Oral Health Center

News and Features Related to Oral Health

Gum Disease Raises Arthritis Risk

Oct. 20, 2009 (Philadelphia) -- Brush and floss! Gum disease may raise your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study shows. “We’ve known for a while that there is an association between gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis. But our new work suggests periodontal disease is causal,” says s
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Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart?

Paying attention to your dental hygiene and health -- especially your gums -- may pay you back with more than a gleaming, healthy smile and manageable dental bills. It may keep your heart healthy too. However, experts emphasize that the keyword is may. Cardiologists and periodontists, the dentists w
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Electric Toothbrushes: Are They for You?

Elizabeth Turkenkopf has been using an electric toothbrush for more than seven years, and has been impressed with the results -- cleaner teeth and minimal plaque build-up, which translates into less scraping at her regular dental check-ups. She hasn’t had a cavity since she made the switch from a ha
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Advanced Gum Disease May Raise Cancer Risk

Sept. 8, 2009 -- Taking care of your teeth and gums may not only save your smile, it could save your life. A new study suggests a common form of gum disease may significantly raise the risk of head and neck cancer. Researchers found that people diagnosed with head and neck cancers were much more lik
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FDA: Mercury Fillings Not Harmful

July 28, 2009 -- The mercury used in dental amalgam fillings is not at a level high enough to cause harm in patients, according to the FDA, which today issued its final regulation on the controversial tooth filling material. However, the agency tightened its controls on mercury fillings, classifying
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5 Habits That Lead to Plaque on Your Teeth

Plaque. Since childhood, we’ve been trained to resist that dreaded enemy of teeth. Regular brushing and flossing are sure bets for dental health. What else could you be doing -- or avoiding -- to keep plaque off your knockout smile? “Keeping plaque off your teeth isn’t complicated, but consistency i
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10 Toothbrushing Mistakes

Toothbrushing is such an ingrained habit, few people think twice about it. But as with any habit, you can get sloppy, and that can lead to cavities and gum disease. Here, dentists and oral health experts point out 10 common toothbrushing mistakes and how to fix them. Consider the size of your mouth
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15 Myths and Facts About Cavities

Only one of the following is true. Do you know which? Eating acidic things like lemons causes cavities. If you have a cavity, you’ll definitely know it. Once you treat a cavity, the tooth decay stops. To separate dental health myth from fact, WebMD talked with Kimberly A. Harms, DDS, an American Den
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Change Your Breath From Bad to Good

We've all found ourselves chatting with someone whose breath could easily wilt a flower. With more than 90 million people suffering from chronic bad breath (also called halitosis), that's a lot of wilted flowers. If you (or someone you regularly smooch) has an attack of bad breath that even Altoids
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Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth

April 3, 2009 -- Sports drinks may boost your energy, but they can also weaken your teeth, a new study shows. The popular energy drinks sipped by many athletes to increase stamina contain levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining, according to the findings of New Yo
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