Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

Do you have an opinion or some- thing to say on any Dental Tribune UK article? Or would you like to write your own opinion for our guest comment page? If so don’t hesitate to write to: The Editor, Dental Tribune UK Ltd, 4th Floor, Treasure House, 19-21 Hatton Garden, London, EC1 8BA Or email: lisa@healthcare-learning.com Editorial comment 3 - OCCLUSAL SURFACES Fast, up-down strokes ProClinical® A1500 NEW FINALLY, AN ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH THAT AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS TO CLEAN DIFFERENT TOOTH SURFACES ONE BUTTON PROVIDES OPTIMAL BRUSHING TECHNIQUE FOR A SUPERIOR CLEAN.† † vs a manual, flat-trim toothbrush. 1 - GINGIVAL MARGIN Mid-speed, massaging strokes 2 - BUCCAL/LINGUAL SURFACES Slower, side-to-side strokes SCAN TO LEARN MORE See the clinical results at colgateprofessional.co.uk/products/electrictoothbrush A team of researchers at the University of Califor- nia, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry has been awarded a $3.8m research grant to develop a salivary-biomarker approach for identifying indi- viduals at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression follow- ing a traumatic event. For the study, research lead Dr Vivek Shetty and his colleagues will conduct psy- chological assessments and obtain corresponding saliva samples over a six-month pe- riod among a group of 600 individuals who have re- cently experienced a serious physical injury or sexual as- sault. The team will use sophis- ticated analytical techniques to determine the levels of the individual salivary biomark- ers at different points over the six months and to compare the biomarker patterns of individu- als who subsequently develop PTSD and/or depression with those who do not. “Utilising easily acces- sible saliva for evaluating stress reactions would allow front-line care providers to become more involved and proactive in the management of post-traumatic stress disor- ders, moving the focus away from treatment of unmanage- able, late-stage conditions toward early identification and targeted interventions of vulnerable individuals,” said Shetty. “Enabling health care providers to objectively and readily assess the risk for future psychological prob- lems will set the stage for in- tegrated post-trauma care that provides for essential and tailored mental health interven- tions in trauma care centres, as well as timely referrals for psy- chological after-care.” DT UCLA grant to develop PTSD saliva test I read something that amused me, and I need to share it with you! According to research pub- lished in a new book by Kings Col- lege London and the Wellcome Trust countries with the highest per capita chocolate consumption also seem to produce the highest number of Nobel Laureates! According to the research, which has been highlighted in an article in the The NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) and published by Dr Franz Messerli, there is a “powerful correlation be- tween chocolate intake per capita and the number of Nobel laureates in various countries. The principal finding of this study is a surpris- ingly powerful correlation between chocolate intake per capita and the number of Nobel laureates in various countries. Of course, a cor- relation between X and Y does not prove causation but indicates that either X influences Y, Y influences X, or X and Y are influenced by a com- mon underlying mechanism. How- ever, since chocolate consumption has been documented to improve cognitive.” He concluded with: ‘‘Chocolate consumption enhances cognitive function, which is a sine qua non for winning the Nobel Prize, and it closely correlates with the number of Nobel laureates in each coun- try. It remains to be determined whether the consumption of choco- late is the underlying mechanism for the observed association with improved cognitive function.” I think that all dental profes- sionals should take note of this re- search, especially if you are look- ing for a new patient base! All that chocolate can’t be good for the teeth, even if it is good for the brain...DT 3NewsOctober 22 - 28, 2012United Kingdom Edition