What is a torus palatinus?

The hard palate, or roof, of the mouth is slightly rounded and usually smooth. However, some people may have a hard lump or protrusion extending out of this area.

This lump, called a torus palatinus, may develop over time. In other cases, a person may have it their entire life.

Tori palatini are common, affecting around 20–30% of people in the United States. They appear to be more common in women and in people of Asian or Inuit descent.

However, doctors do not understand what causes them or why they are more common in some groups than in others.

Tori palatini are usually harmless. They will not usually require treatment unless they interfere with a person’s speech, ability to swallow, or daily life.

However, removal may be necessary before the fabrication of a denture. In that case, a dentist may recommend surgery to remove the growth or changing the shape of the dental device to fit around the growth.

Tori palatini are not dangerous. The growths do not cause cancer, infections, or other serious complications. However, like any growth in the body, it can interfere with normal functioning.

A person should see a doctor or dentist for any unusual growths in the mouth. Even if it looks like a torus palatinus, it is important to rule out other potential causes.

Developing a torus palatinus can potentially be alarming, especially to someone anxious about oral health or cancer. However, these growths are benign, which means that they do not cause cancer and are not a risk factor for cancer.

As long as they do not cause significant symptoms, a person does not need to treat them.

However, because new growths in the mouth could warn of a more serious health concern, it is important to consult a doctor rather than self-diagnose.

Want to Help Keep Diabetes at Bay? Brush & Floss

New research found that people who regularly brush their teeth three times a day reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study also found that people who have dental disease or a lot of missing teeth have a higher risk of developing the blood sugar condition.

"Our study suggested that improved oral hygiene may be associated with a decreased risk of new-onset diabetes," said study author Dr. Yoonkyung Chang. She is a clinical assistant professor of neurology at Ewha Woman's University Mokdong Hospital, in South Korea.

Chang said the researchers don't know what the exact mechanism behind this connection is, but there are a number of possible ways that poor dental health might contribute to diabetes.

"Poor oral hygiene may be related to the chronic inflammatory process," she said. Inflammation affects oral health and can lead to gum disease that creates space in the gum where bacteria can collect. That bacteria may then travel into the body's circulation and trigger immune system responses, which might impair blood sugar control.

But it's difficult to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between dental health and diabetes because many factors involved in poor oral health are also linked to type 2 diabetes.

Your Teeth Are a Permanent Archive of Your Life: Study

For the study, the NYU researchers compared nearly 50 teeth from skeletons of people who ranged in age from 25 to 69 to information about their medical history and lifestyle, such as age, illnesses, significant events and where they lived.

The researchers focused on cementum, the tissue covering the tooth's root. It begins to form yearly layers from the time the tooth appears in the mouth.

Using imaging techniques to illuminate cementum bands, the investigators uncovered links between tooth formation and various events in the lives of those included in the study.

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Some NEEDED items from COMMUNITY RESIDENTS include,

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NEEDED ITEMS FROM HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

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Another Vaping Hazard: Less-Healthy Mouths

Your lungs might not be your only concern if you're trying electronic cigarettes -- your mouth may pay the price, too.

Vaping alters the natural bacteria found in the mouth, leaving you more vulnerable to oral infections and inflammation, a new study reports.

The researchers said this study is the first to show that vaping can alter the natural balance of beneficial bacteria (microbiome) in the mouth, adding to the list of potential health effects associated with e-cigarette use.

"Cells that are exposed to e-cigarettes are more susceptible to infections," said the study's senior author, Deepak Saxena. He's a professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at NYU College of Dentistry in New York City.

Saxena said that e-cigarettes also lead to increased inflammation, which harms oral health. And once someone develops inflammation, it's possible to develop white patches in the mouth called leukoplakia that sometimes develop into cancer. However, this study doesn't have enough long-term evidence to show whether or not these changes could lead to oral cancers in the future,

How to Avoid Stained Teeth When You Enjoy Red Wine

You don't have to wind up with stained teeth if you toast the holidays with red wine, an expert says.

"The strength of your enamel and how prone you are to plaque buildup is key to how much your teeth might stain," said Dr. Uchenna Akosa, head of Rutgers Health University Dental Associates, the faculty practice of Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Brunswick, N.J.

Akosa called red wine a "triple threat" to a sparkling smile.

"When you drink red wine, you're encountering a triple threat to your teeth's whiteness: anthocyanins, which are the pigments in grapes that give red wine its rich color; tannins, which help bind the pigment to your teeth; and the acidity found in wine, which etches your enamel, making it more porous and it easier for the stain to stick," she said in a Rutgers news release.

Brush Your Teeth To Protect The Heart

Previous research suggests that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases the risks of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and heart failure (the heart's ability to pump blood or relax and fill with blood is impaired). This study examined the connection between oral hygiene and occurrence of these two conditions.

The retrospective cohort study enrolled 161,286 participants of the Korean National Health Insurance System aged 40 to 79 with no history of atrial fibrillation or heart failure. Participants underwent a routine medical examination between 2003 and 2004. Information was collected on height, weight, laboratory tests, illnesses, lifestyle, oral health, and oral hygiene behaviours.

During a median follow-up of 10.5 years, 4,911 (3.0%) participants developed atrial fibrillation and 7,971 (4.9%) developed heart failure.

Tooth brushing three or more times a day was associated with a 10% lower risk of atrial fibrillation and a 12% lower risk of heart failure during 10.5-year follow up. The findings were independent of a number of factors including age, sex, socioeconomic status, regular exercise, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and comorbidities such as hypertension.

While the study did not investigate mechanisms, one possibility is that frequent tooth brushing reduces bacteria in the subgingival biofilm (bacteria living in the pocket between the teeth and gums), thereby preventing translocation to the bloodstream.

Dentists Already Are Prepared for the Coronavirus

It seems like every few years, a new coronavirus pops up and causes some media attention. Such was the case with the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus and the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses usually come from animal sources such as bats and camels. Sometimes these coronaviruses cross from animals to humans, such as the previously mentioned SARS and MERS viruses, as well as the new 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The COVID-19 seems to be in the news daily and has been discussed by people everywhere. But, and this is a good but, the world of dentistry is very prepared for this treat.

The CDC notes that the dental community has been doing a very good job of protecting our patients via state-of-the-art infection control practices. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves, protective eyewear, and gowns has led to better protection for our staff and patients. Our use of disinfectants, up-to-date sterilization practices, dedicated hand washing, and one-time-use disposable materials also have all helped facilitate safe dental visits for our patients. All of these practices have been the backbone of the CDC’s Standard Precautions.

Special sensory cells in gums protect against periodontitis

Periodontitis is a serious gum disorder induced by an imbalance in the bacteria and other microorganisms of the mouth (the oral microbiome). It is the sixth-most prevalent infectious disease and the most common cause of tooth loss worldwide.

Monell Center Director and President Robert Margolskee, MD, PhD and cell biologist Marco Tizzano, PhD, along with colleagues from Sichuan University, found that the newly identified cells, known as solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs), are present in the gums of mice. Here they express several types of taste receptors along with a downstream coupling protein called gustducin. SCCs are taste-like chemical detectors that sense irritants and bacteria, and biologists have found them throughout the gut, urinary tract, nasal cavities, and now in the gums.

"These sensory cells may provide a new approach for personalized treatment of periodontitis by harnessing a person's own innate immune system to regulate their oral microbiome," said Margolskee.

The team showed that knocking out taste-signaling molecules like gustducin or genetically removing gum SCCs in the mice leads to overgrowth of pathogenic oral bacteria and periodontitis. Conversely, stimulating bitter taste receptors in SCCs promotes the production of anti-microbial molecules.

Mice without gustducin in their SSCs have a more damaging set of microbes living in their mouths compared to normal mice, implying that the lack of gustducin disconnects the sentinel cells' molecular signal to other systems. Importantly, differences in the oral bacterial composition of the gustducin-less mice compared to normal mice occurred before any loss of bone in the gums, implying that differences in the oral microbiome could be used as a harbinger of disease.

Soft drinks found to be the crucial link between obesity and tooth wear

Scientists from King's College London found that being overweight or obese was undoubtedly associated with having tooth wear. Significantly, they also found that the increased consumption of sugary soft drinks may be a leading cause of the erosion of tooth enamel and dentine in obese patients.

Drawing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004, they analysed a representative sample of survey participants of 3,541 patients in the United States. Patient BMI and the level of tooth wear were the exposure and outcome measurements in the analysis. The intake of sugar-sweetened acidic drinks was recorded through two non-consecutive 24-hour recall interviews where the patients were asked to provide details of diet intake across these two days.

"It is the acidic nature of some drinks such as carbonated drinks and acidic fruit juices that leads to tooth wear," said lead author Dr Saoirse O'Toole from King's College London.

Tooth wear is ranked as the third most important dental condition, after cavities and gum disease and the consumption of acidic food and drink is a leading cause of this. Obese patients also have other risk factors such as increased likelihood of gastric reflux disease (heartburn) which was controlled for in this study.