DrBicuspid.com Hygiene Insider

Dear Hygiene Insider,

Although the use of tobacco-cessation interventions by dental hygienists, general dentists, and oral maxillofacial surgeons has been reported in the literature, there are no comprehensive published studies about this topic concerning periodontists.

But in a new study published in the Journal of Periodontology, a survey of 231 periodontists found that an overwhelming majority believe that tobacco-cessation interventions are a responsibility of the dental profession. Even so, a number of barriers to providing these interventions remain, the researchers noted.

Find out what they are, and how to overcome them, in this latest Insider Exclusive.

In other Hygiene Community news, of the 535 veterans potentially exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV by a dentist at a Veterans Affairs medical center in Ohio, seven have tested positive for hepatitis C and two for chronic hepatitis B. Read more.

Also in this newsletter, the dentifrice delivery system has changed little since the first tube of toothpaste was filled more than 100 years ago. But that could change with the introduction of chewable toothpaste tablets, which are less messy and more environmentally friendly.

On the clinical front, dentists say they would be more willing to help patients with serious weight issues if obesity were definitively linked to oral disease. Now researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have found a positive association between periodontal disease and obesity.

Also, early dental intervention can help newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients retain teeth and preserve dentition, according to research presented at the recent International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting.

Another IADR study that questioned the importance of periodontal treatment in renal dialysis patients found that treating periodontal disease does not reduce inflammatory markers in this patient population. Read more.

And wearing jewelry under gloves should be prohibited by all dental practices due to risks of tearing, leakage, and microbial cross-contamination, according to research presented at the IADR meeting.

Meanwhile, a nursing-dental research team at New York University has been awarded a one-year pilot grant to assess the feasibility of using gingival crevicular blood from periodontal patients to gauge hemoglobin A1C as a means of diagnosing diabetes and identifying prediabetes.

Finally, a federal judge in Florida ruled that a class-action lawsuit filed against Walgreen's alleging false claims about certain mouthwash products can move forward, and the number of toothpaste varieties on the shelves of U.S. grocery stores dropped considerably after makers became concerned about confused customers. Click here to read more.