An infection of the root tip of a tooth increases the risk of coronary artery disease, even if the infection is symptomless. Hidden dental root tip infections are very common: as many as one in four in Finland suffer from at least one. Such infections are usually detected by chance from Xrays.
Autoimmune diseases (AID) are a collection of many complex disorders of unknown etiology resulting in immune responses to self-antigens and are thought to result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Here we review the epidemiologic evidence for the role of environmental factors in the development of human AID, the conclusions that can be drawn from the existing data, critical knowledge gaps, and research needed to fill these gaps and to resolve uncertainties. We specifically summarize the state of knowledge and our levels of confidence in the role of specific agents in the development of autoimmune diseases, and we define the areas of greatest impact for future investigations. Among our consensus findings we are confident that: 1) crystalline silica exposure can contribute to the development of several AID; 2) solvent exposure can contribute to the development of systemic sclerosis; 3) smoking can contribute to the development of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis; and 4) an inverse association exists between ultraviolet radiation exposure and the risk of development of multiple sclerosis. We suggest that more studies of phenotypes, genotypes, and multiple exposures are needed. Additional knowledge gaps needing investigation include: defining important windows in the timing of exposures and latencies relating to age, developmental state, and hormonal changes; understanding dose-response relationships; and elucidating mechanisms for disease development. Addressing these essential issues will require more resources to support research, particularly of rare AID, but knowledge of the risks conferred by environmental factors in specific genetic contexts could pave the way for prevention of AID in the future.
In their recent article, Maserejian et al.(1) propose bisphenol-a (BPA) exposure as a hypothesis to explain apparent psychosocial effects in children of the New England Children’s Amalgam Trial (NECAT) who received composite resin fillings. The authors rightly point out that a “thorough investigation considering exposure levels is important to substantiate these findings”. Within the NECAT, no direct measure of BPA exposure, such as BPA concentration in urine, was reported. Data from Cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2,3) (CHMS, 2007-2009) suggests that exposure to BPA is not associated with the presence of composite resin fillings.
In this paper, we report the results of an in vitro experiment on the release of metal ions from orthodontic appliances composed of alloys containing iron, chromium, nickel, silicon, and molybdenum into artificial saliva. The concentrations of magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, titanium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, nickel, and chromium were significantly higher in artificial saliva in which metal brackets, bands, and wires used in orthodontics were incubated. In relation to the maximum acceptable concentrations of metal ions in drinking water and to recommended daily doses, two elements of concern were nickel (573 vs. 15 μg/l in the controls) and chromium (101 vs. 8 μg/l in the controls). Three ion release coefficients were defined: α, a dimensionless multiplication factor; β, the difference in concentrations (in micrograms per liter); and γ, the ion release coefficient (in percent). The elevated levels of metals in saliva are thought to occur by corrosion of the chemical elements in the alloys or welding materials. The concentrations of some groups of dissolved elements appear to be interrelated.
Greater exposure to bisGMA-based dental composite restorations was associated with impaired psychosocial function in children, whereas no adverse psychosocial outcomes were observed with greater urethane dimethacrylate–based compomer or amalgam treatment levels.
Treating varicoceles with percutaneous embolization of the gonadal vein is a widely favored method of treatment. The procedure is minimally invasive, can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthetic, and has extremely high success rates with low incidence of complication
[1]. It has been shown to be of benefit in fertility treatment[2] and avoids the development of posttreatment hydroceles, because lymphatic channels are not affected [3]. We present a case of a patient who developed an allergy to metallic components of the embolization coils used during varicocele treatment.
“This article will analyze some of the most important research in the international literature today and the new guidelines for the use of the laser as a source of activation of chemical irrigants.”
“Background: For almost a century there has been debate over the toxicity associated with root canal treated teeth.
Objective: This study sought to determine the level of enzymatic inhibition associated with asymptomatic root canal treated teeth in which there was no radiographic evidence of pathology.
Design: In vitro study.
Setting: Private dental office (Marble Falls, Texas, USA).
Intervention: A photo-affinity labeling technique performed by Affinity Labeling Technologies (ALT) Bioscience Laboratory was used to determine the level of enzymatic inhibition of the extracted teeth.
Main outcome measures: Six commercially available enzymes that are critically important for human life were tested in order to determine their percent inhibition when exposed to root fragments of the 25 extracted root canal treated teeth.
Results: The enzymes averaged 65.6% inhibition, which reflected severe toxicity on the scale developed by ALT Bioscience Laboratory. Limitations of this study included the lack of a control group, the inability to ascertain if these in vitro results have significant clinical relevance, the inability to correlate these in vitro findings to a patient’s clinical health status, possible contamination of the root fragments with mercury or other substances, and the absence of culturing the root fragments.
Conclusion: Root canal therapy has proved to be an effective way of treating and retaining endodontically diseased teeth, but does not render the teeth sterile. These preliminary results suggest that root canal treated teeth inhibit the action of critically important enzymes that generate cellular adenosine triphosphate.”
“This review looks at the role of an alkaline diet in health. Pubmed was searched looking for articles on pH, potential renal acid loads, bone health, muscle, growth hormone, back pain, vitamin D and chemotherapy. Many books written in the lay literature on the alkaline diet were also reviewed and evaluated in light of the published medical literature. There may be some value in considering an alkaline diet in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases and further studies are warranted in this area of medicine.”
“AIM: The authors present their protocol based upon medical treatment,antibiotic and antimycotic, together with minimally invasive surgery and ozone therapy developed after a 5 year experience to assess the viability of this treatment.”