Worried of Teeth Abrasion by Brushing? - Please Don't. Metal Nano-particles Mouthwash can be the Remedy

          Do you suffer from tooth sensitivity or have heavy hand on brushing abrading your teeth, then your worries are nearing to the end. Russian Scientists have developed the Metal Nano-particles to kill oral bacteria.

       An innovative mouth wash developed at the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (NUST MISIS) in cooperation with researchers from Vyatka State University was shown to have a substantial impact on oral cavity micro-flora, removing about 83% of dental plaque.

      It's effectiveness was proven during clinical trials at the Dentistry Department of Kirov State Medical University.

Dentists currently recommend mouthwash and oral irrigation devices that use a stream of pulsating water to remove dental plaque; as supplement in oral hygiene which helps to kill bacteria that can cause plaque formation, and remove food debris between teeth that cannot be removed easily with a toothbrush or floss. In coordination with medical experts, NUST MISIS researchers developed an oral rinse that, if used regularly, suppresses pathogenic oral bacteria, reducing the risk of dental carries and gum diseases. The product’s effectiveness is based on the use of metal nano-particles. Experiments showed that these particles stop bacteria that cause plaque from growing.

      Svetlana Gromova, Dean of the Dentistry Department at Kirov State Medical University and the project's Co-author says, 

“Pathogenic bacteria can be killed through chemical destruction of cell walls and various membranes, including cell organelle membranes, specifically when metal nano-particles enter into contact with bio-polymers of microbial cells. The cell membrane breaks down, releasing its content into the environment. With its bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties, the solution exceeds antibiotics by far when it comes to dealing with staphylococcus aureus and most coccus varieties.”

    During clinical trials at Kirov’s Dentistry Department, volunteers were asked to use the new mouthwash for one month, and measurements were taken after 14 and 30 days of using the product. Observations shown that bacteria that cause plaque are sensitive to various solutions that contain metal oxide nano-particles. Microorganisms were also less prone to adhering to teeth and causing inflammation. If used regularly, the rinse helped to reduce the oral fungal microbes,too; normalizing salivary pH.

    Head of the research team, Associate Professor at NUST MISIS Department of Physical Chemistry, Georgy Frolov said on the scientific outcome of the experiments: 

“Colloidal solutions of metal oxides are not toxic to humans. They have a lasting anti-bacterial effect against dental plaque microorganisms, while also serving as a source of microelements. As we saw during research, using a metal oxide mouthwash substantially reduces soft dental deposits, reducing pathogenic microflora, all but eliminating it.”

     NUST MISIS laboratories are currently making the first test batches of the product, patents and registration documents for medical use have been filled.

    So, this is a big leap towards effective plaque control because the contemporary methods of plaque control fall short on one or more aspect. Even though it can't be expected from it to completely replace the tooth brushing but can be a great adjuvant to the regular mechanical method like Tooth brush and flossing. 

    Although, the mouthwash may not have the universal appeal and experts may have difference of opinion on use of mouthwash as exclusive measure of plaque control but it can be a great alternative to the people with abraded teeth and for disabled.

Humans may be able to regrow lost teeth like sharks

     

Sharks can regenerate their teeth through the network of genes, which may pave the way for the development of therapies to help humans with tooth loss, said researchers.

     

Although humans possess same cells, their tooth regeneration ability is limited. But the study has identified a network of genes that enables sharks to develop and regenerate their teeth throughout their lifetime.

    

"We know that sharks are fearsome predators and one of the main reasons they are so successful at hunting prey is because of their rows of backward pointing, razor-sharp teeth that regenerate rapidly throughout their lifetime, and so are replaced before decay," said the lead author Gareth Fraser from the University of Sheffield in Britain.

     

Researchers have identified how a special set of epithelial cells form, called the dental lamina, which are responsible for the lifelong continuation of tooth development and regeneration in sharks.

    

The genes also allow sharks to replace rows of their teeth using a conveyer belt-like system. Humans also possess this set of cells, which facilitate the production of replacement teeth, but only two sets are formed - baby and adult teeth - before this set of specialised cells is lost.

     

These "tooth" genes, therefore make all vertebrate teeth from sharks to mammals, however in mammals like humans, the tooth regeneration ability, that utilises these genes, has been highly reduced over time.

     

"The Jaws films taught us that it's not always safe to go into the water, but this study shows that perhaps we need to in order to develop therapies that might help humans with tooth loss," Fraser added.

     

Through analysing the teeth of catshark embryos, the researchers characterised the expression of genes during stages of early shark tooth formation.

     

They found that these genes participate in the initial emergence of shark's teeth and are re-deployed for further tooth regeneration.

     

The study suggests that at the beginning of the sharks' evolutionary history, their teeth were most likely continuously regenerated and used a core set of genes from members of key developmental signalling pathways, which were instrumental in sharks evolving to maintain the ability to re-deploy the genes to replace teeth when needed.

Source

10 ways we damage our teeth without realising

We are notoriously known for our ‘bad’ teeth, however I prefer to think that people have a more natural, quirky and individual smile. Thanks to wider fashion trends and some A-list supporters, more and more of us are embracing unique smiles and realising that the over-white, blinding Hollywood smile, is not the best look.

Although most of us know to brush twice a day, there are many ways we can be damaging our teeth without realising.

1) Rinsing with water after brushing

Do not rinse after you have brushed your teeth as this washes away the fluoride in the toothpaste which is good for your teeth and helps prevent tooth decay. Just spit out the excess toothpaste.

 

2) Brushing your teeth after breakfast

You should brush your teeth as soon you wake up to brush away the bacteria that has formed in your mouth overnight. Then after you have eaten breakfast, rinse with a fluoride mouthwash.

3) Brushing your teeth straight after eating

You should wait for 30 – 40 minutes to allow saliva to naturally neutralise the low PH in the mouth caused by food and drinks before brushing. If you brush straight away the acid in the mouth gets brushed into the teeth and causes erosion and loss of tooth enamel, making the teeth sensitive and weaker over time.

 

4) Using a hard bristled toothbrush

You should never use a hard bristled toothbrush; always use a medium-soft bristled toothbrush because it is far kinder to your teeth. Using a hard bristled toothbrush will damage the gums, root surface and protective tooth enamel.

5) Snacking

If you are constantly grazing at your desk be aware that snacking in between meals is bad for your teeth as it increases the contact that food has with your teeth so can cause plaque to develop which leads to cavities. If you need to have a snack then try to stick to crudités as the raw vegetables help to clean your teeth naturally, or some unsalted nuts as they are full of calcium and vitamin D which help to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

6) Using your teeth as a bottle opener

It is highly likely that at when you are socialising at a party at the weekend, someone will be there who decides that opening a bottle with their teeth rather than a bottle opener is a great party trick. Opening a bottle, packet of crisps or anything else with your teeth can be extremely damaging as wears away your teeth and you are far more likely to chip a tooth. If this does happen, keep the missing tooth in milk until you can seek emergency dental work.

7) Drinking dark drinks: 

Darker coloured drinks such as rum and coke are the worst offenders when it comes to damage and erosion to the teeth as they have the lowest pH so are more acidic. You will be delighted to know that lighter coloured drinks such as champagne and Prosecco are better options for your teeth as they have a slightly higher pH value so will cause less damage. Cheers!

8) Guzzling soft drinks

It is not just alcoholic drinks that can be harmful to your teeth, be mindful of the soft drinks that you are consuming too. Opting for a fruit juice over a fizzy drink will be slightly kinder to your teeth. If you are drinking fizzy drinks, drink them through a straw to minimize the sugar contact with your teeth which can lead to dental issues. Also, chew sugar-free chewing gum after drinks to help neutralize the acid in your mouth that damages your teeth.

9) Flossing after brushing

Floss before you brush to loosen any food debris, flossing prior to brushing will act like a pre-wash for the teeth. Then brush your teeth and spit the toothpaste out but don’t rinse with water, this will keep fluoride on the teeth and help prevent the build-up of plaque which can lead to cavities.

10)  Flossing backwards and forwards

Flossing is essential to your daily oral hygiene routine, however there is a particular technique to flossing that you must use to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Pass the floss gently through the contact point between the teeth and then rub the floss up and down the sides of each tooth and each side of the gingival papillae (pink triangle of the gum between the teeth), pull the floss out gently from the space under the gingival papilla or back through the contact points. Never pull the floss backwards and forwards on the gum as this will cause damage.

Dr Sameer Patel, Clinical Director at Elleven www.ellevendental.com

Source - MSN Health & Fitness

A Simple Saliva Test may predict the risk of Early Death

A simple saliva test may predict the risk of early death, suggests a new study that found lower levels of antibodies in saliva are associated with an elevated risk of mortality. 

The study from the University of Birmingham in UK examined associations between secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), the common antibody found in saliva, and mortality rates in the general population. 

There was a negative association between IgA 

secretion rate and all-cause mortality, the researchers said. 

Further analysis of specific causes of mortality showed that the all-cause association was due to an underlying association with cancer mortality and, in particular with non-lung cancers, researchers said. 

As it appears to be a marker of mortality risk, and is much less invasive than blood sampling, saliva sampling to determine IgA secretion rate has the potential to be used as an indicator of overall health by professionals as part of a general check-up, they said. 

As many as 639 adults, from the eldest cohort of the 'West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study' took part in the research. 

Participants, aged 63 years old at the time of saliva sampling in 1995, had their IgA secretion rate measured and the mortality rate was tracked over the following 19 years. 

Associations were adjusted for gender, assay batch, household occupational group, smoking, medication usage, and self-reported health. 

Immunoglobulins, or antibodies, are proteins secreted by white blood cells and are essential for combating infectious disease. 

"There are a number of factors that can affect how well we produce antibodies and maintain their levels," said Anna Phillips, from the University of Birmingham. 

"There are some that we have no control over, such as age, heritability or illness, but our general state of health can also affect their levels; stress, diet, exercise, alcohol and smoking can all influence those levels," Phillips said. 

"Quite how saliva samples could be used in check-ups remains to be seen, as we need to better understand what secretion rate would be considered cause for concern - what we call the protective level," she said. 

"We could certainly say that, if found to be extremely low, it would be a useful early indicator of risk," she said. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE. Simple saliva test may predict early death risk.

Source : Economic Times India

A dental filling that is Stronger than Composites and doesn't corrode like Silver Amalgam

Graphene oxide could be used to make non-toxic, super strong dental fillings that do not corrode, researchers have found. 

Fillings are typically made of a mixture of metals, such as copper, mercury, silver and tin, or composites of powdered glass and ceramic. Typical metal fillings can corrode and composite fillings are not very strong. Graphene on the other hand is 200 times stronger than steel and does not corrode, making it a prime new candidate for dental fillings, the researchers said.

"We believe that this research will bring new knowledge about the cytotoxic properties of graphene-based materials and their potential applications in dental materials," Adriana Filip, associate professor at Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Romania said.

The next step for this research is for the team to make dental materials with graphene oxide and test how compatible they are with teeth, and how toxic they are to cells.

Source : http://goo.gl/vFFvZn