The link between hair disorders and susceptibility to dental caries

At the 93rd General Session and Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research, researcher Olivier Duverger, National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Md., USA, presented a study titled “Hair Keratins as Structural Organic Components of Mature Enamel: The Link Between Hair Disorders and Susceptibility to Dental Caries.” The IADR General Session held in conjunction with the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research and the 39th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.Hair and teeth are ectodermal appendages that share common developmental mechanisms. However, the major structural components making up hair and teeth are very distinct. The hair shaft is essentially made of keratin filaments that are highly cross-linked. Tooth enamel matrix is primarily composed of enamel proteins (amelogenin, ameloblastin) that are degraded and replaced by minerals during enamel maturation. Fully mineralized enamel contains a small fraction of cross-linked organic material that has not been fully characterized. In this study, researchers assessed the presence and functionality of a specific set of hair keratins in this organic fraction of enamel.

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New WHO guideline clamps down on intake of free sugars

Adults and children should reduce their daily free sugar intake to less than 10% of their total energy intake, according to a new guideline from the World Health Organization.Glucose, fructose, sucrose and table sugar are all examples of free sugars. These sugars are found naturally in honey, syrups and fruit juices, but can also be added to food and drink by manufacturers.The World Health Organization (WHO) explain that much of the sugar consumed these days is concealed within processed foods that are not necessarily perceived as “sweets.” WHO provide the example of 1 tablespoon of ketchup containing around 4 g of free sugars, while a can of soda contains up to 40 g of free sugars.WHO also find that free sugar intake varies across global regions. For example, while free sugar intake accounts for about 7-8% of total energy intake in Hungary and Norway, it accounts for nearly 25% of total energy intake in Portugal.

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