Dear Hygiene Insider,
In our Insider Exclusive, Features Editor Donna Domino interviews the authors of a new study that investigated the use of L-arginine, a common amino acid. L-arginine may be a new weapon against caries and periodontitis, according to a new study in PLOS One.
In other Hygiene Community news, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has released a policy brief detailing the state of the dental safety net in the U.S. The paper highlights concerning access-to-care issues, including a 16% increase in the number of emergency room visits for dental-related problems from 2006 to 2009. Read Assistant Editor Theresa Pablos' article here.
Treating periodontal disease may reduce symptoms of prostate inflammation, according to a recent study in the journal Dentistry. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University examined 27 men with prostatitis within the past year and whose blood test showed elevated prostate-specific antigen levels for signs of periodontitis. Read more here.
Outcomes can be improved and patients can achieve systemic health benefits through the management of periodontal risk factors, according to a presentation by Dr. Jonathan S. Wong on the opening day of the California Dental Association's CDA Presents 2015 meeting in Anaheim. Learn more here.
In another presentation at CDA Presents, periodontist Dr. Timothy Donley spoke about the increasing awareness of the link between oral healthcare and stroke prevention, and what dentists and hygienists can do to help their patients. Find out more here.
The high cost of dental care leaves many in several countries with little money for basic necessities, according to new study in PLOS One. The study assessed the extent of household "catastrophic dental health expenditure" in 41 low- and middle-income countries. An expenditure was defined as catastrophic if it reached at least 40% of a household's ability to pay. Read more here.
