Mercury amalgam filling or other wise know as silver filling are made up of almost 50 percent mercury which can make some people sick.  Having mercury filling replaced with porcelain fillings makes for a healthier and stronger restoration option.

Many dentist are no longer using the old amalgam filling option but in the past these filling were commonly used. If you have questions about your silver or amalgam filling talk to your dentist and see if replacing with porcelain is a good option for you.

Taking a class of drugs commonly used to reduce acid in the stomach is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, compared with not taking them.

This was the finding of a new study led by the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, and published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

However, the authors also point out that finding a link between use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and chronic kidney disease does not prove the drugs actually cause the disease – that is for further studies to establish.

Due to baby boomer aging the number of older adults are increasing. Therefore more people are facing tooth loss more commonly among the elderly. One Survey taken estimates that 37 millions Americans will need dentures by 2020.

In an article taken from the Journal of Oral Implantology reports on an alternative treatment to dentures. The “All-on-Four” therapy uses four implants to support a fixed prosthesis, and the patient’s new teeth can be put in place the day of surgery.   The All-on-Four treatment maximizes the use of available bone and allows immediate functionality. Four implants are placed two near the front and two near the back of the dental area. These support a fixed, full-arch prosthesis that is put in place the same day as the surgery. The success of this therapy is judged not only by its comfort and usability for the patient, but also by its longevity.

New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) shows that low resistance to stress in men at age 18 years can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood by up to 50%. The study is by Dr Casey Crump, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, and colleagues in Sweden and the USA.

Psychosocial stress in adulthood is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly mediated by behavioral and physiological factors. However, it is unknown whether low stress resilience earlier in life is related to subsequent development of type 2 diabetes. In this new study, the authors examined whether low stress resilience in late adolescence is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

A panel of multi-disciplinary experts convened by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs issued a report containing clinical recommendations that ugar-free chewing gum, lozenges and hard candy including xylitol or polyol combinations, and a prescription varnish with chlorhexidine and thymol could be beneficial in preventing cavities when used as adjuncts to a comprehensive cavity prevention program which includes the use of fluoride-containing products.

January 13, 2016 – Trauma team members are at risk of compassion fatigue and burnout syndrome, as supported by the new research by Gina M. Berg, PhD, MBA, of University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita and colleagues. Authors identify some “stress triggers” contributing to these risks, and make recommendations to help trauma teams cope with secondary traumatic stress, reports a study in the January issue of Journal of Trauma Nursing. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

In Chicago IL a landmark meeting brought together experts from both medical and dental professionals.  The Diverse disciplines got together for the purpose of understanding and advancing awareness of the oral and systemic health link.  The mission was to bridge the outdated communication gap between the two disciplines.

The development of green infrastructures and spaces in urban settings has been rising rapidly in recent years as society recognizes their many benefits to quality of life and public health.

But in a paper published in the journal Infection Ecology and Epidemiology, two researchers in Sweden and the US are sending a warning of potentially negative side effects if proper planning is not employed.

In the papers, Lohmus and Balbus point to infectious pathogens carried via rodents, ticks and mosquitoes, as well as increased pollen allergens, as potential concerns for poorly planned green and blue infrastructures.

“I love that we are seeing more green spaces in urban settings,” said Lohmus, “but we need to be aware of the potential negatives and plan accordingly.”

Prescribed CPAP is considered to be the standard in sleep apnea treatment, more people are opting to use a lightweight dental appliance that keep the airway open, which helps ensuring a restful night sleep. For people with sleep apnea that are not using their prescribed CPAP machine or can’t tolerate it discuss oral appliance therapy with their doctor.

Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a mechanism that may explain how the brain can recall nearly all of what happened on a recent afternoon — or make a thorough plan for how to spend an upcoming afternoon — in a fraction of the time it takes to live out the experience. The breakthrough in understanding a previously unknown function in the brain has implications for research into schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders where real experiences and ones that exist only in the mind can become distorted.

Researchers from KU Leuven, Belgium, have identified the cause of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As a result, they were able to select a medicine that could reduce or end that pain. This medicine is already used to treat hay fever.

Expert Opinion Is Changing  Each Year: Despite the risks of any surgical procedure, millions of healthy, wisdom teeth are being extracted from young patients. Even though many dental insurance plans cover the removal of wisdom teeth, there very little scientific evidence supporting the routine extraction of wisdom teeth. In fact some countries have abandoned the practice of pulling out wisdom teeth unless necessary. Talk to your dentist and go over all factors of pulling wisdom teeth then do what you feel is best for you or your child.

The National Institutes of Health will fund a set of genome sequencing and analysis centers whose research will focus on understanding the genomic bases of common and rare human diseases. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of NIH, today launched the Centers for Common Disease Genomics (CCDG), which will use genome sequencing to explore the genomic contributions to common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and autism. NHGRI also announced the next phase of a complementary program, the Centers for Mendelian Genomics (CMG), which will continue investigating the genomic underpinnings of rare, typically inherited diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.

You should make sure that woodwind and brass instruments are properly cleaned after playing.  One such study done looked for germs in a total of 117 distinct testing sites, including mouthpieces and reeds, internal chambers and cases of the instruments and found more than 400 bacteria, 19 yeasts and 58 molds that could risk a musician’s health.

Learn more about alcohol, the intoxicating drug found in wine, beer and spirits, including the effects it has on the body and the health risks associated with its consumption.

Fast facts on alcohol.  Here are some key points about alcohol.

*    Pure alcohol is a colorless, odorless and flammable liquid
*    Fruits (grapes and apples) and grains (barley and wheat) are the most commonly used foods to make alcohol
*    The legal age to drink, buy or sell alcohol in the United States is 21 years of age
*    Alcohol is the number one abused drug by minors in the US
*    Although it is classified as a sedative, hypnotic drug, it has a stimulant effect in small amounts
*    The liver can only oxidize about one drink per hour
*    Alcohol is known to be harmful to developing brains (from fetus to adolescence)
*    No amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy
*    The effects of drinking and taking other medications – either over-the-counter or prescribed – can be unpredictable and potentially deadly
*    Roughly 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults results from excessive drinking.

With more people turning to alternative medicine people are finding out that clove oil may help to alleviate toothache pain. If  you choose to use clove oil it can be applied with a cotton swab or q-tip to the affected area.  You can normally find clove oil in most health food stores.

However although clove oil is safe to use in small amount,  in large quantities it can be hazardous causing liver and respiratory problems.  One should also keep in mind that it help to relieve toothache pain but does not fix the problem as to why your tooth is hurting in the first place. Whenever you are experiencing toothache pain you should see your dentist.