New Method May Thwart Dental Phobia

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA Some scientists think they may have what it takes solve dental phobia. A group of researchers in Nigeria determined that electrotherapy can alleviate fear and anxiety, enabling numerous patients around the world to go for dental treatment without the feeling of fear and terror they previously experienced. Cranial electrotherapy stimulation reduced …

Promising new target for gum disease treatment identified

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA Nearly half of all adults in the United States suffer from the gum disease periodontitis, and 8.5 percent have a severe form that can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and pregnancy complications.   University of Pennsylvania researchers have been searching for ways to prevent, half and reverse periodontitis. …

Nutrition is Vital Part of Oral Health

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA More stress needs to be placed upon other aspects to truly determine one’s oral health. The practice paper “Oral Health and Nutrition” has been published on the Academy of Nutrition’s Web site, which backs up the Academy’s paper that appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics last year. Based …

Treatment outcomes for preventive oral health services delivered to young children by non-dental primary care providers

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published a paper titled “Preventive Services by Medical and Dental Providers and Treatment Outcomes.” Nearly all state Medicaid programs reimburse non-dental primary care providers (nDPCPs) for providing preventive oral health services to young children; yet, little is known about how treatment outcomes compare …

First demonstration of a self-powered cardiac pacemaker

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA As the number of pacemakers implanted each year reaches into the millions worldwide, improving the lifespan of pacemaker batteries has been of great concern for developers and manufacturers. Currently, pacemaker batteries last seven years on average, requiring frequent replacements, which may pose patients to a potential risk involved in medical procedures. …

Dental pulp stem cells may lead to heat stroke treatment

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA Scientists in Taiwan have found that intravenous injections of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous tooth pulp (SHED) have a protective effect against brain damage from heat stroke in mice. Their finding was safe and effective and so may be a candidate for successfully treating human patients by preventing the neurological damage caused by …

Gum disease bacteria selectively disarm immune system, study finds

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA The human body is comprised of roughly 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells. In healthy people, these bacteria are typically harmless and often helpful, keeping disease-causing microbes at bay. But, when disturbances knock these bacterial populations out of balance, illnesses can arise. Periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease, …

Better communication is key to overall oral health

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA Many people delay and even skip visits to the dentist due to anxiety and fear. Now University of Florida researchers have discovered that difficulty understanding and using health information, a skill known as health literacy, is another key reason they avoid the dentist – a phenomenon that contributes to poor oral …

Athletes’ risk of concussion reduced by custom-made mouthguards

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA When it comes to buying a mouthguard, parents who want to reduce their child’s risk of a sports-related concussion should visit a dentist instead of a sporting goods store. High school football players wearing store-bought, over-the-counter (OTC) mouthguards were more than twice as likely to suffer mild traumatic brain injures (MTBI)/concussions …