Dear DrBicuspid Member,
How can you get your patients to keep up with their appointments? Consider letting them know that routine dental care may reduce stroke risk.
A recent study in the American Heart Journal found that periodontal disease appears to be associated with atrial fibrillation. An irregular heart rate may also be the mediator between the serious gum infection and stroke, writes Associate Editor Melissa Busch in our Hygiene Community.
That wasn't the only story on DrBicuspid.com this week to address bleeding gums. A new review in Nutrition Reviews found bleeding gums may be a sign of a vitamin C deficiency. The authors cautioned that missing the possible link between inadequate levels of vitamin C and bleeding gums could lead to serious health complications.
Keeping up with COVID-19
Promising new research showed that gargling with a mouthwash and using a nasal spray containing povidone iodine may significantly reduce viral load in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. This simple combination could help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to the authors.
With practices shuttered for part of 2020, the pandemic has also appeared to negatively affect oral healthcare for children. A new editorial from the U.K. showed there has been an increase in caries and tooth extractions requiring general anesthesia among children. The effects were particularly noticeable in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
Last but not least, the ADA and other prominent dental societies have been pushing for dentists to be able to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. So far, at least 20 states are permitting dentists to vaccinate patients. See where your state falls on our infographic.
New leadership
Before I sign off, I'd like to introduce myself as the new editor in chief of DrBicuspid.com.
Perhaps my byline is familiar to you -- I regularly produced conference video coverage and wrote hundreds of articles in the past five years as an assistant and then associate editor for the website. (Read my favorite story.)
I'm so excited to be back in dentistry and to be creating excellent content for all of you. But to do that, I'd love to know more about you. What content in the past year has really resonated with you? What do you want to see more of?
Please leave me a note by email or on Twitter. I can't wait to hear what you have to say.
