Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Canker Sores

http://www.massdental.org/cankersores.aspx

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/canker-sore/basics/causes/con-20021262

http://slsfree.net/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-cause-acne/

http://www.acneeinstein.com/scalp-acne-caused-by-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-in-shampoos/

http://www.colgatetotal.com/health-benefits/toothpaste-ingredients

Posted in Gums, Health
Tagged aphthous ulcers, canker sores, dental laser, gums, lip sores, SLS, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, vitamin deficiency
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November 15, 2015

You Are What You Eat!

Ann Clark RDH

You Are What You Eat!

What you eat and how often are important factors for preventing and maintaining good oral health. The minute you eat or drink changes start occurring in your mouth. Bacterias change sugars and carbohydrates into acids which attack the tooth’s enamel causing damage to occur. The more you eat and snack, the more you expose your teeth to the decay cycle.

The best food choices are cheese, chicken and meat, nuts and milk. These foods protect your enamel by providing calcium and phosphor needed to remineralize teeth subjected to acid attacks. Other good choices are firm, crunchy fruits (apples/pears) and veggies. These have a high water content, diluting the effects of sugars and stimulating saliva which helps cleanse your teeth through buffering the acids. Acidic food like citrus fruits, tomatoes and lemons should be eaten as part of a meal to keep teeth protected.

Poor food choices are candy, mints, cookies, cake, pie, bread, muffins, chips, fries, pretzels, bananas and dried fruits. (No fun at all). While containing larger amount of sugar they also are sticky on the tooth’s surface. In addition, cough drops, like candy, need also be used minimally.

What about beverages?

Water, of course, is your best option, especially fluoridated water. Also milk, and unsweetened tea are fine. Limit your sugary drinks though, and drink up, do not sip through the day so as to constantly expose your tooth’s enamel to acid attacks. Poor choices include: lemonade, soda, Gatorade, energy drinks, coffee/tea with sugar. These expose your teeth to sugar, again creating the environment for acid attacks.

Sugar substitutes, although tasting like sugar, do not digest the same and do not “feed” the mouth’s bacterias or produce the decay-causing acids. Sugarless and sugar-free labels mean no sugars were added during processing. However, it could contain other natural sweeteners, like honey. Examine your labels.

What about gum?

Sugarless gum is actually beneficial to the teeth as chewing actually helps to dislodge food stuck between the teeth and increases salivary flow to buffer the acids. Do not become a gum chewer if you suffer from jaw pain. Some gums containing xylitol are very beneficial. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. It is as sweet as sugar with 33% less calories. Xylitol is actively beneficial by reducing cavities to a third in regular use and helpful to remineralization.

Thinking twice about your next snack move can prove helpful to both body and mouth…Apples anyone?

Want to learn more? Visit us at

Source:

Wikipedia.org

WebMD.com

Posted in Community Service News, Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Tooth Talk
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September 21, 2015

Keeping Your Teeth For a Lifetime

Karen Kelley RDH

Keeping Your Teeth For a Lifetime

Our dental practice has more over 50 year olds than under 50. As aging adults, we need to be aware of certain things that can keep us from retaining our teeth our entire lives.

Judith Ann Jones, DDS, a spokesman on elder care for the American Dental Association and director of The Center for Clinical Research at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine spoke about 5 things that are especially important to the over 50 crowd.

Tooth Decay: Contrary to what many people believe, adults keep getting cavities! I’m always surprised when people are stunned to learn they have a cavity as an adult. Areas of the teeth that have never had a cavity can decay, but areas where we see more problems are where an old filling is leaking and at the base of an older crown. The best prevention is brushing well each day along the gumline. An electric toothbrush is very helpful in accomplishing this as well as the use of fluoride. An over the counter fluoride rinse nightly is great and in our office we have special prescription strength fluoride that is wonderful for cavity prevention as well as help with sensitivity.

Dry Mouth: Keeping Your Teeth For a Lifetime We see so many people with this problem. “Saliva protects our teeth. The calcium and phosphate present in saliva prevent demineralization of your teeth”, Jones says. Many drugs cause dry mouth as well as some diseases and as we get older, we are on more medications thus we see this commonly in older adults. This is a difficult one to deal with for those affected. The best thing is to drink lots of water, use saliva substitute and try xylitol products. Also, if you smoke, stop, it just makes your mouth drier.

Gum Disease: If your gums are swollen, red, or bleed easily, you have gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease (gingivitis) will become more serious and will cause deterioration of the bone that holds the teeth, we call this periodontitis. If this condition continues without treatment, it can cause the loss of the teeth. The best way to prevent gum disease is to clean your teeth well each day with brushing, flossing, and use of interdental cleaners like soft picks or go betweens. And of course, seeing your friendly dental hygienist as often as recommended. We can remove the mineralized bacteria from your teeth that you can’t remove with brushing.

Tooth Crowding: “As you age, your teeth shift”, according to Lee W. Graber, D.D.S., M.S, Ph.D., Past President of the American Association of Orthodontists. And “that can be problematic, not because you’ll look different, but because it can make your teeth more difficult to clean, leading to more decay. It’s also of concern because misaligned teeth can lead to teeth erosion and damage to the supporting tissue and bone”, Graber says. “Add to that the tendency of older adults to have periodontal disease, and you could end up losing your teeth even faster.” If your teeth have really shifted, and you find you are having a difficult time keeping your teeth clean and food keeps getting caught in certain areas, ask our doctors about orthodontics. We offer Invisalign to our patients and we’ve had patients in their later years choose to straighten their teeth. I just finished with my invisalign treatment. I had braces when I was a teenager but my teeth had shifted and I was experiencing these problems I just mentioned. I decided to do Invisalign. It’s easy to do and my teeth are so much straighter. They are now in the correct alignment and my teeth and gums will be healthier. If you choose not to do orthodontics, more frequently exams and cleanings may be necessary.

Oral Cancer: According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, more than 43,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancers this year, and more than 8,000 will die from it. “Oral cancer incidence definitely increases as you get older”, Jones says, and “is very often linked to smoking and heavy alcohol use.” Jones also said, “Only about half of people who develop oral cancer survive the disease.” If discovered early, there is an 80 percent chance of surviving for five years. When we do your periodic exams when you come in for your cleaning, you will be checked for oral cancer. We also offer Velscope, Identafi, or Oral ID technologies to help in finding oral cancer earlier.

Keep brushing, flossing and smiling! We want to help you keep your teeth healthy your entire lives!

Want to learn more? Visit us at

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/28/common-dental-problems-_n_5844434.html

Sources:

https://aga.grandparents.com/

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Oral Hygiene
Tagged adult cavities, aging adults, bacteria, Braces, brushing, cavities, cavity protection, demineralization, dental hygiene, dental hygienist, dry mouth, electric toothbrush, flossing, fluoride, gingivitis, go betweens, gum disease, identafi, interdental cleaners, invisalign, medications, old filling, Oral Cancer, oral ID, ortho, orthodontics, periodontitis, saliva, saliva substitute, sensitivity, smoking cessation, soft picks, teeth shifting, tooth crowding, tooth decay, Velscope, xylitol
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August 24, 2015

What is an ABSCESS all about anyway?

Ann Clark RDH

What is an ABSCESS all about anyway?

An abscess is an infection at the tooth’s root. It usually comes with discomfort or pain and can also be found between the gum and the tooth. The most common cause is severe tooth decay but it can also be related to trauma, like a broken tooth or to gum disease. These problems cause openings in the tooth enamel allowing bacterias to travel inward to the pulp (nerve canal) and infect it. This infection can also spread from the root to the supporting bone structure holding in the tooth.

What are the symptoms?

– a continuous severe toothache causing throbbing or sharp pain

-fever

-bitter taste in the mouth

-a smell to your breath

-swollen neck glands

-general discomfort. uneasiness or ill feeling

-redness and swelling of gums

-swelling to your face

-a draining sore on your gums

If the pain stops, the pulp (nerves) has died off from infection but the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Visiting your Dentist is always advised with the above symptoms even if pain subsides.

How is an abscess diagnosed?

Your dentists checks and probes the area looking for swollen, red tissue or draining sites as well as examining X-rays. He may tap the tooth of check to see if it reacts to temperatures and also check biting pressure.

How is an abscess treated?

Our goal is to eliminate infection, preserve the tooth and prevent complications. The tooth may need to be drained which is achieved through root canal therapy. Root surgery can be recommended if we need to remove diseased tooth tissue after the infection is cleared. A crown may be placed over the tooth to provide needed strength. A tooth may also need to be extracted which allows for the draining to take place through the socket. Finally, a third option to drain the tooth would be through an incision into the swollen tissue. Antibiotics are prescribed to fight the infection. To relieve pain and discomfort, warm salt water rinses and OTC meds like ibuprofen (advil/motrin) can be used.

How do you Prevent an abscess?

Good home care habits and regular check up with X-rays reduce your risk. If you experience tooth trauma please seek prompt attention.

Want to learn more? Visit us at

Sources:

WEBMD- Columbia University College of Dental Medicine:”Abscess”

Medline Plus: “Tooth abscess”

Emedicine health: “Dental Abscess”

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Tooth Talk, What is...
Tagged abscess, Decay, dental abscess, dentist, extraction, infection, nerve, pulp, root canal, root surgery, tooth, tooth abscess, tooth pain, tooth trauma
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July 26, 2015

What’s the Deal with Wisdom Teeth?

Becky Larson, RDH

What’s the Deal with Wisdom Teeth?

Everyone has them, but not everybody knows what to do with them. “Wisdom teeth” or 3^rd molars can cause a number of problems in the mouth.

Wisdom teeth are believed to be evolutionary and were helpful to our distant ancestors who frequently ate rougher foods. Wisdom teeth would erupt as replacements for worn out or missing teeth. Nowadays modern advancements, better hygiene, and softer diets allow us to keep most of our teeth so we really don’t need wisdom teeth at all! For most people, wisdom teeth erupt in the late teen years or early 20’s, usually earlier for females. They are the most posterior (towards the back) teeth. Most people have 4 wisdom teeth total, but sometimes they can be congenitally missing. Other times people may have extra (supernumerary) wisdom teeth.

Even if there is sufficient space in the mouth and the wisdom teeth are in alignment with the other teeth, they can still cause problems. Because of their location, wisdom teeth are extremely hard to brush and floss. If they are not kept clean, they can cause periodontal pocketing, which can lead to tooth loss in other areas of the mouth. Unfortunately, most people don’t have enough space and when wisdom teeth erupt, they can push on the surrounding teeth. This can cause crowding and misalignment throughout the entire mouth. Wisdom teeth can also be impacted – meaning they are enclosed in the gum tissue or jawbone. When this happens they can partially erupt or even try to erupt horizontally. When teeth are only partially erupted, it allows bacteria to enter the tooth. This can lead to infection, pain, swelling, jaw soreness, cysts, and other systemic illnesses.

X-ray showing impacted wisdom teeth:

A dentist will usually take a panoramic x-ray to view the wisdom teeth to determine when/if they need to be extracted. If extractions are indicated, getting them out at a younger age is preferable for recovery time. If wisdom teeth are fully erupted and not impacted in the gums or bone, they can be extracted as easily as a regular tooth. If they are impacted, the gums and/or bone need to be cut open in order to extract. Wisdom teeth can be extracted with local anesthetic only, though other pain/anxiety management techniques can be used. These include nitrous oxide, conscious sedation, and/or anti-anxiety pre-medication.

Recovering time is usually about 2 weeks. During the recover a person may experience bleeding and facial swelling. Pain medications and antibiotics are often prescribed as well. Possible complications of wisdom teeth extractions include dry socket and parasthesia. Dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form or falls out and is extremely painful. A person should not drink from a straw for several days after the extractions to avoid dry socket. During wisdom teeth extractions the nerves can sometimes become damaged or bruised. This results in prolonged numbness or parasthesia, which can last weeks or months and can sometimes be permanent. Parasthesia is more rare and generally the numbing sensation wears off after several hours. Dry socket and/or parasthesia don’t always occur after wisdom teeth are extracted.

So you can see that wisdom teeth can cause many headaches (literally)! Be wise and get your wisdom teeth extracted as soon as your dentist recommends it.

Want to learn more? Visit us at

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/wisdom-teeth

Sources:

http://crest.com/en-us/oral-care-topics/general-oral-hygiene/never-ignore-your-wisdom-teeth-symptoms

picture from: http://www.quora.com/Do-all-humans-have-wisdom-teeth

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Tooth Talk
Tagged 3rd molars, cavities, extraction, headaches, impacted, jaw pain, jaw soreness, pain, pano, periodontal pocketing, wisdom teeth, wisdom teeth extraction, xray
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July 13, 2015

How to Care For Your Infant’s Teeth

Lora Cook RDH

How to Care For Your Infant’s Teeth

When to start cleaning your baby’s teeth

You can start before your baby even has teeth, it is best to incorporate mouth cleaning at bath time. This routine will help your baby get used to you cleaning their mouth, which can allow a smoother transition when you do begin to brushing their teeth. This will also help you to know when your babies teeth first start to push through their gum tissue.

The bacteria that lives in the mouth is not harmful to the gum tissue, but can be harmful to the teeth. The enamel on baby teeth are 50% thinner than adult teeth. Therefore baby teeth are more susceptible to the bacteria that causes cavities.

How to clean your infants teeth

To clean your babies mouth before tooth eruption use a clean wet wash cloth. Wrap wash cloth around your finger then rub it gently around your babies gums.

When to transition to a tooth brush.

When the teeth have started to erupt, this will be time to transition from a wash cloth to a baby tooth brush. Look for a tooth brush specifically made for infants. This will usually start around six months old. This will also be the time to change from bath time mouth cleaning to brushing two times daily.

It is fine to just dry brush with just tap water, or a fluoridated tooth paste can be used. When using toothpaste, use the tiniest smear. It is never too early to help create a good brushing routine for your child.

Want to learn more? Visit us at

http://www.myhealthunit.ca/en/livehealthyandprotectyourhealth/Caring-for-Your-Child-s-Teeth.asp

Sources:

http://m.oralb.com/products/oral-b-stage-1-disney-baby-pooh-toothbrush

www.babycenter.com

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Oral Hygiene, Tooth Talk
Tagged babies, brushing, eruption, infants, toothbrush, wash cloth
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June 21, 2015

Diabetes and Dental Care

Sharma Mulqueen RDH

Diabetes and Dental Care

What do brushing and flossing have to do with diabetes? Plenty. If you have diabetes, here’s why dental care matters — and how to take care of your teeth and gums.

When you have diabetes, high blood sugar can take a toll on your entire body — including your teeth and gums. The good news? Prevention is in your hands. Learn what you’re up against, and then take charge of your dental health.

Cavities and gum disease

Whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar level is key. The higher your blood sugar level, the higher your risk of:

Tooth decay (cavities). Your mouth naturally contains many types of bacteria. When starches and sugars in food and beverages interact with these bacteria, a sticky film known as plaque forms on your teeth. The acids in plaque attack the hard, outer surface of your teeth (enamel). This can lead to cavities. The higher your blood sugar level, the greater the supply of sugars and starches — and the more acid wearing away at your teeth.
Early gum disease (gingivitis). Diabetes reduces your ability to fight bacteria. If you don’t remove plaque with regular brushing and flossing, it’ll harden under your gumline into a substance called tartar (calculus). The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more they irritate the gingiva — the part of your gum around the base of your teeth. In time, your gums become swollen and bleed easily. This is gingivitis

Advanced gum disease (periodontitis). Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to a more serious infection called periodontitis, which destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. Eventually, periodontitis causes your gums to pull away from your teeth and your teeth to loosen and even fall out. Periodontitis tends to be more severe among people who have diabetes because diabetes lowers the ability to resist infection and slows healing. An infection such as periodontitis may also cause your blood sugar level to rise, which makes your diabetes more difficult to control. Preventing and treating periodontitis can help improve blood sugar control.

Proper dental care

To help prevent damage to your teeth and gums, take diabetes and dental care seriously:

Make a commitment to managing your diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor’s instructions for keeping your blood sugar level within your target range. The better you control your blood sugar level, the less likely you are to develop gingivitis and other dental problems.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Brush in the morning, at night and, ideally, after meals and snacks. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride. Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums. Consider using an electric toothbrush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush well.

Floss your teeth at least once a day. Flossing helps remove plaque between your teeth and under your gumline. If you have trouble getting floss through your teeth, use the waxed variety. If it’s hard to manipulate the floss, use a floss holder.

Schedule regular dental cleanings. Visit your dentist at least three times a year for professional cleanings.
Make sure your dentist knows you have diabetes. Every time you visit your dentist, remind him or her that you have diabetes. Make sure your dentist has contact information for your doctor who helps you manage your diabetes.
Look for early signs of gum disease. Report any signs of gum disease — including redness, swelling and bleeding gums — to your dentist. Also mention any other signs and symptoms, such as dry mouth, loose teeth or mouth pain.
Don’t smoke. Smoking increases the risk of serious diabetes complications, including gum disease. If you smoke, ask your doctor about options to help you quit.

Managing diabetes is a lifelong commitment, and that includes proper dental care. Your efforts will be rewarded with a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

Want to learn more? Visit us at

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes/art-20043848?pg=2

Sources

https://www.perio.org/consumer/diabetes.htm

http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection, Oral Hygiene
Tagged brush, cavities, Decay, dental care, dental cleanings, diabetes, floss, gingivitis, gums, high blood sugar, periodontitis
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June 7, 2015

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

Peggy Stoor, RDH

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

Recently much has come to light regarding oral health and its impact on systemic health and disease. While I’ve always been borderline fanatic about oral health and have been aware of some of these relationships, the recent research connecting oral health to systemic health has helped to make my daily work much more relevant and interesting.

Presently there are 18 million diabetic patients in the U.S. and 171 million diabetic patients worldwide. Diabetes is characterized by increased susceptibility to infection, poor wound healing, and a number of complications that can affect quality of life and length of life. Diabetes is also a risk factor for severe periodontal disease (the destruction of tissues and bone that support the teeth). It’s critically important to realize that diabetics who have periodontal or gum disease have two chronic conditions, each of which affect the other.

While we have long known that diabetes can predispose one to periodontal disease, research now suggests that treatment of periodontal disease can have a positive impact on the diabetic condition. Patients with periodontal disease have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar. Patients who have treatment and gain control of their gum disease have been shown to require less insulin and have a decreased hemoglobin A1c level. (A1c denotes a patients average blood sugar level over the past 3 months). In other words, periodontal disease and diabetes is a two-way street with each disease having a potential impact on the other, either positively or negatively.

Management of gum disease in patients with diabetes involves removal of plaque and calculus both at home and professionally, and maintenance of glycemic control. Nearly all diabetics respond to treatment and maintenance, therefore treatment of periodontal disease should be done as soon as possible. Both conditions require frequent professional evaluations, patient-self monitoring, daily brushing and flossing, approved antibacterial mouth rinses, and good blood glucose control.

Want to learn more? Visit us at

Sources:

Southerland, J.H. (2005.) Diabetes and periodontal infection: Making the connection. Retrieved from http://clincial.diabetesjournals.org/content/23/4/171

Diabetes and Periodontal Disease: Retrieved from http://www.perio.org, American Academy of Periodontology, Diabetes and periodontal Disease

Diabetes and Oral Health: Retrieved from http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/Diabetes.National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research by National Institutes of Health-(2007)

Mealey, B.L. ,(2006).Periodontal disease and diabetes: A two-way street. Journal of American Dental Association. Oct.137 suppl:26S-31S. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Mirza,B.A., Syed A., Izhar F., Ali Khan. (2001). Bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease: Review of evidence. J Pak Med Assoc. Retrieved from http: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21381588

Dental Care and Diabetes. http://www.webmed.com/diabetes/dental-health-dental-care-diabetes

Image Credit: http://www.intelligentdental.com/2012/03/31/effect-of-systemic-factors-on-the-periodontium-part1

Posted in Gums, Health, Mouth Body Connection
Tagged blood sugar, diabetes, diabetic, gum disease, oral systemic link, periodontal disease, periodontal maintenance
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June 3, 2015

The Dangers of Oral Piercings

Ann Clark, RDH

Oral Piercings

Although attractive to some, tongue, lip, and cheek piercings have a number of health related risks associated with them. One of the biggest dangers of mouth piercings is the damage to the teeth that can come from bumping or rubbing against the piercing. There is also a fairly high risk of infection to this area from bacteria that can get trapped.

*Infection – Risk of this is increased due to the new wound created. The array of bacteria that live in the mouth plus the addition of bacteria from handling the jewelry.

*Transmission of Disease – Oral piercing poses increased risk of the herpes simplex virus and hepatitis B or C.

*Endocarditis – The piercing site poses risk for mouth bacteria to enter the bloodstream and lead to developing endocarditis–an inflammation of the heart or its valves–in certain people with underlying (many times asymptomatic or undiagnosed) heart issues.

*Nerve Damage/ prolonged bleeding – Numbness or loss of sensation at the piercing site or movement problems can occur if the nerves are damaged. If blood vessels are punctured, prolonged bleeding can occur. Tongue swelling following piercing can be severe enough to block the airway and make breathing difficult.

*Gum Disease – Piercings, especially involving longer jewelry, like barbells, have a greater chance toward this disease. The jewelry can come into contact with gum tissue causing tissue recession, an injury leading to loss of teeth.

*Damage to Teeth – Teeth contacting the jewelry can chip, crack, or wear away. One study from a dental journal reported 47% of barbell wearers for 4+ years had at least one chipped tooth.

*Difficulty in daily functions – tongue piercings can result in problems with swallowing, chewing food, and clear speech. This occurs from the jewelry stimulating an excessive production of saliva. Taste can also be altered.

*Allergic Reaction – We call metal hypersensitivity Allergic Contact Dermatitis, which can occurring in susceptible people.

*Jewelry Aspiration – If jewelry becomes loose in the mouth it poses a possible choking hazard if swallowed causing issue to the digestive tract or lungs.

If oral piercings are still for you, please consider:

-find a recommended studio

-Visit the studio first and ask about hospital-grade autoclaves to sterilize, or use of disposable instruments. Are disposable gloves used?

-Ask to see a health certificate.

-Are instruments kept in sterilized packages?

-Are employees vaccinated against Hep-B?

-Ask many questions, the staff should be willing to respond

WARNING SIGNS!! (Consult your dentist if any of these occur)

-yellow/green discharge (normal is clear or white)

-scarring or thickened tissue build up darkening the piercing site

– an abscess (pimple) at the piercing site

-bleeding or tearing after the piercing

-a resting low-grade fever

Want to learn more? Visit us at