In brief: DentalMonitoring files lawsuit for patent infringement; efficacy of mouthrinse for IC
DentalMonitoring files suit for intellectual property infringement
DentalMonitoring has filed a lawsuit against Get-Grin Inc., a digital orthodontic platform where doctors oversee treatment steps through a proprietary app. In the lawsuit, DentalMonitoring alleges infringement of intellectual property regarding its DM Scanbox, a device capable of remotely scanning the dental arch of a patient.
Update on efficacy of mouthrinse for infection control
The efficacy of preprocedural rinses for infection control was the subject of a recent update study published in Clinical Oral Investigations. In searching and summarizing the literature on the use of preprocedural mouthwashes with different antiseptic agents—particularly those containing chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), or essential oils (EO)—researchers summarized they can “serve as part of a bundle of measures for protection of dental personnel” despite some remaining unknowns.
Younger people less likely to have amalgam restorations
Amalgam has been used for dental restorations for some 150 years, but a new study suggests a shift in the US to other materials. Published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, the study found that nonamalgam restorations were most common in the primary teeth of children older than 5 years and in the permanent teeth of adults younger than 40 years, with amalgam restorations “more common in older adults and amalgam and nonamalgam restorations were equally common in children younger than 5 years.”
Rate of US adults who smoke at all-time low
The number of Americans who smoke has hit an all-time low, with the percentage of US adults who smoke at about 11% in 2022. This is down from 12.5% in 2020 and 2021, but the good news is somewhat tempered by a rise in e-cigarette users: that rate rose to almost 6% last year, from about 4.5% the year before.
Symptoms, treatments for “meth mouth”
Among methamphetamine’s side effects is what’s commonly known as “meth mouth,” a host of oral issues that can include cavities, black teeth, periodontitis, and missing teeth. Medical Xpress rounds up its causes, symptoms, and potential treatments.
