The Dentist is In

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim It’s normal to have bacteria in your mouth. But harmful bacteria have been linked to a host of health problems. Medical scientist Glenda Davison and microbiologist Yvonne Prince, who have researched the oral cavity, explain why it’s so important to practice good oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene can lead to …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Dr. Adekemi Adeniyan is a rural dentist first and foremost. She works in one of the world’s most challenging settings, in Nigeria where fewer than two in 10 persons have access to oral health care where dental health remains one of the most neglected areas of public health. Dr. Adeniyan …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Dental care in the United States is expensive. Period. This is the main reason why Americans seek oral health care in Southeast Asia, in places like Bangkok and Manila. Overseas dental care is big business, a part of the $4 billion annual expenses that Americans spend on health care abroad. …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim The sugar consumption habits in the United Kingdom are alarming. In what it calls “staggering” numbers, the Oral Health Foundation says that eight out of 10 of the UK population consume at least one sugary snack and about that number up to three sugary snacks — each and every day. …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Between three million years ago (Ma) and 2.5 Ma, there were as many as four hominin lineages living in eastern Africa. They were the early Homo, Paranthropus, A. garhi, and the newly discovered Ledi-Geraru Australopithecus, according to a study which describes the age, geologic context and dental morphology of the …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Teeth millions of years old reveal a new human species, turning the story of evolution upside down. The new unknown branch of humanity from the depths of time cannot be named yet based on the teeth alone. More fossils are needed before that can happen, reports Arizona State University (ASU), …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim The drinking water system in the Philippines has no fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Instead, fluoride is available in toothpaste and other oral health care products. That said, it may interest you to know that the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) announced last May that it will …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Human urine may be used in dental implants. Believe it or not. Improbable that may be, researchers at the University of California in Irvine have devised a way to change wastewater into hydroxyapatite (HAp), a natural mineral. HAp is lightweight, strong and durable — an ideal material for dental implants …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim There is danger lurking in your gums, new research from Hiroshima University shows. It’s the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) that causes gum disease, according to the study published in the medical journal Circulation. The bacterium can travel in the bloodstream and enter the heart where it can cause atrial …

By Dr. Joseph D. Lim For 75 years now, the International Dental Journal (IDJ) has shared significant dental research and clinical practice to oral health practitioners worldwide. Since 1951, it published public health, community dentistry and epidemiology and beyond. In 2022, a subsection on Science and Technology in Dentistry was added and the section on …