Pregnant Mothers Can Protect Unborn Baby’s Teeth By Taking Calcium

Pregnant Mothers Can Protect Unborn Baby’s Teeth By Taking Calcium

Researchers at the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, found that when a woman takes calcium supplements while pregnant, she’s helping protect her baby’s teeth.

As part of the study, researchers tracked 195 children whose mothers either took a calcium supplement or placebo while pregnant until their twelfth birthday.

The children whose mothers had taken the calcium supplements had a 27 percent reduction of filled or missing teeth, and in tooth decay in both the permanent and primary teeth. They also believe that the study may show that tooth mineralization begins in the womb, and that by programming for mineralization through supplementation in the womb, children could enjoy extra protection from tooth decay throughout life.

Pregnant women should discuss calcium supplementation with their doctors, as prenatal supplements often contain calcium. In order to achieve the appropriate dosage, an additional supplement may be recommended, depending on the prenatal supplement the woman chooses.

Forsyth Institute Receives $20.7 to Fight Periodontal Disease

Forsyth Institute Receives $20.7 to Fight Periodontal Disease

The Forsyth Institute , the world’s leading independent, oral health research organization, has received $20.7 million to fight periodontal disease. Three related projects will study periodontal disease progression from microbiological, genetic, host immune response and clinical perspectives. This research, funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), will take place over a four-year period. The ultimate goal is to gain an understanding of why people develop gum disease, how the disease progresses, how to predict active disease before it occurs, and ultimately, how therapies can be developed to improve periodontal and overall health.

According to the Forsyth Institute, forty percent of adults in the United States have some form of periodontal disease. It is one of the most common infectious diseases and, in its more severe forms, causes loss of the bone that supports the teeth. In addition, there are strong associations between periodontal disease and systemic diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, pre-term birth, and certain cancers.

Previous work at Forsyth has demonstrated that the progression of the disease is not continuous, but is episodic. Thus, to understand its pathogenesis, patients must be studied to identify sites in the mouth that are undergoing active disease progression, which is the focus of these studies.  The Forsyth projects, respectively led by Dr. Ricardo Teles, Director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research; Dr. Bruce Paster, Head, Department of Molecular Genetics; and Dr. Jorge Frias-Lopez, Assistant Member of Staff, Department of Molecular Genetics, will examine clinical parameters, expression of host derived molecules, bacterial ecology, and bacterial gene expression during active disease. It will also seek to identify biomarkers in blood, saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (a fluid that oozes from the gum margin) samples from 500 individuals, both with and without existing gum disease. The data gathered by Forsyth’s scientists as well as aliquots of the samples will be made available to the scientific community and will represent the largest available information base and depository of samples for periodontal disease.

“The knowledge developed through these three linked projects will provide unique and extraordinarily valuable insights into the periodontal disease process, as well as serve as a one of a kind resource to the scientific community,” said Philip Stashenko, President and CEO of The Forsyth Institute. “This work represents the multidisciplinary epitome of periodontal disease research. We may be able to finally lay a firm foundation to understand why periodontal disease progresses. It is extremely rare for three projects to receive awards linked to one clinical trial, and this support from NIDCR is a testament to the promise of this research.”

The three projects were funded due to the strength of each projects and the overall potential impact of the collaborative research. The Forsyth team will also work with four other oral health research centers around the country. The Michigan Center for Oral Health Research is the first clinical research partner. Four additional research facilities will join the project shortly.

Worried About Your Health? Visit Your Dentist More Often

The Oral Health/Heart Health Connection

Worried About Your Health? Visit Your Dentist More Often

A recent study published in the journal Health Economics revealed that regular dental check-ups could reduce the risk of serious medical conditions by a third.

The study, led by a University of California, Berkeley, researcher could give women a little extra motivation to visit their dentist more regularly. The study suggests that women who get dental care reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular problems by at least one-third.

While the analysis, which used data from nearly 7,000 people ages 44-88 enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, did not find a similar benefit for men, however, dental experts are still urging male patients to take good care of their teeth and gums.

The study compared people who went to the dentist during the two years leading up the study, with data relating to those who had not visited the dentist during the previous two years.

The findings add to a growing body of research linking oral and cardiovascular health.

“Many studies have found associations between dental care and cardiovascular disease, but our study is the first to show that general dental care leads to fewer heart attacks, strokes, and other adverse cardiovascular outcomes in a causal way,” said study lead author Timothy Brown, assistant adjunct professor of health policy and management at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.

The fact that men and women did not benefit equally from dental care did not completely surprise the researchers. “To my knowledge, previous studies in this area have found that the relationship between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease markers varies by gender, but none have examined differences between men and women with regard to actual cardiovascular disease events,” said Brown, who is also associate director of research at UC Berkeley’s Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets & Consumer Welfare.

“We think the findings reflect differences in how men and women develop cardiovascular disease,” said study co-author Dr. Stephen Brown, a first-year obstetrician/gynecologist resident at the West Virginia University Charleston Division School of Medicine. “Other studies suggest that estrogen has a protective effect against heart disease because it helps prevent the development of atherosclerosis. It’s not until women hit menopause around age 50 to 55 that they start catching up with men.”

Study Shows Periodontal Disease Far More Common Than Previously Believed

Study Shows Periodontal Disease Far More Common Than Previously Believed

In a study published in the online edition of the Journal of Dental Research, researchers at the CDC and the American Academy of Periodontology announced that officials have underestimated the prevalence of gum disease in the United States by as much as 50 percent.

“This study shows that periodontal disease is a bigger problem than we all thought. It is a call to action for anyone who cares about his or her oral health,” Dr. Samuel Low, professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry and president of the American Academy of Periodontology, said in a news release from the organization.

Since periodontal disease is known to do more than just harm the gums, these findings are quite serious. Without treatment, periodontal disease can become a gateway for serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and impaired kidney health, among other things.

“Given what we know about the relationship between gum disease and other diseases, taking care of your oral health isn’t just about a pretty smile. It has bigger implications for overall health, and is therefore a more significant public health problem,” Low added.

Paul Eke of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and colleagues examined the mouths of more than 450 people older than 35 years of age, finding more cases of gum disease than previous studies had. Researchers postulated that previous studies had less stringent guidelines for periodontal disease.

“Not only should you take good care of your periodontal health with daily tooth brushing and flossing, you should expect to get a comprehensive periodontal evaluation every year,” Low said.

Asthma Not Linked to Tooth Decay

Asthma Not Linked to Tooth Decay

Contrary to what you may have heard before, there’s no link between asthma and tooth decay in children, according to a study that appeared in the September issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

The findings challenge some previous research suggesting that children with asthma may be more likely to develop cavities. These studies had suggested that children who use nebulizers to control their asthma may inadvertently increase their frequency of exposure to sugars because these nebulizers use fructose to deliver therapy. This increased frequency and amount of certain sugars consumed are major factors leading to cavities

For the new study, researchers analyzed 27 studies in papers published between 1976 and March 2010.

“We found little evidence to suggest that asthma causes tooth decay. In fact, the two largest studies we reviewed found that children with asthma appear to have fewer cavities than others. This may be because their parents are used to taking them to health-care providers, and routinely bring them to the dentist,” study author Gerardo Maupome, a professor of preventive and community dentistry at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, said in a university news release.

“The notion that there is a link between asthma and tooth decay may have its origin in anecdotal statements by emergency room workers who see children with poorly managed asthma. These children could also be more likely to have poorly managed dental conditions, and therefore tooth decay,” Maupome said. “It’s reasonable to believe that poor clinical management may be associated with both conditions, not the asthma that is causing the cavities.”

While not apparently associated, tooth decay and asthma are the two most prevalent chronic childhood diseases in the United States.

Early Periodontal Treatment Staves Off Preterm Labor

Healthy Gums Equal Healthy Babies

Early Periodontal Treatment Staves Off Preterm Labor

Successfully treating advanced gum disease in pregnant women can significantly reduce the risk of preterm birth according to new research published in the September edition of the British Journal of Gynaecology.

Previous research has shown that women with periodontal disease are at risk for premature labor and delivery.

In this study, dentists and doctors evaluated 322 pregnant women divided into two groups: those who received periodontal treatment and those who did not. All of the women received at-home care instructions from a dental hygienist, as well as home-care supplies, such as toothbrushes, dental floss and toothpaste, but the women in the untreated group received no hands-on treatment as part of the study.

The women in the treatment group received dental scaling and root planing from a hygienist before the end of the first trimester of their pregnancies. These women were six times more likely to carry their babies to full term (past 35 weeks’ gestation) than were the women in the other group.

Based on these findings, the authors of the study have recommended that pregnant women with periodontal disease should receive root planning and dental scaling before the end of their first trimester of pregnancy to help reduce the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth.

Dental X-Rays Good Diagnostic For Osteoporosis

Dental X-Rays Good Diagnostic For Osteoporosis

Women have one more member on their team when it comes to watching for signs of osteoporosis: their dentists.

According research completed by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), dental X-rays may be used as a way to screen for osteoporosis. Studies have shown that dental X-rays are quite effective in showing which patients have osteoporosis versus those with normal bone density.

Research has shown a link between osteoporosis and bone loss in the jaw. The jaw plays an important role in supporting the teeth and anchoring them into position. When the jaw bone becomes brittle and less dense due to the effects of osteoporosis, this can affect the strength of the teeth.

The NIAMS made its recommendation that dental x-rays be used to help monitor bone density because most people are in contact more frequently with their dentist than with their primary care physician. If a patient is identified as having low bone density via a dental x-ray, dentists can encourage him or her to discuss their bone health with their primary care physicians.

Not only is bone density of concern for the potential development of osteoporosis, it’s also an important indicator for oral health. Bone loss in the mouth can result in loose teeth, receding gums or gums that have already detached from the teeth, and ill-fitting or loose dentures.

Study Finds Men at Greater Risk for Periodontal Disease

Study Finds Men at Greater Risk for Periodontal Disease

A study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology found that men are at greater risk for developing periodontal disease due to gender-based differences in immune response.

The study’s co-author, Mark A. Reynolds, D.D.S., Ph.D., chair of the periodontics department at the University of Maryland Dental School, said that while the study concluded that males are at greater risk for periodontitis than females, the results do not support the conclusion that men are at greater risk for more rapid periodontal destruction than women.

Dr. Reynolds and his team, which included co-author, Harlan Shiau, D.D.S., D.M.Sc., conducted a systematic review of the literature (Medline, Embase, and Scopus) and a meta-analysis to estimate sex-related differences in the prevalence of periodontitis.

From 12 population surveys meeting selection criteria (representing 50,604 subjects), they found that sex exhibited a significant association with prevalence, reflecting a 9% difference between men and women (37.4% versus 28.1%, respectively), although the overall effect of sex in the meta-analysis was comparatively small (d = 0.19, 95 CI: 0.16 and 0.22).

The study’s authors concluded that the results of the review provided evidence of a higher prevalence of destructive periodontal disease in men compared to women, presumably because men may experience more harmful effects from inflammation than women and less protection from microbial pathogens, both of which would put them at higher risk for periodontal disease.

Study Finds Hormones, Number of Pregnancies Affects Women’s Risk of Caries

Study Finds Hormones, Number of Pregnancies Affects Women’s Risk of Caries

Dr. John Lukacs, Ph.D., a professor of anthropology at the University of Oregon, believes that he has found the reason that women tend to have more cavities than men, and why some women tend to have more cavities than others.

According to Lukac, male and female children seem to have a similar number of caries. The numbers start to change, however, as children become adolescents because of the dramatic increase of estrogen in females as they mature.

Women become even more prone to caries throughout their childbearing years, particularly during times of pregnancy, which are, coincidentally, times of increased estrogen production. In fact, women’s estrogen levels increase steadily during pregnancy until birth.  

According to Lukacs, females produce less saliva than men. Saliva has two important components: enzymes that break down complex sugars in the mouth, and antibodies that attack the microbes responsible for cavities. Having less saliva, then, puts women at a much greater risk for developing cavities.

In addition, it appears women’s saliva has less of an antimicrobial effect when they are pregnant.

To add insult to injury, women often crave sugary, high-energy, high-carbohydrate foods during pregnancy, so when they eat these foods, their saliva has less of a protecting effect, and their teeth are already at risk from the increased estrogen.

“The role of female-specific factors has been denied by anthropologists, yet they attain considerable importance in the model proposed here, because the adoption of agriculture is associated with increased sedentism and fertility,” Lukacs concluded in the October 2008 issue of Current Anthropology. “I argue that the rise of agriculture increased demands on women’s reproductive systems, contributing to an increase in fertility that intensified the negative impact of dietary change on women’s oral health. The combined impacts of increased fertility, dietary changes and division of labor during the move into agricultural societies contributed to the widespread gender differential observed in dental caries rates today… If hormonal and physiological factors work in an independent or additive manner, their impact on women’s oral health could be significant. The fact that women’s caries experience increases with age at a greater rate than men’s in diverse ethnic groups from different ecological and cultural settings supports this interpretation.”

The Periodontal Health, Heart Health Connection

What’s Good For Your Heart

Periodontal Health Linked to Heart Health

More and more, patients and practitioners are realizing that good at-home oral health habits are important for more than just nice-looking teeth. Keeping teeth healthy and clean is also important for maintaining good heart health.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology, people with periodontal disease are at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease than those with healthy gums. The study found that study participants with gum disease had higher levels of harmful bacteria in the bloodstream – up to four times more than study participants with healthy gums.

Researchers at Columbia University School of Public Health found similar results, reinforcing doctors’ longstanding belief that periodontal health is directly linked to cardiovascular health.

Columbia University researchers looked at three forms of bacteria common in patients with gum disease and found that patients with one or any combination of the three bacteria also had hardening of the arteries.

These are just two examples of dozens of ongoing studies that continue to link good oral health with good heart health.
Patient education is key in this area, since the average patient will simply assume that brushing and flossing teeth is only essential to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Incentive to be more proactive at brushing and flossing may increase should patients have a better understanding of how their oral health affects their overall health, including the link between periodontal health and heart health.

It’s a simple formula – good oral care can help maintain a healthy heart.