An antimicrobial agent found in common household soaps, shampoos and toothpastes may be finding its way inside human noses where it promotes the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and could predispose some people to infection. Researchers at the University of Michigan report their findings this week in a study published in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

Triclosan, a man-made compound used in a range of antibacterial personal care products such as soaps, toothpastes, kitchen surfaces, clothes and medical equipment, was found in nasal passages of 41% of adults sampled. A higher proportion of subjects with triclosan also had S. aureus colonization. S. aureus could promote infection in some populations such as people undergoing surgery.

Triclosan has been around for the past 40 years, says senior study author Blaise Boles, PhD, an assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the university, and has been incorporated into many antibacterial household products within the past decade. Other studies have found traces of triclosan in human fluids including serum, urine and milk, and studies in mammals have found that high concentrations of triclosan can disrupt the endocrine system and decrease heart and skeletal muscle function.

"It's really common in hand soaps, toothpastes and mouthwashes but there's no evidence it does a better job than regular soap," Boles says. "This agent may have unintended consequences in our bodies. It could promote S. aureus nasal colonization, putting some people at increased risk for infection."

Additional experiments found that S. aureus grown in the presence of triclosan was better able to attach to human proteins, and that rats exposed to triclosan were more susceptible to S. aureus nasal colonization.

"In light of the significant use of triclosan in consumer products and its widespread environmental contamination, our data combined with previous studies showing impacts of triclosan on the endocrine system and muscle function suggest that a reevaluation of triclosan in consumer products is urgently needed," the authors wrote.

Boles says he would like to conduct a more broad survey to determine if triclosan is influencing microbial colonization at additional human body sites.

Baltimore, MD -- Causing victims to suffer severe fever and pain, chikungunya virus has reached the Caribbean and South America – and is predicted to soon cause outbreaks in the United States. For many years the virus has remained primarily in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. In response to the arrival of the virus in the Western Hemisphere, the Global Virus Network (GVN) announced today the formation of the GVN Chikungunya Task Force, comprised of top virologists from around the world.

The announcement of the new task force coincides with World Health Day. Vector-borne diseases are the theme for World Health Day 2014 which is celebrated annually on April 7. Chikungunya is a vector-borne disease that is quickly spread by mosquitoes.

"Viruses are among the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Being able to quickly bring together the most knowledgeable researchers without regards to borders and political agendas to address viral threats such as chikungunya is paramount," said Global Virus Network co-founder and scientific director Dr. Robert Gallo and director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The GVN Chikungunya Task Force is composed of 16 virologists representing nine countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Sweden, Grenada, Estonia, South Africa, and Thailand. It is being led by Dr. Scott Weaver of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Dr. John K. Fazakerley at the Pirbright Institute in the U.K., and Dr. Marc Lecuit at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. All of the participating members are affiliated with GVN Centers of Excellence. Much of the group's effort will focus on issues related to more rapid identification of infections, improved treatment options and development of an effective vaccine.

"There is every expectation that chikungunya will continue its spread from the Caribbean into Central and South America, Mexico, and eventually the United States," said Global Virus Network's Chikungunya Task Force co-chair Dr. Scott Weaver. "As we gear up to address chikungunya in the Americas, we have much to learn from other countries where the virus has been endemic for many years. And, this new global collaboration will help all countries, particularly as we prepare for vaccine trials."

Chikungunya was first described following an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952. Since then the virus has been indentified in dozens of countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and now the Americas.

There is no specific antiviral drug treatment for chikungunya, which also presents as dengue another threatening mosquito-borne infection. Treatment of those infected with Chikungunya is directed primarily at relieving symptoms, which include a very high fever and joint pain. The joint pain is often very debilitating and, in some cases, persists for several months or years. Chikungunya does not cause death directly but in the presence of other comorbidities it may contribute to a fatal outcome.

A vaccine against chikungunya does not yet exist; however, it is a key focus of Dr. Weaver's work at UTMB. In addition, as the range of the virus expands, new and rapid diagnostics will be needed to differentiate chikungunya infections from other viral illnesses, and to determine where best to deploy any future vaccines.

The Caribbean's first cases of chikungunya occurred this past October. It is estimated that in those few months there have approximately 15,000 cases. With the area's high level of tourism, the virus would have many opportunities to quickly spread to other locations. In addition, there is an indication that the type of mosquito connected to the Caribbean cases is common in the United States, Mexico and parts of South America.

"The GVN Chikungunya Task Force will help speed the process to creating vaccines and much-needed diagnostic tools," said Global Virus Network's president Dr. Sharon Hrynkow. "We look forward to working with public health agencies, including the Pan American Health Organization, to prevent the spread of chikungunya and mitigate human suffering."

(Lebanon, NH) — More than 15 years ago, many states and tobacco manufacturers established restrictions to prevent youth exposure to the marketing of nicotine products. This follows regulations imposed 50 years ago that banned cigarette ads from TV. Despite these continued efforts, a new study by Dartmouth researchers reveals that not only are young people exposed to tobacco marketing, they are influenced by it. According to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, exposure to "direct marketing" is associated with increased use of tobacco.

"For several years, the emphasis in the tobacco industry has been on direct marketing, especially to young people who are highly price sensitive and who may find coupons, samples, and promotions appealing," said lead author Samir Soneji, PhD, Norris Cotton Cancer Center researcher and assistant professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.

Soneji's research team explored whether exposure to tobacco coupons and websites would increase the chances that a young person would start to smoke. "We found that both direct mail [coupons] and exposure to tobacco websites were associated with increased chances of smoking initiation and current smoking" said Soneji.

Overall, 12 percent of 15- to-17-year olds and 26 percent of 18- to-23-year olds were exposed to either form of direct-to-consumer tobacco marketing. Results indicated that black and Hispanic youth are exposed more frequently than white by direct marketing methods.

Direct marketing includes coupons and ads sent through the mail or posted on the web, as well as in-store displays and signs. These spheres, known as direct-to-consumer and point-of-purchase marketing, are not regulated, but are commonly used by manufacturers. In 2010, the tobacco industry spent $236 million in cigarette coupons and $22 million in Internet marketing. Some of this Internet marketing infiltrates social media, which is widely consumed by teens and young adults. Since younger consumers are more "price sensitive" to the high cost of tobacco products, a web ad offering a coupon could be perceived very favorably.

Tobacco manufacturers' websites, where coupons are downloaded, require visitors to prove they are not underage by inputting driver's license or social security numbers. Minors, however, are still gaining access. Norris Cotton Cancer Center prevention experts recommend stricter security for websites and increased enforcement for direct-to-consumer marketing.

Teens and young adults, who live in a household with a smoker, may face increased exposure to direct marketing in the form of mailed ads and coupons. To reduce these messages from entering the household, parents should consider removing their names from industry mailing lists, because it may reduce their children's risk of smoking.

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. Hispanics’ knowledge about oral health has improved somewhat since 2011 according to a re-fielded national survey led by the Hispanic Dental Association Foundation (HDAF) and sponsored by Procter & Gamble (P&G) brand Crest^®. However, barriers to accessing dental care and awareness about key oral health issues continue to be among the challenges Hispanics are facing in America. These new findings from the re-fielded “Hispanics Open up about Oral Health Care” survey were presented today at the influential event, Hispanicize.

“This survey was originally issued in 2011 and we felt it was time to get a pulse check on our efforts, so, we re-issued five questions from our survey in partnership with Crest, to re-examine the barriers, misperceptions and attitudes U.S. Hispanics have about their oral health,” said Sarita Arteaga, DMD, MAGD and President of the HDAF. “The challenges U.S. Hispanics still face includes, achieving good oral health, having misperceptions about their personal oral health, and gaining access to oral health care.”

Improvements in U.S. Hispanic oral health

The survey found some improvements amongst U.S. Hispanics in their general oral health knowledge. Specifically:

-Only 21% of U.S. Hispanics currently are misinformed whether cavities will go away on their own if you brush regularly, which is a 30% decline since the 2011 survey¹ (when 30% held this view)

-53% of U.S. Hispanics are misinformed if brushing is more important than flossing, an improvement from 68% in 2011¹

Barriers to better oral health still faced by U.S. Hispanics

When rating their personal oral health, and when responding to questions about specific oral health issues, the gaps between U.S. Hispanics and the General population still exist. Specifically:

-U.S. Hispanics still remain less likely to rate their overall oral health as “excellent” or “good”: 65% vs. 72% of the General population¹

-One of the key barriers to better oral health for U.S. Hispanics still remains a lack of dental insurance: 48% vs. 39% among the General population¹

-51% of U.S. Hispanics surveyed correctly understand that gingivitis will not go away on its own with brushing – still less than 67% recorded among the General population¹

“Crest’s partnership with the HDAF continues to focus on identifying the oral health misperceptions among Hispanics in the U.S. in order to eventually provide solutions,” said R. Iván Lugo, DMD, MBA and P&G North America and Puerto Rico Region Manager for Professional and Scientific Relations Global Professional Oral Health Division. “As we continue to turn awareness into action, taking a quick pulse check on the state of Hispanic oral health helps to keep our plans moving in the right direction.”

In an effort to educate U.S. Hispanics about their oral health and meet their collective objectives, the HDAF and Crest have initiated several community and professional programs over the past several years including: roundtables with leaders in the dental industry, sessions on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and interactive consumer-facing events at cultural fairs in Hispanic-dominant regions. As an outcome of the re-issued survey, the HDAF and Crest have collaborated on infographics to demonstrate the knowledge gaps in an easy-to-digest way. These images will be shared in consulates in highly populated Hispanic areas to help bring additional awareness to understanding the importance of one’s oral health.

For more information on Crest’s latest products and offerings, please follow @CrestLatino. For more information on the survey, please visit www.HDASSOC.com.

INTELIHEALTH - A one-time oral health education session for moms may help to reduce tooth decay in their young children, a German study has found.

Click here to read more.

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. /PRNewswire/ -- CANTEL MEDICAL CORP. announced recently that for the second consecutive year, it was named to the Forbes list of the “100 Best Small Companies in America.” The Company was ranked number 67 on the Forbes 2013 list.

Cantel’s President and CEO, Andrew Krakauer stated, “We are pleased to have been recognized for the success the Company has achieved both this year and over the past five years. I share this honor with our 1,300 hardworking and loyal employees. As a leader in the growing infection prevention and control market, the Company has performed well despite the difficult economic environment. We are optimistic that Cantel is positioned for sustained growth in the future. Our entire organization has a great sense of pride in providing the products, services and the guidance to mitigate infection risks, improve safety, and ultimately help save lives.”

The Forbes rankings are based on one and five-year earnings growth, sales growth and return on equity. To qualify, companies must have sales between $5 million and $1 billion, and meet certain share price and other criteria. Forbes also considers a company’s stock performance with its industry peers during the last year.

(HealthDay News) -- About one of every 25 U.S. hospital patients contracts an infection during their stay, and doctors can't say for certain why half those infections occur, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click here to read more.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The use of emergency departments for dental care – especially by young adults in low-income communities – is presenting policymakers with a challenge, according to a Rutgers report which offers several remedies including expanding hours at the dentist's office. 

“Emergency departments are poorly equipped to deal definitively with dental and oral health needs,” said Kristen Lloyd, senior analyst at the Rutgers’ Center for State Health Policy and lead author of the report. “Still, many people seek care in emergency departments for nontraumatic dental and dental-related conditions, possibly indicating inadequate access to dental care in the community.” 

The study, funded by a grant from The Nicholson Foundation, marks the first collaboration between the Center for State Health Policy and the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.

Young adults, ages 19-34, have the highest rate of visits to emergency departments for dental pain and infections, the researchers report in the latest issue of their Facts & Findings series. The analysis focused on emergency department visits for oral care not related to trauma from 2008 to 2010 in New Jersey and in 13 low-income regions of the state with large numbers of Medicaid beneficiaries. The study aimed to identify regions where better access to dental services could reduce costs and prevent dental disease along with the long-term consequences of poor oral health.

“All too often emergency departments become the go-to place for treatment even though many visits could be prevented with the right outpatient care at the right time,” said Joan Randell, deputy director of The Nicholson Foundation. “We hope that hospital systems and policymakers consider implementing the recommendations to strengthen the community-based dental safety net."

The researchers found great variation in emergency department visits for dental care across the low-income regions as well as in average annual costs for visits. For example, residents of the Camden city region visited emergency departments for oral care at nearly nine times the rate of residents in the region that includes Union City, while average annual per person costs in the latter region were about one-twelfth of the cost as in the Atlantic City area.

Increases in dental insurance could potentially improve access to dental care, but there is no organized effort for such expansion, Lloyd noted. While New Jersey’s decision to expand its Medicaid program, which includes dental coverage under the Affordable Care Act, is a step in the right direction, oral care is not an essential health benefit for adults under the ACA. “The lack of dental coverage will continue to prevent access to private dental care for large segments of the population,” Lloyd said.

In addition to expanding off-hour and weekend access in low-income communities, the report by Lloyd; Joel Cantor, distinguished professor and center director; and Derek DeLia, an associate research professor, suggests other strategies. These include implementing emergency department diversion programs, such as referring patients to new urgent care clinics or strengthening hospitals’ relationships with safety net providers.

Cecile Feldman, dean of the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, added, “Education on the importance of oral health and increasing awareness of available alternatives to the ED for oral care among vulnerable populations would further complement and enhance these strategies.”  

“Our findings are consistent with national data. Use of emergency departments for oral care in New Jersey is overwhelmingly an issue with young adults, especially those living in certain low-income areas,” Lloyd said. She also noted that frequent users of emergency departments for oral care were more likely to be uninsured than emergency department users coming for other reasons and were also disproportionately covered by Medicaid.

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Cleaner teeth and better oral health are the obvious benefits of children making regular dental visits. But when some kids sit in the dentist’s chair, a more troubling problem than cavities may come to light: physical abuse.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Delta Dental member companies are proud to support their local P.A.N.D.A. programs. The focus of the P.A.N.D.A. (Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness) program is to train dentists to recognize and report suspected cases of abuse or neglect in their young patients. A study in the mid-1990s found that dentists were responsible for identifying less than one percent of all reported suspected child abuse cases.1 So Delta Dental of Missouri partnered with the Missouri Bureau of Dental Health to found the first P.A.N.D.A coalition, and the program has since grown to include 46 states and seven countries.

“When properly trained to spot signs of child abuse, dentists can be an important ally in identifying potential neglect and preventing further abuse,” said Dr. Bill Kohn, DDS, Delta Dental Plans Association’s vice president of dental science and policy.

More than 124,000 children were reported as being physically abused in 2012.2  Studies have indicated that dentists are five times as likely to report suspected abuse if they receive proper training in this area.3All states have laws requiring health professionals, including dentists, to report concerns of child abuse and neglect to appropriate authorities.

Injuries to the head, face and neck account for an estimated 65 percent of injuries in physically abused children,4so a check-up gives dentists a unique opportunity  to uncover potential signs of abuse. Signs of physical child abuse can include (but are not limited to) unexplained cuts, welts or bruises and unusual alertness or anxiety.

Dentists and dental staff members who suspect child abuse or neglect can file a report to both Child Protective Services and local law enforcement officials (depending on the state).  Dental professionals who would like more information about the P.A.N.D.A. program can visit https://bit.ly/1dULL3s.

About Delta Dental Plans Association

The not-for-profit Delta Dental Plans Association (deltadental.com) based in Oak Brook, Ill., is the leading national network of independent dental service corporations. It provides dental benefits programs to more than 60 million Americans in more than 111,000 employee groups throughout the country. For more oral health news and information from Dr. Kohn and DDPA, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Twitter.

References

[1] Putting Teeth in Public Health. Dr. Lynn Mouden. https://sph.unc.edu/putting-teeth-in-in-public-health/

2 Child Maltreatment 2012. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families; Children’s Bureau. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/cm2012.pdf

3 The PANDA Program. Delta Dental of New Jersey. https://www.deltadentalnj.com/company/panda.html

4 National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Chapter 3: Diseases and Disorders. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/datastatistics/surgeongeneral/sgr/chap3.htm

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. /PRNewswire/ -- April 1 kicks off the start of Oral Cancer Awareness Month. For the 15th year in a row, the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) is leading a national awareness effort by encouraging dental practices across the United States to offer free oral cancer screenings to people in their communities during the month of April. Through this group collaboration, the Foundation hopes to see this disease brought to the attention of as many individuals as possible, and have the disease get the national media attention necessary to meaningfully raise public awareness. A public that understands the risk factors and early signs and symptoms of the disease is better prepared to recognize and self discover things that should be shown to a doctor for further evaluation.

"The dental community needs to be the first line of defense against oral cancer," said Brian Hill, founder and executive director of the Oral Cancer Foundation. "Just performing 'opportunistic' five-minute oral cancer screenings of the existing patient population that visits a dental office every day could have a profound impact on our ability to discover the disease at earlier, even precancerous, stages. These are also public education opportunities, instilling in American minds the warning signs of a developing oral cancer. An engaged professional dental community combined with an informed public could help us dramatically reduce the mortality and morbidity of this disease."

According to Mr. Hill and many other experts, a national screening effort is imperative. The incidence of oral cancer is increasing at an alarming rate due to a new viral etiology, human papilloma virus (HPV16). For decades, the leading cause of oral cancer has been tobacco, and most of the diseases' victims were older males who had used tobacco for several decades of their life.  While the tobacco issue has not gone away, today young, non-smoking individuals are the fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population, and they come to the disease from this sexually transmitted virus. Doctors in the scientific and treatment communities are already using the word "epidemic" to describe the situation. In fact, the Director of the National Cancer Institute said in his message to the American public at the beginning of this year that while progress is being made against cancer in general, there are only two areas in which cancer is on the rise in the US - cancers related to obesity and cancers related to the HPV virus. "NOW is the time to act," said Mr. Hill. "The American public needs to be informed in order for change to take place."

Oral cancer is not a rare disease. Each hour of every day, one American dies of the disease, and each day more than one hundred Americans are newly diagnosed with it. Oral cancer has always existed outside the consciousness of much of the public, even though approximately 43,000 Americans will be newly diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancers this year alone. In the early stages of oral cancer's development, there often is no pain or any physical sign that is obvious to an individual; some symptoms can be very subtle. This makes it a very dangerous and insidious disease, and is also the reason it is crucial to have an annual oral cancer screening by a professional.

Oral cancer signs and symptoms include:

-Red and/or white discolorations of the soft tissues of the mouth.

-Any oral sore or abnormality that does not heal or resolve within 14 days.

-Hoarseness that lasts for a prolonged period of time.

-A sensation that something is stuck in your throat or you experience painless difficulty swallowing.

-Numbness in the oral region.

-Difficulty in moving the muscles of the mouth, lips or tongue.

-Persistent ear pain that occurs on one side only.

-A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, still does not heal.

-Any lump or thickening -often painless- that develops in the mouth or on the neck.

Oral cancer is one of the few cancers that are on the rise in the U.S. At the stages it is being found today, the five-year survival rate is roughly 60 percent; however, many of those who do survive often experience life-long serious treatment-related morbidity, such as difficulty speaking, eating and swallowing, and severe disfigurement. When discovered early, oral cancers have an 80 percent or better survival rate, and the degree of treatment related morbidity can be greatly reduced. Like other cancer screenings, such as those for cervical, skin, prostate, colon and breast cancer, oral cancer screenings can be an effective means of finding cancer at its earliest and most survivable stage. Of all these screenings, the one for oral cancer is the least invasive and time-consuming. It is painless and inexpensive, and it can be done as part of a regular dental hygiene check-up.

The Foundation has provided its partnering dental practices with all the materials needed to conduct the April screenings and to generate exposure for the event in their community. "Only with the involvement of a large network of participating professional offices and facilities will a reduction in deaths become a reality," said Brian Hill. "An informed public helps early discovery and increases survivability."

The Oral Cancer Foundation has developed important strategic partnerships to accomplish this year's goals. In April 2014, OCF will join forces with both professional societies and private sector companies who are stakeholders in the fight against this disease. This year an alliance has been developed with many dental professional societies including; The American Dental Association, The Academy of General Dentistry, The American Academy of Oral Medicine, The American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The American Academy of Periodontology, The American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and The American Dental Hygienists Association. The Foundation has also aligned with private sector entities Henry Schein Inc., LED Dental, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, who are asking their customer base to be active in this April's endeavor. Additionally, many treatment facilities with head and neck cancer departments are participating as well.

To find a screening event near you, please visit:

https://www.oralcancer-screening.org/events/