oral health

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Are You Flossing Or Just Lying About Flossing? The Dentist Knows

I'd rather be sticking needles in my eyes. But that wasn't on the survey. iStockphoto hide caption

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iStockphoto

Are You Flossing Or Just Lying About Flossing? The Dentist Knows

June 24, 2015 • A survey says one-quarter of adults lie to their dentist about flossing. That number seemed low to us. So we called up some periodontists. And they laughed.

Microbiome Candy: Could A Probiotic Mint Help Prevent Cavities?

A sweet way to avoid the dentist? Microbiologists are developing a probiotic mint that uses dead bacteria to fight off cavities. Morgan Walker/NPR hide caption

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Morgan Walker/NPR

Microbiome Candy: Could A Probiotic Mint Help Prevent Cavities?

December 10, 2013 • Lacing a sugar-free candy with the right kind of bacteria might one day help fight off tooth decay, a study suggests. The experimental mint lowered the levels of cavity-causing bacteria in volunteers' saliva. But the microbe candy still has a long way to go before it reaches shelves at Walgreens.

'Mountain Dew Mouth' Is Destroying Appalachia's Teeth, Critics Say

Appalachia has a distinct culture of sipping soda constantly throughout the day. "Here in West Virginia, you see people carrying around bottles of Mountain Dew all the time — even at a public health conference," says public health researcher Dana Singer. Jin Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Jin Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Salt

'Mountain Dew Mouth' Is Destroying Appalachia's Teeth, Critics Say

September 19, 2013 • The region has an alarmingly high incidence of rotted teeth, and heavy soda consumption is a big reason why, dentists and health advocates say. So they're beginning to target the food stamp program to ban recipients from buying soda with their vouchers.

Where You Live May Determine What Lives Inside Your Mouth

Scientists examined bacteria in the mouths of twins, and found that it's not as similar as they thought it would be. Sharon Dominick/iStockphoto hide caption

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Sharon Dominick/iStockphoto

Shots - Health News

Where You Live May Determine What Lives Inside Your Mouth

October 12, 2012 • Oral bacteria may be determined by environment, not genes, scientists say. That's different from other parts in the body, like the gut, where bacteria may be influenced by genome or immune system.