Knowles on using your hands; oral health & heart disease/infection; calcium-enriched cement

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In the second of her three-part series discussing a head, hands, and heart approach in dentistry, Dr. Lisa Knowles focuses on the hands -- specifically what dentists do with hands. She writes that it's easy to first think of what technical skills dentists can perform, but sometimes it is what else you do with your hands that is just as important.

In a new study, U.K. scientists report that the incidence of life-threatening heart infection has increased significantly in England since the introduction of the 2008 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, as dentists have written fewer prescriptions for prophylactic antibiotics before invasive procedures. Read more here.

A new study that looked at cardiologists' knowledge of the relationship between periodontal disease and heart disease found that many were unclear about the cause of periodontal disease. But they would like to have more information about the potential link between the two conditions, the researchers found. Read Rabia Mughal's article here.

A new review study published in Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics analyzed the effectiveness of calcium-enriched mixture cement in endodontic applications. Bioceramic materials were mostly used for dental implants before they were introduced for pulp capping, apexogenesis, apexification, and furcation repair. Read more here.

As a number of studies reminds, the oral-systemic link is well-established. The next hurdle, as Rabia Mughal's article spells out, is to educate your peers in medicine to expand their knowledge of the consequences of poor oral health.