Check out Men’s Health’s Interactive Map of Where the Teeth Bite

Our analysis includes stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the number of people who visit their dentists for annual checkups, the number of no-shows whose choppers are dropping out, and the number of households with fluoride on tap. And since warding off gum disease is key to keeping your smile, we also factored in who’s flossing, from Mediamark Research. When the computer spit out the results, it became clear that some drilling is needed in Texas, and we don’t mean for oil.

The Acid Bath

On the surface it makes sense: Brush your teeth after breakfast. Problem is, cereal, bananas, and OJ are acidic, and if you eat them and then brush right away, you’ll remove some of the temporarily softened tooth enamel. The remedy? Wait 20 minutes before you brush, says David Bartlett, B.D.S., Ph.D., a British expert on dental erosion.

Scan for Stroke

After your dentist checks for cavities, ask him to eyeball your arteries. The panoramic dental x-ray not only offers a 180-degree window into your oral health, but also reveals whether the other plaque is piling up in your carotid arteries—plaque that might otherwise go undetected until you stroke out. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of dentists bother to look. “Many dentists miss the bigger picture of health,” says Laurie Carter, D.D.S., Ph.D., president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Nudge your dentist to examine your x-ray. If he sees anything suspicious, ask him to send the film to your physician.

Cities with the Best Teeth

Cities with the Worst Teeth

Cities with the Most Households Using Floss in the Past 6 Months

Cities Where the Most People Visited the Dentist Within the Past Year

Cities Providing the Highest Percentage of Fluoridated Water

Lowest Rate of permanent teeth extractions

100 Cities: From Worst to Best

URL: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/oral-care/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100199710>1=31017

Where the Teeth Bite* from Men’s Health « Dradeledoherty’s Weblog

The Teen-Age Years

As females reach puberty, the production of the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen increases. This hormonal increase can exaggerate the way dental tissues react to the irritants in plaque. Gums may become red, tender, swollen and likely to bleed easily when chewing or brushing teeth. After the early teen years, women may notice less inflammation and bleeding.

Reaching Menopause You may notice a number of physical changes when you reach menopause, including some that occur in the mouth. These may include a burning sensation, altered taste sensations (salty, peppery or sour), a decrease in saliva flow that can result in dry mouth, and greater sensitivity to hot and cold foods or drinks.

Talk with us if you experience any oral problems that you think might be related to menopause. Be sure to mention any medications you are taking (both prescription and over-the-counter products), because many drugs can have dental-related side-effects, including dry mouth. Dry mouth can increase your risk for tooth decay, halitosis (bad breath) and mouth sores. Saliva substitutes may be prescribed to reduce any mouth dryness. Vitamin C and B complexes may be helpful, as well. For good overall health, eat a balanced diet and discuss with your physician how to get the calcium you need to prevent osteoporosis (“porous bones”), the risk of which increases after menopause.

Remember that it is plaque not fluctuating hormone levels, that is the major cause of periodontal disease. Here are ways you can help prevent periodontal disease: Be sure to brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day and clean between your teeth daily with floss or another interdental cleaner.  If you need extra help in controlling plaque and gingivitis, we may recommend antimicrobial mouthrinse. Regular dental visits and professional cleanings are essential. Plaque that is not removed can harden into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Tartar can only be removed by a professional cleaning at our office or any other dental office. 

Eat a balanced diet for good general health and limit snacks.

*From American Dental Association 

It is all about myths, tall stories, horsetails, long nose stories! LOL

SOME BELIEVE THAT A WOMAN LOSES A TOOTH FOR EVERY PREGNANCY

ANS.: It is not true that a woman should expect to lose a tooth for each pregnancy but some women are prone to developing swollen gums during pregnancy called PREGNANCY Tumor or Epulis.  This is generally due to irritation of the gums and a professionally cleaning of the mouth may prove useful in its management.  For most females, the swelling goes away after delivery and for others, they may require gum treatment.  Be happy, it is not the end of the world, you are not going to lose those teeth, get with it.  You know in 2007 Russia, people were even encouraged to take a national holiday for making babies!!!!!! 

This volume will discuss the monthly cycle and pregnancy.

Menstruation:  During menstruation, a woman of child-bearing age may observe several changes in her mouth, including canker sore, swollen gums, lesions and swollen salivary glands.  Some women don’t even notice any changes at all.  For others, particularly those for whom dental plaque of gum pockets are a problem, the gums my bleed in days before the period begins.  These symptoms should be attended to promptly.  Your dentist may prescribe some special cleanings, treatment or topical anesthetics to ameliorate any discomfort and/or pain.

Pregnancy and A Woman’s Dental Health: During pregnancy, a woman’s hormone levels rise exponentially.  Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) , especially common during the  second to eighth month of pregnancy, may cause red, puffy or tender gums that tend to bleed readily when brushed.  This sensitivity is an exaggerated response to dental plaque and oral irritants and is caused by an increased level of ah hormone called progesterone in the system.  Your dentist may recommend more frequent cleanings during the second trimester or early third trimester to help avoid the problems.  Occasionally overgrowths called “pregnancy epulis or tumors,”appear on the gums during the second trimester. These localized growths or swellings are usually found between the teeth and are believed to be related to excess dental plaque.  They bleed easily and are characterized by a red, raw-looking mulberry-like surface.  They are often surgically removed after the baby is born.  If a woman experiences pregnancy epulis, she should call her dentist promptly.

It is especially essential, then, to maintain good dental health during pregnancy.  Research suggests that the pregnant women who have periodontal disease may be at increased risk for delivering a pre-term and/or low birth-weight baby.  If a woman notices changes in her mouth during pregnancy, please call your dentist immediately.

*Courtesy of the American Dental Association and for more info, pls visit http://www.ada.org

Starting in March 2008, we will begin a new segment that will deal with myths, old tales and stories about dentistry and dental care.  For example, it is believed in some quarters that a woman would lose at least one tooth on pregnancy.  This is certainly not true!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can also send in your own stories, myths, old tales, etc and all refined stories, tales, etc shall be published. Let’s have some fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Females generally have different needs at various stages of life. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause can all affect the dental health and the need for treatment of a woman.  During these periods, the body of a woman undergoes hormonal changes that can make ones gums (periodontal tissues) sensitive and increase her risk for periodontal (gum) disease.  By understanding these changes, one can make informed decision as to how to practice good dental health habits that can keep ones teeth and gums healthy.  American Dental Association (http://www.ada.org) and your dentist have information for you.

WHAT IS GUM DISEASE?

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is an infection of the gums and bone that help anchor the teeth in the mouth caused by dental plaque, a sticky film of bacteria (germs) that adheres to teeth surface.  Dental plaque forms regularly on teeth and do build up if it is not removed through daily oral hygiene.  The bacteria in dental plaque produce toxins that irritate gums.  In the early stage, called Gingivitis, gums swell, turn red and do bleed readily.  Eventually, the gum may separate from a tooth and form deepened spaces called Pockets.  In this stage, called Periodontitis, the bone and soft tissues that support the teeth are destroyed, which ultimately can cause the teeth to be loose, fall out, or require removal by any licensed dentist in your state.

Gum disease occurs at any age, but it is most common in adults.  In fact, 3 out of 4 adults are affected by this disease at some point in their lives.  women are especially susceptible to the disease at certain stages of life.  You can be sure that hormonal changes can affect the blood supply to the gums, and response to irritants from dental plaque may be extra-large i.e. exaggerated.  The periodontal tissue is a target for female hormones, which makes it much more sensitive to changes in the levels of these hormones.  Any person who is already prone to the disease, may find the problem worsening during hormonal changes.

VOLUME 2 will include Monthly Cycle, Pregnancy.

VOLUME 3 will include Teen-age years, Menopause and What to do to help Oneself.

For more information visit American Dental Association website (http://www.ada.org) or write ADA for information.  The bulk of the material obtained from ADA patient education handouts.  You can also speak with your dentist about periodontal disease and your dental health.

Sleepy & Ready for Dental Work! Back in the 1800s, a young dentist, Dr. Horace Wells was determined to make dental care as painless as possible.  He experimented on a number of techniques sometimes medical to find a way to ameliorate pain and discomfort during dental procedure.  He adopted many other health field’s techniques to dentistry and he was indeed very creative and energetic.  He even used himself as guinea-pigs in most of his experiments.  His original practice was in Hartford, CT and he introduced the use of nitrous oxide in pain management during dental treatment.  This discovery changed the field of dentistry and medicine forever and paved the way for the development of anxiolysis, conscious sedation and general anesthesia.  Dr. Wells was only 33 years old when he took his life and was honored  for his contribution to modern anesthesia by an honorary membership of the world-renounced Medical Society of Paris and both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Medical Association  (AMA) recognized him as a giant in the field of general anesthesia.

*Dental health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. Health literacy is a shared function of individual patient skills, ability of a provider to communicate effectively and accurately, and the informational demands placed on patients by health care systems. Patients are being asked to take a more active role in health care decisions. To accomplish this, they need adequate health literacy for the situation, and professionals play an integral role in helping patients achieve this.Read more

*From American Dental Association Community Brief Late November 2007, Issue 9 Volume 4