Newsletter

Valley Dental Group

Newsletter

We at Valley Dental Group want our patients to be aware of issues affecting their dental health, and will use this page to periodically present relevant articles. Topics currently presented are:

              Dental Care can be a Fountain of Youth

             Premedication before Dental Treatment

              Kicking the Habit - keeping your smile healthy

              Diet and Tooth Decay

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Dental Care Can be a Fountain of Youth

Dr. Michael Rozien, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Chicago has studied the impact of individual habits on the aging process. Rozien has coined the term "Real Age" to explain that people who embrace certain healthful habits enjoy a rich payback in years subtracted from their biological age.

Rozien says that the long-term benefits of daily flossing are so powerful, that patients who adhere to this practice should deduct 6.4 years from their actual age. Moreover, those who vigorously keep up on their oral hygiene so that they avoid dental disease, especially gingivitis and periodontitis should subtract another 2 years from their chronological ages.

One study by Emory University and the U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention linked gingivitis and periodontitis and mortality. Rozien says that periodontitis causing bacteria produce reactions in the body, such as hardened arteries that pave the way for heart disease, stroke and memory loss.

Regular dental visits can allow a dentist to notice the first effects of osteoporosis in women because the condition of the teeth and gums may be the first signals of weakening bones elsewhere in the body. The disease can weaken the foundations that hold the teeth in place, and teeth can loosen or fall out. By the time American women reach their late 60's about 1/3 have lost many natural teeth due to the loss of bony support.

Many medications, including pain killers, decongenstants and diuretics can cause a condition called Xerostomia or "dry mouth", which occurs when the supply of saliva is greatly reduced. Saliva is needed to lubricate the mouth, wash foods away and neutralize the acids in the mouth. Allowed to continue, dry mouth can lead to rampant tooth decay. If you think you have this problem, be sure to discuss it with your dentist.

Proper diet is important for everyone, young and old, but many adults are not getting proper nutrition because dental problems are causing them to avoid meats, vegetables and fruits. By maintaining as many of your natural teeth as possible in a healthy condition will greatly add to your overall nutritional health.

Our teeth and mouth pay a critical role in psychological development and well being throughout our lives. Modern dentistry has expanded the aesthestic options for people of all ages. Older adults can benefit greatly from the cosmetic options that improve the appearance of an aging smile. A recent survey released by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research showed that among persons aged 55 - 64, the rate of toothlessness dropped 60% since 1960.

Good oral hygiene and regulare dental care are important throughout your life, whatever your age. By practicing good oral hygiene, and visiting your dentist regularly you can not only save time and money, but also your teeth and gums. And very possibly you may make your "Real Age" years younger than your "Chronological Age".

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Premedication before Dental Treatment

If you are a patient with certain kinds of heart disease or a special heart condition, or you've had a joint replaced, your dentist or physican may recommend that you take antibiotics before your dental appointment, because bleeding sometimes occurs during dental treatment, and bacteria from the mouth possibly can enter the bloodstream. It is possible that these bacteria could work their way to the heart. This presents a rick to people with cardiac abnormalities because the bacteria may cause bacterial endocarditis, a serious inflammation of the heart valves or tissues.

Do any of these conditions apply to you?

* Heart surgery within the past 6 months

* Pacemaker

* Artificial heart valve

* History of reumatic fever

* History of heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse)

* Previous endocarditis

* congenital heart defect

* systemic pulmonary shunt

* valvular dysfunction

If so, or if you have been diagnosed with any other heart ailments, notify your dentist prior to treatment.

It is also possible that bacteria found in the mouth can settle in an artifical joint. This can increase your risk of contracting an infection. For everyone who has had a joing replacement, antibiotics should be taken for at least 2 years following surgery. If the patient is high-risk, antibiotics may be warranted long term. High risk situations include:

* Rheumatoid arthritis

* Lupus

* Immunosupression.

* Malnourishment

* hemophelia

* HIV

* insulin dependent diabetes

* cancer

For patients with heart conditions, prescribing recommendations are contained in a report by the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association. For patients with joint replacements, recommendations are contained in a report by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Your dentist may consult with your physician, cardiologist or orthopedic surgeon to determine your requirements.

Kicking the Habit

If you use tobacco, you are probably familiar with the reasons why you should stop. Here are a few more to help you quit once and for all.

Although the damage you may be doing to your lungs cannot be readily seen, the damage to your smile is much more evident. Tobacco often causes unsightly stains on tooth enamel, but more importantly - it is responsible for diseases of the mouth.

*Smoking may be responsible for more than 1/2 of the gum diseases among adults. Gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss and tooth decay.

* Smokers are six times more likely to develop oral cancers than are non smokers.

Consider these other threats to your dental and overall health:

* bad breath

* stained teeth and tongue

* diminished sense of taste and smell

* delayed healing after extractions

* tartar buildup

Here are a Dozen Ways to Kick the Habit

1. Make a list of your personal reasons to quit

2. Set a date and stick to it

3. Join a support group

4. Enlist the help and support of family/friends

5. Exercise

6. Chew gum (sugarless!)

7. Choose low stress time period

8. Don't carry matches or tobacco

9. Quit all smoking habits at one time

10. Use available self help literature

11. Ask you Doctor about Rx aids

12. Keep trying!

Remind yourself frequently of the benefits of quitting:

- reduced change of oral or lung cancer

- reduced risk of heart attack

- food witll taste better

- you'll be more relaxed

- no more "smoker's breath"

- no more being in smoker's "exile"

You can do it! Ask your Dental Hygienist and Dentist for their advice and support! Also consider having your teeth cleaned on a 2 - 3 month schedule, instead of the normal 6 - 12 month schedule. Many patients report that a clean, fresh mouth is in itself a great incentive towards keeping it that way.

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Diet and Tooth Decay

Dentists have long recognized the link between good oral health and sound nutrition. For years, the American Dental Association has recommended that children and adults limit eating and drinking between meals and, when they must snack, give preference to nutritious foods as identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Think about the human body as a complex machine that needs daily attention if it is to run well. Without exercise and a balanced diet, it doesn't get the fuel it needs to perform effectively. The foods we choose as fuel affects our overall health, including our teeth and gums.

Eating patterns and food choices are important factors that affect houw quickly tooth decay may develop. The reason is the sticky film of bacteria called "plaque" that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. Each time the bacteria comes in contact with sugar or starch, acid is produced. This acid will attack teeth for up to 20 minutes after the intake of a sugary or starchy food. This acid formation, if not controlled, will eventually result in tooth decay. For this reason, the USDA Dietary Guidelines encourage people to limit the intake of food and drink that are high in added sugars. The USDA has particularly singled out sodas as a major source of added sugars.

Americans drank more than 53 gallons of soda - per person - in 2000. One of every four beverages consumed in the United States is a soft drink. Did you know that a nondiet soft drink can contain as many as 11 teaspoons of sugar per 8 ounce serving? That comes out to nearly 5000 teaspoons of sugar a year! Published studies have made a link between heavy consumption of sugar to the risk of developing tooth decay.

Many soft drinks also contain phosphoric acid and citric acid. Exposure to these acids can do permanent damage to the tooth enamel, producing a condition called "erosion" - or a loss of hard tooth surface. This can leave the teeth soft and porous and vulnerable to decay. Even diet soft drinks can cause erosion.

Researchers at the University Of Maryland Dental School did a study in which they exposed extracted teeth to various soft drinks including Coke, Pepsi, Mountian Dew, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Ginger Ale and canned iced tea and evaluated the results. All the drinks weakened or permanently destroyed the tooth enamel. The worst offenders were "non colas" like Mountain Dew, which caused two to five times the damage of cola drinks. Good News!! Root Beer caused virtually no harm to teeth as it has few additives.

There are things that you can do to limit plaque and acid damage to teeth. Limit want you eat and drink between meals. Sipping soda throughout the day and constant nibbling increases the rate of harmful acids attacking the enamel. Limit snacking to nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables with no added sugars. Drink plenty of water rather than soft drinks. Brush after meals, and floss at least once a day to remove food particles from between the teeth.

Valley Dental Group P.C.* 5 Commerce Ave. * Selinsgrove * PA * 17870

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