According to an article recently published by the Washington Post, scientists are repeatedly seeing a connection between oral health and heart conditions. In the milder form of gum disease, gingivitis, infection leads to inflammation and left untreated is a precursor to more advanced stages of periodontal disease.

The bacteria that cause these diseases release toxins that can circulate in the body. Especially in the body’s arterial system. The more advanced the gum disease, the thicker and harder the walls of the arteries become, thus causing narrowing of the arteries and this is a key factor in heart disease.

Gum diseases have been shown to contribute to diabetes, kidney disease, pre-term labor, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and certain types of cancer.

With proper deep cleanings and removal of these bacterial build-ups on a regular basis, caught in early stages, may help prevent or lessen the effects of these conditions and lead to a healthier heart.

- Trenna Nelson, RDH

Hygienist’s Advicewritten by Our RDH Natalya Whittington

Dental floss (or dental tape) helps remove debris between the teeth and prevent plaque formation by removing the film of bacteria before it has a chance to harden into plaque. Flossing also reduces the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay. Brushing alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Once made from silk fibers, today’s floss is usually made from nylon filaments or plastic monofilaments. It may be treated with flavoring agents, such as mint, to make flossing more pleasant.

The ADA does not recommend using a floss strand more than once. Used floss might fray, lose its effectiveness or may deposit bacteria in the mouth.

You can floss before or after brushing your teeth as long as you do a thorough job. If you use dental floss before you brush, the fluoride from the toothpaste has a better chance of reaching between teeth. Some people brush their teeth and unfortunately skip flossing for any number of reasons. That’s not a good idea.

Interdental cleaners are special wooden or plastic picks, sticks or brushes that are used to clean between teeth. Here are some of our favorites:

Proxabrush cleans between the teeth and also can be used to clean around the implants. It can have cylindrical or tapered shape, and is available in thin or ultra thin size.

Stim-U-Dent Plaque Removers are soft wooden cleaners that clean between the teeth and gently invigorate gums.

Squirt Brush is cylindrical proxy brush tip that attaches to a liquid reservoir that can be filled with an antibacterial rinse or your favorite mouthwash. Helps irrigate the interdental area between teeth during use to help flush away debris. Replaceable brush tips are available below and should be changed after each use.

Rubber tip stimulator is designed for gingival (gum) massage and interdental (between the teeth) cleaning. The rubber tip is latex free.

Floss Threaders can be used to remove plaque around bridges, braces and implants. Designed to slide easily between tooth surface and appliances.

Tooth decay is a spot on a tooth where enough of the mineral content has been lost and a hole has formed. The process of deminerali-zation takes place because of the presence of acids on a tooth’s surface.

The acids that cause cavity formation are produced by specific types of bacteria that live in dental plaque. The bacteria that cause tooth decay utilize sugars as their food source. The waste products created from digesting these sugars are the acids.

Decreasing Tooth Decay
Fluorides have been used worldwide to fight cavities. In the United States, many cities have fluoridated drinking water. Additionally, our office is equipped to provide specific fluoride treatments.

An Ounce of Prevention

• Avoid sugary sodas – Refrain from constantly sipping on sugary drinks. This bombardment of sugary solution bathes your teeth and creates the perfect food source for cavity causing bacteria. It’s much better to drink a serving of a sugary beverage in one sitting and then brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth. Another option is to switch to sugar free diet drinks.
• Snack on an apple - Substituting fresh fruit or vegetables as a snack instead of soft and sugary foods can help to prevent dental decay. The friction of the chewing process helps break up bacterial colonies living on your teeth and this makes them easier to wash away with a simple glass of water.
• Brush Often - It’s always a good idea to brush your teeth after every meal, but we all know that in our busy society, time for teeth brushing isn’t always available. Another option is to rinse your mouth after eating or drinking cavity promoting foods. A simple swig of water can help to protect your teeth and prevent cavity formation.
• Chew sugarless gum – Another cavity fighting step is to chew sugar-less gum. Chewing gum encourages natural saliva production and helps keep tooth surfaces free of bacterial buildup. Keep a pack of gum handy for use after meals or sugary snacks.
• Regular dental visits – Regular dental visits go a long way in preventing tooth decay. Many procrastinate and put off their trips to the dentist for a number of reasons. However, dental techniques have changed for the better and regular dental care can help prevent the onset of cavities and dental disease.

by Natalya Whittington, RDH

What are dental sealants?
Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Getting sealants put on is simple and painless. Painted on as a liquid, they quickly harden to form a shield over the surface of the tooth. The most important reason for getting sealants is to avoid tooth decay and save time and money in the long run by avoiding fillings, crowns and gaps.

Who should get sealants?
Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as the teeth come in, before decay gets an opportunity to attack the teeth.
The first permanent molars (the 6 year molars) come in between the ages of 5 and 7.
The second permanent molars (the 12 year molars) come in when a child is between 11 and 14 years old.
Other teeth with pits and groove also might need to sealed.
Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants

Should sealants be put on baby teeth?
Baby teeth save space for permanent teeth. It is important to keep baby teeth healthy so they don’t fall out early. Sealants can last up to 10 years but they need to be checked at regular dental check-ups to make sure they are not chipped or worn away. The dentist or dental hygienist can repair sealants by adding more sealant material.

Preventing H1N1 and Influenza

Virginia Department of Health reports that Influenza-related activities continue to be on the upswing with H1N1 infection (swine flu) symptoms similar to seasonal influenza. The H1N1 vaccine is expected to become available by mid-October. Meanwhile, we urge you to consider at least some form of prevention.

1. Frequent hand-washing

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water – (Periomed and Listerine can be alternatives) The H1N1 virus takes 2-3 days after infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Clean your nostrils or blow your nose once a day – similar to #3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm non-iodized salt water. You may want to use a Netipot, sold at Whole foods and other supermarkets. A very effective way to bring down viral population is blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water.

5. Take Vitamin C – Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc and/or bioflavonoids to boost absorption.
Drinking as much of warm liquids as you can – Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as a gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

How is periodontal disease treated?
The main goal of treatment is to control the infection. The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. Most importantly, any type of treatment requires that the patient keep up good daily care at home.

Deep Cleaning aka Scaling and Root Planing
The dentist, periodontist, or dental hygienist removes the plaque through a deep-cleaning method called scaling and root planning. Scaling means scraping the tartar off from above and below the gum line. Root planning gets rid off rough spots on the tooth’s root.

Medications
Several different kinds of medications may be used in conjunction with treatment, but they can not always take the place of surgery. Depending on the severity of gum disease, the dentist or periodontist may still suggest surgical treatment (flap surgery or bone and tissue grafts).

Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

If you have been told you have periodontal disease, you are not alone. An estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of the disease.

Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth are lost.

Gum disease is a threat to your oral health. Research is also pointing to possible health effects of periodontal diseases that go beyond your mouth.

Periodontitis

In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form “pockets” that are infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads.. Bacterial toxins and the body’s enzymes fighting the infection actually start to break down the bone and tissue that hold teeth in place.

What causes periodontal disease?

Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria constantly form a sticky, colorless “plaque” on teeth. Brushing and flossing help get red of plaque. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form tartar that brushing does not clean. Only a professional cleaning can remove tartar..

Risk Factors
• Smoking
• Hormonal changes in girls/women
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Medications (some drugs, such as antidepressants and some heart medicines, can effect oral health because they lessen the flow of saliva.
Illnesses. AIDS, cancer)
• Genetic susceptibility

Tooth and gum problems can happen to anyone. A sticky film of germs, called plaque, builds on your teeth. People with diabetes who have high glucose levels help germs, also called bacteria, grow. Then you can get red, sore, and swollen gums that bleed when you brush your teeth. These are the first signs of gum disease (gingivitis). Gum disease can lead to periodontitis, which is an infection that involves gums and bone that hold the teeth in place. If the infection gets worse you can loose your teeth.

People with diabetes can have tooth and gum problems more often if their blood glucose stays high. High blood glucose can make tooth and gum problems worse.

How can you keep your teeth and gums healthy?

• Keep your blood glucose as close to normal as possible
• Use dental floss at least once a day. Flossing helps prevent the buildup of plaque on your teeth and clean the areas where toothbrush normally can not reach. Using a sawing motion, gently bring the floss between the teeth, scraping from bottom to top several times.
• Brush your teeth after each meal and snack. Use a soft toothbrush.
• If you wear false teeth, keep them clean.
• Call your dentist if you have following problems: bleeding gums, gums that pull away from your teeth, a sore tooth or soreness from your dentures.
• Get your teeth cleaned and your gums checked by your dentist at least twice a year.
• If your dentist tells you about a problem, take care of it right away.
• If you smoke, talk with your doctor about ways to quit smoking.

When you are pregnant, it seems everyone has advice for you- on what to eat or how to prevent morning sickness. It’s likely however, that no one has ever told you how important it is to take care of your oral health. Some people still believe that they have more tooth decay during and because of pregnancy. Research has shown that this is not true and that any relationship is indirect. Factors that result in tooth decay formation are the same during pregnancy as at other times, but there are some factors that may contribute to an apparent increase in the rate of tooth decay:

• Previous neglect - The existing tooth decay during pregnancy may represent years of accumulation
• Diet during pregnancy - Unusual cravings may be for sweet foods
• Neglect of personal oral hygiene – Lack of interest in daily flossing and brushing or rinsing immediately following the consumption of sweets. The smell of toothpaste or the act of brushing may precipitate nausea

Women with current tooth decay, or a history of extensive tooth decay, are at greater risk of having children who get cavities before the age of 5. Tooth decay is a bacterial infection. Infants are not born with the bacteria that cause decay. Most acquire these bacteria from their mothers. Common ways to transmit these bacteria are kissing, sharing utensils, cleaning off a pacifier with your mouth, or an infant putting his or her hand in your mouth. If you are pregnant and have cavities, you can reduce your child’s risk of developing early tooth decay by improving your own oral health.

Here are some important steps you can take:

• See a dentist for treatment of all untreated cavities
• Brush and floss daily
• Use products, such as gum and mints that contain xylitol

It is true that the hormonal changes of pregnancy cause many women to experience “pregnancy gingivitis” – swelling, bleeding or tenderness in the gums. One is not doomed to have dental problems when pregnant. Keeping ones mouth healthy before and during pregnancy will improve chances of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Eating a lot of holiday sweets may satisfy that “sweet tooth,” but too much of a good thing might lead to unintended results for your teeth and gums. According to an American Dental Association consumer advisor: “If you don’t bother to properly clean your teeth, the results might be tooth decay, periodontal disease and possible tooth loss.”

The reason is a sticky film of bacteria called plaque that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. When these bacteria come in contact with sugar or starch in the mouth, they produce acid that attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more. Repeated attacks can cause tooth enamel to breakdown, eventually resulting in tooth decay.

It’s not necessarily the amount of sugar in the sweets you put in your mouth that can cause damage, “The stickier things are, like fruit cakes and gummy bears, the less likely they’ll be washed out from in between the teeth by saliva. “Any kind of candy that sticks to your teeth is more harmful than a chocolate bar that gets washed away.”

“Cough drops, hard candy and breath mints stay in the mouth for a long period.” The ADA offers the following tips to help reduce tooth-decay risk and still enjoy holiday sweets: Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth. Limit snacks between meals. If you crave a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.

• Drink more water. Consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If you choose bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.
• Brush your teeth twice daily and floss daily.
• See your dentist regularly.

- Tyson’s Dental