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Dental and Oral Health

Dental and oral health encompasses the care, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and disorders affecting the teeth, gums, jaw, and overall oral cavity. Maintaining oral hygiene is essential for overall health, as many systemic diseases can be linked to oral conditions. This field promotes awareness, education, and interventions for lifelong oral health.

Oral hygiene practices
Dental anatomy and physiology
Common oral diseases (caries, periodontal disease)
Oral-systemic health connection
Nutrition and oral health

Preventive Dentistry

Preventive dentistry focuses on techniques and strategies to prevent dental diseases before they occur. It includes routine examinations, cleanings, fluoride applications, sealants, and educating patients about oral hygiene to ensure the health of teeth and gums.

Oral prophylaxis
Fluoride therapy
Dental sealants
Patient oral hygiene instruction
Risk assessment and early diagnosis

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery deals with surgical interventions of the mouth, jaws, face, and neck. It includes the removal of impacted teeth, corrective jaw surgeries, trauma management, and reconstructive procedures. This specialty bridges dentistry and general surgery.

Tooth extractions (including impacted wisdom teeth)
Jaw fracture repair
Orthognathic surgery
Cleft lip and palate repair
Tumor and cyst removal

Pediatric Dentistry

It focuses on managing dental growth and development, preventing childhood oral diseases, and providing child-friendly treatment. Emphasis is placed on behavior management and education for parents.

Early childhood caries prevention
Growth and development monitoring
Pediatric restorative dentistry
Behavior management techniques
Fluoride and sealant application in children

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry aims to improve the appearance of teeth, gums, and smiles through various aesthetic procedures. It includes whitening, veneers, bonding, and orthodontics. While aesthetics is primary, it also enhances oral function and patient confidence.

Teeth whitening
Dental veneers and laminates
Composite bonding
Orthodontic treatments
Smile design principles

Oral Medicine and Radiology

Oral medicine involves the diagnosis and non-surgical management of oral diseases, while radiology uses imaging to identify dental and maxillofacial conditions. This specialty helps in early detection of pathologies and guides appropriate treatment plans.

Oral mucosal diseases diagnosis
Temporomandibular joint disorders
Use of dental radiographs and CBCT
Salivary gland disorders
Biopsy techniques

Public Health Dentistry

Public health dentistry focuses on preventing and controlling dental diseases through community-based programs, policy making, and health education. It aims to improve oral health outcomes on a population level, especially in underserved groups.

Epidemiology of oral diseases
Oral health education and promotion
Community water fluoridation
Dental health policy and planning
Screening and preventive programs

Emerging Topics

Emerging topics in dentistry explore new research, technologies, and trends that shape future oral healthcare. This includes digital dentistry, regenerative therapies, artificial intelligence, and novel biomaterials to improve patient outcomes.

Digital and 3D printing technologies
Regenerative dentistry and stem cells
AI in diagnostics and treatment planning
Nanotechnology in dental materials
Tele-dentistry and remote care

Advanced Clinical Techniques

Advanced clinical techniques involve innovative methods and procedures to enhance dental treatment precision, efficiency, and patient comfort. This includes laser dentistry, minimally invasive approaches, and implantology.

Laser-assisted dentistry
Minimally invasive restorative techniques
Implant placement and management
Guided tissue regeneration
Advanced endodontic procedures

Gerodontology

Gerodontology is the study and treatment of dental issues affecting elderly patients. It addresses age-related changes, managing complex medical histories, and ensuring oral health supports overall wellbeing in older adults.

Management of xerostomia and root caries
Prosthodontics for elderly patients
Oral care in medically compromised patients
Nutrition and oral health in aging
Cognitive impairment and oral hygiene

Dental Pharmacology

Dental pharmacology studies drugs used in dentistry for anesthesia, pain control, infection management, and systemic conditions. Understanding drug interactions and side effects is crucial for safe dental care.

Local anesthetics and sedation
Antibiotics and antimicrobial agents
Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs
Drug interactions and contraindications
Patient medication history assessment

Forensic Odontology

Forensic odontology utilizes dental expertise in legal inquiries, encompassing the identification of human remains, analysis of bite marks, and estimation of age. It plays a critical role in crime solving and disaster victim identification.

Human identification techniques
Bite mark analysis
Age estimation from teeth
Dental record keeping and comparison
Legal and ethical aspects

Oral Pathology

Oral pathology is concerned with the diagnosis and examination of diseases that impact the oral and maxillofacial areas at both the cellular and molecular levels. It supports clinical practice by identifying malignant and benign conditions.

Oral cancer diagnosis and staging
Benign oral lesions
Salivary gland pathologies
Histopathological techniques
Autoimmune oral diseases

Infection Control & Clinical Safety

Infection control and clinical safety are critical in dental practice to prevent cross-contamination and protect patients and staff. This encompasses sterilization procedures, the utilization of personal protective gear, and the secure management of clinical waste.

Sterilization and disinfection techniques
Use of PPE in dentistry
Waste management and disposal
Protocols for infectious disease outbreaks
Patient safety and risk management

Oral Bacteria Diversity Linked to Depression Symptoms

2025-06-12 - 2025-06

Summary: A new study reveals that lower diversity of microbes in the mouth is associated with greater symptoms of depression. Researchers analyzed data from over 15,000 U.S. adults, comparing their mental health surveys with saliva samples to assess microbial diversity.
The findings show that people with less diverse oral microbiomes were more likely to experience depression, even after accounting for factors like smoking and dental care. While the direction of this link is still unclear, the study suggests the oral microbiome may one day be used to help diagnose or treat mood disorders.
Key Facts:
Microbial Diversity Matters: People with lower oral microbiome diversity showed more depressive symptoms.
Lifestyle Factors Influence Microbes: Smoking, drinking, and dental care affected the depression-microbiome link.
Diagnostic Potential: With further research, oral bacteria could serve as biomarkers for depression.
A rich and varied mix of microbes in the mouth, particularly bacteria, is not only important for our oral health, but may hold clues for other conditions.
A new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing finds that a lower diversity of microbes in the mouth is associated with depression.
The mouth is home to between 500 billion and 1 trillion bacteria-the second-largest community of microorganisms in our bodies, after the gut.
A growing number of studies point to the connection between the oral microbiome and our overall health, from diabetes to dementia, a relationship thought to be driven by inflammation and disruptions to the immune system.
A recent study in mice found a potential link between depression and the diversity of bacteria in the gut, but less is known about the connection between the oral microbiome and depression.
"Having a better understanding of the relationship between the oral microbiome and depression could not only help us learn about the mechanisms underlying depression, but could contribute to the development of new biomarkers or treatments for mood disorders," said Bei Wu, vice dean for research at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and the senior author of the study, published in the journal BMC Oral Health.
To explore the connection between the oral microbiome and depression, the researchers examined survey and biological data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Using data from more than 15,000 US adults ages 18 and older collected between 2009 and 2012, the researchers compared questionnaires measuring symptoms of depression with saliva samples. Gene sequencing was used to identify the microbes in the saliva and measure the diversity of the oral microbiome.
The researchers found that people with less diversity in their oral microbiomes were more likely to have symptoms of depression. Additional analyses showed that smoking, drinking, and dental care-all of which can change the makeup of bacteria in the mouth-influenced the relationship between the oral microbiome and depression.
These findings suggest that, with more research, the oral microbiome could potentially be used to diagnose or treat depression. However, based on this study, it's not clear whether the diversity of microbes in the mouth influences depression or if depression leads to changes in the oral microbiome-or if there's a bidirectional relationship between the two.
"It's possible that the oral microbiome influences depressive symptoms through inflammation or changes to the immune system. Conversely, depression can drive changes including dietary intake, poor oral hygiene, increased smoking and drinking, or the use of medications-all of which have the potential to alter the oral microbiome," said Wu.
"We need more research to understand the direction and underlying pathways of this relationship."
"This work is part of a broader effort to understand how the oral microbiome influences not only mental health, but also cognitive decline and the onset of dementia," she added.

National fluoride ban would substantially increase children's tooth decay and dental costs, modeling study finds

2025-05-30 - 2025-05

Fluoride has been added to public water systems in the United States since 1945 to strengthen tooth enamel and fight off bacteria, ultimately reducing tooth decay. Mass General Brigham researchers developed a model to estimate dental health outcomes for children if the United States were to ban fluoridation of public water. The new study, published in JAMA Health Forum, found that banning fluoride would substantially increase dental decay and costs particularly for publicly insured and uninsured children.
"Fluoride replaces weaker ions within tooth enamel, making it stronger and less susceptible to tooth decay caused by bacteria," said senior author Lisa Simon MD, DMD, Division of General Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"There's strong evidence from other countries and cities, such as Calgary in Canada, showing that when fluoride is eliminated, dental disease increases. Our study offers a window into what would happen in the United States if water fluoridation ceased."
Simon and the research team focused on children for the study, because fluoride strengthens teeth during development, and more robust data links fluoridated water to oral health in this age group.
The study used detailed oral health and water fluoridation data collected from 8,484 children (ages 0-19, 49% girls) in the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Using this dataset, the researchers developed a microsimulation model to see how banning fluoride from drinking water would impact oral health, quality of life and dental care costs.
The researchers simulated two scenarios over 5- and 10-year periods, which align with policy planning horizons. First, maintaining current fluoride levels, and second, eliminating the addition of fluoride to public water.
"Using a simulation model to track the progression of diseases in current populations, we estimated the impact of removing fluoride on the risk of tooth decay and the related dental care costs, including treatment for decay and complications from delayed treatment.
"We ran the simulation 1,000 times to see how different factors could affect the results. This approach helps ensure that our predictions are more reliable and reflective of real-world variability," said first author Sung Eun Choi, Ph.D., assistant professor of Oral Health Policy & Epidemiology at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
The researchers found that eliminating fluoride increased the total number of decayed teeth by 7.5 percentage points, or 25.4 million more teeth with tooth decay over five years (equivalent to a tooth for one out of every three American children). The number of fluorosis cases-a discoloring of tooth enamel due to excessive fluoride intake-decreased by 0.2 million. They also estimated a cost of $9.8 billion in additional dental care costs over five years, which rose to $19.4 billion after 10 years.
"Most of the increased cost could be attributed to publicly insured children, meaning it would be a direct public health cost," said Simon.
The study did not model cognitive effects from fluoride exposure as current levels of fluoride in public water are not associated with worse neurobehavioral outcomes. The researchers note that their model demonstrates meaningful, ongoing benefit from fluoride at safe levels currently recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Toxicity Program, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We know fluoride works. We're able to show just how much it works for most communities and how much people stand to lose if we get rid of it," said Simon.

Minamata Convention: Study proposes 'leapfrogging' implementation of children's amendment

2025-05-27 - 2025-05

A recently published article has proposed a unique strategy on oral health policy as a cost-effective strategy for African countries to achieve mercury-free dentistry.
Tagged "leapfrogging", the strategy, according to the authors, could also be adopted by developed economies with underserved communities as well as developed economies who desire to save costs.
The unique, cost-effective strategy is to "leapfrog" the implementation of the children's amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP 4.2) in Africa and other developing economies.
According to the paper, titled "Update of Oral Health Policy to Implement the Children's Amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP 4.2)", the cornerstones of the strategy include update of dental training institutions curricula, review of health insurance policies, integration of the principles of minimum intervention dentistry (MID) into oral health policies with an integration-prevention-promotion-partnerships ('II-PPP') framework with the WHO Basic Package for Oral Care.
"We hope this approach will enhance the speedy implementation of the children's amendment particularly in Africa and other developing economies with poor infrastructure for managing waste," submitted Professor Godwin Arotiba, the lead author.
The article was published in the Journal of Oral Health & Dental Science.
The founder of Dentists for a Mercury-Free Africa and the former Dean of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Arotiba engaged with several Nigerian professors from his and three other top-notch universities, plus NGO leaders in Nigeria and Cameroun, to produce the landmark paper.
"We have been at this for so long now since 2014 to date. We need to leapfrog to mercury free 21st century dentistry by 2030 in Africa, Other developing economies and developed economies with underserved communities, plus developed economies who desire to save costs as well," said Aritoba.
The paper concluded: "'Leapfrogging' to mercury free 21st century dentistry is a feasible, desirable and achievable strategy to adopt for Africa and other developing economies with poor infrastructure for managing wastes.
"It can also be adopted by developed economies with underserved communities as well as developed economies who desire to save costs. The top priorities should include update of dental training institution's curricula; retraining of general dental practitioners through workshops, conferences, and webinars; update of health insurance policy to favour mercury free restoratives and update of oral health policies with the 'II-PPP-BPOC' framework.
"Poverty should not be an excuse to continue the use of dental amalgam (45-55% mercury) in under-served communities and further compromise their well-being. This is a very important consideration in Sub-Saharan Africa where UNEP and WHO have reported a higher percentage (35%) of diseases traced to environmental pollution compared to 25% world-wide."
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. It contains, in support of this objective, provisions that relate to the entire life cycle of mercury, including controls and reductions across a range of products, processes and industries where mercury is used, released or emitted.
The Children's Amendment to protect children from the harm of mercury containing fillings entered into force on September 28, 2023, and became mandatory for Parties to the Minamata Convention.
Henceforth, all the 152 nations who are Parties to the treaty must take affirmative steps - ranging from recommendations to complete abolition - to end amalgam use for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

2nd Webinar on Dental and Oral Health