Tag: oral health

Researchers from the University of Utah are planning a study that will look at how the salivary glands impact Covid-19 reinfection. Reinfection of Covid-19 has proven to be a controversial subject. However, reinfection does seem to involve the salivary glands. As a result, researchers are focusing on their role in the contraction of Covid-19.

Covid-19 continues to cause havoc around the world, though research into this virus is gradually helping the overall recovery of humans around the world.

Now, researchers from the University of Utah are leading an investigation that will analyse whether or not salivary glands infected with Covid-19 could actually lessen a person’s long-term immunity to the virus post-vaccination, or even after recovery.

This research is part of the ongoing effort to analyse the factors involved in potential reinfection of Covid-19. This concept has already proven controversial, and has resulted in a lot of confusion and debate.

The salivary glands play an important role in Covid-19 research. Due to their interaction with proteins and the immune system, they are an area that many researchers are focusing on.

Covid-19: The Current State

Covid-19 remains a big threat to humanity. At the time of writing, around the world, there have been almost 250million cumulative cases reported [1]. In addition, there have been almost 5million deaths worldwide [1].

The attempt to vaccinate billions of people has made progress. Furthermore, the latest statistics show that 6billion vaccine doses have been administered [1].

The scientific community have been researching every aspect of Covid-19. This includes the Covid-19 vaccine efforts, tracing the origin of the virus, aggravating factors in recovery and in this case, reinfection.

Is it possible to catch Covid-19 twice?

Reinfection of Covid-19 has proven to be a contentious issue. The general consensus is that reinfection is possible, though it is rare. Many academics are “uncertain” [2]. Meanwhile, some have dismissed reinfection as a “myth” [3].

Some have attributed supposed reinfection to faulty PCR tests [4]. However, a widescale study in the United Kingdom found that reinfection was possible. But, less than 1% of participants in the study became reinfected with Covid-19 [5]. This suggested that reinfection was unlikely, but possible.

Where are the Salivary Glands and what do they do?

The Salivary Glands refer to the composition of three main glands and hundreds of smaller glands. They are located in the mouth. The salivary glands make saliva, which helps to keep the mouth moist, whilst aiding key functions of the mouth, such as chewing, tasting and swallowing food.

The salivary glands assist in food digestion through creating the enzymes that break down food. They are also connected to the immune system, and its antibodies are sometimes able to prevent infections in the mouth and throat.

Therefore, the salivary glands are a crucial area in the human body. As a result of their position in the body, they play a serious role in the contraction of Covid-19.

The upcoming research

The upcoming research will be focusing on the salivary glands and their role in the potential diminishing of a person’s long-term immunity to reinfection of Covid-19 [6]. This is even in the case of if a person has been vaccinated.

The research will look at whether the body’s ability to make antibodies is affected by when the salivary glands that have SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) [6]. Therefore, if this is affected, reinfection could be more likely. Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 are often found in the salivary glands. However, it isn’t entirely known how the virus gets there. It is believed that the most inner lining of the oral cavity, called mucosa, is usually the entry point for any virus [6].

Assistant Professor Melodie Weller, of University of Utah, has been commenting on the upcoming study. Weller explained that proteins that emanate from the food we eat, are released into the saliva [6].

Weller says “we swallow a lot of saliva every day” [6]. But a problem is that viruses also contain proteins. Therefore, our immune system cannot always detect the difference in proteins. As a result, viruses can bypass the salivary glands and attack our immune system.

Consequently, this can affect how long immunity will last, even after inoculation. As a result, Weller states that it is crucial to “understand the role of SARS-CoV-2 in the salivary glands” [6].

Moreover, an increase in the understanding of this area can result in improved knowledge of how “reinfection and breakthrough infections after immunization are occurring during this pandemic”, Weller says [6].

Based on the above, the researchers believe that the SARS-CoV-2 released from the salivary glands could impede the production of antibodies. Because of this, the risk of relapse or reinfection appears to increase. Therefore, this may limit the long-term effectiveness of vaccines.

The next steps

This research will continue the scientific community’s efforts to understand more about Covid-19. The University of Utah’s research will aim to build on pre-existing research that has found SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in the salivary glands [7].

The researchers will be testing their theory on mice. They will be administering protein to the salivary glands of the mice. The Covid-19 vaccine will then be applied, and researchers will wait to see how they respond.

Their findings will be important in analyzing the effectiveness of the vaccines in the long-term, and the role of the salivary glands. Finally, either way, it will add to the ongoing body of research into Covid-19.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.We provide our patients with a warm welcome, a comfortable experience and advice whenever needed.

We recommend that our patients 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.

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 https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

• [1] World Health Organization. (2021). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Available: https://covid19.who.int/. Last accessed: 30th October 2021.
• [2] Hanrath, A. T., Payne, B. A. I., & Duncan, C. J. A. (2020). Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with protection against symptomatic reinfection. The Journal of Infection. 82 (4): p29-30.
• [3] Roy, S. (2020). COVID-19 Reinfection: Myth or Truth?. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine. 2 (1): p710-713.
• [4] Krishna, E., Pathak, V. K., Prasad, R., Jose, H., & Mumar, M. M. (2020). COVID-19 reinfection: Linked Possibilities and future outlook. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 9 (11): p5445-5449.
• [5] Hall, V., Foulkes, S., Charlett, A., Atti, A., Monk, E. J. M.., Simmons, R., Wellington, E., Cole, M. J., Saei, A., Oguti, B., Munro, K., Wallace, S., Kirwan, P. D., Shrotri, M., Vusirikala, A., Rokadiya, M., Kall, Zambon, M., Ramsay, M., Brooks, T., Brown, C. S., Chand, M. A., Hopkins, S. (2020). Do antibody positive healthcare workers have lower SARS-CoV-2 infection rates than antibody negative healthcare workers? Large multi-centre prospective cohort study (the SIREN study), England: June to November 2020. SIREN Study Group. Available: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.13.21249642. Last accessed: 30th October 2021.
• [6] University of Utah Health Sciences. (2021). Can salivary glands infected with COVID-19 increase risk for relapse or reinfection?. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-10-salivary-glands-infected-covid-relapse.html. Last accessed: 30th October 2021.
• [7] Matuck, B. F., Dolhnikoff, M., Duarte-Neto, A. N., Maia, G., Gomes, S. C., Sendyk, D. I. & Zarpellon, A. (2021). Salivary glands are a target for SARS-CoV-2: a source for saliva contamination. The Journal of Pathology. 254 (3): p239-243.

The state of our oral health depends on a huge number of factors. While some, like diet and dental hygiene, may seem obvious, there are other areas too. One unexpected area is the wealth of a child’s parents. Now, researchers have looked to reach conclusions about this potential link. They found that having wealthy parents actually results in poorer oral health for children.

The oral health of a child depends on a huge number of areas. For instance, genetics, diet and the environment in which they grow up in.

Now, research has shown that another factor is the wealth of a child’s family. This unexpected factor has been researched comprehensively by Australian researchers, who used global data to carry out their study.

In a somewhat surprising result, the researchers found that children that came from a wealthy background were more likely to have poor oral health [1].

It was found that among the biggest causes of this was easy access to soft drinks, energy drinks and packaged juices [1].

Background

Many factors affect a child’s oral health. The modern-day diet is typically high in sugar, which is an important factor. The link between sugar and dental health is clear. Many studies show a direct link between sugar consumption and the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth [2].

Existing research also shows that the dental habits of parents has a big influence on their children’s oral health [3]. For example, this includes brushing habits and the number of trips to the dentist for check-ups each year [3].

Researchers are always looking for other factors that impact oral health. This can help them to identify potential solutions to problems. A new area that researchers have now considered is the link between a child’s financial background and their oral health.

Research shows that in a 12-month period, just 75% of Canadians visited a dentist, with 23% being put off from visiting a dental clinic due to cost [4]. Therefore, it could be expected that those from poorer backgrounds would have worse dental health.

The Research

Now, researchers from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia have carried out a study into this area. The researchers partnered with the National Dental Research Institute of Singapore.

The research involved a global study of 30 countries [1]. It was a meta-analysis, which involved analysing 54 relevant studies, with over 64,000 participants [1]. Therefore, this study provided a comprehensive overview of children’s oral health around the world.

The aim of the research was to identify a link between socio-economic status and oral health, with their findings published in the Journal of Dentistry [1].

The study found that children whose parents had higher levels of education and wealth, and who had attended private schools had poorer oral health than those whose parents did not [1].

The researchers explained that these results were caused by many factors. Because of easy access to soft drinks, energy drinks and packaged juices, the risks increase [1]. The high sugar content causes this. Once sugar is consumed, it combines with bacteria to create acid. Subsequently, it gradually dissolves enamel. Finally, this leads to cavities that need to be filled.

The study also found that in certain countries, traditional foods and drink were another cause [1]. This included tamarind, hibiscus and citrus teas. The strong acid content caused this.

Yet the study also found that higher-educated adults had a lower risk of developing tooth problems [1]. Therefore, while those who are highly-educated typically have poorer oral health as they grow up, they will then typically have better oral health as an adult.

Consequently, this is an important consideration, and shows that those with strong oral health at a young age cannot get complacent.

What does this study show us?

Because this study had so many participants, the conclusions are very important. We must all consider the impact that our purchases and habits have on dental health.

Dr. Ahmed, the lead researcher, commented on the findings. He said that “fizzy drinks, energy drinks and packaged juices are in many countries available to the affluent” [5].

Such dietary habits can cause “progressive and irreversible wearing down of teeth over time, making them unsightly [and] more sensitive” [5].

Dr. Ahmed recommended that “early screening of individuals at risk” will help to “enhance the cost-effectiveness and success of dental treatments” [5].

These findings back up previous research. In addition, one study concluded that soft drinks were the “crucial link” between good and bad oral health [6].

In conclusion, this study acts as further confirmation of the importance of habit. But it also shows that there are many different factors affecting oral health, including some that we wouldn’t automatically think of. Because of this, having strong oral hygiene is crucial.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a warm welcome, a comfortable experience and advice whenever needed.

We recommend that our patients 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.

Importantly, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is helpful.

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 https://savannadentalclinic.ca.

• [1] Entezami, S., Glazer Peres, K., Li, H., Albarki, Z., Hijazi, M., & Ahmed, K. E. (2021). Tooth wear and socioeconomic status in childhood and adulthood: findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Journal of Dentistry. 103827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103827.
• [2] Battellino, L. J., Corneho, L. S., Dorronsoro de Cattoni, S. T., Luna Maldonado de Yankilevich, E. R., Calamari, S. E., & Aczura, A. (1997). Oral health status evaluation of pre-school children: longitudinal epidemiologic study. (1993–1994). Revista de Saúde Pública. 31(1), p272-281.
• [3] Freire de Castilho, A. R., Mialhe, F. L., de Souza Barbosa, T., & Puppin-Rontani, R. M. (2013). Influence of family environment on cjildren’s oral health: a systematic review. Jornal de Pediatria. 89 (2): p116-123.
• [4] Statistics Canada. (2019). Dental Care, 2018. Available: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2019001/article/00010-eng.htm. Last accessed: 24 September 2021.
• [5] Griffith University. (2021). Children from wealthy backgrounds at greater risk of tooth wear. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-10-children-wealthy-backgrounds-greater-tooth.html. Last accessed: 15th October 2021.
• [6] Kamal, Y., O’Toole, S., & Bernabé, E. (2019). Obesity and tooth wear among American adults: the role of sugar-sweetened acidic drinks. Journal of Clinical Oral Investigations. 24: p1379-1385.

A recent study has looked into how certain oral proteins affect the overall life expectancy of dental implants. Dental implants are a popular oral treatment, but they don’t provide permanent results. The researchers therefore attempted to find ways of prolonging the life of implants through analysing a process named “biofouling”.

Dental implants are a very common treatment in dentistry. Implants can be an effective solution for missing or heavily-decayed teeth.

However, dental implants aren’t permanent measures. In addition, dental implants usually need to be replaced after a few years. Because of this, scientists have sought to find ways to prolong the life of implants.

A recent study has analysed the process of “biofouling” and the effect it has on dental implants. The research involved studying oral proteins and the effect that different chemical modifications have on the implant surface.

Background

Dental implants are typically used to replace a lost or missing tooth, they are normally needed because of advanced gum disease or extensive tooth decay.

Implants are designed to be long-lasting. Studies have found that there is a 90-95% success rate over 10 years for dental implants [1]. Many implants do not last longer than 10 years.

Because of this, researchers have been searching for ways of improving the longevity of dental implants. Therefore, scientists sought to study how dental implants are affected by mouth processes. For instance, this included biofouling.

The Process of Implant Insertion

When dental implants are inserted, they are immediately coated by saliva and blood plasma. The implants absorb a thin layer of oral proteins from the plasma, leading to gum tissue attaching.

However, this process allows bacteria to grow on the surface of the implant. Consequently, this can lead to the gum tissue becoming irritated. As a result, inflammation and eventual removal will often follow.

The Research

Research published in the Journal of Dental Research aimed to increase scientists’ understanding of a complex biological process named “biofouling” [2]. The University at Buffalo and the University of Regensburg carried out the research.

Biofouling refers to how the surface of implants effect the adsorption of oral proteins and unwanted microorganisms. Biofouling is a process that causes negative effects on oral health [3]. The level of adsorption is dependent on environmental conditions, protein properties and the material surface [4].

Attacking bacteria encounters protein layers first. Therefore, how implant surfaces are affected by oral proteins is an important subject.

The research involved using specially-designed silica beads. In addition, these beads had a range of different chemically modified surfaces [2]. By comparing different surfaces, researchers were therefore able to see how each one reacted.

The results showed that the adsorption of proteins from blood plasma is influenced by the amount of protein adsorbed. However, the adsorption of proteins from saliva is impacted by the biomaterial’s surface [2].

Stefan Ruhl, who is a Professor of Oral Biology at the University at Buffalo’s School of Dental Medicine, spoke about the study [5].

Ruhl said that oral proteins “help determine the biological or pathological consequences that result in either long-term survival of the implant or its failure along with irreversible damage to the surrounding tissues from infection” [5]. Ruhl’s comments emphasize the importance of this subject area.

What does this study show us?

The findings from this study should result in an improvement in the success of dental implants. As a result, the researchers will hope their findings can be put into practice.

The researchers have planned a follow-up study. This is because they hope to involve more chemically-modified silica surfaces. This is part of an ongoing aim to improve the design of implant surface coatings.

However, it is important to mention that there are other factors that affect dental implants. Moreover, oral hygiene, diet, bone structure and lifestyle factors all have an impact on the length of time implants last [6].

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We offer many services, including regular check-ups, cavity fillings, root canals and some cosmetic services.

Dental problems should be addressed early and can be identified at check-ups. This helps to prevent the problem getting more severe. So, when further treatment is needed after a check-up, we give our patients a clear treatment plan.

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 practice Savanna Dental also 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.

• [1] Raikar, S., Talukdar, P., Kumari, S., Kumar Panda, S., Oommen, V. M., & Prasad, A. (2017). Factors Affecting the Survival Rate of Dental Implants: A Retrospective Study. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry. 7(6), p351-355.
• [2] Lehnfeld, J., Dukashin, Y., Mark, J., White, G. D., Wu, S., Katzur, V., Muller, R., & Ruhl, S. (2021). Saliva and Serum Protein Adsorption on Chemically Modified Silica Surfaces. Journal of Dental Research. 100(10): p1047-1054.
• [3] Norde, W. (2008). My voyage of discovery to proteins in flatland… and beyond. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 61(1): p1–9.
• [4] Michiardi, A., Aparicio, C., Ratner, B. D., Planell, J. A., Gil, J. (2007). The influence of surface energy on competitive protein adsorption on oxidized niti surfaces. Biomaterials. 28(4): p586–594.
• [5] University at Buffalo. (2021). Study: Dental implant surfaces play major role in tissue attachment, warding off unwanted bacteria. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-09-dental-implant-surfaces-major-role.html. Last accessed: 2nd October 2021.
• [6] Gherde, C., Dhatrak, P., Nimbalkar, S., & Joshi, S. (2021). A comprehensive review of factors affecting fatigue life of dental implants. Materials Today: Proceedings. 43(2): p1117-1123.