Week in Review: Girl diagnosed with rare, life-threatening lesion | Sugar substitutes linked to cancer | Dentistry responds to the crisis in Ukraine

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

A healthy 17-year-old girl developed a rare, life-threatening vascular lesion after routine third-molar extractions. Our write-up of the new case report was our top story of the week.

A few days after the extractions, the girl developed mouth pain and uncontrollable bleeding. She was later admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm, a type of perivascular hematoma that is considered a vascular emergency due to its risk of rupturing.

If that case interests you, you don't want to miss another popular case study on the website this week that discusses the importance of accurate sedation monitoring.

Sugar substitutes linked to cancer

Artificial sweeteners aren't looking so sweet in a new study from researchers at leading French universities and the French National Institute for Health and Medicine Research. The study linked some types of sugar substitutes to an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer and obesity-related cancers.

The effects appeared more pronounced for aspartame and acesulfame potassium versus other types of artificial sweeteners. Aspartame in particular was linked to a 22% increased risk of breast cancer and a 15% increased risk of obesity-related cancers.

Crime cases in dentistry

A few dental-related crime stories are making headlines this week, including the killing of two dentists in Texas. The dentists, aged 59 and 75, were shot and killed by a patient at their clinic in Tyler, TX, according to news reports. Police arrested one man on charges in connection with the shooting.

Another eye-catching arrest this week involved a 48-year-old oral surgeon in Maryland who was charged with manslaughter and other crimes for his alleged role in the overdose death of a 25-year-old former patient who later became his employee and girlfriend. Police found vials of propofol, ketamine, and midazolam at the scene of the overdose, according to the arrest warrant.

Other crime stories this week include a Utah dentist convicted in a $1.8 million tax evasion case and a couple accused of stealing $1.1 million from a New York dental practice.

Dentistry responds to Ukraine crisis

Last but not least, Russia's invasion of Ukraine hits the one-month mark, and many dental businesses and organizations are taking action against the war and to support civilians in the crossfire.

Among the companies taking action, dental manufacturer 3M has arguably taken the strongest stance against Russia by suspending operations in the country, according to a database from the Yale University School of Management. Dental organizations have also responded to the crisis, including two Chicago Dental Society members who are collecting needed supplies for oral surgeons in Ukraine.

Check out the article to see the full list of companies and organizations, as well as how you can help.

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