- Email: [email protected]
SWEET TOOTH MAY BE INHERITED
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TWO TREATMENTS FIGHT CARIES
wo new treatments to prevent caries have been reported recently. In the July issue of Nature Biotechnology, a collaboration of European scientists led by Swedish researcher Lennart Hammarström described a study they conducted to see whether the bacterium Lactobacillus zeae could be engineered to produce an antibody that was effective against a pathogen that causes caries over long periods. When researchers administered the engineered L. zeae to rats that had been infected with the caries-causing pathogen Streptococcus mutans, they found the bacterium reduced not only the number of pathogenic bacteria, but also the number of cavities they produced. In contrast to an antibody given alone that is quickly broken down, removed from the mouth or both, L. zeae was able to persist in the mouth for three weeks and continually fight the bacteria that cause caries. As L. zeae bacterium is regarded as safe for use in humans, researchers said the new approach seems promising for use in dental treatments to protect against dental caries. In a study reported in the June issue of Pediatric Dentistry, researchers investigated the effectiveness of iodine in preventing early childhood cavities. They applied 10 percent solution of iodine to the teeth and gingivae of 83 children 12 to 19 months of age. The subjects were healthy, free of cavities and received a bottle containing a beverage other than water at
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1044
naptime or bedtime. They also were tested for the presence of S. mutans. The iodine solution was applied to the teeth and gingivae of 39 children every second month, while unsweetened tea was applied to the teeth and gingivae of the 44 control subjects. Researchers found that 91 percent of the subjects who received the iodine solution were free of cavities after 12 months compared with 54 percent of the control subjects. NASAL OINTMENT REDUCES STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS RISK
he intranasal antibiotic ointment mupirocin cuts surgical Staphylococcus aureus infection rates at least in half, according to an article in the June 13 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa conducted a study to determine whether intranasal treatment with mupirocin reduces the rate of S. aureus infections at surgical sites and prevents other nosocomial infections. A total of 4,030 adult patients who underwent elective surgical procedures received an application of mupirocin or a placebo inside their nostrils twice a day for up to five days after surgery. Researchers followed patients for 30 days after surgery to determine if they acquired S. aureus infections. Overall, 2.3 percent of the mupirocin recipients and 2.4 percent of the placebo recipients developed S. aureus infections at surgical sites. Among subjects who carried the infec-
T
tion in their nasal passages, however, 4.0 percent who received mupirocin had nosocomial S. aureus infections, compared with 7.7 percent of those who received a placebo. Researchers concluded that intranasal application of mupirocin did not significantly reduce the rate of S. aureus surgical-site infections overall, but it did significantly decrease the rate of all nosocomial infections among subjects who were S. aureus carriers. Researchers also looked at resistant and nonresistant strains of S. aureus and found that short, carefully planned mupirocin treatment like that used in the study did not appear to contribute to antibiotic resistance. SWEET TOOTH MAY BE INHERITED
ehaviors such as food and beverage preferences and nutrient intake are at least partially genetically determined, said researchers in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers administered a standardized eating behavior inventory to 624 adults from 28 families participating in the Amish Family Diabetes Study to study the genetics of obesity and the eating behaviors that lead to it. The questionnaire measured three quantifiable components of eating behavior: restraint, a measure of whether people can say no to eating a food that might make them fat; disinhibition, a measure of whether people have a hard time say no to a second helping; and hunger. Researchers also checked each subject’s fasting blood Continued on page 1046
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JADA, Vol. 133, August 2002 Copyright ©2002 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
N E W S
Continued from page 1044 sugar, cholesterol and body mass index. They then evaluated the association between eating behavior scores and physical characteristics. They discovered that higher scores were associated with obesity and obesityrelated phenotypes and that similar scores tended to run in families. They also found evidence of a link between restraint and two chromosomal regions that influence body fat. Compiled by Amy E. Lund, editorial coordinator.
MEETINGS
dThe 16th Congress of the International Association for Disability and Oral Health will meet Sept. 3-7 in Athens, Greece. For more information, contact Dr. Jan AnderssonNoringder by phone at 011-4631-750-9200, by fax at 011-4631-750-9201 or by e-mail at “jan.andersson-norinder@ vgregion.se”. dThe New Zealand Dental Association will hold its biennial conference Sept. 18-21 in Auckland. For more information, contact Dr. Erin Collins by phone at 011-64-09-524-2778, by fax at 011-64-09-520-5256 or by e-mail at “erin.Collins@ xtra.co.nz” or visit “www.nzda. org.nz”. dThe American College of Dentists will hold its annual meeting Oct. 17-18 in New Orleans. For more information, contact Dr. Stephen Ralls by phone at 1-301-977-3223, by fax at 1-301-977-3330 or by e-mail at “[email protected]” or visit “www.facd.org”. dThe Delta Sigma Delta
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Fraternity will hold its 118th Annual Meeting Oct. 17-20 in New Orleans. For more information, contact Dr. John Prey by phone at 1-715-325-6320, by fax at 1-715-325-3057 or by e-mail at “supremescribe@ deltsig.com” or visit “www. deltsig.com”. dThe Southern Association of Orthodontists will hold its 81st Annual Meeting Oct. 23-27 in Savannah, Ga. For more information, contact Sharon Hunt by phone at 1-404-261-5528, by fax at 1-404-261-6856 or by e-mail at “[email protected]” or visit “www.saortho.org”. dThe Association of Contemporary Dental Education will hold its annual meeting Nov. 1-3 in Alexandria, Va. For more information, contact Dr. David Black by phone at 1-212267-1359, by fax at 1-212-2670001 or by e-mail at “[email protected]”. APPOINTMENTS/ ELECTIONS/AWARDS
dDr. Erwin P. Barrington, Lincolnwood, Ill., retired from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. Dr. Judy A. Johnson, Flossmoor, was named assistant dean for student affairs. dDr. Patricia L. Blanton, Dallas, was elected the first woman president of the Texas Dental Association. dDr. Steve A. Chapman, Palatka, Fla., was elected president of the Florida Association of Orthodontists. Other officers are Dr. Robert Goldie, Orlando, vice-president; Dr. Dave Carden, Jacksonville, secretary; and Dr. Brian Jacobus, Port St. Lucie, treasurer. Dr. Patricia Tapley,
Gainesville; Dr. Jorge Coro, Coral Gables; Dr. Randy Rigsby, Pensacola; and Dr. Ralph DeDomenico, Tampa, are directors. Dr. William Kochenour, Clearwater, is immediate past president. dDr. Paul D. Cohen, Washington, was awarded the Sterling V. Mead award from the District of Columbia Dental Society. dDr. Kirk A. Coury, Amarillo, Texas, was elected trustee of the American Association of Endodontists. Other trustees are Dr. Terryl A. Propper, Brentwood, Tenn.; and Dr. Denis E. Simon III, Baton Rouge, La. dDr. Jeffrey W. Hutter, Newton Centre, Mass., was appointed associate dean for academic affairs at Boston University School of Dental Medicine. dDr. Mark Lingen, Oak Park, Ill., received an alumni merit award from Northwestern University. dDr. Nick Minden, Gainesville, Fla., received the Golden Apple award from the University of Florida College of Dentistry. dDr. Martin Trope, Wynnewood, Pa., received the Louis I. Grossman award from the American Association of Endodontists. Recipients of other awards are Dr. Donna Mattscheck, St. Paul, Minn., the Edward M. Osetek award; and Dr. Richard C. Burns, San Mateo, Calif., the Edgar D. Coolidge award. dDr. Timothy T. Wheeler, Gainesville, Fla., was elected councilor of the American Dental Education Association’s orthodontic section.
JADA, Vol. 133, August 2002 Copyright ©2002 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
E
W
S
TWO TREATMENTS FIGHT CARIES
wo new treatments to prevent caries have been reported recently. In the July issue of Nature Biotechnology, a collaboration of European scientists led by Swedish researcher Lennart Hammarström described a study they conducted to see whether the bacterium Lactobacillus zeae could be engineered to produce an antibody that was effective against a pathogen that causes caries over long periods. When researchers administered the engineered L. zeae to rats that had been infected with the caries-causing pathogen Streptococcus mutans, they found the bacterium reduced not only the number of pathogenic bacteria, but also the number of cavities they produced. In contrast to an antibody given alone that is quickly broken down, removed from the mouth or both, L. zeae was able to persist in the mouth for three weeks and continually fight the bacteria that cause caries. As L. zeae bacterium is regarded as safe for use in humans, researchers said the new approach seems promising for use in dental treatments to protect against dental caries. In a study reported in the June issue of Pediatric Dentistry, researchers investigated the effectiveness of iodine in preventing early childhood cavities. They applied 10 percent solution of iodine to the teeth and gingivae of 83 children 12 to 19 months of age. The subjects were healthy, free of cavities and received a bottle containing a beverage other than water at
T
1044
naptime or bedtime. They also were tested for the presence of S. mutans. The iodine solution was applied to the teeth and gingivae of 39 children every second month, while unsweetened tea was applied to the teeth and gingivae of the 44 control subjects. Researchers found that 91 percent of the subjects who received the iodine solution were free of cavities after 12 months compared with 54 percent of the control subjects. NASAL OINTMENT REDUCES STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS RISK
he intranasal antibiotic ointment mupirocin cuts surgical Staphylococcus aureus infection rates at least in half, according to an article in the June 13 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa conducted a study to determine whether intranasal treatment with mupirocin reduces the rate of S. aureus infections at surgical sites and prevents other nosocomial infections. A total of 4,030 adult patients who underwent elective surgical procedures received an application of mupirocin or a placebo inside their nostrils twice a day for up to five days after surgery. Researchers followed patients for 30 days after surgery to determine if they acquired S. aureus infections. Overall, 2.3 percent of the mupirocin recipients and 2.4 percent of the placebo recipients developed S. aureus infections at surgical sites. Among subjects who carried the infec-
T
tion in their nasal passages, however, 4.0 percent who received mupirocin had nosocomial S. aureus infections, compared with 7.7 percent of those who received a placebo. Researchers concluded that intranasal application of mupirocin did not significantly reduce the rate of S. aureus surgical-site infections overall, but it did significantly decrease the rate of all nosocomial infections among subjects who were S. aureus carriers. Researchers also looked at resistant and nonresistant strains of S. aureus and found that short, carefully planned mupirocin treatment like that used in the study did not appear to contribute to antibiotic resistance. SWEET TOOTH MAY BE INHERITED
ehaviors such as food and beverage preferences and nutrient intake are at least partially genetically determined, said researchers in the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers administered a standardized eating behavior inventory to 624 adults from 28 families participating in the Amish Family Diabetes Study to study the genetics of obesity and the eating behaviors that lead to it. The questionnaire measured three quantifiable components of eating behavior: restraint, a measure of whether people can say no to eating a food that might make them fat; disinhibition, a measure of whether people have a hard time say no to a second helping; and hunger. Researchers also checked each subject’s fasting blood Continued on page 1046
B
JADA, Vol. 133, August 2002 Copyright ©2002 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
N E W S
Continued from page 1044 sugar, cholesterol and body mass index. They then evaluated the association between eating behavior scores and physical characteristics. They discovered that higher scores were associated with obesity and obesityrelated phenotypes and that similar scores tended to run in families. They also found evidence of a link between restraint and two chromosomal regions that influence body fat. Compiled by Amy E. Lund, editorial coordinator.
MEETINGS
dThe 16th Congress of the International Association for Disability and Oral Health will meet Sept. 3-7 in Athens, Greece. For more information, contact Dr. Jan AnderssonNoringder by phone at 011-4631-750-9200, by fax at 011-4631-750-9201 or by e-mail at “jan.andersson-norinder@ vgregion.se”. dThe New Zealand Dental Association will hold its biennial conference Sept. 18-21 in Auckland. For more information, contact Dr. Erin Collins by phone at 011-64-09-524-2778, by fax at 011-64-09-520-5256 or by e-mail at “erin.Collins@ xtra.co.nz” or visit “www.nzda. org.nz”. dThe American College of Dentists will hold its annual meeting Oct. 17-18 in New Orleans. For more information, contact Dr. Stephen Ralls by phone at 1-301-977-3223, by fax at 1-301-977-3330 or by e-mail at “[email protected]” or visit “www.facd.org”. dThe Delta Sigma Delta
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Fraternity will hold its 118th Annual Meeting Oct. 17-20 in New Orleans. For more information, contact Dr. John Prey by phone at 1-715-325-6320, by fax at 1-715-325-3057 or by e-mail at “supremescribe@ deltsig.com” or visit “www. deltsig.com”. dThe Southern Association of Orthodontists will hold its 81st Annual Meeting Oct. 23-27 in Savannah, Ga. For more information, contact Sharon Hunt by phone at 1-404-261-5528, by fax at 1-404-261-6856 or by e-mail at “[email protected]” or visit “www.saortho.org”. dThe Association of Contemporary Dental Education will hold its annual meeting Nov. 1-3 in Alexandria, Va. For more information, contact Dr. David Black by phone at 1-212267-1359, by fax at 1-212-2670001 or by e-mail at “[email protected]”. APPOINTMENTS/ ELECTIONS/AWARDS
dDr. Erwin P. Barrington, Lincolnwood, Ill., retired from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. Dr. Judy A. Johnson, Flossmoor, was named assistant dean for student affairs. dDr. Patricia L. Blanton, Dallas, was elected the first woman president of the Texas Dental Association. dDr. Steve A. Chapman, Palatka, Fla., was elected president of the Florida Association of Orthodontists. Other officers are Dr. Robert Goldie, Orlando, vice-president; Dr. Dave Carden, Jacksonville, secretary; and Dr. Brian Jacobus, Port St. Lucie, treasurer. Dr. Patricia Tapley,
Gainesville; Dr. Jorge Coro, Coral Gables; Dr. Randy Rigsby, Pensacola; and Dr. Ralph DeDomenico, Tampa, are directors. Dr. William Kochenour, Clearwater, is immediate past president. dDr. Paul D. Cohen, Washington, was awarded the Sterling V. Mead award from the District of Columbia Dental Society. dDr. Kirk A. Coury, Amarillo, Texas, was elected trustee of the American Association of Endodontists. Other trustees are Dr. Terryl A. Propper, Brentwood, Tenn.; and Dr. Denis E. Simon III, Baton Rouge, La. dDr. Jeffrey W. Hutter, Newton Centre, Mass., was appointed associate dean for academic affairs at Boston University School of Dental Medicine. dDr. Mark Lingen, Oak Park, Ill., received an alumni merit award from Northwestern University. dDr. Nick Minden, Gainesville, Fla., received the Golden Apple award from the University of Florida College of Dentistry. dDr. Martin Trope, Wynnewood, Pa., received the Louis I. Grossman award from the American Association of Endodontists. Recipients of other awards are Dr. Donna Mattscheck, St. Paul, Minn., the Edward M. Osetek award; and Dr. Richard C. Burns, San Mateo, Calif., the Edgar D. Coolidge award. dDr. Timothy T. Wheeler, Gainesville, Fla., was elected councilor of the American Dental Education Association’s orthodontic section.
JADA, Vol. 133, August 2002 Copyright ©2002 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.