By Dr. Joseph D. Lim New antibiotics may come from ancient teeth. The teeth of a Neanderthal man may provide the material to make new antibiotics, Harvard University scientists say. They are looking at bacteria found on the dental plaque that has hardened into tartar. The highest concentration of ancient DNA on any part of an …
The Dentist is In
Gum infection, irregular heartbeat
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim There could be a link between a gum disease and a heart condition, a new study suggests. The gum disease is periodontitis. The heart condition is fibrosis, a scarring to an appendage of the heart’s left atrium that can lead to an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. A research team …
AI, the new dentistry
By Dr. Joseph Lim A profound change is happening to dental health care. And Artificial Intelligence is very much a part of it in the changing landscape of dentistry. AI is a force for change, a paradigm shift, a way to transform dentistry into ways never imagined before. Many dentists are already using AI technology …
Oral health for all
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Universal Health Coverage can be accelerated through sustained action on oral health care. This sentiment was expressed by the World Dental Federation (FDI or Fédération Dentaire Internationale) during the 154th Session of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Executive Board on January 22 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO member states were …
A scientific way to brush your teeth
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Teeth should be brushed last thing at night or before bedtime. There is evidence to indicate that brushing at night and not eating thereafter will enable fluoride protection during the night and avoid the retention of carbohydrates in the mouth during sleep time when the salivary flow is low. It’s …
A very essential tool
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim It’s simple, effective — and very essential. “Toothbrushing stands as one of most straightforward yet highly effective preventive measure to reduce the burden of oral diseases, affecting nearly 3.5 billion individuals,” declares the World Dental Federation (FDI or Fédération Dentaire Internationale). With more than one million members worldwide, the FDI is …
Other diseases and oral health
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim There are many other diseases that link oral health and general health. Bone loss, for example, is common to both osteoporosis (in the arms and legs) and periodontitis (in the jawbone). An association between the two ailments is not clear although women with osteoporosis seem to have gum disease more …
Illegal dentistry
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim An ever-expanding need and demand for dental care, oral health and esthetics worldwide has resulted in an exponential rise in the value of the dental market. This has led to a significant increase in individuals or companies who wish to exploit this market. Some of these providers take a solely …
Wisdom teeth
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim They don’t necessarily mean more intelligence, and yet they are called wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth emerge between the ages of 17 and 25, when one is older and — supposedly — wiser. The third set of molars located at the back of the mouth are the last of the 32 …