BDS INSIGHTS

Gate Control Theory implies a non-painful stimulus can block the transmission of a noxious stimulus. Is based on the premise that the gate, located in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, modulates the afferent nerve impulses. The SG (substantia gelatinosa) acts as a modulating gate or a control system between the peripheral nerve fibers and central cells that permits only one type of nerve impulse (pain or no pain) to pass through. Serving in a capacity similar to that of a “switch operator” in a railroad yard, the SG monitors the amount of activity occurring on both incoming tracts in a convergent system Opening and closing the gate to allow the appropriate information to be passed along to the T cell. Impulses traveling on the fast, non-pain fibers increase activity in the SG. Impulses on the slower pain fibers exert an inhibitory influence. When the SG is active, the gate is in its “closed” position and a non-painful stimulus is allowed to pass on to the T ce

Avocados could be a weapon in the fight against ageing and disease, say scientists. Oil from the fruit was shown in tests to combat free radicals – dangerous molecules said to have a hand in everything from ageing to heart disease and cancer. These are particularly common inside mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses in our cells that turn the food we eat into energy. Oil from the avocado could have huge health benefits and slow down the ageing process   Many ‘antioxidant’ chemicals in vegetables and fruits such as carrots and tomatoes can mop up free radicals – but they can’t make their way inside mitochondria. Those in avocados can, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s annual conference heard. Researcher Christian Cortes-Rojo said: ‘The problem is that the antioxidants in [other] substances are unable to enter mitochondria. ‘So free radicals go on damaging mitochondria, causing energy production to stop and the cell to collapse and d

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Al co hol abuse causes dental disease and mouth cancer warn health experts. To t ac kle this at the earliest opportunity, screening and treatment for excessive drinking is vital.Patients do not attend their GP unless they are ill, but most people visit their dentist for a routine check-up, giving the dental team a unique opportunity to identify misuse.                                        Excessive al co hol co nsumption can lead to cancer of the mouth, larynx and oesophagus and dentists maybe the first to notice these co nditions. So we need to introduce an al co hol screening tool that reliably detects hazardous and harmful drinking alongside effective treatment.Promoting moderation in al co hol co nsumption in the primary dental setting co uld co ntribute to decreasing the e co nomic, social and health burdens associated with al co hol abuse.             "  Approximately 1 in 5 men in the UK and 1 in 7 women often drink excessive amounts of alcohol - costing the  ec

There is a tendency for parents to treat baby teeth as being dispensable since we all know there will be a second set of adult teeth replacing them anyway. However, baby teeth (also known as the deciduous teeth or the primary dentition) are important and are necessary to serve several functions. This is why we need to take care of them and make sure they last until the adult teeth (permanent teeth or secondary dentition) are ready to come through. The first of the permanent teeth do not appear in the mouth until a child is about 6 years old and the last permanent teeth (not including the wisdom teeth) will appear by about 12-13 years. Therefore a child's primary teeth need to last anywhere between 5-12 years. To ensure that they last, parents need to help children look after their teeth and inculcate good oral hygiene practices from young. The Functions of Baby Teeth 1. Biting and Chewing The most obvious function of the primary teeth is obviously for biting and chewing food

Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign salivary gland tumor that exhibits wide cytomorphologic and architectural diversity. The tumor has the following 3 components: An epithelial cell component A myoepithelial cell component A stromal (mesenchymal) component Identification of these 3 components, which may vary quantitatively from one tumor to another, is essential to the recognition of pleomorphic adenoma. This tumor is also referred to as a benign mixed tumor. Epidemiology Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common salivary gland tumor in both children and adults. In most series, it represents 45-75% of all salivary gland neoplasms; the annual incidence is approximately 2-3.5 cases per 100,000 population. Pleomorphic adenoma occurs in individuals of all ages. However, it is most common in the third to sixth decades; the average age at presentation is between 43 and 46 years. Pleomorphic adenoma is seen more often in females than in males (2:1 ratio). Location Among the m

Structural proteins in the HTLV-I virion include Gag (a capsid protein) and Env (the surface glycoprotein required for infectivity). Fluorescently-labeled antibodies showed that these proteins were not polarized in isolated infected T cells. In cell-cell conjugates, the proteins accumulated at the cell-cell junction within 40 min. This particular confocal image shows polarization of HTLV-I Gag p19 (red) to the cell-cell junction. Source . Here’s yet another tale of how a cunning virus has converted one of our antiviral defenses into a tool for its own purposes. The co-opted mechanism is one used by cytotoxic T-cells to kill virus-infected cells: the immunological synapse. More on this in a moment. The virus is Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type I (HTLV-1). The appropriated tactic enables the virus to spread efficiently to new host cells. When discovered in 1977, HTLV-1 was the first known human retrovirus (HIV not being identified until six years later). While not as de

When thermal injury damages the skin, the physical barrier protecting underlying tissues from invading micro-organisms is compromised and the host’s immune system becomes supressed, facilitating colonization and infection of burn wounds with micro-organisms. Within the wound, bacteria often develop biofilms, which protect the bacteria from the immune response and enhance their resistance to antibiotics. As the prophylactic use of conventional antibiotics drives selection of drug-resistant strains, the use of novel agents to prevent biofilm formation by wound pathogens is essential. In the present study, we utilized our recently developed in vitro wound biofilm model to examine the antibiofilm activity of garlic ( Allium sativum ). Wound pathogens were inoculated on sterile cellulose discs, exposed to formulated garlic ointment (GarO) or ointment base,

Anesthetic gel made from a rare plant found deep in the Peruvian rainforest has been found to be so potent that it could potentially replace the uncomfortable anesthetic injections used prior to dental procedures — and provide a natural remedy for aching teeth, scientists say. The remarkable painkilling properties of the Acmella oleracea plant, commonly referred to as Spilanthes Extract, have been used for centuries if not millennia by Incas to treat toothache, ulcers, abscesses and to even clean teeth. Indigenous tribes revealed the secrets of the plant to Cambridge University researcher Dr. Françoise Barbira Freedman, who has spent more than 30 years visiting and living with the Keshwa Lamas tribe of Peru. Freedman said the plant could literally transform western dental practice. Freedman became the first westerner to be accepted into the secretive society in 1975. During one of her trips to the rainforest, she suffered severe pain in her wisdom teeth. She was given

Epilepsy was one of the first brain disorders to be described. It was mentioned in ancient Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. The strange behavior caused by some seizures has contributed through the ages to many superstitions and prejudices. The word epilepsy is derived from the Greek word for "attack." People once thought that those with epilepsy were being visited by demons or gods. However, in 400 B.C., the early physician Hippocrates suggested that epilepsy was a disorder of the brain -- and we now know that he was right. What Is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. Neurons normally generate electrochemical impulses that act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings, and actions. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior, or sometimes convulsions, muscle s

PerioLase ®  MVP-7 ™  for the LANAP ®  protocol brings together advanced science and developing technology.   Cerritos, CA (February 27, 2012)  Millennium Dental Technologies announces the first laser in the dental industry to incorporate an Android-based digital display and control system. The PerioLase MVP-7 for the LANAP protocol combines its advanced laser components with the latest LCD display technology for the optimum operating experience.   The enhanced display integrates the absolute latest developments in the tablet industry into the PerioLase MVP-7 digital dental laser, and also provides a consistent platform to continually take advantage of the explosive growth and development in the electronics industry. Millennium Dental Technologies is breaking the paradigm of the planned obsolescence built into the manufacturing of capital equipment within the dental industry. By integrating the open-platform Android operating system, the PerioLase MVP-7 will enable new di