Link between stroke, incidence of teeth issues
A study of more than 6,300 people shows people with decayed, missing, or filled teeth have an increased risk of stroke and death. As reported by Healio, the study noted that regular dental care was associated with 23% lower rates of ischemic stroke compared with episodic dental care users and that the link between dental caries and incident ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality was stronger among Black participants.
Taste, not stomach, may be main variable in appetite control
A recent study on the “complex interplay of taste and brain signals” may underscore long-held perceptions that signals from the stomach are the key to regulating appetite. Scientists from UC San Francisco discovered that certain neurons in the brain respond quickly to taste perception to control appetite, findings they say could ultimately enlighten doctors on how weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic work.
Dental organizations offer guidance to SmileDirectClub patients
The ADA released a statement reaffirming its policy of opposing direct-to-consumer dentistry because of its potential for “irreversible harm to individuals … Moving teeth without knowing all aspects of a patient’s oral condition has the potential to cause bone loss, lost teeth, receding gums, bite problems, jaw pain, and other damaging and permanent issues.” In a press release and comments to DentistryIQ, the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) suggests steps for SmileDirectClub patients left in a tough spot after the company's abrupt closing.
Delta Dental of California breach exposed seven million patients’ data
Close to seven million Delta Dental of California patients had their names, financial account numbers, and credit/debit card numbers, including security codes, exposed following a data breach in which “unauthorized actors” accessed and stole data from its systems between May 27 and May 30, 2023. According to Bleeping Computer, a longer investigation of the situation’s impact was completed at the end of November; customers “are advised to be cautious with unsolicited communications, as your data may have been already shared with phishing actors, scammers, and other cybercriminals.”
