A Little Dental Humor To Brighten Your Day!

Some Dental Humor from The Way Back Machine!  We could all use some humor right now.  Thought this was worth re-posting.








Keep Smiling, everyone! 

Quarantine Dental Activities For Children

The majority of us have been social-distancing for about 2 weeks now and if you have children at home this may "seem" longer! Right now is the perfect time to teach your children about oral health.

Here are a few fun activities that I came across:

1. Toothbrush Painting Teaches Brushing Movements:Cut a tooth shape from a large sheet of white paper. Give your child an old toothbrush and let her dip it into poster paint and brush the paper tooth as if it's her own. Show him how to make movements up and down, back and forth and circularly on the painting. This art project is fun and teaches children the concepts of proper brushing. Please remind young children that old toothbrushes are for painting and not to be put in their mouth. 

2. How Sugar Affects Our TeethWe tell our children not to eat too many sweets because sugar that's not removed by brushing our teeth can cause cavities on the tooth enamel. For a simple experiment at home, submerge a hard-boiled egg (which is made of calcium carbonate similar to an enamel material) into a clear glass of cola or grape juice for 24 hours. Notice the discoloration of the eggshell. Invite your child to gently brush the egg with a toothbrush and toothpaste. As he removes the stain, ask what caused the stain. Now discuss why toothbrushing is so important after eating.

3. Happy Face SnacksMaking happy faces with your food is one of the many dental activities for kids that you can do with your family. Provide a variety of healthy snacks on the table. Give your children a paper plate and challenge them to create a happy face using foods like broccoli florets, carrot coins, orange and apple slices, cauliflower florets, nuts, raisins and popcorn. After they have finished their creation, snap a photo for the memory and let them enjoy their edible art. This is a great time to discuss healthy foods versus junk foods. Ask why your kids think these foods provide healthy teeth and a happy face.

There are also many places online where you can print off dental activities such as coloring pages, crossword puzzles, habit calendar, and etc. 

The activities listed are from Colgate!

The Plus Side of a Good Dental Plan!

I read a really good article recently that makes a good argument for Dental Plans! Not directly, of course, but if one considers that dentistry is among the most expensive in terms of healthcare and that there is no regulatory agency that holds dental prices in check, a Dental Plan can be extremely beneficial. Dental insurance companies pay little to nothing and put a cap on your benefits.
Now, when I say Dental Plan, I don't mean the ever growing "in-house" type of plan that some dentists are trying to promote; those will save you very little money overall and if a problem arises...well, where are you going to go? The plan would not be accepted by another facility! No, I'm suggesting a bonafide, BBB accredited discount plan.
Dental plans go far beyond what insurance companies do in terms of savings.  More procedures are covered, there is no limit to benefits, coverage is immediate and there is no waiting 12 months for a large procedure...Seriously, why would one NOT consider a dental plan? Do your homework, but at least check it out. You'll find that the savings and a small investment for a membership are well worth the effort, especially now, in an uncertain market.  Everyone needs dental work at some point.  Be prepared with a good dental plan.

Don't wait for a toothache!!

Are You A Diabetic?

If your answer is yes, you need to read this article "Brushing 3 times a day may cut diabetes risk" by Melissa Busch, Drbicuspid.com assistant editor. 

March 10, 2020 -- Want to lower your risk of developing diabetes? Brush your teeth. Brushing teeth at least three times per day was linked to lowering a person's risk of developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published March 2 in Diabetologia.

Individuals with dental disease and many missing teeth significantly increased their risks of developing the life-threatening disease, further emphasizing the importance of good oral hygiene, according to the researchers.

"The frequency of toothbrushing was associated with a decreased risk of new-onset diabetes, and the presence of periodontal disease and missing teeth may augment the risk of new-onset diabetes," wrote the authors, led by Yoonkyung Chang, MD, of the neurology department at Ewha Womans University College of Medicine Mokdong Hospital in Seoul, South Korea.

Inflammatory reactions are an important cause of diabetes because it increases insulin resistance and endothelial cell dysfunction. Like diabetes, periodontal disease affects many in the general population. Since periodontal disease and poor oral hygiene can provoke transient infection and systemic inflammation, the authors hypothesized that periodontal disease and oral hygiene indicators would be associated with the occurrence of new cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Researchers collected data on about 188,000 patients from the National Health Insurance System-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) in Korea, dating back between 2003 and 2006. They looked at oral hygiene behaviors, such as the number of times they brushed their teeth and when and why they visited dentists, as well as dental records.
An analysis of the data showed that about 1 in 6 of the included subjects had periodontal disease. About 31,500 people had diabetes when follow-ups were conducted 10 years later, according to the study authors.

Using computer modeling and after adjusting for patient demographics, including age, sex, and blood pressure, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status, vascular risk factors, and history of cancer, the researchers determined that individuals who brushed their teeth at least three or more times per day reduced their risks of developing diabetes by 8%.
On the flip side, dental disease was associated with a 9% increased risk of developing diabetes, while those who had at least 15 missing teeth had a 21% increased risk, the findings showed.

The authors noted multiple study limitations, including that the results couldn't be generalized to other ethnicities because the participants in this study were Korean. Also, there may be recall bias because participants self-reported their oral hygiene indicators.
While the results did not reveal the exact mechanism connecting oral hygiene to the development of diabetes, it showed that toothbrushing likely plays a role in it.

"Improving oral hygiene may be associated with a decreased risk of occurrence of new-onset diabetes," the authors wrote.

Do You Know How Many Types of Teeth Humans Have?

We have four different types of teeth, and each has a different function:

Incisors (Front Teeth) for cutting off bites of food.

Cuspids (sometimes called canines because of their long sharp points) for tearing food.

Bicuspids (with two points) to tear and crush food

Molars with large relatively flat surfaces to crush and grind food.

Now that you know each of your teeth serves a purpose,  be sure to take care of them with check-ups at least twice a year. (:  

Chipped Tooth?

The majority of us will chip a tooth at some point during our life, and if you have done so already, you know that it can be a painful and a hassle.

Luckily there are a few options for fixing a chipped tooth:

• Dental Bonding - If the chipped tooth is very minimal, dental bonding (filling) can do the trick! Typically this doesn't require numbing and can be fixed in one visit. 
• Crowns - Crowns are usually needed for significant chips. This option usually takes two appointments. The first appointment the dentist will take an impression of the tooth and they will send you home with a temporary crown while the real crown is made. At the second appointment,  your dentist will cement on the permanent crown.
• Veneers - These are thin porcelain shells that are attached to the natural tooth, to improve the appearance of your smile. Some people opt to fix just the chipped tooth but others choose to get veneers on all of their front teeth. Veneers usually take two appointments. The first appointment your dentist will reshape (trim the enamel) your natural tooth, take impressions and color match your teeth. Your dentist may or may not send you home with temporary veneers. At the second appointment, which will be about 2-4 weeks later your dentist will cement the permanent veneers on. 

Always ask your dentist for their professional opinion on which option is the best for you!

Can Vaping Cause Periodontal Disease?

Do you vape or smoke e-cigarettes? If so, you may be at risk of periodontal disease. 

Check out the article below: Vaping changes oral microbiome, increases perio risk, by Tony Edwards (DrBicuspid.com contributor writer)

Vaping changes a user's oral microbiome and makes the mouth more prone to inflammation and periodontal disease, according to a new study by researchers from the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry.

The altered microbiome in e-cigarette users influenced their immune environment compared with nonsmokers and cigarette smokers in the in vitro study, the researchers reported in iScience (February 26, 2020). They found that two cytokines involved in inflammatory responses (IL-6 and IL1β) were elevated in e-cigarette users.

"Our study suggests that vaping electronic cigarettes causes shifts in the oral environment and highly influences the colonization of complex microbial biofilms, which raises the risk for oral inflammation and infection," stated Deepak Saxena, PhD, a professor of basic science and craniofacial biology and a senior author of the study, in an NYU press release.

The mouth contains microbes that can influence the respiratory and digestive systems. While cigarette smoking increases the risk of periodontitis and other oral health issues, less is known about the effects of e-cigarettes or vaping.

E-cigarettes are defined as a handheld device in which a user inhales nicotine as a vapor. These devices were initially touted as an alternative to traditional cigarettes and a way to help smokers stop smoking. However, there are increasing reports of illness or deaths from these devices, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its initial recommendations for healthcare providers on how to deal with vaping-associated illness.

The researchers studied the oral microbiome of 119 patients (39 who had never smoked, 40 who smoked cigarettes, and 40 who used vaping devices). Almost 80% of those who smoked in the study were men, while the percentage of women in the never-smokers group was almost 44%. Participants exclusively using e-cigarettes vaped an average of 0.5 e-cigarettes per day, whereas participants exclusively using combustible cigarettes smoked an average of 11 cigarettes per day.

The researchers used a sequencing technique to profile the microorganisms in the mouths of participants. They reported that the microorganisms found varied, with the e-cigarette users having an abundance of Porphyromonas bacteria, while an increase in Veillonella bacteria was found in both e-cigarette and cigarette users.

Periodontal disease or infection was significantly higher among cigarette smokers (73%), followed by e-cigarette users (43%) and nonsmokers (28%). While bleeding on probing followed the same order (cigarette smokers, vapers, nonsmokers), the researchers reported that this result showed no statistical significance.

"The predominance of these periodontal pathogens in the mouths of e-cigarette users and traditional smokers is a reflection of compromised periodontal health," stated Xin Li, PhD, an associate professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at the NYU College of Dentistry and also a senior author of the study, in the release.

Cytokines IL-6 and IL1β were highly elevated in e-cigarette users, the researchers found. They also reported that e-cigarette aerosols made cells prone to bacterial infection, which points to a greater risk for infection in e-cigarette users.

The authors listed the in vitro study design, with cell culture models using oral pathogens, as a study limitation. They also recommended using additional intracellular pathogens such as Listeria for future studies.

Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that vaping changes the oral environment.

"Our study suggests that vaping electronic cigarettes causes shifts in the oral environment and highly influences the colonization of complex microbial biofilms, which raises the risk for oral inflammation and infection," Saxena stated.

Modern Advancements in Dental Xray Technology

The advancement in x-ray technology is nothing short of amazing. The old days of having to hand develop the images, use lighting boards and wait a while are long past us.

Digital x-rays today are quicker, clearer, readily available at any time and more accurate than ever before. Almost every dental center is now using them. The feedback that I have received from the dentists about them have been great. It really makes their job easier and making tracking the treatment progress easier as well.

For the patient it is less intrusive, the process is quicker and they have the peace of mind that their dentist is getting the best image possible of their teeth and mouth. Not to mention that the dental office now has the ability to save multiple x-rays electronically that will not fade or get damaged over time from being placed in a file.  As I write this, no doubt the process is being improved upon as technology advances. 

Just another reason to keep smiling!