Latest news with #NationalInstituteofDentalandCraniofacialResearch
Time Business News
12 hours ago
- Health
- Time Business News
How To Handle A Toothache Until You See An Emergency Dentist
Toothaches can disrupt life. You feel discomfort and worry. Before you see a Dentist in Streamwood, Illinois, you need relief. Quick actions can help. First, rinse your mouth with warm salt water. This simple step reduces swelling and cleans the area. Next, gently floss around the sore tooth. This removes trapped food causing pain. For temporary relief, apply a cold compress to your cheek. This eases swelling and numbs discomfort. Additionally, over-the-counter pain relief provides temporary comfort. Follow the instructions carefully. Avoid very hot or cold foods that might increase pain. Refrain from chewing on the affected side. You should focus on soft foods like yogurt or applesauce. These choices minimize pressure on the sore tooth. These steps offer temporary relief. It is crucial to visit a dentist soon. The right care prevents further damage and ensures healing. Prioritize your health without delay. Toothaches happen for various reasons. Cavities, gum infections, and cracked teeth are common causes. Each cause requires specific treatment. Identifying the source helps in managing the pain until professional care is available. When pain strikes, act quickly. Each step provides comfort and can prevent the issue from worsening. Here is a quick checklist: Rinse with warm salt water. This reduces bacteria and soothes the inflamed area. Floss gently to remove food particles. Apply a cold compress to the cheek. This reduces swelling and numbs the area. Take over-the-counter pain medication. Follow dosage instructions carefully. Avoid high-temperature foods and drinks. These can increase sensitivity. Stick to soft foods to prevent further irritation. Foods to Eat Foods to Avoid Yogurt Ice Cream Applesauce Hard Candy Mashed Potatoes Hot Soup Not every toothache needs emergency care. However, certain symptoms demand immediate attention. If you have severe pain, swelling of the face, or a fever, you must visit a dentist. Persistent tooth pain can lead to serious health issues if not treated promptly. Do not hesitate to contact your dentist for guidance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers valuable information on oral health conditions. Additionally, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research provides resources to help understand dental health issues. Before you visit the dentist, prepare by noting your symptoms. Describe the pain, its duration, and any triggers. This detail helps the dentist assess your condition quickly. Bringing a list of medications ensures safe and effective treatment. Toothaches demand prompt attention. Taking immediate steps can manage discomfort before seeing a dentist. Remember, these are temporary solutions. Professional dental care is essential for long-term health. Stay proactive in managing your oral health. Your comfort and well-being depend on timely action. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
More dental problems as you get older? Aging may not be the real reason
Older people are living longer and keeping more of their teeth. That's good news — but it also means that seniors need to be more vigilant than ever about oral health. Over the past 20 years, the portion of adults 65 and older with no teeth fell from about 32% to an all-time low of 17%, according to the most recent report from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Among those 75 and older, it fell from 38% to 22%. 'More people are keeping more of their teeth for longer,' said Dr. Don Curtis, a professor at UCSF School of Dentistry. 'So there's more teeth to take care of and more teeth that are vulnerable to chronic disease.' Older adults are at higher risk than younger populations for developing many dental problems, including periodontal disease (gum disease), root cavities and oral cancer. About 66% of U.S. adults 75 and older have periodontitis (serious gum disease) compared to 42% in the overall adult population, according to one 2016 estimate. Aging may not be the reason These dental issues aren't necessarily due to aging itself, but rather other things that often happen with your overall health, mobility, dexterity and cognition as you age that can in turn affect your oral health, dentists say. For example, many older adults take multiple prescription medications to manage chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis. One of the most common side effects of using multiple medications is dry mouth, or having less saliva (hyposalivation), which can make you more susceptible to cavities — one major contributor to losing teeth. Even some common medications for allergies can disrupt saliva flow, as can SSRIs, a class of antidepressants whose side effects can include grinding and clenching. Grinding over time can wear down tooth enamel and make a person more vulnerable to tooth loss. 'Hundreds of medications can cause disturbed salivary flow,' said Dr. Elisa Chavez, a professor at the University of Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco. 'Often, people aren't thinking about it or it doesn't strike them as critical. But these are things that can increase risk of developing cavities.' More than 30% of patients over age 60 suffer from dry mouth, according to one 2014 study in the Journal of Dentistry. Gum recession also tends to become more common with age. Recession exposes more of the roots of the teeth where plaque accumulates, which can cause decay and heighten the risk of gum disease. 'The average 70-year-old is more vulnerable to decay because of gum recession than a 7-year-old,' Curtis said. 'Everyone thinks once they're an adult they're not going to get cavities anymore but that's not the case.' Studies have also found that people with diabetes, a chronic condition that's more common in older adults, are at higher risk for gum disease and loose teeth. Some older adults also have problems with mobility because of arthritis or tremors, which can make it harder to brush and floss regularly or get to the dentist as often as they used to. Cognitive impairment can also complicate matters, making it harder to remember daily oral hygiene or to point out a new problem, like bleeding gums. One 2013 study found that among homebound elderly adults, 96% said they had not seen a dentist since becoming homebound. 'For patients who have significant cognitive issues, having regular dental visits are important because they may not be able to identify things like a well older adult would,' Chavez said. 'Those opportunities for intervention early on are really important in that population.' But, perhaps hearteningly, 'Poor oral health is not an inevitability of aging,' Chavez said. 'You can maintain good oral health,' she said. 'The thing is to identify risk factors — the presence of chronic diseases that result in loss of ability to care for yourself or get regular care, and medications that can have an impact.' Interdental brushes, and other solutions Let your dentist know if you've been diagnosed with a new condition or started any new medications since you last saw them, Chavez said. This includes flagging any changes in your ability to maintain daily oral hygiene. 'Dentists and hygienists can give you points and ideas about oral hygiene aids,' she said. For older adults with limited dexterity, for instance, at-home tools like interdental brushes, oral rinses, irrigation devices and power toothbrushes can be helpful, according to a 2021 study led by UCSF's Curtis that examined how to treat older adults with periodontal disease. Curtis recommends using an electric toothbrush with a timer. 'Without a timer, many people often think they spent adequate time but they haven't so they're leaving plaque, which is what leads to potential decay and inflammation associated with periodontal disease,' he said. After eating, brush first, then floss, then brush a little more, Curtis said. This is because flossing helps break up plaque colonies between the teeth. If you grind your teeth, consider a night guard, which can help lessen damage and tooth loss. Older adults with gum recession can also ask their dentist about a high-fluoride varnish. In 2022, a Department of Veterans Affairs study of about 68,000 older adults found that the topic varnish applied over the roots helped decrease decay by 29% over a three-year period. 'Dentures are not a foregone conclusion,' Chavez said. 'We can maintain oral health into older ages and that's exactly what we want to do.'
Newsweek
04-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Needs Teeth—Literally
The White House's Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment covers an array of chronic health concerns from obesity to diabetes, but it is missing the most common chronic childhood disease—cavities. Left unchecked, cavities impact academic, economic, and social outcomes, including lost school and work hours, lower self-esteem, and difficulty getting a job. With the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement charting its course, we cannot ignore the critical relationship between oral health and overall health and wellness. Tooth decay is roughly five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever, affecting nearly 46 percent of American kids. And it is entirely preventable. Without proper treatment and care, children are at higher risk for developmental impairment, chronic pain, disfiguration, and social isolation, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Untreated dental disease can even be life threatening, as in the case of Deamonte Driver, who died at age 12 after bacteria spread from an untreated tooth abscess to his brain. His death could have been prevented with a tooth extraction. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2025. ALLISON ROBBERT/AFP via Getty Images In establishing the MAHA commission, the administration outlined the movement's focus on reducing chronic disease incidence and improving cost efficiency, with a specific emphasis on ending childhood chronic disease. This work is increasingly necessary as our health system grows more complex and chronic disease incidence worsens. And oral health is an important piece of this puzzle. Notably, one of the areas addressed in the MAHA Assessment is environmental drivers of chronic disease. The environment starts shaping the oral microbiome—the makeup of bacteria and organisms in our mouths—as soon as we are born. Research shows the oral microbiome links to systemic health issues including heart disease and diabetes. Chronic stress and poor diet are two additional important factors addressed in the report that directly impact oral health and the oral microbiome. The report authors also rightly point out that chronic disease threatens our military readiness. Did you know untreated cavities or severe gum disease can disqualify you from enlisting? Oral health is one of the medical/physical eligibility tests along with mental health and obesity, which the Assessment categorizes as two of the primary reasons for why "over 75% of American youth (aged 17-24) are ineligible for military service." Tooth decay may not seem like a particularly important chronic disease to address on its surface, especially considering most people don't think about cavities as a disease. But when we dig into the widespread impact of chronic conditions, as the White House did in this report, we can't ignore the impact of oral health across our health outcomes, economy, and military readiness. It's clear that oral health is intimately connected to what MAHA calls "the stark reality of American children's declining health." The commission plans next to create a strategy to study dietary impacts and environmental exposures, changing policies to promote healthy food options and increasing research funding on the long-term effects of kids' medications. Let's encourage the administration to remember the importance of oral health and the significance of being able to prevent chronic dental disease so children can grow up with the best chance of optimal health and wellness. David Healy is president of Sun Life U.S. Dental, which includes DentaQuest, the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S., by membership. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NIH principal deputy director, who led agency during COVID, resigns abruptly
The No. 2 in command at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Lawrence A. Tabak, who served as acting director of the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, has abruptly resigned. Tabak, 73, has been at the NIH for 25 years, first serving as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research before eventually becoming the NIH's principal deputy director in 2010, which is the second-in-command at the agency. Tabak also served during transitional periods as acting director, including during the COVID era when he was regularly grilled by Republicans, alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, over the NIH's response. "I write to inform you that I have retired from government service, effective today, 2/11/2025," Tabak wrote in an email, reportedly circulated to staff at the NIH, earlier this week. The note did not explain the reason for his departure. Senate Democrats Rail Against Rfk Jr. In Late-night Session Ahead Of Vote Tabak's resignation comes amid a shakeup within the Health and Human Services Department, the NIH's parent agency, that occurred once President Donald Trump took office in January. Under Trump, the agency has faced cuts to programs and reports have indicated the administration has plans to fire a trove of HHS employees. Typically, Tabak would have been promoted to acting director while Trump's nominee awaited confirmation. However, the position was instead assigned to Dr. Matthew Memoli, a former top researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a known critic of COVID vaccine mandates. Tabak was part of a group of agency leaders, including Fauci and former NIH Director Francis Collins, who congressional investigators accused of trying to manipulate the narrative around the origins of the COVID-19 virus. Through GOP investigations, it was determined Tabak was part of a controversial phone call with Fauci, Collins and several prominent scientists that critics have argued was a catalyst for the publication of a scientific paper that was released positing that it was not plausible the virus originated in a lab. Read On The Fox News App Scientists Expect Major 'Medical Breakthroughs' Despite Trump's Cap On Nih Research Funding He was also front-and-center when it came to GOP probes into whether risky gain-of-function research was occurring at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, and faced criticism for slow-rolling the release of information requested by Republican investigators for these concerns. Tabak "[dealt] with all of the messy or intractable problem[s]" and was "often… the fall guy when things [went] sideways," Jeremy Berg, former director of NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences, said on social media following news of Tabak's resignation. "Larry has shoveled so much s--- over the years that he would have been well qualified to work behind the elephants in an old circus." Fox News Digital reached out to the NIH for comment but did not receive a response by publication article source: NIH principal deputy director, who led agency during COVID, resigns abruptly
