Category: General Dentistry

New research has found that a future without traditional toothbrushes may not be too far away. A research team managed to create a new hydrogel that was able to combine the qualities of avoiding cavities and whitening teeth – both at the same time. This combination would prove hugely popular with consumers.

We all look to keep our teeth as healthy and as white as possible. This helps us to avoid needing dental treatment, and also helps us with our aesthetic appearance.

To achieve this, most of us brush our teeth twice a day with toothpaste, and floss. But while this is useful for keeping cavities and tooth decay away, toothpaste only has limited powers when it comes to keeping teeth white.

This is because toothpaste typically only removes surface stains. Therefore, for those that want to whiten their teeth, specific whitening treatment is sought. But many tooth whitening treatments have the potential to be harmful to our oral health.

This creates a situation where it is difficult to keep our teeth cavity-free and white at the same time. But now, a team of researchers have created a new hydrogel treatment that has the potential to disrupt cavity-forming biofilms whilst whitening teeth without damaging them.

Existing Teeth Whitening Market

The best way for us to have strong oral health is to regularly brush our teeth, floss, and attend dental check-ups. The appearance of our teeth has been linked to our mental health, with those unhappy with their smile typically having a lower self-esteem [1].

It is therefore no surprise that many people seek cosmetic dental treatment in the form of teeth whitening. In fact, a recent study projected that the worldwide teeth whitening market will be worth over $8billion by 2030 [2].

But teeth whitening products also present problems. For example, existing treatments – which use either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide – have side effects like hypersensitivity, pulp damage and gum irritation – especially in longer applications [3].

Furthermore, many whitening products use a blue light. However, many studies show that blue light actually has the potential to break down enamel, which is obviously bad for our oral health [4]. Therefore, while teeth whitening products can be effective, they also have unwanted effects.

The Research

The research team published their findings in the ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces journal [5]. The researchers were hoping to create a hydrogel that could combine the qualities of a toothpaste and whitening products – albeit without the unwanted side effects.

To begin with, the researchers decided that they would use green light instead of a blue light [5]. This is because green light is safer than blue light, yet it is still capable of activating the materials used in brushing and whitening.

Firstly, the aim was to create the hydrogel. The researchers combined the ingredients bismuth oxychloride nanoparticles, copper oxide nanoparticles and sodium alginate [5]. These materials were selected for their various properties, such as their cleaning ability and enamel-strengthening qualities.

The ingredients were made into a thick mixture [5]. The mixture was then sprayed with calcium chloride – which resulted in the creation of a strong hydrogel [5]. The hydrogel would then be used for the next part of the study.

To complete the actual experiment, the study used real teeth that had been extracted from humans [5]. These teeth had been intentionally stained with coffee, tea and blueberry juice [5]. These are all common causes of stained teeth.

The teeth were then coated by the mixture created above. Then, green light was used to activate the mixture [5]. The researchers then waited to see what would happen with the combination.

They found that as the teeth got whiter over time, there was no damage to the enamel [5]. The team also found that the treatment was capable of killing 94% of the bacteria in biofilms [5].

For added validity, the researchers used the treatment on mice. The mice involved were exposed to cavity-forming bacteria. The researchers found that moderate and deep cavities were prevented from forming by using the gel [5].

Overall, the researchers were very pleased with how the study worked out. They concluded that they had created an effective, safe and brush-free treatment that was capable of preventing cavities, whilst whitening teeth [5]!

What this means

This is a rather remarkable piece of research! The results of the study are very impressive. Not only can this hydrogel clean teeth and prevent cavities, but it is also capable of whitening teeth. Therefore, it combined the best elements of toothpaste and whitening products.

Regarding the next steps, any such treatment takes time to get to market. A necessary step would be for human trials to take place, though it is unclear when this will be. It is important to test its safety on live humans.

However, the findings at this stage are certainly positive. It appears that it could turn into a very effective product, that would certainly prove popular for everyone.

It is crazy to think – but one day we may not need to brush our teeth the traditional way. This is hard to comprehend at this point, but based on this research, it is a very realistic prospect.

Thinking points…

1) Too many people seek low-quality tooth whitening services. Here at Savanna Dental, we have safe and effective tooth whitening solutions! We offer both in-office and take-home whitening kits, which can help to improve your smile and give you more confidence. These are highly popular kits which have helped many people. If you are interested in hearing more about our teeth whitening services, visit our website today https://savannadentalclinic.ca/teeth-whitening-calgary/!

2) While the research outlined above is exciting, for now, things will be staying the same. Therefore, it is important to continue to have excellent oral hygiene. This can also lessen the chances of you needing to have cosmetic work like whitening! Make sure you attend regular dental check-ups, as this is the best way of seeing how your oral health is. Make sure you arrange an appointment soon!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice aimed at improving oral health.

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Here at , we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Larenas, J., Aguirre, P., Miranda, C., Tonetto, M., Jorquera, G., Riveros, P., & Godoy, E. (2020). The change of teeth color, whiteness variations and its psychosocial and selfperception effects when using low vs. high concentration bleaching gels: a one-year follow-up. BMC Oral Health. 20 (255). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-020-01244-x.

[2] Astute Analytica. (2022). Global Teeth Whitening Products Market Size Expected to Reach USD 8,316.50 Million by 2030|CAGR: 6.03%: Astute Analytica. Available: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-teeth-whitening-products-market-size-expected-to-reach-usd-8-316-50-million-by-2030cagr-6-03-astute-analytica-301514756.html. Last accessed: 6th August 2022.

[3] NHS. (2022). Teeth whitening. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/teeth-whitening/. Last accessed: 6th August 2022.

[4] Yoshini, F., & Yoshida, A. (2018). Effects of blue-light irradiation during dental treatment. Japanese Dental Science Review. 54 (4): p160-168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdsr.2018.06.002.

[5] Li, Q., Liu, J., Xu, Y., Liu, H., Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Sun, Y., Zhao, M., Liao, L., & Wang, X. (2022). Fast Cross-Linked Hydrogel as a Green Light-Activated Photocatalyst for Localized Biofilm Disruption and Brush-Free Tooth Whitening/ ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 14 (25): p28427-28438. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c00887.

Missing teeth affect many of us, especially the elderly. It is important for any replacement tooth to simulate the exact characteristics of the original tooth. When we seek an implant or dentures, the dentist will go through a time-consuming design process. But now, researchers have developed technology using artificial intelligence, which could result in improved accuracy and success of false teeth – potentially improving the oral health of millions of people.

Having missing teeth presents a range of problems – including our appearance, the process of chewing, and our ability to bite, among other issues. Elderly people are typically affected the most.

Missing teeth is usually down to severe tooth decay or gum disease. However, trauma is also a possible cause. Either way, most people seek treatment for the problem.

The most common solution is to get either dentures or implants. These false teeth are time-consuming to create however, and unfortunately do not always work as intended for patients – owing to design issues.

But now, a team of researchers have found that Artificial Intelligence could greatly improve the accuracy and effectiveness of false teeth, which could herald a new era of better false teeth.

Missing teeth and their impact

Missing teeth can have a big impact on life. For example, research has showed that those with teeth missing have a poorer quality of life, self-esteem and wellbeing [1].

While most people will replace a missing tooth with either an implant or dentures, there are issues. For example, both treatments are costly, and accessing dental services remains challenging for many.

Moreover, for those that choose not to replace a missing tooth, it can result in many problems. For example, it can affect the mouth’s appearance, how we chew, cause jawbone muscle problems, biting difficulties and even impact the teeth around it [2].

But even for those who can get implants and dentures, they present their own potential problems. It is crucial for false teeth to resemble the patient’s original tooth closely. Therefore, this helps to keep functions in the mouth the same.

However, a big problem in dentistry currently is how time-consuming it is to design appropriate dentures and implants in order to ensure they are suitable for the patient. If they are not designed adequately, they can cause discomfort and problems for the patient [2].

Now though, researchers have looked at how artificial intelligence could revolutionize this process and improve both the accuracy and time spent while designing the false teeth.

The Research

Researchers from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong and colleagues at the Chu Hai College of Higher Education, worked together to complete the research. Subsequently, their work was published in the journal PLOS ONE [3].

The researchers sought to find out if the use of artificial intelligence could result in an improvement in the accuracy and performance of dentures and implants [3]. They hoped that they could eventually automate the design of individualized false teeth.

Their motivation was to enhance the effectiveness of treatment and improve the patient experience and outcomes. Ultimately, the aim of false teeth is to provide a solution to the permanent issue of tooth loss.

The researchers used technology based on 3D Generative Adversarial Network – a type of artificial intelligence [3]. The aim was to train the technology to be able to automatically create a design of false teeth.

The technology was tested on 175 participants from the University of Hong Kong [3]. They provided teeth models which were then inputted into the technology. This gave the technology a wide range of knowledge that it could use to gain an understanding of each tooth, its texture and ideal measurements.

The study showed that artificial intelligence technology was capable of reconstructing the shape of a naturally healthy tooth – which were those of the participants [3]. Therefore, it was also able to automate the process of designing false teeth with high accuracy [3].

The new approach only requires a digital model of a patient’s mouth to function. Impressively, the technology can learn the features of a patient’s individual teeth [3]. It can then generate a false tooth design that will look and act like the missing tooth [3].

What this means

By making the process of designing false teeth automated, it could have a great impact on dentistry. For example, patients would have better fitting false teeth, increasing their comfort. Getting more individualized treatment would ensure longer lasting teeth.

Meanwhile, dentists could see more patients, due to the fact that they would need to spend less time in designing false teeth. This is a situation which would benefit all parties.

Dr. Walter Lam took part in the research [2]. He commented on the findings by saying that the technology will “facilitate the treatment workflow for dentists in replacing a missing tooth, as the preparation and fitting process will require minimal time, and a patient will not need to stay at the clinic for long hours” [2].

This overall case is another example of how artificial intelligence is proving beneficial to dentistry. Hopefully as time goes on, the technology will be widely implemented, resulting in a range of benefits.

Thinking points…

1) It is important to remember that it is possible to avoid losing teeth. The best way of doing this is to ensure that you take great care of your oral health. As part of this, you should make sure that you attend regular dental check-ups. Any problems will be able to be addressed, with a treatment plan created if needed. We recommend booking an appointment soon!

2) Do you, or someone you know, have poor-fitting dentures? If so, it is important to not suffer in silence. Treatment is always available, and at the very least, a dental professional may be able to make practical suggestions to increase comfort. By seeing a dental professional, any treatment options can be discussed. Why not make an appointment with a dentist now?!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental Clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice aimed at improving oral health.

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website.

References

[1] Gerritsen, A. E., Allen, P. F., Witter, D.J., Bronkhorst, E., & Creugers, N. HJ. (2010). Tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 8 (126). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-8-126

[2] The University of Hong Kong. (2022). AI-designed single molar dental prostheses. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-ai-designed-molar-dental-prostheses.html. Last accessed: 22nd July 2022.

[3] Chau, R. C. W., Chong, M., Thu, K. M., Chu, N. S. P., Koohi-Moghadam, M., Hsung, R. T-C., McGrath, C., & Lam, W. Y. H. (2022). Artificial intelligence-designed single molar dental prostheses: A protocol of prospective experimental study. PLOS ONE. 17 (6): e0268535. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268535.

A group of oral specialists have urged multiple stakeholders to take action regarding the declining oral health of children in Aotearoa New Zealand. The specialists have found that a huge number of children have tooth decay – capable of causing oral damage. Certain groups are more vulnerable than others, with multiple changes needing to be made.

A group of oral health specialists have said that urgent changes need to be made to combat the declining dental health of children in Aotearoa New Zealand.

However, the specialists have mentioned that the problem is too large for just one service to solve. Instead, they have urged multiple stakeholders across Aotearoa New Zealand to act together to improve this dire situation.

Background

Aotearoa New Zealand has a long history of providing publicly funded dental care for children and young people [1]. This is something that many countries offer. In fact, an increasing number of nations are turning to such a model, with Europe’s Spain among the most recent to take steps towards this [2].

Despite this, dental decay is the most common non-communicative disease among children in Aotearoa New Zealand [1]. However, certain groups across the nation fare worse.

For example, the Māori and Pasifika people, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those without access to community water fluoridation are most affected [1].

By the time children become teenagers, 5.6% of Māori people have experienced dental decay [1]. 70% of Pasifika people have experienced tooth decay – underlining the terrible situation facing some people [1].

The report

A group of oral specialists provided a report on the current situation. It was led by Senior Lecturer in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Otago – Dr. Dorothy Boyd [1].

Dr. Boyd has been particularly concerned about the damage tooth decay does to children. She says that “all children deserve to eat, sleep, learn and play without dental pain and oral infection” [3].

But the report found that a “tsunami” of childhood caries is developing [1]. The dental system in Aotearoa New Zealand is under significant pressure – including long waiting times, lack of communication between different care sectors, and disparities in healthcare access across the country [1].

The report highlighted the issue of disparities in healthcare across the country as something particularly important [1]. This disparity has led to some children having better access to dental treatment than others.

Other issues include how certain demographics live in poverty, meaning travelling to dental clinics can be difficult. Then there are also those who live in areas without fluoridated public water [1]. Therefore, there are many factors at play here.

So what can be done?

The authors of the report have said that action should be taken as soon as possible [1]. They have argued that the prevention of poor oral health will require efforts from the Government, health professionals, society, businesses and the public [1].

Dr. Boyd has identified this moment as “an opportunity for radical change” [3]. Continuing, she mentioned that as a society, “it is time for us to demand that our children are protected from harm” [3].

Boyd has said that practical changes include government legislation, increased parental responsibility for children’s oral health and less marketing of unhealthy foods to children [1].

Furthermore, Dr. Boyd suggested that there needs to be an improvement in the affordability of healthy food, fluoride toothpaste and toothbrushes [1]. The belief is that such efforts can help to improve the situation. Therefore, these recommendations should be taken into account by many groups.

Thinking points…

1) This article primarily focuses on children. However, the findings are still relevant for adults – and show the importance of our oral health. Therefore, we should all remember to have excellent oral hygiene. As part of this, it is important to attend a dental clinic for a regular check-up. We strongly recommend that you book an appointment right away!

2) Do you have any children? If so, think about this article – is there anything you can do to improve your children’s oral health? Maybe you could supervise them cleaning their teeth and encourage a healthy diet. But most importantly, remember to take them to regular dental check-ups. Consider booking an appointment for them soon!

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that offers many services, including regular check-ups, cavity fillings and root canals.

We are also pleased to offer some cosmetic services. Here at our Calgary dental clinic, we offer treatments like tooth whitening, Invisalign™ and dental implants.

It is important for oral problems to be addressed early. Any issues can be identified at check-ups. If further treatment is needed after a check-up, our patients receive a clear treatment plan that is suited to their needs. Early detection helps to prevent the problem getting worse.

The best way of avoiding extra treatment is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing our teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and getting a dental check-up at least twice a year. Avoiding sugary foods and drink and not smoking also helps.

Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.

We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

References

[1] Boyd, D. H., Moffat, S. M., Foster Page, L. A., & Kura Lacey, J. (2022). Oral health of children in Aotearoa New Zealand—time for change. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. (Pre-publication issue). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2022.2069826.

[2] Right Casa. (2022). Spanish Government Offers Children Free Dental Care. Available: https://rightcasa.com/spanish-government-offers-children-free-dental-care/. Last accessed: 8th July 2022.

[3] University of Otago. (2022). Dental system failing children, urgent change needed according to oral specialists. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-dental-children-urgent-oral-specialists.html. Last accessed: 8th July 2022.