An article published today at MedicalNewsToday.com says US patient security guidelines, even with HIPPA, are lax compared to Europe’s. Even so, digital devices such as PDAs, cell phones, and laptops are being used by medical professionals worldwide to store patient records, medical images, and other private information that shoud be secured. The article, “Patient Information Could Be Left To Haemorrhage From Mobile Devices, Survey Shows,” says that in the UK, one fifth of healthcare workers use personal electronic devices to store work-related information. Simple password protection, which 35% of UK respondents in the survey admitted to using, is not sufficient security. Six percent claimed to not even use a password, and in the US it’s worse, at 18 percent. The transatlantic survey that revealed this information was based on responses from one thousand healthcare employees. Check out the full article here, which features tips from Credant Technologies for securing information in electronic devices.

Mid-year, the FDA released a new statement about safety issues associated with mercury found in amalgam fillings. Basically, the FDA stated that fetuses and children could suffer adverse effects on the nervous system as a direct result of mercury poisoning. Furthermore, pregnant women and people with mercury sensitivity or a high mercury level are also warned to beware of amalgam fillings. The FDA changed its stand, which for years had approved of amalgam fillings, after a law suit by a Moms Against Mercury. This has caused a stir about mercury. 

In addition, environmental agencies tell us that some ocean dwelling fish show a high mercury content, which could pose problems for us humans who consume them.

Researchers at University of Pittsburgh delved into the mercury problem and came up with a fast way to detect mercury in fish and in dental samples. The team developed a fluorescent substance that, when it contacts alkynes in mercury, glows bright green. Oxidation has been a problem in former methods of mercury testing, but that’s not so with this new procedure.

For detecting mercury in dental fillings, the process takes about half an hour or an hour, and the test can be performed in a dentist’s office. The research also tested mercury leeching from fillings, and it may be used to detect mercury in dental wastewater in the future.

SOURCE: Findings originally published in Journal of the American Chemical Society. This article was created from information at MedicalNewsToday.com. 

Wearing traditional braces as an adult comes with a list of “cons” that barely outweighs the “pros.” Dietary restriction is one such con. More than one million adult braces wearers in North America will be pleased to learn that now there’s a cookbook just for them. Two cookbooks, actually.

The Braces Cookbook 2: Comfort Food with a Gourmet Touch by Pamela Waterman and Amee Hoge features delectable dishes that won’t put orthodontic devices at risk. With entrée, dessert, and appetizer dishes, including ideas for vegetarians, The Braces Cookbook expands dining horizons for braces wearers. Tips for eating out and how to wear braces with sophistication and style are also included. The whole family can eat - and enjoy - meals planned from the book.

The first in the set, written expressly for teens, was entitled The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You (and Your Orthodontist) Will Love. It won the Best Arizona Cookbook Glyph Award and was honored with the Good Parenting Seal. Both cookbooks are published by The Discovery Box, and you can find them online at Amazon.com. (The second comes out in December.) Or visit www.bracescookbook.com to learn more. If you’d like to purchase the books for your office, special case pricing is available.

DentalCompare has added some exciting features to the company website this year. While reading the DC newsletter, I came across this month’s DentalCompare Presents: Power of Lasers in Dentistry. The webpage is dedicated to providing photos and product information about many types of dental lasers, including products from HOYA, Sirona, BIOLASE, Ivoclar, and Millennium. You can watch videos and request information about any of the featured lasers.

In addition to the product information, featured articles range on topics from soft tissue and ortho applications to cosmetic laser dentistry to gingivoplasty and “the basics.” There’s also an interview entitled “Dental Lasers: It’s Time to Get On Board” with Dr. Tony Hewlett, President Elect of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. Events and educational opportunities are listed, as well, with links to the programs for more information. If you’re on the fence about laser dentistry, you’ll only find pro-laser contributors here. Nevertheless, the information is worthy of review if you are a new laser owner or are considering a laser purchase.

This February at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, Novalar will introduce a drug that reverses the effects of dental anesthesia injections. OraVerse will come in prepackaged inserts for syringes, and it will cost about $12.50 per injection. Patients who dislike the lingering numbness caused by anesthesia will enjoy prompt reversal of the sensation, up to 80 minutes faster than without OraVerse. While the medication was approved by the FDA in May 2008, packaging concerns prevented Novalar from introducing OraVerse at the San Antonio ADA conference in October 2008.

How will OraVerse do in the market? Surveys show a strong interest in the drug, and about 30% of responding dentists say they’ll offer OraVerse. Novalar doesn’t expect insurance to cover the medication, but today, many patients are accustomed to out-of-pocket expense at the dentist’s office. No other company is offering a similar drug at this time, so OraVerse has no competition.

In the next five years or so, Novalar plans to introduce another drug, a polymer fiber coated with antibiotic. It can be inserted into a tooth following a root canal. This drug will eliminate the need for oral antibiotics and allow for localized application and effective results.   

SOURCE: Xconomy.com; NCTimes.com