Dear DrBicuspid Member,
Evidence continues to mount about the potential dangers of triclosan, an antibacterial chemical used in toothpaste, mouthwash, and many other personal-care products.
Previous research has shown that triclosan can disrupt reproductive hormone activity and cell signaling in the brain, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010 to begin reviewing the safety of this chemical; the agency is supposed to release its findings this year.
Now a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that triclosan hinders muscle contractions at a cellular level. In fact, the effects of triclosan on cardiac function were "dramatic," according to the study authors.
In other regulatory news, the FDA this week unveiled a new Web page devoted to dental cone-beam CT. The page is designed to provide healthcare providers and the public with the latest information on the health and safety of dental cone-beam CT and to help ensure that the CT exams are "justified" and "optimized." Read more.
Meanwhile, over in the Cosmetics Community, splint therapy is the most frequently used treatment for temporomandibular disorders. But research demonstrating the true effectiveness of this therapy has been limited and large-scale studies are needed, according to a new meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
Finally, in her latest Dental Diaries entry, Dr. Sheri Doniger shares her recent experience with applying some useful practice management advice for reactivating former patients. As she found out, a happy patient is a referring patient!
