Most people are well aware of soda’s detrimental effects on the teeth (including erosion and bone loss) – but it also is addictive?
The allure of diet soda is obvious for people who are conscious about their figure: it tastes great, it’s refreshing, and has few or no calories. Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize how dangerous the other ingredients in soda really are, even with no sugar. Many diet cola drinkers have a false sense of security that their diets will be successful drinking diet soda, and actually consume more calories because of it. Putting aside the acidic problems with soda and the havoc they wreak on your teeth, gum and bone, let’s look at the caffeine aspect of cola. All dark colas are full of artificial chemicals which can degrade your skin and internal organs over time, but those which are caffeinated present an addictive factor as well. Caffeine addiction can make a person feel downright ill if they don’t receive their “soda fix” – muscle pains, headaches and nervousness are common among soda addicts, and are known as symptomatic withdrawal. Even though withdrawal symptoms are most commonly associated with tobacco and hard drugs, caffeine falls into the addictive drug category as well. Johns Hopkins University, the authoritative leader on mental disorders in the medical world recognized “Caffeine Withdrawal” as an official disorder in 2004. Symptoms usually occur within 12 – 24 hours of halting caffeine intake, and can last for days.
In addition to the caffeine addiction problem with all soda, recent studies have shown that drinking even just one soda a day can raise a person’s risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 48%. Metabolic syndrome drastically increases the likelihood for heart disease and diabetes. Phosphoric acid found in any dark cola is another leading contributor to bone loss among soda drinkers. Combined with the high withdraw rates of caffeine addiction and the problems associated with caffeine withdraw (disturbed eating and sleeping patterns, anxiety and restlessness), drinking even moderate amounts of soda in a day-to-day routine can produce drastically negative effects on a person’s health. This does not even address the detrimental effects of cola acidity on oral health.
In North America, a continent in which 80 – 90% of all adults drink some form of caffeine on a regular basis, this epidemic of sorts has reached maximum capacity. Save your body and your mind – kick the soda habit! You will feel more rested and relaxed throughout your day, your concentration ability will increase and you will be doing a great service to your osteo (bone) and oral health. Drinking diet soda does not guarantee your diet will be successful, and in the long run, will in fact make your body’s health deteriorate. If you must drink diet cola, be sure to drink in moderation! Small amounts, 8oz or less, only once a day! Think about the chemicals and caffeine in the cola you drink, you might think twice!
“Doc, can I have more Novocaine? I don’t feel very numb.” Of course, it is nice to feel numb before dental surgeries! Have you ever been in a situation in which you had difficulty getting numb?
Local anesthetic is effective in most situations, however approximately 15% of dental patients experience a partial or total lack of numbness after receiving anesthesia injections. This phenomenon usually occurs in the lower jaw, when mandibular bone is too dense for infiltrated anesthetic injections to take, unlike the upper jaw which can receive the anesthetic solution easily. The dental nerve within the lower jaw is essentially buried within the dense bone itself, so it requires a mandibular block injection for proper numbing (numbing which includes the teeth, tongue and lips in the same quadrant).
Variations in the anatomy of the “entry window location” (where the mandibular injection deposits its solution) makes it difficult for some people to receive proper numbing, even when the dentist follows the usual landmarks – don’t blame the dentist right away if your anesthesia doesn’t work! The physiology of each individual varies besides the anatomy, which will lead to different thresholds or reactions to various dental injections. Different dental injection solutions also gives different numbing effects – your dental professional should choose what is most applicable to your situation, usually epinephrine (the blood vessel constrictor) is added to give a better local numbing effect.
Speedy injections or anxious patients can cause a racy heart beat, which could be very uncomfortable. If you’ve had too many cups of coffee or if your blood sugar is low from having not eaten, you may feel uncomfortable after receive the dental injection. The wine from last night can also alter the effectiveness of the numbing. This all makes anesthesia a very delicate science. The technique of the operator (the dental professional) can occasionally be at fault for improper anesthesia, but more likely than not it is a complication with a patient variable. It is important for you to communicate with your dental professionals if you’ve had a history of difficulty with dental anesthetics.
Special oral local anesthetic techniques, such as intraosseous anesthesia, which can enhance deep pulpal anesthesia, may help to increase the numbing sensation. This process injects novocaine directly into the bone marrow – because the needle penetrates the hard cortex of the bone, it penetrates to the jaw’s deepest level and can adequately numb the site. It is important to remember that every mouth can be anesthetized, however because intraosseous anesthesia is considered a specialized procedure, it is important to find a dental professional who is experienced with such techniques.
Do you need some extra cash, especially if you are feeling the squeeze of the credit crunch? Check your drawers and jewelry boxes to find any gold crowns or inlays removed from your mouth, trade in the dental scrap for some pocket change!
Gold fillings are removed
You might have never thought about it, but gold fillings, bridges and other gold dental work is actually worth some money in today’s economy! Gold is one of the few precious metals which has held its value, and many people with scrap fillings lying around the house are turning to jewelers to get money for their gold dental work! They can sell for $30 to $50.
In our office, when offered remaining gold scrap when a patient has old dental work removed, 25% of people say they would like to keep the gold. Some people have these gold teeth lying around, and if you fall under this category, it might be time to change the gold dental scrap to good use. Gold does not corrode in the harsh oral environment, and because of this, it has been a suitable restorative material choice for decades (even though in more recent years, the trend has been towards composite or porcelain material which looks natural against other real teeth). Still, there is plenty dental gold work even today, and even porcelain crowns can be supported with dental gold alloy. While dental gold is usually 12 to 16 karat, not 24 karat, it still fetches a high resale value, up to $900 per ounce in today’s economy! The gold must be treated chemically to remove other metallic substances, but this can be easily done by the jeweler you sell your scrap gold to.
There is one shocking fact you learn from this dental gold rush story – the base tooth is actually separated from the gold cap with your cola drink. Cola is no stranger to criticism from the dental world, its acidic properties can erode your enamel and gum (and even lead to bone loss!) and can wreak havoc in your mouth. If you soak the tooth in a cup of cola for 24-48 hours, the gold cap will separate from the tooth and will be ready for scrapping. Doesn’t this fact make you think twice about drinking cola? The best way to fight recession is get into prevention, take good care of yourself! When you’re healthy, it’s much easier to be productive and move ahead. Let your mouth be your asset instead of liability starting with proper home care and stay away from bad habits and poor diets.
” May I have some laughing gas please?” is a popular request among the “high anxiety” or “wants to get away” group.
A patient is anesthetized with nitrous oxide.
Nitrous oxide gas (nitrous oxide and oxygen (N20-02)) is affectionately known as “laughing gas” due to its euphoric qualities when inhaled. Discovered in 1772 by Humphrey Davy, he had this to say about its effects: “On the day when the inflammation was the most troublesome, I breathed three large doses of nitrous oxide. The pain always diminished after the first four or five inspirations; the thrilling came on as usual, and uneasiness was for a few minutes swallowed up in pleasure.” When the gas is inhaled (at an approximately 50% nitrous oxide + 50% oxygen dilution), after several minutes nearly all pain dissipates from the body and a euphoric warmth spreads throughout the body. This pleasant feeling is not only pain-reducing, but can calm anxious nerves and relax all but the most fearsome patients. The calming, relaxing and euphoric qualities of nitrous oxide make it a prime candidate for anesthetizing patients who have irrational fears about dental procedures who are unable to get comfortable in the chair. Because laughing gas can be highly effective in treating moderate dental anxieties, nitrous oxide gas can also benefit the dental physician working on a patient – calm environments benefit everyone! Patients with high blood pressure, or who have had heart attacks in the past and are at risk from traditional IV anesthesia are prime candidates for nitrous oxide sedation.
The level of sedation and warmth felt in the body after inhaling nitrous oxide gas depends on the concentration of the dosage, and how long the gas is administered. Because the gas is administered into the lungs, it is saturated into the blood stream very quickly and once the procedure is finished, there are no lingering “hangover” effects, meaning it is safe to drive home without an escort. Local anesthesia is still necessary for the treatment site, but needle-phobia will disappear with laughing gas. If you suffer from dental anxieties and have tried different techniques, seen different dentist and you still can not face dental work with ease, it is worth while for you to try nitrous oxide during your next dental procedure. Have a discussion with your dental professional.
Mark came in with a severe tooth ache, and after an examination, I could see the tooth was severely broken down. The basic options were to either save the tooth – going through root canal therapy and finishing with a post and crown restoration, or to remove the tooth and restore with a dental implant and crown. “Should I save my tooth, or should I pull it!” This is the eternal question!
Root canal therapy (also known as endodontic therapy) is a procedure of treatment for the pulp of a tooth once it has become infected – the inner pulpal material must be removed, in order to protect and decontaminate the tooth from future microbial invasion to the jaw bone. Once a root canal procedure is performed, however, the lack of nutritional supply in the tooth (once the organic tissue is removed from the tooth during the procedure) will render the tooth brittle, the weakened tooth should be reinforced and restored properly, with a post and crown.
Root canal treatment does have a bad reputation due to the pain and the stigma associated with the procedure. Often times, a patient will have a root canal performed and think the procedure was a success, only to have pain and infection return several years down the line. The complexity of the anatomic root variation could be an obstacle and techniques can often be tedious, which is why specialized service is usually performed by a highly trained dentist or endodontist. Special tools like microscopes are also often necessary for a successful procedure. Advanced instrumentation and technique will ensure long-term success.
Regular dental checkups are vital to properly maintain your dental health. If the unhealthy dental condition requires a root canal treatment or an extraction, have your dental professional explain the pros and cons of each option, then make an educated decision. If there is a mystery pain, a 3-D image (Morita Survey of CT scan) would be invaluable for proper diagnosis. Regular dental x-rays are not capable of capturing images of a cracked tooth nor accessory root canals (which are small and difficult to see). These tiny cracks or canal issues can lead to prolonged discomfort, which you may have thought was a figment of your imagination! If the prognosis was poor, or a tooth has broken down so much that it has become unrestorable, extraction and a dental implant might be a more sustainable investment to you dental health. Prevention is always the best treatment! Brush and floss your teeth twice daily and after meals. If you have any dental pain, schedule an appointment with your dentist sooner rather than later.
When you smile, the corners of the mouth upturn, eyes begin twinkling and positive emotion radiates. A person’s smile is a pleasant, agreeable part of their appearance and facial characteristics; a person’s smile is the window to their heart!
Dental components like teeth and gum do play an important role in a smile. In today’s society, if a person’s dental components are not healthy or if they do not look right, most will feel far less confident to smile. As cosmetic dentistry has come into a heavier demand in recent years, smile design has become a term used for various clinical treatment plans and for aesthetic improvement. This means smile design: projecting an enhanced smile through alteration of dental components as a practice of cosmetic dentistry. This is a type of comprehensive oral care that combines art and science to greatly improve the aesthetic appearance of the smile, as well as its health and function.
Proper smile design starts with a facial analysis, when the line between the pupils and the horizontal line from the connecting edges of your upper teeth (smile line) are [hopefully] in parallel harmony; the smile line should also harmonize with the upper curvature of the lower lip. Then we evaluate the color, size and alignment of the dental compound, whether it is somewhat in the right places and proportional in relation with the face.
Some of the most common cosmetic procedures include tooth bleaching (or whitening) which enhances the color appearance of your teeth, bonding and veneers or porcelain crowns(which can enhance the outward appearance of a tooth’s color or shape), and gum work (like a gingival plasty, gum contouring or crown lengthening) to harmonize with teeth. Straightening of teeth through adult orthodontics are also a part of cosmetic smile design – not only for improvement of the smile, but to set up a healthier foundation for other cosmetic procedures (or simply to make the mouth easier to clean and maintain).
Laser dentistry is very complimentary to cosmetic dentistry. Laser smile design not only makes common procedures like teeth whitening and gum contouring quick and painless, but because of the laser’s highly focused energy path, very little tissue around the site is disturbed. Procedures are very non-invasive.
Ultimately, cosmetic dentistry and laser smile design could be a great investment if you are not comfortable with your smile or the condition of your teeth (especially if they are worn or broken down, requiring rehablitation or reconstruction). Once you present a confident and happy smile, people will smile back at you and many windows and opportunity will open! Give thought to whether it’s time to have a smile analysis and smile design performed by your dental professional. If you need to find out more about cosmetic dentistry, www.aacd.com can be a referral source.
Have you ever felt sick, taken some Pepto Bismol and then a while later, had a black tongue? You may be thinking you’ve eaten something strange, or that you are having an allergic reaction! This is actually not a rare side effect of Pepto Bismol however – read on to find out why your tongue is black!
Black Tongue is harmless.
Numerous brands of nausea medication, including Pepto Bismol, have an active ingredient called Bismuth subsalicylate, a multi compound drug useful in treating nausea, heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea, and other temporary discomforts of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. In a tablet form, Bismuth subsalicylate is meant to be swallowed with water – however, when exposed to the surface of your tongue (from chewing), the drug will often turn the tongue black after several hours, and can last several days. A black tongue and black stools in some users of the drug is not harmful, but the color is produced as a side effect of the drug interacting with saliva and the gastrointestinal tract.
The good news is this discoloration has no adverse affect on your health; there is nothing to worry about if your tongue has gone black or if it is staining your teeth with black strips after taking Pepto Bismol. The stain can be removed easily by thorough brushing or seek help from your dental professional. If a thorough brushing was followed after taking the Pepto Bismo, the staining issue would be eliminated. You must be aware of your body if you have a upset stomach in the first place; getting a good assessment and managing the root of the problem rather than just masking the symptoms should be the overall, long-term goal. Maintain a healthy diet, full of fruit, vegetables and lean proteins to control the PH of your body (which should be neutral or mild alkaline). Getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night will ease and equip your body to deal with the stress. If you do have an upset stomach, have a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea with honey on me, which will help with your upset stomach. We can all work on respecting our body and mind to take better care of ourselves.
We all clean our teeth with tooth brushes, but how do you clean the tooth brush that cleans your teeth?
Keep your tooth brush clean!
Tooth brushes get used cleaning your teeth at least two time daily, and we should all be using toothpaste and water with our brushing. Afterward, we rinse our mouth out and clean our toothbrush under running tap water, shaking off any excess water and then keep the toothbrush upright, allowing it to air dry until next time. Such a cleaning routine is usually adequate for a healthy person. It is good to know however that any toothbrush can harbor millions of bacteria at any given time. The oral cavity itself harbors hundreds of different kinds of microbes and bacterial organisms, which inevitably become transferred onto the toothbrush as you clean your teeth. Most bathrooms also harbor lots of bacteria, which can transfer to your brush if the brush head is contacting any not-so-clean surfaces or another toothbrush. Should you be concerned with sanitizing your tooth brush?
Thankfully, our immune defense mechanism protects against offending microbes, and most bacteria on your tooth brush will pose no health risk to you. Don’t be germ phobic, but it is always good to have few more pointers under your belt regarding how you can keep a cleaner toothbrush. Do not share a toothbrush! Wash your toothbrush before and after each use. It is important to clear all bristles of any remaining toothpaste or food debris to prevent excess bacteria from forming. If you are sick, it’s a good idea to soak your toothbrush in a 3% (standard over-the-counter) solution of hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 minutes to sterilize your cleaning tool. Also, it’s a good idea to have several toothbrushes at your disposal, dried and cleaned and ready to go – rotating toothbrushes can increase their longevity. When storing your toothbrush, make sure to have adequate ventilation to prevent molding or bacteria from forming.
My last tip is to take a good look at your your brush: if the ends of bristles bend , get a new one! Normally, the life span of a is 3 to 4 months; if you have an electric toothbrush check the shape of the bristles (it might be time to replace the brush heads). It’s always easier to stock up a few brushes to assure you’ll always have a good toothbrush available to keep your oral hygiene up to snuff. A clean mouth makes you feel refreshed and keeps your body healthy!
Got an itchy nose when you are in the dental chair? Have you felt itchy and red on your cheeks when you last visited your dental professional? You might be hypersensitive or have latex allergies. The reactions are most likely from powdered latex gloves. In recent years, latex allergies have become much more predominant in health care provider offices, meaning people must be aware and knowledgeable about how their bodies react to such materials.
Latex is derived from the Rubber Tree.
Natural rubber latex products (like powdered latex gloves) come from rubber trees located throughout South America and elsewhere. This naturally occurring product contains proteins which are the primary source of allergens. There are different types of adverse reactions that occur with latex gloves: the most common is irritant contact dermatitis, which is not an actual allergy, but a skin reaction to the detergent, additives or powders that cover most latex gloves (usually your skin will appear red, dry and cracked). If it is allergic contact dermatitis, you can get a skin rash after a few hours and up to 48 hours after contact. The non-contact exposure to airborne particles when removing the gloves can cause signs and symptoms similar to those of hay fever or asthma. An actual latex allergy is a systemic allergic reaction which is caused by IgE antibodies in the blood to the proteins in natural latex. The response is immediate, such as itching, redness, swelling, sneezing and wheezing; the most serious reactions can be a life threatening and result in anaphylactic shock .
If you do have a latex allergy , be sure to communicate with your health provider, because there are alternatives. Because health care providers are repeatedly exposed to latex quite frequently, they are at a higher risk factor of developing latex allergies – as many as 17% of all health care providers are estimated to have latex allergies. Also, the allergy-causing proteins in latex are found in foods (such as avocado, banana, chestnut, kiwi and passion fruit) – so you might be allergic both latex and some related food.
There is no cure for a latex allergy, although medications are available to reduce the symptoms of latex allergies like antihistamines. If a severe reaction occurs, you will need an emergency injection of adrenaline (epinephrine). For those prone to anaphylaxis, an epi-pen should be carried at all times. The best treatment is prevention, avoid all products that contain latex and ask for advise from your doctor who might be able to suggest ways you can avoid latex in your daily life. Keep identification on you that clearly alerts others of any allergies you have, choose alternative products, and inform your health care professional of any developments.
“Dr. Sun, can you check why I taste metal in my mouth? I have no metal fillings; I checked on line, and I’m afraid I might have a cavity or gum infection!” So, I checked, and the oral department was cleared.
” Your mouth is healthy, tell me what has changed in your life?”
” I lost my job, I’ve been taking anti depressants and Ambien for sleep, but I had a physical exam that was fine.”
“Have you been good to yourself, healthy diet, taking supplements, exercising and proactive on job hunting?”
“Ha! Funny, Dr. Sun, I was going to ask you for a job! I exercise, but not eating well and maybe drinking more.”
“Well, keep yourself in the best condition. The metallic taste has lot to do with the medications you are taking; poor diet and alcohol intake don’t help either. My advise to you is be positive, count your blessings, treat yourself right, maintain a healthy diet, cut down on alcohol and keep up your good oral hygiene. You may rinse your mouth with warm salt water or rinse with warm water with added baking soda (1/4 teaspoon to 8 oz warm water) to neutralize the taste. Also talk to your physician about this, see whether GERD or other gastrointestinal issues play a role.”
It is common to get the funny taste in your mouth (dysgeusia), it might taste metallic, acidic or bitter, it usually goes away on its own, but if is lasts more than two weeks, consult with your health care professional.
Dysgeusia is related to a multitude of adverse health conditions. It is a sign of imbalanced body chemistry, associated with changes of your physical, mental or oral condition: medication and diet also are contributing factors. Starting with the mouth, make sure there is no caries, infection or poor oral hygiene. Think about whether you are taking prescription medications to treat hypertension and anxiety, (like lithium) antibiotics, antidepressant or others which may cause the metallic taste. The last would be possible physical illness likes cancer, a peptic ulcer, food allergies, or excessive metal elements (iron, copper, iodine, mercury, selenium, lead) in your body. Effects of radiation therapy may also cause dysgeusia.
Get a good assessment of the condition, then improve your health and feel better. Apart from consulting with your health care professional, do your part of eating right. Keep up good and clean habits, including oral hygiene, balanced stress level and a positive life outlook. You can also try brushing / scraping the tongue, rinsing with herbal mouth wash (like Tooth & Gum tonic), or swishing with warm salt water or baking soda rinse to neutralize the metallic taste.
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