Gum Disease Associated With Pancreatic Cancer Risk
Having gum disease is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study. However, the authors caution that further studies are necessary to determine whether the relationship is causal.There are few known risk factors for pancreatic cancer, including cigarette smoking and chronic pancreatitis. The latter is marked by inflammation, suggesting that inflammation may be involved in the initiation or progression of pancreatic cancer. [click link for full article]

A Low-calcium Diet Can Harm The Supporting Structures Around Teeth And Gums, Especially For Nursing Mothers
Mothers who breastfeed should be sure to have enough Calcium in their diet, or may risk bone loss around their teeth and gums, according to a new study that appears in the January issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan investigated if lactation affects alveolar bone loss, the bone surrounding the roots of teeth, in rat models of experimental periodontitis. [click link for full article]

Continued Improvement For NHS Dentistry, UK
The amount of dental activity commissioned by the NHS is continuingto rise, according to new statistics released today.Significantly, the figures also show that since the new dentalcontract was introduced in April, more services have beenrecommissioned than were lost in rejected contracts. [click link for full article]

Dental Researchers Test No-Needle Anesthesia, No-Drilling Cavity Care
Imagine having a decayed tooth repaired, painlessly, without drilling or shots of anesthesia to numb the area.Wishful thinking? Not if two studies being conducted at the University at Buffalo's School of Dental Medicine show positive results.In one study, funded by a $100,000 grant by Apollonia, LLC, researchers in the school's Center for Dental Studies are testing a nasal spray that numbs the upper teeth. [click link for full article]

Pacifier Use Assists In Reducing The Incidence Of SIDS
Pacifier use often attracts negative attention for potentially harming children's oral health. There are positive effects of pacifier use, however. In addition to calming the infant, pacifier use can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to a report/study that appeared in the January/February 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal. [click link for full article]

Resolution Of Disputed Dental Contracts Slows, UK
Figures published today by the Department of Health show that 262 disputed NHS dental contracts were resolved between 30 Sept and 30 November 2006. This compares to the 523 disputed contracts that were resolved in the previous two months.According to the figures, 868 disputed contracts remained unresolved at 30 November. This compares to 1,130 at the end of September and 1,373 at the end of August. Originally, 2,777 contracts were signed in dispute. [click link for full article]

Periodontal Disease And Pancreatic Cancer Linked
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.; more than 30,000 Americans are expected to die from the disease this year. It is an extremely difficult cancer to treat and little is known about what causes it. One established risk factor in pancreatic cancer is cigarette smoking; other links have been made to obesity, diabetes type 2 and insulin resistance. [click link for full article]

Race, Education, Income, Weight Affect Oral Health
In an Alabama statewide survey, scientists at UAB (the University of Alabama at Birmingham) have found that certain demographic factors influence the oral health of people 65 and older. "Analyses suggested a strong association between oral health-related quality of life and race, education, income and transportation difficulties," said S.K. Makhija, M.P.H., D.D.S., assistant professor of diagnostic sciences at the UAB School of Dentistry. [click link for full article]

Possible Link Between Oral Health And Heart Health, From The Harvard Heart Letter
The billions of bacteria and other microscopic critters that live in the mouth unquestionably influence the health of teeth and gums. But do they also cause problems for the heart and blood vessels? And can improving oral health prevent cardiovascular problems? The notion that problems in the mouth cause diseases elsewhere in the body makes sense but has been difficult to prove, explains the Harvard Heart Letter. [click link for full article]

Academy Of General Dentistry: Pacifier Use Assists In Reducing The Incidence Of SIDS
Pacifier use often attracts negative attention for potentially harming children's oral health. There are positive effects of pacifier use, however. In addition to calming the infant, pacifier use can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to a report/study that appeared in the January/February 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal. [click link for full article]

Bright White Beetle Dazzles Scientists
An obscure species of beetle could teach us how to produce brilliant white ultra-thin materials, according to a research team led by the University of Exeter.The Cyphochilus beetle has a highly unusual brilliant white shell. New research by the University of Exeter and Imerys Minerals Ltd. and published in leading journal Science (19 January), reveals the secret to this beetle's bizarre appearance. [click link for full article]

Wanted - Members For New General Dental Council Board, UK
The General Dental Council (GDC) is seeking a chair and members to help guide the development of training paths for dentists wanting to become specialists.The GDC is inviting applications from experienced professionals to sit on its new Specialist Dental Education Board (SDEB) which will have an important role overseeing the reorganisation and running of the GDC's specialist lists. [click link for full article]