TED-Ed's animation "Why do we have crooked teeth when our ancestors didn't?", presented by G. Richard Scott, has nearly 4.9 million views on the TED-Ed site. It shows that fossil evidence points to ancient humans usually having straight teeth, and that crowding is a comparatively recent problem; the main explanation it offers links softer modern diets to how our jaws grow.
TED-Ed
Video explainersViral video explainedMedia report · 26 Sept 2026
George Washington's Mount Vernon estate features a short educational video taking a close look at his dentures. Mount Vernon says that at his first inauguration in 1789 Washington had only one natural tooth left, and that his dentures used materials such as tin, gold, lead and human teeth — but never wood. The "wooden teeth" story most likely comes from the materials staining over time and looking like wood grain.
Bobblehead George / George Washington's Mount Vernon
Video explainersViral video explainedMedia report · 26 Sept 2026
TED-Ed's animation "What causes cavities?", presented by Mel Rosenberg, has more than 7.6 million views on the TED-Ed site. It starts with archaeology — human remains from around 15,000 years ago already show cavities — then zooms into the tooth surface to show how bacteria in plaque turn sugar from food into acid that slowly dissolves the tooth. The World Health Organization says untreated decay in permanent teeth is the most common health condition worldwide.
An HK01 reporter with a sideways wisdom tooth close to the nerve visited three Shenzhen clinics; all three dentists advised taking it out on the spot. The full recommended treatment was quoted at about HK$22,000 in Hong Kong and about HK$6,000–9,600 in Shenzhen, and the clinics disagreed on whether root canal treatment was needed. A former Hong Kong Dental Association president said the proper approach is to explain the steps, recovery and wound care first, then let the patient go away and decide.
For National Love Teeth Day the Department of Health reminded the public to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss, cut down on sugary food and drinks and have a yearly dental check. It said its 2021 oral health survey showed less tooth decay and older people keeping more of their teeth. A free oral health carnival runs at Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill, on 11 October from noon to 6pm.
According to U Lifestyle, TVB's consumer show interviewed several patients of the same local dental clinic. An older patient paid about HK$150,000 for seven implants; months later, severe pain and an X-ray showed a broken, displaced screw connecting implant and crown, which needed surgery to remove. Another paid HK$45,000 for "full-mouth" braces but only the lower teeth were treated; she was told to have veneers on the upper teeth and then could not reach the clinic. After the show played a recorded call, the clinic refunded the HK$45,000 the next day. These are complaints made on the programme; no authority has ruled on them.
Adverts on social media claimed the government had launched an implant subsidy for people aged 50 or over. The Department of Health said there is no such scheme, reported the adverts to police and alerted the platforms. Anyone who clicked a suspicious link or entered personal details should contact police; people planning treatment outside Hong Kong should verify the clinic address, the dentist's qualifications and local registration first.
Researchers at La Trobe University found in laboratory tests that a naturally occurring bacteriophage called FNU1 can selectively attack a bacterium linked to gum disease, destabilising the wider bacterial community and cutting total bacterial levels by 94%, with three other related pathogens reduced by over 85%. The findings, published in the Journal of Oral Microbiology, remain at an early laboratory stage.
Harvard dental researchers published a review paper examining how AI and machine learning could help clinicians predict which patients truly need opioids after procedures like wisdom tooth extraction, moving away from standardized "just-in-case" prescribing. The paper cites earlier findings that most patients recovering without complications only needed non-opioid pain relief.
The Department of Health said a private online dental platform claimed that a Mong Kok clinic had more than 340 dentists, including over 200 serving full-time government dentists. The department said no serving full-time government dentist practises at any private clinic, called the listings false and misleading, and reported the case to police. It urged the public to check dentists on the Dental Council's online register.
A general-interest health article compiles medical explanations for mouth ulcers, noting up to a quarter of people experience them at some point, especially teenagers and young adults, with most healing within one to two weeks. It lists common triggers such as trauma, certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, nutrient deficiencies and smoking cessation, alongside remedies like saltwater rinses, topical anaesthetic gels and antiseptic mouthwash.
In a year-long randomised, double-blind trial by researchers in Brazil and at Harvard, 109 people with advanced gum disease all had deep cleaning, then took different add-on treatments. With 3g of omega-3 a day plus low-dose aspirin for six months, 57.7% reached the treatment target, close to 58% with antibiotics and well above 23.1% on placebo. The study is in the Journal of Periodontology.
The Department of Health's Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children starts on 1 September 2026. Twenty-three appointed providers visit participating kindergartens to give children aged 32 months or above a free annual oral check and preventive care, including fluoride application. 680 of Hong Kong's 949 kindergartens have enrolled.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have shortened the "debinding" stage of 3D-printing zirconia crowns from 20–100 hours to under 30 minutes. Zirconia is a strong material widely used for permanent crowns; today's same-day crowns mostly use weaker ceramic resins. The method still needs clinical validation and regulatory approval.
A study of 339 pancreatic cancer patients at Hiroshima University found those with 21 or more natural teeth before surgery had a median survival of 60.7 months, nearly two years longer than patients with 20 or fewer teeth (39.1 months). Researchers suggest tooth count may reflect long-term inflammation, frailty and nutrition rather than chewing ability alone.
Sha Tin Magistrates' Court heard the case of two domestic helpers, aged 35 and 38, charged with breaching their conditions of stay and aiding and abetting unlicensed dental practice. The magistrate ruled that immigration officers entered the home and detained them unlawfully, and found the officers' evidence unreliable. With that evidence excluded, the court found no case to answer and both were freed. Six people were originally arrested: two pleaded guilty and charges against two others had already been dropped.
A long-term cohort study by the University of Melbourne and partners followed children to age 11 and found that inflammation is not the cause of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), a condition affecting enamel on emerging permanent molars. The study, described as internationally unique, suggests genetics and environmental factors are more likely involved, and found the condition affects around 15% of the Australian population studied.
A phase III trial led by the University of Michigan with 830 children under six found that brushing 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) onto cavities every six months stopped decay in more than half of affected baby teeth. It takes seconds per tooth with no drilling, injections or sedation. The drawback: the treated area turns permanently black. Published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Purdue University researchers had 20 adults drink sugary soda, sparkling water, calcium-fortified sparkling water and plain water, and tracked mouth pH. Enamel starts to dissolve below pH 5.5. Soda raised mouth acidity the most; both sparkling waters caused only a short dip and were near baseline within 20 minutes. Presented at NUTRITION 2026; not yet peer-reviewed.
American Society for Nutrition NUTRITION 2026 (via ScienceDaily)
The University of Nottingham has developed a fluoride-free, protein-based gel that fills microscopic cracks in enamel and draws calcium and phosphate from saliva to grow a new mineral layer aligned with the existing tooth. In lab tests simulating brushing, chewing and acidic food, the restored enamel performed like healthy enamel. A spin-out company is commercialising it, aiming for a first product in 2027.
Police and the Department of Health searched a Hong Kong "consultation office" run by a mainland dental chain on King's Road, North Point, and arrested a 72-year-old local man on suspicion of practising dentistry illegally. He is reportedly not a registered dentist and is suspected of examining people's mouths with dental tools. A suspected intraoral scanner, a dental chair, instruments and a price list in RMB were seized. Under the Dentists Registration Ordinance, unlicensed practice carries up to five years in prison, or seven if a patient is injured; employers of unlicensed staff face up to three years. The case is under investigation and no one has been convicted.
According to The Collective, a woman in her 60s had been told by a Hong Kong dentist that her jawbone was too narrow for implants. She went to a Shenzhen clinic, paid RMB 2,000 for a surgical guide, and at a later visit was asked to pay RMB 20,000 as the plan grew from one implant to six, which she says she did not properly agree to. Afterwards her face was numb and swollen; after two corrective operations at a Hong Kong dental hospital she was diagnosed with nerve damage. She can no longer wear dentures and cuts food with scissors. The clinic reportedly refused compensation, saying the surgery succeeded and no nerve was involved.
The Department of Health and the Health Bureau said unlicensed dental practice is a criminal offence and that employers who hire unlicensed people for dental work also commit an offence. Since early last year, the department and police have carried out 13 joint operations and prosecuted seven people; from 2021 to 2025, 20 cases were prosecuted under the Dentists Registration Ordinance, with 19 convictions. Dental services outside Hong Kong are not regulated by local law, but adverts published in Hong Kong must follow the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance.
Preliminary research at an American Heart Association meeting examined valve tissue from valve-replacement patients and found the gum disease bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis among the biggest differences in calcified aortic valves; in mice, repeated exposure caused valve calcification. It is not yet peer-reviewed and shows an association, not proof of cause; a human study is under way.
According to Sing Tao, a Hong Kong woman posted on Threads that she had a wisdom tooth removed at a Shenzhen clinic on 7 May for about RMB 783 including medicine, plus about RMB 231 for a CT scan. Over the next days her face swelled, her throat hurt, she could not open her mouth and the wound smelled. Diagnosed in Shenzhen with a submandibular space infection and put on a drip, she did not improve, had difficulty breathing on returning to Hong Kong and was admitted to a surgical ward via A&E. The report carried no response from the clinic.
On World Oral Health Day the Department of Health reminded the public that oral health affects eating, speech and appearance and is linked to general health, and said controlling sugar intake is the most effective way to put oral health into practice. It gave age-specific advice and listed its dental programmes for children, adolescents and disadvantaged groups.
The Department of Health said a contract trainee dentist is suspected of using the school dental clinical system and eHealth to view the records of 16 people who were not his patients. It came to light when a member of the public queried an eHealth access notification. The department suspended the trainee, referred the case for criminal investigation, notified the Privacy Commissioner, the eHealth Records Commissioner and the Dental Council, and will review system security and training.
Replying in the Legislative Council on the supply of dentists and dental care professionals, the Secretary for Health said 19 limited registrations had been approved for non-local dentists, and that as at 31 December 2025 the Community Dental Support Programme had served over 5,700 people through 32 NGOs and more than 80 service points.
The Department of Health has set up a Special Care Dental Service Coordinating Committee to advise on long-term dental services for people with disabilities, special needs and financial hardship. Citing its oral health surveys, the department said the share of non-institutionalised 65–74-year-olds with no natural teeth fell from 5.6% in 2011 to 0.9% in 2021, and average tooth count rose from 19.3 to 22.8, but more than half of older people using long-term care services have untreated decay.
From 6 February 2026 the Department of Health's hospital dental services merged with the Hospital Authority's oral and maxillofacial surgery services and are run by the HA. Seven clinics inside public hospitals are affected; clinical records, X-rays, photos, dental models and follow-up appointments move to the HA so care continues.
Department of Health / Hospital Authority
Current public dental fees & schemes
Effective 1 Mar 2026 · The Prince Philip Dental Hospital has issued an updated schedule of fees for teaching patients, effective 1 March 2026, covering the latest charges for consultations, dentures, crowns/bridges and orthodontic treatments. PPDH Schedule of Fees for Teaching Patients
Effective 6 Feb 2026 · From 6 February 2026, the Department of Health's Hospital Dental Service, including its oral maxillofacial surgery and dental clinics, will be taken over by the Hospital Authority and merged with its existing oral maxillofacial surgery service, with patient appointments and medical records transferred accordingly. DH and HA Press Release
January 2026 · The Community Dental Support Programme expands to 32 organisations and about 80 service points, with a co-payment of HK$50 per tooth and a HK$150 cap per visit Community Dental Support Programme (Department of Health)
From 1 January 2026 · Department of Health general public dental sessions cover pain relief or extraction only; the fee for non-eligible persons is HK$850 per attendance, plus HK$90 per prescribed drug item DH general public dental service notes
January 2026 · The Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme has closed and no longer accepts new applications; it has been replaced by the Community Dental Support Programme Government press release (15 August 2025)