FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

King Tut has returned to Los Angeles.

Actually, “Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” - a two-year, four-city American tour opened today at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Its displays are theatrically lighted, sometimes choosing effect over clarity, but each gallery is given its own striking atmosphere. And the thematic organization skillfully surveys the generations preceding Tut and the burial customs of his time. And finally 50 objects from Tut’s tomb are presented, only 12 of which were seen during the previous tour.

One of the unusual effects of the exhibition is that, at least subliminally, it seems to undermine its promotional presuppositions. By not allowing the more elaborate pieces to travel - like the gold burial mask that became the icon of the first Tut show - and choosing some of the more intimate pieces to display and adding about 70 objects from the 18th dynasty to suggest a broader context, the Egyptian government altered the perspective: Tut, instead of being the climax of the exhibition, as he is meant to be, becomes something of an epilogue, a puzzle.

This exhibition is a fund-raiser, and Egypt has made clear that it wants to earn at least $10 million from each city visited - Los Angeles (through Nov. 15), Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia. The money is to be used for preserving antiquities.

One of four king Tutankhamun miniature coffins fashioned of gold and inlaid with colored glass and semi-precious stones.

Flap will be there.

Get your tickets here.

This wooden bust of Tutankhamun portrays the young king much more as a youthful figure than a divine being.

Read the New York Times review of the Exhibition.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has prepared a Legal Guide for Bloggers:

Whether you’re a newly minted blogger or a relative old-timer, you’ve been seeing more and more stories pop up every day about bloggers getting in trouble for what they post.

Like all journalists and publishers, bloggers sometimes publish information that other people don’t want published. You might, for example, publish something that someone considers defamatory, republish an AP news story that’s under copyright, or write a lengthy piece detailing the alleged crimes of a candidate for public office.

The difference between you and the reporter at your local newspaper is that in many cases, you may not have the benefit of training or resources to help you determine whether what you’re doing is legal. And on top of that, sometimes knowing the law doesn’t help - in many cases it was written for traditional journalists, and the courts haven’t yet decided how it applies to bloggers.

But here’s the important part: None of this should stop you from blogging. Freedom of speech is the foundation of a functioning democracy, and Internet bullies shouldn’t use the law to stifle legitimate free expression. That’s why EFF created this guide, compiling a number of FAQs designed to help you understand your rights and, if necessary, defend your freedom.

To be clear, this guide isn’t a substitute for, nor does it constitute, legal advice. Only an attorney who knows the details of your particular situation can provide the kind of advice you need if you’re being threatened with a lawsuit. The goal here is to give you a basic roadmap to the legal issues you may confront as a blogger, to let you know you have rights, and to encourage you to blog freely with the knowledge that your legitimate speech is protected.

This is a must read for all bloggers.

Thanks to Jeff at Southern California Law Blog for bring this to Flap’s attention.

Check out some of their links:

The Overview of Legal Liability Issues FAQ briefly addresses some common legal issues that affect you as a publisher, especially situations where you may face legal claims or threats based on the information you published on your blog.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Intellectual Property addresses issues that arise when you publish material created by others on your blog.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Online Defamation Law provides an overview of defamation (libel) law, including a discussion of the constitutional and statutory privileges that may protect you.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Section 230 Protections discusses a powerful federal law that gives you, as a web host, protection against legal claims arising from hosting information written by third parties.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Privacy addresses the legal issues surrounding the privacy rights of people you blog about.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on the Reporter’s Privilege is useful to bloggers who report news gathered from confidential sources.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Media Access can help bloggers who need to get access to public records and government meetings, as well as secure press passes to help with newsgathering.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Election Law addresses the legal issues you may face blogging about political campaigns.

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Labor Law addresses legal issues with workplace blogging, including union organizing, protections for political blogging away from the workplace, and whistle blowing.

Thanks to www.brilliantsmiles.co.uk for the graphic.

As Flap previously reported, although it seems too good to be true, the pursuit of pearly whites is no longer just a cosmetic fix: A slew of new teeth-whitening products also contain a chemical compound that makes teeth stronger, more lustrous and less sensitive to hot or cold temperatures:

The new compound may even be “the next step beyond fluoride,” says Frederick Eichmiller, a dental researcher who spoke last week at “The New Face of Oral Biology,” an American Dental Association media conference in Manhattan.

The additive, amorphous calcium phosphate, or ACP, is based on a chemical compound in saliva that naturally protects the teeth. ACP is a souped-up version of this natural compound, and it’s being used in many dental products and procedures, from in- office cavity fillings to chewing gum to adhesives for orthodontic braces.

ACP seems to have two powerful benefits: it reduces tooth sensitivity (an annoying but temporary side effect of tooth-whitening and fillings) and acts as a chemical buffer to acid produced by bacteria that weakens teeth.

In reviewing the newest and conventional in-office and at home bleaching materials, Flap has found none that overtly incorporates ACP in their bleaching products. Perhaps, this is the hidden ingredient in their proprietary and sometimes patented formulations. Some examples include:

BriteSmile

Discus Dental’s

Zoom!(2)

Ultradent Products

Trèswhite

IMDS

Gentle White

Dr. Rod Kurthy

Deep Bleaching Technique

There is also ongoing research to see whether ACP can actually prevent cavities, and so far, that seems to be the case, says Eichmiller, director of the ADA’s Paffenbarger Research Center in Gaithersburg, Md. In a few years, its likely that ACP will be used in conjunction with fluoride for a double-whammy cavity-fighting effect.

For now, the federal Food and Drug Administration allows it to be marketed as a way to strengthen teeth and improve their appearance. It’s used mostly in professional dental whitening products, but it’s increasingly finding its way into over-the-counter products.

For example, Trident has several chewing gum lines that contain Recaldent, a trademarked form of ACP. Arm & Hammer sells a toothpaste, Enamel Care with Liquid Calcium that “restores enamel luster.”

Many dentists have replaced their older teeth-whitening products with ACP products, but don’t always tell patients this, says Manhattan dentist Leslie Seldin. What dentists are more likely telling patients is that teeth whitening isn’t as painful as it used to be, he says.

“We can reassure them that sensitivity won’t be as much of an issue,” says Seldin, a consumer adviser for the ADA.

It is good to hear that sensitivity may be on the wane for our patients and that there are new and improved products about ready to flood the marketplace.

However, the profession needs an independent and non-proprietary sponsored evaluation of all the “latest and greatest” techniques and materials.

The dentist and patient should ask these questions:

What is the most efficacious method of bleaching teeth?

What product and technique demonstrates the least sensitivity?

Will Over the Counter (OTC) bleaching supplant expensive in-office deep or light activated bleaching?

Stay tuned….The Bleach Wars are just starting.