteria in the mouths of patients with type 2 diabetes. Notably, this reduction in bacteria was accompanied by improved blood-sugar control in...
Rickets ran rife in children following the Industrial Revolution, but new research has found factory work and polluted cities aren't entirely to blame for the period's vitamin D deficiencies.
My friend Jan Mokrzycki, who has died aged 91, was the innovative president of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain for 10 years. He campaigned for the country’s entry into the EU and for the rights of Polish people in the UK once...
What did people eat on the west coast of Scandinavia 10,000 years ago? A new study of the DNA in a chewing gum shows that deer, trout and hazelnuts were on the diet. It also shows that one of the individuals had severe problems with her...
Researchers have found an inexpensive tool that may help reduce rates of pneumonia for hospitalized patients -- and it comes with bristles on one end. A new study examined whether daily toothbrushing among hospitalized patients is...
Widespread caries and toothache -- but also some dental work and filing of front teeth. Viking Age teeth from Varnhem bear witness to surprisingly advanced dentistry.
A study may shed light on tooth enamel development disruption by revealing a new children's autoimmune disorder that hinders proper tooth enamel development. The disorder is common in people with a rare genetic syndrome and in children...
Scientists are testing a novel technology to treat endodontic diseases more effectively through tissue regeneration instead of root canal therapy. Because the technology promotes formation of the type of stem cells that can differentiate...
The Second Plague Pandemic of the mid-14th century, also known as the Black Death, killed 30-60 percent of the European population and profoundly changed the course of European history. New research suggests that this plague, potentially...
Common oral infections, periodontal diseases and caries, are associated with inflammatory metabolic profiles related to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases, a new study by an international team of researchers suggests. Oral...
My father, Arnold Franks, who has died aged 93, was a dentist by occupation, but a quietly revolutionary one. He helped reshape dental theory and practice, while as a clinician devoted himself to some of the most marginalised groups. As...
Americans who have a tooth pulled or another painful dental procedure in the United States today are far less likely to get opioid painkillers than they were just a few years ago, a new study shows. But the COVID-19 pandemic seems to...
Dentists study prevention, detection, management and treatment of oral and dental diseases, and the maintenance of oral and dental health Continue reading...
An essential protein that acts as a gatekeeper for calcium entering cells promotes the growth of oral cancer and generates pain, according to a new study. Targeting this protein -- the ORAI1 calcium channel -- could provide a new...
Teeth could be capable of preserving antibodies for hundreds of years, allowing scientists to investigate the history of infectious human diseases, a new study has found.
Organoids have now been created from stem cells to secrete the proteins that form dental enamel, the substance that protects teeth from damage and decay. A multi-disciplinary team of scientists led this effort. This is a critical first...
As the 10th series of the ITV show finishes, viewers may have noticed the perfectly straight, white teeth of the contestants. But are there risks associated with achieving a flawless smile? In this episode from January 2023, Madeleine...
Although most people don't associate oral disease with serious health problems, increasing evidence shows that oral bacteria play a significant role in systemic diseases like colon cancer and heart disease. Now, new research shows a link...
Taking good care of your teeth may be linked to better brain health, according to a new study. The study found that gum disease and tooth loss were linked to brain shrinkage in the hippocampus, which plays a role in memory and...
Researchers have successfully demonstrated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis, from intraoral photographs.
Researchers have investigated the importance of the Notch pathway for the evolution of tooth morphology. Mutations in this signalling pathway can lead to defective structures in tooth enamel.
Researchers have identified three 4,000-year-old British cases of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria causing the plague -- the oldest evidence of the plague in Britain to date.
Young babies and newborn mice can naturally heal damage to the bones that form the top of the skull, but this ability is lost in adults. Researchers developed a novel approach that promoted bone regeneration in mice without implantation...
Researchers have discovered that softer gums hinder the development of gingiva fibroblasts -- the cells that help produce the fibers that hold our teeth in place.
Researchers have developed a single score to describe the level of cytokines in the saliva, and this score is linked with the severity of clinical gum inflammation.
In a study of nearly 3,000 schoolchildren, silver diamine fluoride -- a liquid that is brushed onto the surface of teeth to prevent cavities or keep them from worsening -- was as effective against cavities as dental sealants, the...
Periodontitis, a gum disease, can lead to a litany of dental issues from bad breath to bleeding and lost teeth. Now, researchers have found that it could be connected to even more severe problems elsewhere in the body -- the heart. In a...
Researchers have developed a new strontium-loaded scaffold that can be personalized to fit any size dental implant and could help improve healing and tissue attachment in patients.
Researchers have examined the records of 87 patients admitted to hospital with brain abscesses, and found that the 52 patients for whom no cause had been found were about three times as likely to have oral bacteria present in their samples.
An innovative technology has been developed to enable bone regeneration to correct large bone defects by means of a special hydrogel. Following successful tests in an animal model, the researchers now plan to move forward to clinical...
The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts Why do cats, dogs and other carnivores have far neater and...
A new study has provided evidence that exposure to fluoridated water by young children was not negatively associated with child emotional, behavioral development and executive functioning in their adolescent years.
Dentists study prevention, detection, management and treatment of oral and dental diseases, and the maintenance of oral and dental health Continue reading...
A topical gel that blocks the receptor for a metabolic byproduct called succinate treats gum disease by suppressing inflammation and changing the makeup of bacteria in the mouth, according to a new study.
Researchers studied patients receiving periodontal care, dental cleanings or no dental care during 2016-2018 and who had acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) in 2017. They found that patients who had heart attacks and received...
Researchers have demonstrated the low environmental footprint of water fluoridation compared to other preventive measures for tooth decay. Research findings also strengthen the case internationally for water fluoridation programs to...
Researchers led by Osaka University shed light on a metabolic network integrated by an oral microbe Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum). Analysis of co-cultures of F. nucleatum with other commensal oral bacteria revealed that...
In a proof-of-concept study, researchers have shown that microrobots can access the difficult to reach surfaces of the root canal with controlled precision, treating and disrupting biofilms and even retrieving samples for diagnostics,...