COPD and gum disease “together worsen COPD,” study finds
Previous studies have established a link between coronary obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and periodontal disease, and a new study sheds light on the source of that connection. mSystems reports that researchers from Sichuan University in China found that bacteria associated with gum disease promote COPD through the activation of two types of cells that are important to the immune system. Study findings suggest that periodontitis and COPD together worsen COPD, and point to gum disease management as a potential treatment for COPD.
Dangerous DIY dentistry trends persist
Some DIY dentistry trends that became popular during the earlier stages of the pandemic are persisting on social media. From homemade fillings to oil pulling as a replacement for brushing and flossing, here’s a look at five dental TikTok trends to be aware of—and caution your patients against doing.
4 in 10 rural residents haven’t seen the dentist in a year or more
A new report by CareQuest reveals that 40% of people living in rural areas haven’t visited the dentist in more than a year, compared with 35% and 30% of people in urban and suburban areas, respectively. Other key findings from Still Searching: Meeting Oral Health Needs in Rural Settings, published in November 2023, include the fact that 67% of rural areas are Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas and that just over one-third of rural residents don’t have dental insurance.
ICYMI: Masking mandates return in some health-care facilities, systems
A surge in respiratory illnesses including RSV, flu, and COVID-19 has prompted a number of health-care systems and facilities across the country to revive masking policies. Axios reports with some two million Americans getting infected daily with COVID—making the current wave associated with the JN.1 variant the second biggest of the pandemic after omicron emerged—health-care facilities in New York, California, Illinois, and Massachusetts have made masks mandatory among patients and providers. Becker’s also listed 28-plus hospitals and health systems currently known to be bringing back mask mandates.
