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The services being provided by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research are discussed. The area of dental research the institute is currently supporting is also discussed. The trends in dental research are also discussed.

Most dental patients who have undergone periodontal scaling and root planing for periodontitis experience pain after the procedure. Researchers surveyed 52 adult patients before and after they underwent treatment. Most reported faint-to-moderate pain, and 16% reported moderate-to-intense pain the day of the procedure. Postprocedural pain was most intense in the first eight hours, and about one-fourth of patients used analgesic medication for pain relief. Most patients only required over-the-counter drugs for pain relief the day of the procedure, but patients who experience severe pain may require stronger analgesia.

Information about the United States' scientific contributions to dentistry is provided. It is believed that many scientific advances have led to improved dental care since the founding of the American Dental Association. Practitioners and dental educators need to make a substantive effort in order to apply new discoveries in ways that improve oral health.

It is recommended that the Journal of the American Dental Association and other influential health journals conform to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Clinical Trials Statement (CONSORT) to ensure transparency in reporting clinical trials. This information is essential to evaluate the reliability or relevance of the study's results.

Fluoride agents are effective in reducing tooth decay and have been assessed recently for their value in treating periodontal disease, which affects the structures supporting the teeth, such as the gums. Sodium fluoride (NaF) was shown to reduce bacterial growth in plaque, which is a gummy mass of microorganisms growing on the surface of teeth. However, several studies suggest that stannous fluoride (SnF2) may be more effective than NaF in reducing the bacteria in plaque. The effects of brushing with 0.4 percent SnF2 or 0.22 percent NaF on gingivitis, the inflammation of the gums, was evaluated in 281 subjects with the gum disease. The subjects, who were divided into three groups, were instructed to brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste accepted by the American Dental Association, to rinse with water, and subsequently to brush with either 0.4 percent SnF2, 0.22 percent NaF, or a fluoride-free placebo gel, a substance with no known therapeutic effect. The subjects who brushed with SnF2 had more tooth staining than subjects in the other two groups. There were no differences among the three groups in gingivitis, bleeding, or amounts of various microorganisms when subjects were examined at 6, 12 and 18 months. The findings suggest that NaF and SnF2 have no ability to reduce gingivitis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)