FDA requires graphic tobacco warnings; what dental products contain BPA?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) got serious last week with its announcement that beginning in September 2011 it will require much larger and more graphic warnings on cigarette packaging and in commercials about the dangers of tobacco consumption. Among the graphic images it's proposing are cadavers, crying children, and oral cancer lesions. Read more.

Warnings of another kind can be found in this Second Opinion column by Dr. Alvin Arzt. He contends that because the true effects of bisphenol A (BPA) are not completely known, dental practitioners have a professional obligation to warn their patients if they intend to use a dental sealant that contains this chemical.

And in Imaging & CAD/CAM Community news, researchers from the University of Rochester are working with Raman spectroscopy to better distinguish between "good" and "bad" oral bacteria. Their work could yield new chairside oral caries and oral health assessment tools. Read more.

Finally, not sure what to think about this News in Brief item, although I did see the commercial last night and laughed out loud. Nice to see the dental team portrayed in a favorable light!