IADR PRESS RELEASES

September 2, 2021 – Today, the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) was one of 12 oral health care organizations issuing a statement calling on governmental executive, regulatory, and legislative entities to mandate that all oral health care workers, including oral health care students and residents, be vaccinated against COVID-19. The statement recognizes that a small minority of oral health care workers may not be able to be vaccinated due to medical contraindications.

Alexandria, Va., USA — Certain mouthwashes decrease the infectivity of respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2 but the agents with antiviral activity present in these oral rinses and their mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. The study “Mouthwashes With CPC Reduce the Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Vitro,” published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR), shows that show that cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), a quaternary ammonium compound present in many oral mouthwashes, reduces SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by inhibiting the viral fusion step with target cells after disrupting the integrity of the viral envelope.

Alexandria, Va., USA — Dental care professionals are thought to be at enhanced risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, but robust data to support this is lacking. The study "COVID-19: Seroprevalence and Vaccine Responses in UK Dental Care Professionals," published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR), provides a longitudinal analysis of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, including early analysis of the impact of vaccination on the immune response.

Alexandria, Va., USA — COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020 and given an incomplete understanding of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at that time, the American Dental Association recommended that dental offices refrain from providing non-emergency services. As a result, 198,000 dentists in the United States closed their doors to patients. The study “Sources of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Microorganisms in Dental Aerosols,” published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR), sought to inform infection-control science by identifying the source of bacteria and viruses in aerosol generating dental procedures.

Alexandria, Va., USA — Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a byproduct of human metabolism and exists in high levels in exhaled air, and is therefore often used as a proxy for indoor air quality. The study “Ventilation Assessment by Carbon Dioxide Levels in Dental Treatment Rooms,” published in the Journal of Dental Research (JDR), evaluated CO₂ levels in dental operatories and determined the accuracy of using CO₂ levels to assess ventilation rate in dental clinics.