Research

NORTH BRUNSWICK, New Jersey – For some time now, evidence has been growing that there are associations between one’s oral health and certain deadly diseases and conditions like diabetes, heart disease, low birth weight babies and even pancreatic cancer. Now, a recent study* out of the University of Texas is pointing to protein levels in the saliva having the potential to assist in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care of breast cancer, the second leading cause of death among American women, according to the American Cancer Society.

ROCHESTER, New York – The Center for Oral Biology within the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry has been awarded $4 million to expand its renowned training program for oral biologists and dentist-scientists. New, cross-disciplinary training programs will focus on the basic mechanisms that underlie oral diseases to help students prepare for careers within academia, government and industry.

BUFFALO, New York – A study conducted in a large sample of postmenopausal women by University at Buffalo epidemiologists has provided new information on the prevalence of certain gum-disease-causing oral bacteria in this population and the association of the bacteria with oral bone loss.

BETHESDA, Maryland – Crystal methamphetamine use among young adults in the United States is considerably higher than previous surveys indicate, according to new research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, published in the July issue of the journal Addiction, found 2.8 percent of young adults (ages 18-26) reported use of crystal methamphetamine in the past year during 2001-2002. This is higher than the annual prevalence of crystal methamphetamine use by young adults (ages 19-28) of 1.4 percent reported by NIDA’s 2002 Monitoring the Future Survey.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Two new studies in the June issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) suggest that periodontal diseases are a threat to women of all ages due to hormonal fluctuations that occur at various stages of their lives.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Melatonin could be the latest supplement to join the fight against periodontal diseases. According to a literature review in the June issue of the Journal of Periodontology, melatonin may promote bone formation and stimulate the body’s immune response, which are two factors that can affect a person’s periodontal health.

CHICAGO, Illinois – More than 92 percent of Illinois dentists provide oral cancer examinations for their patients, but many are not performing the procedures thoroughly or at optimum intervals, according to a new University of Illinois at Chicago study.

ROCHESTER, New York – Early-stage research has found that a new gene therapy can nearly eliminate arthritis pain, and significantly reduce long-term damage to the affected joints, according to a study published today in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. While the study was done in mice, they are the first genetically engineered to develop osteoarthritis like humans, with the same genetic predisposition that makes some more likely to develop the disease, the authors said. If all goes well with a follow-up study currently underway, researchers will apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to begin human trials next year.

CHICAGO, Illinois – Dentists may be able to help their patients stop smoking by referring them to tobacco-use telephone “quitlines,” according to a pilot study published in the May issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

CHICAGO, Illinois – Men with chronic gum disease may have an increased risk of tongue cancer, regardless of whether they smoke, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.