Twice per year—on August 22 and February 28—we celebrate the excitement of children losing their primary teeth with National Tooth Fairy Day. According to a poll conducted by Delta Dental, 79% of homes in the United States with children…

Venture capitalists recently invested $14.7 million into Flossy, a dental startup, bringing its total funding to more than $17 million. The company is hoping to address the high cost of both oral healthcare and dental insurance, improving…

A small study of 30 children found that mouthrinses containing probiotics can help limit plaque accumulation. The study included a group that used the probiotic mouthrinse once daily and a group that used a fluoride rinse once daily. No…

According to new research published in JAMA Network Open, effective alternatives to opioids are available for patients recovering from tooth extraction procedures. The study included a group of adults who had dental extractions performed at…

Citing the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) slow and confusing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, CDC director, announced a significant overhaul of the agency. The news comes after…

New research conducted in Korea looks at the effects of flossing and interdental brush use on the prevention of periodontitis. With more than 11,600 subjects, the study included individuals ages 19 and older, some of whom had 20 or more…

Accurately reporting how many patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19 was paramount to understanding the level of spread in a community. At the start of the pandemic, this data collection was outsourced to a private company, TeleTracking…

Timothy L. Ricks, DMD, MPH, FICD, who has served as the United States Public Health Service Chief Dental Officer for the past 4 years, will retire at the end of August. Ricks oversaw the updated version of the Surgeon General’s Report on…

Oral lesions are a common symptom of monkeypox, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants oral health professionals to note the presence of suspicious lesions and refer patients for monkeypox testing. Monkeypox…

On August 11, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it no longer recommends individuals quarantine at home following exposure to the novel coronavirus, regardless of vaccination status. As…