Dradeledoherty’s Weblog

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

February 27, 2008*

An Ohio CBS-TV affiliate is airing today an investigative report about outsourcing dental lab work offshore-and the story’s hook is that one of the crowns received from a Chinese lab contained lead. The reporter worked with a local dentist to order eight dental crowns (porcelain and full metal) from several labs in China, which were then sent to NSL Analytics in Cleveland for testing. One of the crowns tested positive for lead at 210 ppm. The story also will include information about a woman from Kent, Ohio, with a partial bridge that apparently tested positive for lead at 160 ppm. The woman apparently filed or will be filing a lawsuit, alleging that the bridge caused infection and swelling, which she attributes to the lead. Product danger and contamination stories are big in the media these days-witness the recent pet food and toy stories from 2007-so it’s important for you to be armed with the facts. Here’s what we know ·         No dental prosthetic device should contain lead.·         It’s the quality of work and safety of materials that matter most to dentists and patients, not where the dental lab work is done. The underlying concern should not be where dental lab work is done (because there are offshore labs that do great work) but rather how you, the dentist, and your patients can be assured of the quality of the work and safety of the materials used.  That said, we suspect that the China angle will be played up, especially after the scare over lead paint in toys. You may need information on what to ask your dental lab supplier(s) to be assured that the products you are purchasing from them are safe. View our tip sheet on questions to ask your labs. This will help you talk with your patients, too. ·         Some of your patients will ask where you send your lab work and whether their own crowns or bridges might contain lead. To help you prepare for these questions, view these talking points. Of course, you will want to customize these to fit your needs, but these are basic points you can start with. ·         Rather than waiting for the FDA or state legislatures to take some action, we are going to have our own labs do some random, objective testing of prosthetic devices, some from U.S. labs and others from offshore labs. This will take some time (we’re still evaluating and don’t know how long) to prepare for and execute, but we believe it is important that the ADA do this type of objective testing to gather additional intelligence on whether the Ohio testing was an isolated incident or cause for greater concern. As always, we’re going to let science show the way. We’ll keep you informed of what we learn and the next steps that result from the testing.·         The tip sheet refers to ISO or ANSI compliance. The standards for dental prostheses address the safety and quality of the metal-ceramic dental restorative system (ANSI/ADA Specification No. 3 and include a requirement for the manufacturer to test for the metal alloy composition and concentrations of the materials. There also are standards for noble metals.·         Some state legislatures (for example, Florida and South Carolina) are considering legislation to tighten up the regulation of dental laboratories. Provisions under consideration include requirements that dental labs disclose information such as where devices are made and the materials used. Be on the lookout for future legislative alerts from your state dental society on this topic.·         We made a strong statement to the press that we do not believe any lead should be in dental prosthetic devices. We have been advised by industry experts that there are no FDA-approved materials used in dental prosthetic devices that contain lead, which again points to the importance of your lab adequately assuring you that they use only FDA-approved materials.·         Labs fill the order that you give them based on what you request. The more detailed your request is in terms of what materials you expect them to use (or not use), the more assurance you will have about what they are providing. It is important to specify the exact materials that you want used in the prosthesis.Here’s what we don’t know ·         We don’t know whether this is an isolated incident or indicates a larger problem. We were surprised to learn that any dental prosthetic device might have lead in it. ·         We understand that the lead was found in the surface of the crown, so our scientists suspect (but do not know for sure) that it could have come from the pigment. It’s also theoretically possible that the lead could have come through a soldering process or as a contaminant from the lab environment. Again, as noted above, lead should not be in any FDA-approved materials.We would like to hear from you if you have already experienced a problem with a dental prosthetic device containing lead. We also want to know of any other questions that we may not have outlined in this eGRAM or in the linked documents. Please send your comments and inquiries to: dpdfeedback@ada.org. We will continue to share information with you as we continue to understand this better, so watch ada.org and be on the lookout for possible follow-up eGRAMs.Needless to say, this is a very delicate issue. No one is more concerned about the possibility of lead contamination of dental products than dentists. On the other hand, we don’t want to overreact to what could be an isolated incident. For now, be armed with the facts, communicate with your patients and stay tuned, because this story has the potential to evolve rapidly. Finally, we hope this information helps you understand why it’s very important for us to have your most current e-mail information. Please share this information with your colleagues, and ask them to let us know (dpdfeedback@ada.org) their current e-mail address if they did not receive this eGRAM directly from us. As always, thank you for your support of the work of the American Dental Association. It’s through the strength of our membership that we are able to be helpful and responsive on critical issues like this one. 

* From American Dental Association eGRAM received today and passing this info from ADA to you! 

Dental amalgam was recently banned throughout Norway. The AGD has resources available to help you with questions from your patients. You can read the AGD’s position on dental amalgam   or  read the consumer article on the ban. Also, a fact sheet focusing on amalgam will be published in the March issue of AGD Impact.  We will bring it to your attention.

* Courtesy of Academy of General Dentistry (http://www.agd.org).

Some jaws are narrow and sometimes with a V-shape  palate that may have adverse effects on sequential eruption of teeth and proper positioning in the mouth.  Many parents are worried about such situations for their children and may seek help from orthodontist or general dentist or pediatric dentist that incorporates functional appliances into his/her practice.  One of the well-known laboratories in the US that fabricate such appliances is Space Maintainers Laboratory.  This laboratory will work with your dentist to produce appliance that your child can wear.

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http://www.appliancetherapy.com/Global_Center/sml/MemRx.aspx

One of such appliance is known as *MemRx E appliance which features lateral expansion via unique Memory Expansion Screws. The special Memory Screw allows for multiple adjustments to be made at the time of seating the appliance. Expansion is achieved through the Memory Springs, which are integrated in the screw. This serves to increase patient comfort and compliance as well as less chair time in the doctor’s office, not to mention fewer patient appointments.  If this appliance is right for your child, ask your doctor.

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.

*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

 An article in September’s issue of Inside Dentistry highlights how Americans’ concern with physical beauty is leading to tooth wear. In “Worn Out- How Americans are Damaging Their Teeth,” you’ll learn how today’s emphasis on physical perfection is connected to an increase in acid erosion and the resulting tooth wear. Discover what you can do to identify tooth wear in your patients and what simple lifestyle changes may help them prevent further damage.

• Click here to view the article now.

And for more information on one way to help patients strengthen softened enamel and increase resistance to acid attack, click here to read about Sensodyne® Pronamel. Pronamel— one of Dentistry Today’s Top 100 Products for 2007— is formulated to help microharden the softened enamel that can lead to tooth wear.

* From Dental-Professional.com