As you may or may not know, May 10 – 16 was National Women’s Health Week, an annual week-long health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH). The purpose of this awareness week is to empower women to make their health a top priority.This noble quest does not simply apply to nutrition and cancer screening (as most people associate health weeks with), but to women’s oral health as well!
This year, National Women’s Health Week began on Mother’s Day – and what better a day to begin than on the day honoring mothers? Our country has a rich history of leading women who have made America a better place: Susan B. Anthony (who organized women’s suffrage), Clara Barton (who organized the American Red Cross), and Rosa Parks, who in 1955 stood up for equal rights for all. Had these women not taken care of their oral health, where would we be today? Of course, speculation about the oral hygiene habits of these women is somewhat silly, but this important week reminds all women of how important our health is, and how diminished as a society we would be without healthy women to lead and nurture.
It is important for all women to realize the importance of oral health not only for the well being of our teeth and gums, but for our whole body’s overall wellness. Of course, brushing and flossing twice daily and after meals is of utmost importance, as well as regular twice yearly checkups with your dentist and oral hygienist. There are certain oral health conditions women should be aware of however, separate from men. John Lukacs, an anthropologist at the University of Oregon recently uncovered both modern and prehistoric dental records which have revealed women have more dental health issues than men, which has been attributed to hormonal changes women experience when estrogen is produced (especially during puberty and pregnancy). As mentioned in a previous blog posting of mine, during pregnancy, not only does the body increase blood circulation to accommodate certain changes, but dilation of the blood vessels make the body more vulnerable to bacterial invasion, including the gum and and bone support of your teeth. Cravings and constant nibbling also promotes an acidic oral environment, leading to tooth erosion and the further harvesting of bacterial growth (which breaks down your tooth structure).
Gum swelling, bleeding and pain have also been reported during periods of menstruation. During these times, it is important to keep up with your normal oral hygiene routine! Massaging the gums with your fingertips can provide temporary pain relief, believe it or not. If you have any questions about your oral health, make a quick call to your dental professional and schedule a checkup or consultation appointment – he or she will be more than happy to provide you with the answers you need. Women have played an extremely important role in America’s history. Take care of your mouth, so that we can continue to take care of the nation!
Whether you have been going to the same dentist for 20 years or you haven’t seen a dentist at all for the longest time, it is important to find the right match – that is, finding the right dental professional for you. The relationship you have with your dentist is as important and personal as your relationship with your physician and hairdresser – you must trust and feel comfortable putting yourself in his or her well-trained hands.
I recently came across a person who had this to say about her dental experience: “I haven’t been to a dentist since 1992. Perhaps what I really need is a few years on a psychiatrist’s couch to reconcile my childhood and once again return to the dentist’s chair; otherwise, just knock me out, do what needs to be done, and wake me up when it’s all over.” This negative experience as a child is quite common of many patients I see, and of many adults who don’t go to the dentist, because of traumatizing childhood experiences.
If you are looking for a new dentist, ask for referrals from friends and family first. Is this dentist well experienced? Is this dentist known for pain-free treatment? Is this dentist well established in your community? Is this dentist interested in continuing education? These are questions that will help you establish a solid footing for beginning your match making! Even if you have a low budget, you can still find quality dental professionals who can take care of your smile in a manner befitting even the most unnerved patients. It is important to keep in mind that whether you believe your teeth are in good condition or not, a hygienist can clean deep-seated tartar and other mineral buildup on your teeth that you cannot clean with simply a brush and floss! Also, dental screenings are necessary to make sure no new problems have arisen in your mouth and that your teeth and gum are in good shape, even screening for oral cancer. Catching problems early on is always the least painful procedure – physically and financially!
It is a scary fact that 1 in every 3 American adults suffer from gum disease – this common malady is often caused by certain bacterial factors due to poor oral habits, difficult access for cleaning and weak host resistance for tissue break down. The key point is to prevent the occurrence of gum disease by instilling a healthy diet, healthy habits and regular dental check ups. However, if you already have signs of gum disease (like if your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth) there just may be some home remedies that can provide some relief, before your dental visits.
Typical signs of gum disease include bleeding gums, red or swollen gums, loose teeth or halitosis (bad breath). It all starts with inflammation of the gum tissue, which is called gingivitis: symptoms are light and include occasional bleeding, which can if left undiagnosed can progress to irreversible periodontal disease. This in turn can cause unhealthy systemic conditions such as heart attacks and hypertension! Of course, a fully implemented oral hygiene routine is your first and safest bet in preventing bacterial agents that cause gum disease. Brush and floss your teeth for two minutes minimum twice a day and after every meal. This will prevent bacteria and plaque from building up between your teeth and between your gums, which cause the beginning stages of both gingivitis and halitosis. It is also important to build up your host resistance to prevent tissue break down by maintaining a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, like Vitamin C, B and E, calcium, magnesium and silica.
If you do have signs of gum disease, try these remedies to reduce your symptoms. Salt water: this old home remedy can help you not only relieve the symptom of a sore throat, but can also reduce the swelling and bleeding of gum tissues. It can also reduce halitosis in minor cases. Eating right, as mentioned by foods rich in vitamin C (or take supplements) will also help. Tea tree oil can aid in reducing gingivitis conditions. Add a few drops of a tea tree oil supplement to your toothbrush after brushing to add a protective layer to the oral tissues. Finally, massaging your gums with your fingertips can stimulate blood circulation within your gums, and often times provide pain relief!
Try these home remedies if you can not get to your dentist right away and believe you may be suffering from gum disease. No home solution is a substute for professional service. Schedule a visit to your dental professional if you have experienced bleeding gums, loose teeth or bad breath. Listen to your body and take care your dental problems as soon as possible – bringing your oral health back to a healthy condition is always your wisest move!
It’s a privilege to be a mother – just ask Angelina Jolie! The joys of being a new mother also come with lots of new responsibilities. We must learn about how to care for our babies properly – besides love and cuddling! Safety, nutrition, physical and intellectual development and dental care are often overlooked. Even two of my nephews had suffered from rotten baby teeth (from baby bottle syndrome)!
Once the exciting jouney of pregnancy begins, your doctor will start you on prenatal vitamins. Essentially, these supplements help curb any vitamin or mineral deficiencies you may have as to properly foster the development of your fetus. Folic acid, calcium and iron are among the most important contents of these vitamins, and they are important in building your child’s first set of teeth! Although an infant’s teeth don’t start emerging until the age of approximately 5-6 months, proper development of those teeth are necessary from womb development so that when the teeth do emerge, they are strong and healthy!
Once your child’s primary teeth have begun to emerge, it is important to take good care of them. Clean new baby teeth with a damp wash cloth to wipe them free of food after feeding, and have the child drink some water to further wash down the mouth. Not only do primary teeth help a child eat and speak, but they hold space in the jaws for permanent teeth to develop.
As previously mentioned, it is extremely important to prevent baby bottle syndrome – rotten baby teeth which occurs when the baby falls sleep with a bottle of milk or juice in his or her mouth. Fermentable liquids can pool around a child’s teeth, leading to acidity and bacteria buildup in the mouth which can rot baby teeth quickly. These teeth are too soft to resist erosion and tooth decay. Once the decay process stars, it can soon progress to the pulp tissues and your poor baby would suffer from toothaches and infections – it might even affect the tooth buds of permanent teeth. So, once your child’s teeth emerge into the mouth, do not let your baby fall asleep with a bottle in its mouth (unless it is only water)!
Finally, it is great idea to start good oral hygiene and diet habits early! Never ever give your baby soda or soft drinks! The sugar and acid content in these drinks will erode your child’s teeth and start bad habits that can be difficult to break. Also try to avoid sugary carbohydrates and candies! Once there are several baby teeth present, wiping teeth with a damp cloth should be replaced with actual brushing with a soft-bristled brush. By the time your child is potty trained, it’s about time to start learning about brushing their teeth. Allowing your child to brush their own teeth holding a child friendly toothbrush (while you direct the handle) is a great way to start good oral hygiene habits! It will be parent’s responsibility to assist in brushing of the teeth until they enter elementary school, which is when they should have the maturity and manual dexterity to handle it themselves. If you rely on a nanny or caretaker, make sure to instill this information to them.
Regarding further information on dental home care, please refer to our other postings or submit your questions, I will address your specific issue or ask your dental professional!
Although you may think acid reflux disease and your child’s dental health are unrelated, but recent studies have suggested the close relations.
Recent studies have linked acid reflux and dental erosion.
Acid reflux disease, defined as chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by the abnormal reflux in the esophagus, is nothing short of painful and distracting. When occurring in children, the symptoms can be even more painful and difficult to handle. Just nine days ago, the Pediatric Academic Society released findings of a study conducted by the University of California San Francisco stating children who have severe acid reflux have a much higher risk – up to six times the risk – of dental erosion and gum disease than those without acid reflux disease (or GERD). This is a unique finding and although it should be researched more before being considered fact, if your child suffers from acid reflux, be sure to keep an eye on his or her dental health!
Dental decay, erosion and sensitivity are a result of an overly acidic oral environment, and can often be quite painful and difficult for young children to handle, just like acid reflux. Regular hygiene (like brushing and flossing twice daily and after meals) is important as are regular checkups with your dental professional twice yearly, but what other things can you do to neutralize your child’s acid reflux, and in turn prevent dental and gum erosion? Besides healthy diet that consist of fresh vegetable and fruits, avoid greasy fried food , stay off sugary carbonated beverage,one physician who was a part of the aforementioned study has recommended children with acid reflux disease (even at early stages) should be started on a dental hygiene regiment, to be overlooked by a dental professional regularly, just as medical checkups are. Good dental home care program includes fluoride treatment might be suggested.
Dental erosion can be uncomfortable and potentially hazardous to your child’s oral health, which is why prevention, early detection and adequate protection are always the best keys to health. By taking the right steps early in your child’s life (especially if your child suffers from acid reflux), you can assure your child has a better chance to live his or her life with a happy, healthy smile!
Counterfeit Toothbrushes? You’ve heard of counterfeit DVDs and handbags, but toothbrushes? Believe it or not, brand name toothbrushes are a hot commodity, and some unethical business people are trying to bank on naive consumers. So be careful what you buy and what you use for your dental health.
Watch out for counterfeit brushes!
In February, grocery stores and pharmacies across Ottawa were surprised to find their suppliers had been conned into buying massive shipments of fake Colgate toothbrushes, and they were supplied to the stores to be bought by general public . The brushes that were affected include the Colgate Massager, Colgate Navigator, Oral B Classic 40, Oral B Contura and Colgate 360. These toothbrushes were not made by Colgate! Canadian health officials have released the following statement: “If an imitation is suspected, consumers should stop using them immediately, as the quality, safety and effectiveness of counterfeit products cannot be assured.”
It is true that most of the burden to check for false brushes is on the back of the retailer, but it is still important to be vigilant about your toothbrush – only buy from reputable dealers (like big chain grocery stores) and if your brush looks suspicious – jagged packaging, poorly printed logos or something similar, take it back to the store from whence it came. A counterfeit toothbrush is not made to the same quality control standards as true brand-name brushes: counterfeit brushes (which usually originate in China) have been known to have bristles which fall out quickly, leading to throat irritation and, in a more extreme case, a possible choking hazard for young mouths. A toothbrush’s quality can be measured by specific features such as a well designed handle and thorough rows of columns of properly spaced tufts of end-rounded bristles.
Genuine Colgate toothbrushes will have instructions and labeling printed in English and French only, and should say “Distr. by/par: Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc” on the packaging. In addition, the Colgate logo should be embossed into the toothbrush handle itself, just under the brush head. These counterfeit brushes have not been detected in the United States as of yet, but due to the globalization of most large corporate supply chains (including those of Proctor & Gamble, the parent company of Colgate), these brushes could easily find their way into American grocery stores and convenience shops. Be vigilant about your toothbrush purchases to ensure you are using a high quality brush – you can only clean your mouth properly with the proper tools, and a genuine toothbrush is an important one!
It’s no surprise that people are hurting financially, given the sheer amount of job losses in America. The stress many of us are under becomes evident even in our oral health! When people become overly stressed, they tend to lapse into bad eating and drinking habits, may start smoking, and often do not take proper care of their oral environment (brushing and flossing twice daily, and after meals). This does not mean, however, that visits to the dentist for serious tooth-related problems should be avoided!
The economy has driven some people to extreme measures regarding dental work, even inducing people to use superglue to fix broken teeth instead of visiting the dentist. Not only is this practice ineffective in properly restoring damaged teeth, the chemical compounds found in adhesives like superglue – which are not designed or manufactured for use or placement within the body – can be dangerous and cause adverse health problems depending on the type of glue. The mouth is a core functioner within the human body, and many problems that originate in the mouth are systemic and eventually affect other aspects of your health. The same is true when it comes to abusing or not properly caring for your mouth.
Applying toxic substances like superglue to the inside of the mouth could have long-lasting systemic side effects far graver than the price of visiting your dental professional and receiving the proper dental care your mouth needs. Of course, prevention is always the best medicine for dental problems, but if they do arise, be sure to at least make a call to your dental professional and speak with someone. The problem could be more serious than you think, and fixing something early on is a healthier, less expensive treatment path than waiting until it is a bigger problem!
A patient of mine recently sent me this message – I was briefly shocked for a brief second, but then agreed! It is known that alcoholic mouthwash can pose a health risk to your body (and even cause cancer), but I never thought a product marketed as “safe” would actually kill mosquitoes!
“Dr. Sun, I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. The host at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila!”
This little anecdote really makes you think twice about using alcoholic mouthwash! Ethanol contained in some mouthwash rinses dramatically increase the ability of cancer-causing substances to penetrate the lining of your mouth, and other harmful chemicals such as Acetaldehyde – which forms in a person’s mouth after using alcoholic mouthwash – are suspected to be carcinogenic. These chemicals are not only harmful to the body, but as we’ve learned, are strong enough to kill certain organisms, which should make you think twice about using alcoholic mouthwash!
If you are concerned about cleaning your mouth with a rinse, try a non-alcoholic alternative which is often natural, safe and just as effective as an alcoholic mouthwash. My favorite is Tooth & Gum Tonic. If you have any questions about mouthwash or how to find an effective and safe rinse, consult with your dental professional!
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most fundamental rules of good health. Getting 7 to 8 hours every night not only rejuvenates you for tomorrow’s activities, but sleep is essential for a well functioning immune system! Improper sleeping habits can also affect your oral health, including grinding and jaw problems which can lead to severe issues down the road.
A good night's sleep is essential for your health!
When trying to understand your sleeping habits, it is essential to understand the difference between REM and non-REM sleep. REM, which is short for rapid eye movement, accounts for about 1/5 to 1/4 of a typical person’s total sleep in a night, and is characterized by a rapid flickering of the eyes, irregular breathing, major voluntary muscle paralysis and decrease in body temperature. It is high in brain activity and it is when most of our dreaming occurs. REM sleep is the fifth and last stage of sleep that occurs in the sleep cycle, which repeats itself about five times throughout a period of sleep. It is preceded by four stages of non-REM sleep. The 3rd and 4th stages of NREM sleep are the deep sleep stages, there is evidence that brain cells reset their sodium and potassium level during this deep sleep, and in fact the body repairs and regenerates tissues, builds bones and muscle, and strengthen the immune system during this stage!
Usually the deep sleep represented with Delta waves in brain activity are long, slow undulating waves. Certain frequencies in the Delta range trigger the release of Human Growth Hormone and are thus beneficial to healing and regeneration. Quality sleep by definition must include deep sleep, which is the deepest, first cycle of your sleep – synchronizing your sleep with your body’s natural sleep cycle will help you obtain better quality sleep. For most of people, going to bed before 11 PM would follow the body’s natural biological rhythms. Your body’s call for sleep is essential, we need it to stay healthy.
Bruxism (grinding and clenching your teeth during sleep) is brought up with the contraction of your jaw muscles, which most intensively happens at the 2nd NREM sleep cycle stage, moving in and out of the REM cycles. If you don’t go to bed on time every night, or your sleep pattern gets interrupted repeatedly, you will not be able to get into the restful stage 3 and stage 4 sleep that your body needs. You will end up getting more of the shallower stages of sleep, and going through more clenching and grinding. As we have learned, the consequences of excessive force bought up with clenching and grinding of the teeth can lead to excessive wear on our teeth, breaking up dental restorations, overloading the mouth’s supporting structure, gum recession and even TMJ symptoms, if these destructive forces are not properly managed. Of course, we should all work on establishing healthier lifestyles, and better rest. We can also work on better diet and cutting back on stimulants at night that can interrupt your sleep cycle. Having a custom-fitted nightguard made from your dentist might also be an idea worth exploring – consult with your dental professional, and stay healthy!
Do you enjoy scuba diving? Deep sea exploration is certainly a fun and exciting sport, especially in an exotic location! Before any big diving trip, most enthusiasts gear up on wetsuits, goggles, oxygen tanks and other equipment, but have you ever thought that mouth piece you’re wearing to get your oxygen can cause you dental problems?
This person was properly fitted for her mouthpiece!
Scuba diving is a sport enjoyed by over 4 million people a year, and if you dive, get yourself a proper fitting mouth piece to prevent jaw, teeth and gum problem! If you have a mouthpiece that is not fitting right for you plus the pressure changes from diving, you could suffer from what’s known as “diver’s mouth syndrome,” a painful condition caused by a ill-fitting mouthpiece that irritate your mouth, or you have been clenching your jaw very hard combined with the drop in air pressure as you explore beneath the ocean’s surface.
The mouthpiece that regulates oxygen flow from your oxygen tank to your lungs not only delivers fresh air, but it protects your teeth while diving. The tendency to clench your teeth while diving is very common, and because most standard scuba-diving mouthpieces will not really fit your mouth perfectly, the mouthpiece tends to put unnecessary pressure on the gum and jawbone. So biting hard into the mouthpiece, your gum could be full of lacerations and you could suffer from jaw joint pain or toothache as well after your trip is finished. If the pain lasts for over several days, you could even have a TMJ problem, which will take time to recover.
The best prevention is to make sure you are in good dental health before the trip, and to visit your dental professional who can evaluate how well your mouthpiece fits. Also, if you have recently undergone orthodontic treatment or have an extracted tooth (or temporary fillings), you must be extra careful and see your dentist before diving! Enjoy the under water world and be safe!
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