Skin provides a first line of defense against viruses, bacteria and parasites that might otherwise make people ill. When an injury breaks that barrier, a systematic chain of molecular signaling launches to close the wound and re-establish the skin’s layer of protection.

A study led by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine and published in the Journal of Cell Biology now offers a clearer explanation of the role of one of the players in the wound-healing process, a molecule called FOX01. Contrary to what had been expected, FOX01 is critical to wound healing, providing researchers with a possible new target for drugs that could help speed that process for people with impaired wound healing.

Senior author Dana Graves is a professor in Penn Dental Medicine’s Department of Periodontics and is vice dean for scholarship and research. He collaborated on the study with Penn’s Bhaskar Ponugoti, Fanxing Xu, Chenying Zhang, Chen Tian and Sandra Pacio.

A critical element of wound healing involves the movement of keratinocytes, the primary cells comprising the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin. Previous research had found that FOX01 was expressed at higher levels in wounds, but scientists did not understand what role the molecule was playing. In other scenarios, such as in cancer cells, FOX01 promotes cell death and interferes with the cell reproduction, two actions that would seem to be detrimental to healing.

To investigate the role of FOX01 in wound healing, Graves and colleagues bred mice that lacked the protein in their keratinocytes and then observed the wound healing process in these mice compared to mice with normal FOX01.

“We thought that deleting FOX01 would speed up the wound-healing process,” Graves said, “but in fact it had the opposite effect.”

The mice that lacked FOX01 showed significant delays in healing. Whereas all wounds on control mice were healed after one week, all of the experimental mice still had open wounds.

Digging deeper into this counterintuitive finding, the researchers examined the effect of reducing FOX01 levels on other genes known to play a role in cell migration. They found that many of these genes were significantly reduced, notably TGF-β1, a critical growth factor in wound repair. When the team added TGF-β1 to cells lacking FOX01, the cells behaved normally and produced the proper suite of molecules needed for healing, indicating that FOX01 acts upstream of TGF-β1 in the signaling pathway triggered during the healing process.

Further experimenting revealed that mice lacking FOX01 had evidence of increased oxidative stress, which is detrimental to wound healing.

“The wound healing environment is a stressful environment for the cell,” Graves said. “It appears that upregulation of FOX01 helps protect the cell against oxidative stress.”

The fact that FOX01 behaves in this unexpected way could have to do with the specialized microenvironment of a cell in a wound, Graves noted. While FOX01 does indeed promote cell death when it is highly activated, it does the opposite when moderately activated. Which activity it promotes depends on the environment in which it is acting.

Taken together, the study’s findings demonstrate that FOX01 plays an integral role in two key processes in wound healing: activation of TGF-β1 and protecting the cell against oxidative damage. Its involvement in these aspects of healing make it a potential target for pharmaceuticals that could help speed healing.

“If you had a small molecule that increased FOX01 expression, you might be able to upregulate TGF-β1 as well as protect against the oxidative stress associated with wound healing,” Graves said.

The study was supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Source: University of Pennsylvania

November 12, 2013 -- Considerable epidemiologic evidence links dietary habits and incidence of a variety of cancers. Consumption of high levels of soybeans has been associated with decreased incidence of cancer of the breast, colon, and prostate. Soybeans contain a number of compounds that have potential anticarcinogenic activity including isoflavones, phytic acid, saponins, and several protease inhibitors. Both epidemiologic and experimental data strongly suggest a broad role for protease inhibitors in providing a protective effect against cancer formation, and those with chymotrypsin inhibitory activity have been found to be the most potent.

The goal of the study was to assess whether administering Bowman Birk Inhibitor Concentrate (BBIC) to study subjects with oral leukoplakia would result in a change in lesion area. BBI is a serine protease inhibitor isolated from soybeans possessing domains with trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity. In vitro and in vivo studies show anticarcinogenic activity in a number of animal model systems, and BBIC has been shown to be non-toxic in humans. BBI Concentrate (BBIC) has the same anticarcinogenic profile as purified BBI, and it has been developed for human trials. In order to test the efficacy of BBIC in reducing lesion area, one hundred and thirty two subjects were randomized; and 89 subjects completed six months on study drug or placebo.

Both placebo and BBIC showed a statistically significant decrease in mean lesion area of 17.1% and 20.6%, respectively, and partial or greater clinical responses of 30% and 28% respectively. No significant difference between placebo and study drug arms was observed. Histologic review, review of photographs of lesions, and comparison of serum neu protein and oral mucosal cell protease activity also did not show significant differences between study arms. The authors discuss possible reasons for the negative results, and advise using caution when searching for “green” chemopreventions.

This multi-center study, “Bowman Birk Inhibitor Concentrate and Oral Leukoplakia: A Randomized Phase IIb Trial,” was published in Cancer Prevention Research. Dr. Alexander Ross Kerr, an investigator from the New York University College of Dentistry & Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, was principal investigator at the NYU site. 

Coral Springs, FL - Nov. 12, 2013-- The Academy of Laser Dentistry (ALD), an international professional membership association of dental practitioners dedicated to the advancement of the use of lasers in dentistry, is launching a membership drive offering discounted membership rates for a limited time.

The ALD 2014 Conference, February 27-March 1 in Scottsdale, Arizona, features tracked sessions designed to meet the needs of those seeking Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Participation Course credit hours towards the AGD's Fellowship and Mastership Awards.Interested practitioners are invited to attend the Academy of Laser Dentistry 2014 conference to engage in learning laser utilization in the following areas and apply these participation credit hours in:

- Implantology

- Periodontology and Periodontal Maintenance

- Endodontics

- Pediatric Dentistry

- Myofacial Pain Management

- Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, and Oral Diagnosis

Register is currently available at https://www.laserdentistry.org/index.cfm/conference.

Courses are designed to allow participants to acquire didactic information and an opportunity to actually try a new method or device in a non-threatening atmosphere before either buying it or using it on a patient. These are efforts to reflect the Academy of General Dentistry's mission of assisting dentists' ongoing commitment to provide quality care through continuing education, as well as to help "change perspectives and broaden horizons," the theme of ALD's 21st Annual Conference: Lasers Coming of Age: 21 Years of Enlightenment, said Dr. Raminta Mastis, ALD's Chair of General and Scientific Sessions. The offerings of full-day tracks in specific disciplines, at no additional fee above the conference registration, offer an exceptional opportunity to earn participation credit on the AGD journey to excellence in achieving either Fellowship or Mastership Awards.

For more information, contact Gail Siminovsky, CAE, Executive Director at laserexec@laserdentistry.org, 954-346-3776, or visit www.laserdentistry.org.

WASHINGTON, November 12, 2013 - (EON: Enhanced Online News) -- An article published in the latest issue of the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) scholarly publication, the Journal of Dental Education (JDE), reports on the increasing use of lecture recordings in dental schools and the need to establish a system of common guidelines to effectively incorporate lecture recording into the classroom.

“Use of Lecture Recordings in Dental Education: Assessment of Status Quo and Recommendations,” by Zsuzsa Horvath, PhD, and co-authors, presents the findings of a dental school survey designed to gauge the effects of lecture recordings on teaching and learning and the policies in place for implementing this practice. The authors developed the questionnaire and distributed it to all North American dental schools. Of the 45 that responded, 28 schools reported participating in lecture recording and, therefore, these schools were used as the study’s sample.

The study found that dental schools have implemented lecture recording practices mostly in response to high student demand. Although there is little research to establish a link between lecture recordings and higher student achievement, students prefer to have the recordings available for review before an exam.

According to one of the authors, Heiko Spallek, DMD, PhD, MSBA, “While there is overwhelming evidence that students perceive lecture recording as a support tool that positively affects learning, there seems to be little or no evidence that it actually does. Many critics argue that replacing face-to-face lectures with watching a lecture on a screen might impede learning, but they have no evidence for that assertion either.”

While there is a fear that lecture recordings might lead to lower class attendance, most schools responded that they have not needed to change their attendance policies to prevent this potential problem, although several of them already require mandatory attendance.

In addition, a substantial number of the responding schools reported that lecture recording has led to changes in teaching at their institutions. A few of these changes include altering lecture formats, emphasizing case and problem integration, including more video, transitioning from slides to PowerPoint and having the students view or listen to the lecture before class.

In response to the potential for lecture recording to change teaching, the authors suggest that assigning the lectures as homework could free up class time for activities that promote student-centered learning and higher-level thinking skills, but they also note the difficulty of fitting the lectures into dental students’ already heavy workload.

Access the full article at www.jdentaled.org. To learn more about the ADEA Journal of Dental Education, visit www.adea.org/jde.

PARSIPPANY, NJ, NOVEMBER 13, 2013 – With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% over the last 3 years, manufacturers’ sales of professional oral care products in the United States are offering much to smile about with sales in 2013 alone estimated at $426.5 million, according to Professional Oral Care USA, which includes extensive research with dentists and dental hygienists by worldwide consulting and research firm Kline & Company. Caries remain the leading therapeutic indication within the professional oral care market in 2013, claiming sales of over 43% of the total US market due to sales gains of fluoride varnishes. Fluoride varnishes are preferred over other topical fluoride therapy treatments such as gels and foams due to their ease of application, efficacy, and safety of these products. Abetting the popularity of fluoride varnishes has been the addition of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), allowing a greater fluoride uptake to the tooth.

However, this market dominance is being slowly eroded by the rapidly growing whitening therapeutic indication, with sales estimated at over $117 million at the manufacturers’ level in 2013, reflecting a CAGR of 10.5% from 2010. Encouraged by convenience, cost advantage, and technological advances, take-home whitening treatments dispensed through dentists’ offices have been gaining popularity over in-office treatments.

Laura Mahecha, Kline’s Healthcare industry manager, has pointed out a consequence of this success: “With newer whitening treatment formulations having built-in desensitizing ingredients, one of the biggest disadvantages of take-home whitening alternatives has been addressed. However, the increased sales of advanced whitening treatments containing desensitizers have had a detrimental effect on sales of sensitivity products given that consumers no longer need to purchase additional sensitivity products.”

Despite this challenge, manufacturers’ sales of anti tooth-sensitivity products have seen a CAGR of 3.4% over the last three years.

Other significant trends observed include the introduction of periodontal products targeting pediatric patients. With a view to fostering good oral hygiene habits early, companies such as Procter & Gamble are offering products catering to specific age groups/development ages of children including Oral-B Pro-Health Stages 4-24 Months Toothbrush, Oral-B Pro-Health Stages 2-4 Years Toothbrush, and Oral-B Pro-Health 5-7 Years Toothbrush.

Given Kline’s findings on the high importance of brand loyalty, this early engagement is a worthy long-term strategy. Kline’s research has found that consumers tend to purchase brands that they have used since childhood; moreover, they are likely to pass on their habits to the next generation. Conversely, dental professionals will often recommend oral care products based on their active ingredients rather than specific brands.

An estimated 60% of total U.S. professional oral care market sales in 2013 is claimed by the top five marketers, with Colgate-Palmolive leading with 14.6% market share, followed closely by 3M and Philips.

Kline’s comprehensive report also analyzes unmet needs and new technologies of interest as expressed by dental professionals. These include air flossers, better plaque removal methods, calcium augmenting products with low antibiotic content, and oral cancer detection products.

Kline’s Professional Oral Care USA is a comprehensive assessment of the U.S. market for professional oral care products used and sold to consumers through dental professional offices. The combination of information from the marketers and dental distributors with that from dental professionals makes this report unique and indispensable. Mahecha notes, “Successful marketers need data on volume and value changes, brand dynamics and distribution trends in order to effectively plan strategies. This timely research will allow first-hand insights from dental professionals about categories/brands and reveal dental professionals’ unmet needs for professional oral care products.”

November 7, 2013 – A new study from the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC published in Cell Stem Cellillustrates how changes in cell signaling can cause ordinary stem cells in the jaw to start forming benign but potentially harmful tumors.

Principal investigator Songtao Shi, professor at the Ostrow School’s Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, said ossifying fibromas, the tumors focused on in the study, are benign but can grow aggressively and cause progressive enlargement of the jaw.

“The only treatment option for ossifying fibromas is surgical, which leads to major loss of vital tissues and challenging postsurgical reconstruction,” Shi said. “Quality of life is largely compromised. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the underlying mechanism by which stem cells may contribute to the pathophysiology of orofacial benign tumors and to develop target-specific treatment.”

Shi and his collaborators uncovered a cellular signaling pathway that converts healthy mesenchymal stem cells in the jaw into ossifying fibroma mesenchymal stem cells (OFMSC), lessening their ability to make healthy bone tissue and greatly increasing the rate at which they multiply. The tumor stem cells display increased signaling activity with TGF-beta (TGF-b), a signaling protein already shown to be heavily tied to other craniofacial malformations.

Epigenetic upregulation — switching existing but inactive genes “on” — of the TGF-b cell signaling loop appears to increase the formation of ossifying fibroma tumors. Conversely, suppressing TGF-b signaling seems to quell the tumor’s proliferation rate, Shi said.

While there is still much more investigation needed, Shi said he hopes that the findings have shed light on a way to stop the harmful growth of the tumors before risky surgery is needed.

“With an increased understanding of the mechanism of OFMSC, we can induce them to turn into normal jawbone MSC,” he said. “But before we can put this into clinical use, more translational research is needed.”

The study’s authors included researchers from USC, the University of Pennsylvania, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Iowa. The work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and a grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Source: USC News

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana— Results from a randomized double-blind clinical trial found that a toothpaste containing a natural chocolate extract was more capable of remineralizing exposed dentin—which could reduce dental hypersensitivity—than fluoride-based toothpastes, including Sensodyne NuPro (GlaxoSmithKline), according to Medscape Medical News.

The study evaluated the enamel-strengthening potential of Theodent (Theodent) toothpaste containing the patented compound Rennou (Theodent). The active ingredient of Rennou is theobromine, a compound that is prominent in chocolate; it also contains calcium and phosphate. Thoedent does not contain fluoride.

"Ironically, there is something in chocolate that can build healthier teeth," said Arman Sadeghpour, PhD, chief executive officer of Theodent, who presented the study results at a press briefing held here during the American Dental Association (ADA) 2013 Annual Session.

To read the full Medscape article, click here.

Las Vegas, Nov. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire -- The American College of Prosthodontists, through its awards program, formally recognizes individuals whose contributions to the specialty or to the College are outstanding and substantial. These individuals were recognized during the Annual Session 2013 Annual Awards and President's Dinner held last month in Las Vegas. More than 1,200 dental professionals attended, including prosthodontists and dental technicians. The ACP Education Foundation is a proud sponsor of this award.

The ACP announces the following recipients:

First Place John J. Sharry Research Competition Winner: Dr. Evanthia Anadioti, DDS. 3D and 2D Marginal Fit of Pressed and CAD/CAM Lithium Disilicate Crowns Made From Digital and Conventional Impressions University of Iowa

Second Place John J. Sharry Research Competition Winner: Dr. Bryan Jacobs, DDS, BSE. A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Grafting the Facial Gap at Immediately Placed Implants in the Anterior Maxilla University of North Carolina

Third Place John J. Sharry Research Competition Winner: Dr. Amanda Colebeck, DDS. Microtensile Bond Strength of Different Acrylic Teeth to High-Impact Denture Base Resins University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

This competition is held to stimulate and acknowledge original research in prosthodontics by students. The Prosthodontist Research Award was first presented in 1976. In 1982, following the death of Past President Dr. John J. Sharry, the award was renamed in his honor. Three winners have been recognized each year for the Sharry Research Competition since 1976.

Dr. John Sharry was a founding member of the ACP. He attended Tufts University and the University of Alabama Dental School. He was Assistant Professor and Director of the Office of Learning Resources at the University of Alabama Dental School; Director of the Cleft Palate Program for the State of Alabama and taught at the University of Illinois, University of South Carolina and the University of Texas. Dr. Sharry published numerous articles and books about prosthodontics and was the editor of countless journals.

Prosthodontists are specialized dentists with advanced training in oral health issues, who are committed to improving patient outcomes. From implants, crowns, veneers and tooth whitening, to full-mouth reconstruction, prosthodontists specialize in digital dentistry and CAD/CAM solutions. The ACP is the only prosthodontic specialty organization whose membership is based solely on education credentials. ACP members must be in or have completed an ADA-accredited advanced education program in prosthodontics.

SOURCE: American College of Prosthodontists

Algonquin, IL, November 5, 2013 — Failure to comply with infection control standards increases the risk for disease transmission and jeopardizes patient safety. The Richmond Institute’s new course, “Infection Control Is Not Optional: Dental Practitioners Need to Be Involved,” by Dr. Louis G. DePaola, addresses this important issue.

The course reviews the occurrence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and some of the ways in which they spread. Dr. DePaola touches on disease transmission prevention practices and the importance of vigilance of healthcare workers to keep themselves, and their patients, safe. He then delves deeper into recent infection control breaches in dentistry and how not only the patients, but the dental practitioners, were impacted. 

To read this, and any other course free of charge, visit richmondinstitute.com/courses, or sign up for a complimentary membership to take the exam for CE credit. More information on new courses and other educational content can be found on Facebook (facebook.com/TheRichmondInstitute) or Twitter (@Richmond_Inst). For additional inquiries, please contact support@richmondinstitute.com.

Atlanta – Carestream Dental is pleased to announce another successful year of sponsoring the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Foundation in support of the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award, which was presented at the American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP) 2013 Annual Meeting. The meeting took place at the Philadelphia Convention Center in Philadelphia Sept. 27-Oct. 1. The 2013 award winner was Jonathan H. Do, DDS, a graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry.

According to the AAP Foundation, the number of qualified periodontal professors is decreasing, as most graduates feel the pressure of student loans or other obligations and bypass a teaching career to go directly into practice. To address this growing concern, the AAP Foundation offers a $10,000 award to jumpstart the teaching career of a deserving periodontal student. The AAP Foundation hopes the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award will encourage students to consider becoming a professor of periodontal studies and further advancing the specialty.

After living with an undiagnosed case of periodontitis through his teenage years, Dr. Do is passionate about teaching dental students the importance of correctly diagnosing and treating periodontitis and knowing when it’s appropriate to refer a patient to a periodontist. Dr. Do plans to use the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award to further his studies and aid him in his new position as a professor in UCLA’s periodontology department.

“The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation wants to ensure a bright future for periodontology by strengthening our future generations of students and educators,” said Dr. Robert Vitas, executive director of the AAP Foundation. “We’re thrilled for Dr. Do and know that he will put this award to good use, and we’re so happy that Carestream Dental has elected to support us in our endeavors over the years.”

The AAP Foundation award is in honor of Dr. D. Walter Cohen for his contributions to the study and practice of periodontology. Dr. Cohen was born and raised in Philadelphia, and earned his doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine in 1950. Dr. Cohen established the school’s department of periodontics, serving as its first chairman, and later advancing to the roles of professor of periodontics, associate dean and dean of Academic Affairs, and president of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, all during his 35-year career at the university.

“Dr. Cohen consistently adopts new technology and sets a great example for those beginning their teaching career in periodontology,” said Marc Gordon, general manager of Carestream Dental’s U.S. equipment and software. “We are sponsors of the AAP Foundation and the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award because of our dedication and commitment to the periodontology specialty.”

Third-year students of a nonmilitary accredited periodontal post-doctoral training program in the United States are eligible to apply for the Dr. D. Walter Cohen Teaching Award. Candidates must demonstrate excellent character and integrity, have a record of academic and personal achievements, and intend to pursue a full-time career in periodontal teaching and research.

For more information on the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation, please visit www.periofoundation.org. For more information on Carestream Dental and the company’s recent achievements, please call 800-944-6365 or visit www.carestreamdental.com/learnmore.