June 18, 2007

New Clinical Guidelines in Dentistry

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium have both recenetly released new clinical guidelines of potential interest to practicing dentists. MQIC has a number of other guidelines on common conditions that might be of interest to clinicians in general practice when encountering non-dental conditions in their patients.

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD): http://www.aapd.org/media/policies.asp

Guidelines for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures: An Update: http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_Sedation.pdf

Use of Xylitol in Caries Prevention: http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/P_Xylitol.pdf

Michigan Quality Improvment Consortium(MQIC):
http://www.mqic.org/guid.htm

MQIC: Acute pharyngitis in children: http://www.mqic.org/pdf/REVISED%20MQIC%202007%20Acute%20Pharyngitis%20in%20Children%20Guideline.pdf

Posted by pfa at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

March 16, 2007

FDI report on adverse reactions to resin-based materials

I thought people might be interested in this new article from World Dental Federation (FDI - Fédération Dentaire Internationale).

Fan PL, Meyer DM. FDI report on adverse reactions to resin-based materials. International Dental Journal 57(1) 2007:9-12.

ABSTRACT:
Resin-based restorative materials are considered safe for the vast majority of dental patients. Although constituent chemicals such as monomers, accelerators and initiators can potentially leach out of cured resin-based materials after placement, adverse reactions to these chemicals are rare and reaction symptoms commonly subside after removal of the materials. Dentists should be aware of the rare possibility that patients could have adverse reactions to constituents of resin-based materials and be vigilant in observing any adverse reactions after restoration placement. ... Latex and vinyl gloves do not provide adequate barrier protection to the monomers in resin-based materials.

Journal issue available in the Dentistry Library. The rest of the abstract is available online here:

http://www.atypon-link.com/FDI/doi/abs/10.2956/indj.2007.57.1.9

Posted by pfa at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2007

Conebeam Tiptoes into the Big Time

In another recent blog entry, we highlighted a new article from UM faculty about the use of conebeam CT in dentistry.

PMID: 17082331
Pinsky HM. Dyda S. Pinsky RW. Misch KA. Sarment DP.
Accuracy of three-dimensional measurements using cone-beam CT.
Dento-Maxillo-Facial Radiology. 35(6):410-6, 2006 Nov.

From the first article in 1998, conebeam CT has been increasing in prominence in dentistry at an exponential rate, reaching critical mass over the past year or so.

PubMed Search: (conebeam OR cone-beam OR "cone beam") (dentistry OR stomatognathic

A recent press release notes that for the first time ever conebeam CT is being used in private practice in dentistry.

Illinois Dental Practice Installs First U.S. Sirona 3D X-Ray Imaging System: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/2/emw503188.htm

"Evanston, Illinois dentist, Dr. Daniel Marinic, has installed a new three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging system, GALILEOS made by Sirona Dental Systems, the first such system of its kind in a private practice in the United States."

Posted by pfa at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2007

S-ECC Genetic Profiling

New research published last month in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology is hopeful for developing a test to diagnose severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) in children.

Y. Li, Y. Ge, D. Saxena, P.W. Caufield. 2006. Genetic profiling of the oral microbiota associated with severe early-childhood carries. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 45. 1: 81-87. PMID: 17079495
http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/content/full/45/1/81?view=long&pmid=17079495

"After adjusting for the number of observed bands, we estimated that the S-ECC group exhibited 94.5 total phylotypes and that the CF group exhibited 113.4. These results suggest that the microbial diversity and complexity of the microbial biota in dental plaque are significantly less in S-ECC children than in CF children."

Posted by pfa at 08:43 AM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2007

Head's Up: Glucosamine links Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, Arthritis

Glucosamine is a popular over the counter treatment to allieve joint pain in arthritis. Glucosamine has also been receiving increasing attention in the research literature as a potential cause of diabetes. It is also linked to atherosclerosis. Glucosamine has been proposed as an ingredient in a 'vitamin cocktail' for treating Ehlers-Dahlos patients. Might it be possible that this could be another factor connecting this cluster of systemic diseases often associated with periodontitis?

Here is a recent article from UM researchers on this topic, stating that for now it is considered safe for diabetics to use glucosamine.


Stumpf JL (jlstumpf@umich.edu), Lin SW.
Effect of glucosamine on glucose control.
Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Apr;40(4):694-8. Epub 2006 Mar 28.
PMID: 16569816 [Requires UM login]

"Small, short-term studies suggest that glucosamine may be used in selected patients without affecting glucose control; however, data in patients with diabetes mellitus are limited, and close monitoring for potential changes in glucose control is recommended."

Here are just a couple examples of the literature debating this relatively new topic.

Robertson LA, Kim AJ, Werstuck GH.
Mechanisms linking diabetes mellitus to the development of atherosclerosis: a role for endoplasmic reticulum stress and glycogen synthase kinase-3.
Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006 Jan;84(1):39-48.
PMID: 16845889 [Requires UM Login]

"We hypothesize that the accumulation of intracellular glucosamine observed in conditions of chronic hyperglycaemia may promote atherogenesis via a mechanism involving dysregulated protein folding, activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and increased glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 activity."

Buse MG. Hexosamines, insulin resistance, and the complications of diabetes: current status.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Jan;290(1):E1-E8. Review.
PMID: 16339923 [Free]

"There are numerous papers showing a correlation between increased flux through HBP and insulin resistance; however, the causal relationship has not been established. More recent experiments in mice overexpressing GFAT in muscle and adipose tissue or exclusively in fat cells suggest that the latter develop in vivo insulin resistance via cross talk between fat cells and muscle. Although the relationship between HBP and insulin resistance may be quite complex, it clearly deserves further study in concert with its role in the complications of diabetes."

WANT MORE?

PubMed Search: glucosamine diabetes etiology

Posted by pfa at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2007

New: Gum Disease Associated with Pancreatic Cancer

In today's issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, there is an article extending the range of diseases now known to be associated with poor oral health.

Dominique S. Michaud, Kaumudi Joshipura, Edward Giovannucci, and Charles S. Fuchs
A Prospective Study of Periodontal Disease and Pancreatic Cancer in US Male Health Professionals
J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 2007 99: 171-175; doi:10.1093/jnci/djk021
http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/99/2/171

Posted by pfa at 05:29 PM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2007

Recipes for Dental and Other Patients

There are many different ways in which food and cooking is important to dentists and their patients. A patient might have TMJ, problems either chewing or swallowing, sensitive teeth, be wearing braces, avoiding sugar, or have other concerns. There are even recipes for how to make your own toothpaste or mouthwash! Often recipes of interest to patients in one of these groups might be helpful for other patients as well.

The Dentistry Library has a number of cookbooks available for patients in the Consumer Health section of our Reference collection. You can find these books listed in MIRLYN by searching "Cookery" as a subject heading, or the textwords "Recipes" or "Cookbook", and then refine the search to just the Dentistry Library.

In addition to our books, here are a few websites of interest on this topic.


Cathy's EC Cafe (Esophageal Cancer): http://www.eccafe.org/cnt/index.html

Dr. William Trepp, Orthodontic Specialist: Soothing Recipes: http://www.orthodontics.org/recipe.htm

Eating to Win: http://website.lineone.net/~brittan/Food/

TMJ Friends Message Board: Life: Nutrition, Recipes, Eating Concerns: Random Soft or No Chew Recipes: http://www.tmjfriends.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-860.html

Zajaczkowa, Jadwiga. A selection of dental hygiene and mouthwash products from a variety of Medieval and Renaissance sources.
http://www.gallowglass.org/jadwiga/herbs/teeth.html


WANT MORE?

You can explore, look for more, or find books to buy in the following Google search.

Google Search: ("no chew" OR swallowing OR dysphagia OR tmj OR esophageal OR oesophageal) recipes

Posted by pfa at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)

January 13, 2007

Dentistry in the News, Recent Highlights

Just a few selections showing how dentistry is being portrayed in recent news articles.

(1)

NEWS ARTICLE:
Pacifier Use Assists In Reducing Incidence Of SIDS, Study Finds (January 11, 2007): http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070111104340.htm

SOURCE:
Soxman, Jane A. Non-nutritive sucking with a pacifier: Pros and cons.
General Dentistry, January/February 2007, pages 59-62
http://www.agd.org/library/articles/?ArtID=631

(2)

NEWS ARTICLE:
Dentists Sink Their Teeth Into Fighting Alcoholism - Patients Approve
Wednesday January 10, 4:10 pm ET (Yahoo News): http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070110/clw153.html?.v=2

SOURCE:
Alcohol screening in dental patients: The prevalence of hazardous drinking and patients’ attitudes about screening and advice
Peter M. Miller, Michele C. Ravenel, Abigail E. Shealy, and Suzanne Thomas. J Am Dent Assoc 2006; 137: 1692-1698.
http://jada.ada.org/cgi/content/abstract/137/12/1692

(3)

NEWS ARTICLE:
Take Precaution - Stop Fluoridation: http://www.openpr.com/news/14406/Take-Precaution-Stop-Fluoridation.html


SOURCE:
"The precautionary principle calls for preventive actions in the face of uncertain information about risks."

What Does the Precautionary Principle Mean for Evidence-Based Dentistry?
Joel Tickner, ScDa, Melissa Coffin, BAb
Journal of Evidence-based Dental Practice, Volume 6, Issue 1, Pages 6-15 (March 2006)
www.jebdp.com/article/PIIS1532338205002393/abstract

Posted by pfa at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2007

Did you know there was a war on? In dentistry, I mean?

RDH, a well known journal for dental hygienists, recently published an article called "The Feud between dentists and periodontists". Just the sort of title to attract media attention, and as you might guess, it has done so.

The article is a response to the recent AAP guidelines for appropriate referral of dental patients from general dentists to periodontists. An overview of the guidelines is included in the article, as well as discussion of opinions on the guidelines and how they may differ from common practices.

So, in case you didn't know there was a conflict, here is a link to the original article for you to peruse, and a link to the AAP guidelines.

"The American Academy of Periodontology recently released some guidelines to assist general dentists on referral protocols. Guess what? Some dentists didn’t like the guidelines. How do the AAP guidelines affect you?"
RDH, January 2007, The Feud between dentists and periodontists: http://rdh.pennnet.com/display_article/281618/56/ARTCL/none/none/The-Feud-between-dentists-and-periodontists/

American Academy of Periodontology: Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Periodontal Diseases (2006) J Periodontol 2006;727:1607-1611.
Links: http://www.perio.org/resources-products/posppr3-1.html#2
PDF: http://www.perio.org/resources-products/pdf/management.pdf

Posted by pfa at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

December 24, 2006

Avian Influenza Resources

The Health Sciences Libraries (Dentistry, Taubman Medical, and Public Health) have partnered to provide the following collection of online resources about avian flu and pandemic response / preparedness.

Health Sciences Libraries: Guides: Avian Influenza Resources: http://www.lib.umich.edu/hsl/guides/avianflu.html

The links on the page above take you to sections within a collection of resources in del.icio.us -- a free bookmarking and productivity tool. The main sections we are highlighting for you are these:

- Major Avian Flu Portals
- Overviews of Avian Flu
- Disaster Planning
- Personal and Family Planning
- Local Michigan Information
- News and Travel Information
- Research

You can either go directly to one of those sections and browse the links available there, or you can browse the entire collection of over 40 recommended links. Each link includes a brief note describing why the resource is useful as well as terms (called "tags" in Del.icio.us) that you might think of as subject headings. The tags or subject headings describe the resource in a little more detail, and help you decide if you want to visit that site.

There is additional information on how to use Del.icio.us at their help page.

Del.icio.us: http://del.icio.us/

Del.icio.us: Help: http://del.icio.us/help/

Posted by pfa at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2006

Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

In support of yesterday's excellent and well attended presentation by Dr. Joseph Helman, we would like to offer the following selected resources on bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Sections below include information for patients, for practitioners, and articles from the professional literature.

Please note that while links to articles and abstracts are provided as possible, to get access to the full article you may need to navigate to the article from a UM Library service. One way to do this would be to enter PubMed from a UM web page, log in if off campus, and then enter the PMID number. Go to the bottom of the resulting page, and click on the block-M.

For those who would like more information, custom searches in PubMed are provided.


* INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

ADA: Oral Health Topics: Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/osteonecrosis.asp

AGD: Treatment drug may cause jaw bone to die: http://www.agd.org/media/2006/june/treatment.asp

NIAMS: Oral Health and Bone Disease: http://www.niams.nih.gov/bone/hi/oralhealth_bone.htm


* INFORMATION FOR PROFESSIONALS

ADA: A-Z Topics: Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/osteonecrosis.asp

ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. Expert Panel Recommendations: Dental Management of Patients on Oral Bisphosphonate Therapy. June 2006. [PDF, 159K]

Migliorati CA, Casiglia J, Epstein J, Jacobsen PL, Siegel MA, Woo SB. Managing the care of patients with bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis: an American Academy of Oral Medicine position paper. Abstract.
J Am Dent Assoc. 2005 Dec;136(12):1658-68. Review. Erratum in: J Am Dent Assoc. 2006 Jan;137(1):26.
PMID: 16383047

NIDCR: Oral Care Provider's Reference Guide for Oncology Patients: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DiseasesAndConditions/CancerTreatmentAndOralHealth/Oral%20Care%20Providers%20Reference%20Guide%20for%20Oncology%20Patients.htm


* ARTICLES

Badros A, Weikel D, Salama A, Goloubeva O, Schneider A, Rapoport A, Fenton R, Gahres N, Sausville E, Ord R, Meiller T.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw in multiple myeloma patients: clinical features and risk factors. Abstract.
J Clin Oncol. 2006 Feb 20;24(6):945-52.
PMID: 16484704

Lacy MQ, Dispenzieri A, Gertz MA, Greipp PR, Gollbach KL, Hayman SR, Kumar S, Lust JA, Rajkumar SV, Russell SJ, Witzig TE, Zeldenrust SR, Dingli D, Bergsagel PL, Fonseca R, Reeder CB, Stewart AK, Roy V, Dalton RJ, Carr AB, Kademani D, Keller EE, Viozzi CF, Kyle RA.
Mayo clinic consensus statement for the use of bisphosphonates in multiple myeloma.
Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 Aug;81(8):1047-53. Review.
PMID: 16901028

Marx RE, Sawatari Y, Fortin M, Broumand V.
Bisphosphonate-induced exposed bone (osteonecrosis/osteopetrosis) of the jaws: risk factors, recognition, prevention, and treatment. Abstract.
J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2005 Nov;63(11):1567-75.
PMID: 16243172

Nase JB, Suzuki JB.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw and oral bisphosphonate treatment. Abstract.
J Am Dent Assoc. 2006 Aug;137(8):1115-9; quiz 1169-70.
PMID: 16873327

Ruggiero SL, Mehrotra B, Rosenberg TJ, Engroff SL.
Osteonecrosis of the jaws associated with the use of bisphosphonates: a review of 63 cases.Abstract.
J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2004 May;62(5):527-34.
PMID: 15122554

Scully C, Madrid C, Bagan J.
Dental endosseous implants in patients on bisphosphonate therapy. Abstract.
Implant Dent. 2006 Sep;15(3):212-8.
PMID: 16966893


* WANT MORE?

Pubmed Search: Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

Pubmed Search (Free Full Text Only): Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

Posted by pfa at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2006

US Water Fluoridation Maps Available

New from the CDC, an interactive map of the United States that allows you to check local water fluoridation levels.

"My Water’s Fluoride allows consumers in currently participating states to learn the fluoridation status of their water system."

To use this map, click first on the state, then on the county, and lastly on the city. Many city entries will also include the option to view the operational reports for that jurisdiction.

CDC: My Water's Fluoride: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp

Posted by pfa at 08:27 AM | Comments (0)

August 15, 2006

News Flash: Nicotine ... Protects?

The Parkinson's Institute: Nicotine Found to Protect Against Parkinson's-Like Brain Damage:
http://www.thepi.org/altruesite/files/parkinson/News/TPI%20Nicotine%20Research%20Press%20Release.html

Chronic oral nicotine treatment protects against striatal degeneration in MPTP-treated primates / Journal of Neurochemistry: (Online Early: Published article online 01 Aug 2006)
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04078.x

Posted by pfa at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

July 26, 2006

Birth Defects and Omics (Omics Series, 13)

There is perhaps an intuitive or obvious connection between dentistry and craniofacial anomalies and birth defects, as well as an intuitive connection between birth defects and genetics / genomics. Birth defects are, in some ways, one of the most significant links between genomics and both public health and dentistry. Much of the overlapping work focuses on cleft lip and palate, but definitely not all. In today's entry we will find local, national and international resources as well as articles that explore the connections between these three concepts.


* MICHIGAN

Michigan Genetics Connection: Birth Defects & Folic Acid: http://www.migeneticsconnection.org/birthdefects.shtml

Michigan Birth Defects Registry: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2944_4670---,00.html

Pobojewski, Sally. "U-M scientists find genetic cause of multiple birth defects affecting kidneys, eyes and other organs." May 8, 2006. http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2006/nphp.htm


* NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

CDC Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/

CDC Genomics and Disease Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/

EUROCRAN: European Collaboration on Cranial Facial Anomalies:
http://www.eurocran.org/
INCLUDES:
Directory of European Resources: http://www.eurocran.org/content.asp?contentID=6&sid=18504
Genetic Databases: http://www.eurocran.org/content.asp?contentID=10&sid=184936
Clinical Outcomes Library or Good Practice Archive (members only)
Speech Project: http://www.eurocran.org/content.asp?contentID=1213&sid=18463

Human Genome Epidemiology Network (HuGENet): http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/hugenet/

International Birth Defects Information Systems (IBIS): http://www.ibis-birthdefects.org/

International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Monitoring Systems (ICBDMS): International Centre for Birth Defects (ICBD): http://www.icbd.org/icbd.htm

Teratology Society: http://teratology.org/

WHO: International Collaborative Research on Craniofacial Anomalies (IRCRA):
http://www.who.int/entity/genomics/anomalies/en/

WHO: International Database on Craniofacial Anomalies (IDCFA):
http://www.who.int/genomics/anomalies/idcfa/en/


* ARTICLES

Brunner HG, van Driel MA.
From syndrome families to functional genomics.
Nat Rev Genet. 2004 Jul;5(7):545-51.
http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v5/n7/abs/nrg1383_fs.html;jsessionid=78D5CB675EF83A5A6477FF83F14B9229

genome.gov: Genomics in Action: Lawrence C. Brody: http://www.genome.gov/13014224

Omenn GS.
Genomics and Public Health
Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2005
"Potential benefits depend on linking genetic and environmental data in designing research, developing applications, and forging public policies."
http://www.issues.org/21.3/omenn.html

Culiat CT (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
Modeling Human Craniofacial Birth Defects with ORNL Mouse Mutations: http://lsd.ornl.gov/highlights/culiat.pdf

Le Caignec C, Boceno M, Saugier-Veber P, Jacquemont S, Joubert M, David A, Frebourg T, Rival JM.
Detection of genomic imbalances by array based comparative genomic hybridisation in fetuses with multiple malformations.
J Med Genet. 2005 Feb;42(2):121-8.
http://jmg.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/42/2/121

Pobojewski, Sally. "U-M scientists find genetic cause of multiple birth defects affecting kidneys, eyes and other organs." May 8, 2006. http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2006/nphp.htm

Polifka JE, Friedman JM.
Medical genetics: 1. Clinical teratology in the age of genomics.
CMAJ August 6, 2002; 167 (3)
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/167/3/265


Spradling A, Ganetsky B, Hieter P, Johnston M, Olson M, Orr-Weaver T, Rossant J, Sanchez A, Waterston R.
New roles for model genetic organisms in understanding and treating human disease: report from the 2006 Genetics Society of America meeting.
Genetics. 2006 Apr;172(4):2025-32.
http://www.genetics.org/cgi/content/full/172/4/2025

Posted by pfa at 02:05 PM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2006

New IOM Report on Medication Errors

Hot off the presses, the Institute of Medicine today released a report on "Preventing Medication Errors".

Preventing Medication Errors (Quality Chasm Series): http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11623.html

Key findings of the report are that a quarter of all medication errors are preventable, and that the best prevention is good clinician-patient communication and good intra-institutional communication (between the clinician, pharmacist and other members of the support team).

In an rare but welcome move, the FDA immediately released a statement of support for the report.

FDA Statement on Institute of Medicine's Report on Preventing Medication Errors: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01414.html

The FDA statement outlines a series of resources and actions related to improvements in this area. As a significant part of this, they recommend access to reliable and understandable medication information for the health care consumer, recommending the following resource from the National Library of Medicine.

DailyMed: http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/about.cfm

"This Web site provides health information providers and the public with a standard, comprehensive, up-to-date, look-up and download resource of medication content and labeling as found in medication package inserts."

Posted by pfa at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)

Genetic and Genomic Information from NLM and the Genetics Home Reference (GHR) (Omics Series, 9)

The United States government, in general, and the National Library of Medicine, in particular, have taken leading roles in providing information, tools, resources, and training for biomedical and life sciences researchers and clinicians, including omics researchers. Very few people make use of the full range of resources they provide. Today, we will survey a few of the broad omics resources available, and then spend a little more time on a specific resource that tends to have information for both dental researchers and clinicians.

This is probably a good time to again mention the forthcoming short course on campus about NCBI resources.

National Center for Biotechnology Information: Short Course, September 7,2006 (Hosted by the Program in Bioinformatics, Department of Human Genetics & Taubman Medical Library): http://www.hg.med.umich.edu/ncbi/

In this course, you will see overviews and demonstrations of how to use many of the databases listed below. NLM and NCBI provide an astonishing number of databases. From their main databases page, you can browse a list of many of their offerings in this area.

NLM: NCBI: Entrez: All Databases: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gquery/gquery.fcgi?itool=toolbar

Here are a few of the specific databases, just to give you an idea of what you might find.

3D Domains: domains from Entrez Structure: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Domains

BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool finds regions of local similarity between sequences): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/

Cancer Chromosomes: cytogenetic databases: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=CancerChromosomes

CDD: conserved protein domain database: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=cdd

Gene: gene-centered information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=gene

Genome Project: genome project information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=genomeprj

Genome: whole genome sequences: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Genome

GENSAT: gene expression atlas of mouse central nervous system: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=gensat

GEO DataSets: experimental sets of GEO data: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=gds

GEO Profiles: expression and molecular abundance profiles: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=geo

HomoloGene: eukaryotic homology groups: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=homologene

Nucleotide: sequence database (GenBank): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Nucleotide

OMIA: online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=omia

OMIM: online Mendelian Inheritance in Man: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=OMIM

PopSet: population study data sets: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PopSet

Probe: sequence-specific reagents: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=probe

Protein: sequence database: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Protein

PubChem BioAssay: bioactivity screens of chemical substances: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pcassay

PubChem Compound: unique small molecule chemical structures: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pccompound

PubChem Substance: deposited chemical substance records: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pcsubstance

SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=snp

Structure: three-dimensional macromolecular structures: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Structure

Taxonomy: organisms in GenBank: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Taxonomy

UniGene: gene-oriented clusters of transcript sequences: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=unigene

UniSTS: markers and mapping data: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=unists

Another source they provide is the Human Genome. This resource contains an entirely different list of great tools and resources. I encourage you to explore the Human Genome more on your own.

Human Genome (an integrated, one-stop, genomic information infrastructure for biomedical researchers): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/guide/

Last, for today, but not least, is the Genetics Home Reference (GHR). The GHR serves as a bridge between the technical information for researchers and the consumer or general public. It includes information on the correspondence between specific genes and diseases, diagnostic signs/symptoms, an much more. Although the information is for consumers, it can still be fairly technical. It includes a handbook and glossary, which helps, and provides information at a level that can also be useful for the clinician. In addition, they include a list of resources about genetic conditions specifically for clinicians.

NLM: Genetics Home Reference: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/

GHR: Genetics Resources for Clinicians and Health Professionals: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ghr/resource/clinicians

Among their newest topics on conditions, you'll find Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and Amelogenesis Imperfecta. Among their new pages on specific genes, you'll find amelogenin (amelogenesis imperfecta 1, X-linked), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), enamelin, and matrix metallopeptidase 20 (MMP20 or enamelysin). They have also recently added information on a number of specific genes that are associated with the Charcot Marie Tooth Disease. Here is a sampling of pages on dental-related conditions and genes.

CONDITIONS:

Condition: Achondrogenesis: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=achondrogenesis

Condition: Amelogenesis Imperfecta: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=amelogenesisimperfecta

Condition: Dentinogensis imperfecta: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=dentinogenesisimperfecta

Condition: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=fibrodysplasiaossificansprogressiva

Condition: Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=greigcephalopolysyndactylysyndrome

Condition: Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=platyspondyliclethalskeletaldysplasiatorrancetype

Condition: Sotos syndrome: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=sotossyndrome

GENES:

Gene: DNM2: dynamin 2: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene=dnm2

Gene: MMP20: matrix metallopeptidase 20 (enamelysin): http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene=mmp20

Gene: SH3TC2: SH3 domain and tetratricopeptide repeats 2: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene=sh3tc2

Gene: YARS: tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene=yars

Posted by pfa at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)

July 18, 2006

Periodontitis or Biofilms as a Source of Disease?

As a break from the Omics blog series, I'd like to just mention an interesting article recently released from the CDC.

O'Connor SM, Taylor CE, Hughes JM. Emerging infectious determinants of chronic diseases. Emerg Infect Dis 2006 Jul. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no07/06-0037.htm

To my mind, this sounded like it really ought to mention some of the recent research in dentistry linking periodontal infections and heart disease. This article doesn't do that, but it does mention biofilms as being related to this line of research. More generally, it is a very interesting overview of research in many different areas of medicine linking various infectious agents with chronic diseases, including cancer. Worth a look.

Posted by pfa at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2006

What's Hot from the IADR (Our 100th Blog Entry)

As things wind down from the IADR meeting in Brisbane, what are the hot topics that were presented at IADR and receiving attention in the popular press? Cranberries and dentin. That's two ideas, not one.

* Cranberries

Cranberries are receiving renewed attention as a way to prevent caries. The mechanism is similar to the way cranberry juice is known to prevent and cure urinary tract infections -- preventing the bacteria from adhering to the cell surfaces. For dentistry, the idea is that cranberry juice helps to prevent S. mutans from adhering to the teeth, and thus prevents the build up of plaque.

IADR: Berry Good News for Tooth Decay Prevention, by Neil Osterweil:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/tb/3647

Koo, Hyun et al. "Cranberry flavonoids on expression of virulence by S. mutans." IADR Abstract 179, presented June 28, 2006 (Brisbane).

* Dentin

Dentin is making news with the popular concept that people can grow new bone. In this case, not only new bone in general, but specifically new dentin. "The data demonstrated that AC-100 stimulated the formation of new dentin (the hard tissue of teeth that protects the tooth pulp and supports the outer enamel) when applied to tooth defects."

Acologix' AC-100 (Dentonin(R)) Phase II Data on Dentin Formation in Humans Presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dental Research: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060629/sfth064.html?.v=56

Lazarov, Mirella et al. "AC-100, Novel Biological Approach to Promoting Dentin Formations in Humans." IADR Abstract 545, presented June 29, 2006 (Brisbane).

Lazarov, Mirella et al. "AC-100, A Novel Biological Agent for Dentin and Bone Regeneration." IADR Abstract 268, presented June 28, 2006 (Brisbane).

Posted by pfa at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2006

NIH on Pain and Pain Research

Findings from the NIH Pain Consortium's first symposium are now beginning to be made available to the general public. This month's consumer health newsletter from NIH (NewsInHealth) highlights the idea that a positive outlook can significantly help in pain management. Please see the links below for additional information about the Pain Consortium, the symposium (which is supposed to be made available as a webcast soon), and more.

NIH: NewsInHealth (June 2006): Ignore the Pain? Innovative Pain Management Ideas:
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2006/June/docs/01features_01.htm

NIH: Pain Consortium: http://painconsortium.nih.gov/

NIH Pain Consortium: First Annual Symposium, Advances in Pain Research, April 17-18, 2006: Highlights in Pain Research - Genetics, Neuronal & Glial Mechanisms, Imaging, Cognitive & Emotional Aspects, Headache, Cancer Pain, Novel Therapies, Junior Investigators:
http://conferences.masimax.com/painconsortium/agenda.cfm

NIH: Pain Consortium: NIH Pain Research: Pain Information Index: http://painconsortium.nih.gov/pain_index.html

NIH: Pain Consortium: Interactive Textbook of Pain and Symptom Research: http://painconsortium.nih.gov/symptomresearch/index.html

NIH: Pain Consortium: Pain Intensity Scales: http://painconsortium.nih.gov/pain_scales/index.html

Posted by pfa at 01:59 PM | Comments (0)

June 21, 2006

A Return to the Focal Infection Theory? Dentistry and Systemic Diseases

While preparing our forthcoming exhibit on the history of dentistry in Michigan, I stumbled across a clever little rhyme that was presented in the entertainment column of the MDA Journal.

There was a little man and he had a little fang
And a billion or so of strepto bugs were in it.
A dentist of renown said I'll put thereon a crown,
For I need all the money there is in it.
Thereupon he made a start; The bugs traveled to the heart,
Of the little man, I really hate to sing it,
For soon there was no little fang, There was no little man,
The tale's too sad, I can't go on, Oh why did I begin it?
Buzzer, A. [pseud.?] "Saydiograms." Michigan State Dental Society Bulletin (June 1924) 6:28.

With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to highlight a few of this year's articles on the relationship between periodontal disease and various systemic diseases, a recently resurfacing concept very similar to the earlier discredited focal infection theory which, in its heyday, gave rise to the rhyme above.

Each of the articles below was published this year, and either describes a systemic disease as a complication of periodontal diseases or describes periodontal disease as a risk factor for the systemic disease. The Shetty article proposes a mechanism for this -- that the periodontal infection may contribute to immunosuppression.

Al-Zahrani MS. Kayal RA. Bissada NF. Periodontitis and cardiovascular disease: a review of shared risk factors and new findings supporting a causality hypothesis. Quintessence International. 37(1):11-8, 2006 Jan.
UI: 16429698

D'Aiuto F. Parkar M. Nibali L. Suvan J. Lessem J. Tonetti MS. Periodontal infections cause changes in traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors: results from a randomized controlled clinical trial. American Heart Journal. 151(5):977-84, 2006 May.
UI: 16644317

Moss KL. Mauriello S. Ruvo AT. Offenbacher S. White RP Jr. Beck JD. Reliability of third molar probing measures and the systemic impact of third molar periodontal pathology. Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. 64(4):652-8, 2006 Apr.
UI: 16546645

Schara R. Medvescek M. Skaleric U. Periodontal disease and diabetes metabolic control: a full-mouth disinfection approach. Journal of the International Academy of Periodontology. 8(2):61-6, 2006 Apr.
UI: 16623181

Shetty K. The role of salivary cytokines in the etiology and progression of periodontal disease. General Dentistry. 54(2):140-3; quiz 144, 2006 Mar-Apr.
UI: 16689073

Xiong X. Buekens P. Fraser WD. Beck J. Offenbacher S. Periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 113(2):135-43, 2006 Feb.
UI: 16411989

Posted by pfa at 04:27 PM | Comments (0)

June 13, 2006

Medical Identity Theft

The World Privacy Forum has released a report on the problem of medical identity theft.

Medical Identity Theft: The Information Crime that Can Kill You (Released May 3, 2006), by Pam Dixon and Robert Gellman:
http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/medicalidentitytheft.html

With financial identity theft, you find that someone has stolen your identity to make use of your financial resources and credit. With medical identity theft, this may happen -- the thief may use your insurance or other resources, and you may also find that the identity thief has changed your medical records to include fictitious information. Examples included changing the bloodtype on record and adding psychiatric diagnoses.

Recommendations for personal protection include frequently requesting copies of your files, just as you should request copies of your credit report, and closely reviewing all communications from your insurance company. Practitioners need to be aware of this in order to question apparent inconsistencies between the record and the patient's reporting.

Posted by pfa at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)

June 08, 2006

How's that Headache? Seen Your Dentist Lately?

June 4-10th is National Headache Awareness Week for 2006. NHAW is sponsored by the National Headache Foundation.

National Headache Foundation: http://www.headaches.org/

"This year's theme, Headache Relief: 12 Tips for a Headache Free Year conveys the importance of managing headaches at home, work and play."

National Headache Awareness Week: http://www.headaches.org/consumer/NHAW/NHAW06.html

Along those lines, you might want to be aware of a new online headache assessment tool from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

HeadacheConsult: http://www.headacheconsult.com/

You might be interested in these other resources on dentists, dentistry and headaches. These range from those for patients to information for practitioners and about new inventions for headache treatment coming out of dental research.

American Academy of Head, Neck and Facial Pain (AAHNFP) / American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACFP): Headaches and Dental Health: http://www.aacfp.org/headaches.html

Army Medicine: Dental-Related Headaches, by Capt. Mark Vance: http://www.armymedicine.army.mil/hc/healthtips/02/200411dentalheadaches.cfm

Chicago Dental Society: Dental device grabs migraine Rx headlines, July 1, 2005:
http://www.cds.org/for_your_practice/professional_news_articles/articles_item_detail.wu4?categ=practice&articleid=21c69b05

While I was finding these resources for this special week of headache information, I also discovered that last week was "I Love My Dentist Day". Now, how did I miss that?

June 2 – I Love My Dentist Day: http://www.edhelper.com/DailyThemes_875.html

Posted by pfa at 04:24 PM | Comments (0)

Clinical Researchers In the News

I've been having trouble with the mBlog software killing off my entries during editing, so please pardon me if there are several sent at once while I try to catch up.

I'd like to bring to your attention the following report of the AAMC in which they call for schools to specifically work to create the next generation of clinical researchers in their educational process.

Promoting Translational and Clinical Science: The Critical Role of Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals (Report of the AAMC's Task Force II on Clinical Research) May 2006 [62 Pages, PDF 1 MB]: https://services.aamc.org/Publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Product.displayForm&prd_id=150&prv_id=176

Next, did you see the International Clinical Trials Day? This was last month, so I am sorry to be late bringing this to your attention. A good idea, and I hope it receives broader attention next year. For the record, mark your calendars for May 19th.

European Clinical Research Infrastructures Network (ACRIN): International Clinical Trials' Day: http://www.ecrin.org/ecrin_files/news.php?level=1

Also of potential interest, the American Academy of Microbiology has just issued a new report on "good bugs" -- "how beneficial microbes could represent the future of medicine, with the potential to treat a variety of diseases in humans and animals from diarrhea and eczema to gum disease and autoimmune disorders."

American Academy of Microbiology (AAM) : Critical Issues Colloquia Reports: "Probiotic Microbes: The Scientific Basis," June 2006: http://www.asm.org/Academy/index.asp?bid=43351

Last but far from least for today's entry, the Public Library of Sciences has released a new journal title in collaboration with the AAMC on clinical research.

PLoS Clinical Trials: http://clinicaltrials.plosjournals.org/

Posted by pfa at 03:38 PM | Comments (0)

April 24, 2006

Financial (and Related) Resources for Patients

General Information about Financial Resources for Health Treatment and Care

General Information about Financial Resources for Michigan Residents

See also our Guide to Online Drug Information Resources, which includes a section on Patient Assistance Programs and Compassionate Use.

Posted by pfa at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)

April 18, 2006

JAMA's New Studies on Amalgam's Health Impacts

The prestigious medical journal JAMA released today two randomized controlled clinical trials on the longterm health effects of amalgam restorations in children. Both trials found no measurable ill effects of amalgam.

Neuropsychological and Renal Effects of Dental Amalgam in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial
David C. Bellinger, PhD, MSc; Felicia Trachtenberg, PhD; Lars Barregard, MD, PhD; Mary Tavares, DMD, MPH; Elsa Cernichiari, MS; David Daniel, PhD; Sonja McKinlay, PhD.
JAMA. 2006;295:1775-1783:
FREE ARTICLE: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/295/15/1775

"Conclusions In this study, there were no statistically significant differences in adverse neuropsychological or renal effects observed over the 5-year period in children whose caries were restored using dental amalgam or composite materials. Although it is possible that very small IQ effects cannot be ruled out, these findings suggest that the health effects of amalgam restorations in children need not be the basis of treatment decisions when choosing restorative dental materials."

Neurobehavioral Effects of Dental Amalgam in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Timothy A. DeRouen, PhD; Michael D. Martin, DMD, PhD; Brian G. Leroux, PhD; Brenda D. Townes, PhD; James S. Woods, PhD, MPH; Jorge Leitão, MD, MS; Alexandre Castro-Caldas, MD, PhD; Henrique Luis, MS; Mario Bernardo, DMD, PhD; Gail Rosenbaum, MS; Isabel P. Martins, MD, PhD
JAMA. 2006;295:1784-1792.
UM Only: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/295/15/1784

"Conclusions In this study, children who received dental restorative treatment with amalgam did not, on average, have statistically significant differences in neurobehavioral assessments or in nerve conduction velocity when compared with children who received resin composite materials without amalgam. These findings, combined with the trend of higher treatment need later among those receiving composite, suggest that amalgam should remain a viable dental restorative option for children."

Posted by pfa at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2006

National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 2006 is the National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The UM School of Dentistry has highlighted this issue with its own local research by D2 student, John Thomas.

The White House proclamation on this shows that the importance of this topic is recognized nationwide.

More information on this topic is available from various government agencies.

Where to report suspected abuse for Michigan dentists:

Posted by pfa at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2006

Autism Awareness Month 2006

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we would like to draw your attention to the following resources on oral health and autism spectrum disorders.

More about Autism-Spectrum Disorders and Autism Awareness Month.

Posted by pfa at 03:14 PM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2006

LactMed: A New Database on Drugs and Lactation

"LactMed, a free online database with information on drugs and lactation, is one of the newest additions to the National Library of Medicines (NLM) TOXNET system, a Web-based collection of resources covering toxicology, chemical safety, and environmental health. Geared to the healthcare practitioner and nursing mother, LactMed contains over 450 drug records. It includes information such as maternal levels in breast milk, infant levels in blood, potential effects in breastfeeding infants and on lactation itself, the American Academy of Pediatrics category indicating the level of compatibility of the drug with breastfeeding, and alternate drugs to consider. References are included, as is nomenclature information, such as the drugs Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) Registry number and its broad drug class."

LactMed: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT

Posted by pfa at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

March 28, 2006

A Health Professional’s Guide to Pediatric Oral Health Management

New from the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center, this online training tool addresses the core question of appropriate referral to pediatric dentists from family medicine care providers.

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center: A Health Professional’s Guide to Pediatric Oral Health Management: http://www.mchoralhealth.org/pediatricoh/index.htm

"These modules provide health professionals with information to help them prevent oral diseases, which still afflict many U.S. children, especially children from families with low incomes, children in certain minority groups, and children with special health care needs. The modules assist health professionals in performing an oral screening to identify infants and children at increased risk for oral health problems, offering referrals to oral health professionals, and providing parents with anticipatory guidance."

Posted by pfa at 01:18 PM | Comments (0)

March 02, 2006

American Academy of Pediatrics Promotes Dentistry

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) promotes dentistry in a recent news article.

Prevent early childhood caries: Integrate oral health activities into routine pediatric care. Boulter and Romano-Clarke AAP News.2006; 27: 21.

The article discusses recommendations from the AAPD and Bright Futures (Georgetown University). Additional information is available from both.

Bright Futures in Practice: Oral Health: http://www.brightfutures.org/oralhealth/pdf/index.html

Past AAPD President’s Editorial Addresses Epidemic of Early Childhood Caries: http://www.aapd.org/media/pediatricdentistryarticles.asp?NEWS_ID=401?

Also of interest would be the AAP policy statement on early childhood caries.

Oral Health Risk Assessment Timing and Establishment of the Dental Home [PEDIATRICS Vol. 111 No. 5 May 2003, pp. 1113-1116]: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;111/5/1113

Posted by pfa at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2006

SPIRAL: Selected Patient Information in Asian Languages

SPIRAL is a resource developed jointly by the South Cove Community Health Center and Tufts University Hirsh Health Sciences Library. It includes patient information in Cambodian/Khmer, Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Lao, Thai, and Vietnamese. It includes information for patients on many diseases or areas of the body, including dental health. The types of guides available for Asian patients in the area of dental health range from hygiene, diseases, treatments, pregnancy, anatomy, infant oral health care, and concerns about dental bills or insurance.

SPIRAL: Selected Patient Information in Asian Languages: http://spiral.tufts.edu/

Posted by pfa at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)

Drug Information for Patients

The Dentistry Library Drug Information Guide has quite a bit of information for patients and practitioners about medications, and links to many resources to learn more about them. The following resource, TalkRX from NCPIE, tends to have a different kind of information -- how to ask questions about drugs, what questions to ask, and how to communicate with your health care team about your medication questions and concerns. A different type of resource, and one you might want to consider recommending to your patients.

National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE): http://www.talkaboutrx.org/

Posted by pfa at 05:34 PM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2006

New from Cochrane Oral Health Group

Want a quick snapshot of the state of the art in dental clinical care? Try browsing the Abstracts of the Cochrane Oral Health Group, available free online.

Cochrane Oral Health Group Abstracts:
http://www.cochrane.org/cochrane/revabstr/ORALAbstractIndex.htm

New in this series are:

Posted by pfa at 09:07 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2006

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center

National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center (OHRC),
Georgetown University:
http://www.mchoralhealth.org/

Released just in time for Children's Dental Health Month in February, OHRC's newest resource collection is for the public.

OHRC: Knowledge Path: Oral Health and Children and Adolescents: http://www.mchoralhealth.org/knwpathoralhealth.html

Knowledge Path contains a wide variety of critically selected links for consumer health information for parents and families. Also for families, their Bright Futures Toolbox contains more links and includes materials in languages other than English.

OHRC: Bright Futures Toolbox: http://www.mchoralhealth.org/Toolbox/families.html

Also of interest would be the resources for health professionals, including sections for medical clinicians who encounter dental concerns in their patients, distance learning resources, and a dental clinic manual.

Posted by pfa at 06:00 PM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2006

Genetics and Craniofacial Disorder Resources

Today we're highlighting a few of the very fine online resources available on these topics. The Genetics Home Reference is a masterful resource made available free by the National Library of Medicine.

NLM: Genetics Home Reference: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/

Among their newest topics on conditions, you'll find Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and Amelogenesis Imperfecta. Among their new pages on specific genes, you'll find amelogenin (amelogenesis imperfecta 1, X-linked), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), enamelin, and matrix metallopeptidase 20 (MMP20 or enamelysin).

Highly recommended.

Another recommended resource (classic rather than current) is Jablonski's Multiple Congenital Anomaly/Mental Retardation. The information provided is core diagnositic features and a chromosome summary.

Less technical and a useful resource for patients and seeking core bibliographies on a topic is the website and database for NORD. Print copies of the book are in Reference [RC 48.8 .N3851]. The website has free content and paid content. Persons currently affiliated with the University of Michigan can get both through MIRLYN. The link below goes only to the free content.

National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD): http://www.rarediseases.org/

NORD usually provides links to quality patient information and public websites on the specific disorders. There are a few excellent overview sites, such as FACES: The National Craniofacial Association, Let's Face It, and World Craniofacial Foundation.

Posted by pfa at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2006

Bone Graft Resource

The National Library of Medicine and MedlinePlus have just announced a new information resource on bone grafts.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonegrafts.html

The resource lists an interesting range of information, which includes the use of bone graft techniques in facial and cleft palate reconstruction.

Posted by pfa at 02:31 PM | Comments (2)

January 19, 2006

Evidence Based Information on Herbal Remedies

Looking for the best information on whether or not herbal remedies work, how, what for, side effects and drug interactions? Try these highly recommended resources.

These and many more drug information resources are included in the Dentistry Library's drug information guide: Drug Information for Dentists, Hygienists, and Students of These Professions

Posted by pfa at 06:43 PM

Clinical Guidelines for Oral Diseases

The National Guidelines Clearinghouse (Guidelines.gov) offers category level browsing as well as searching. In the category browse, you can find oral health diseases under Stomatognathic:

Stomatognathic Diseases

You might also be interested in these other categories:

Posted by pfa at 06:29 PM