Bleeding Gums? Maybe You Need To Start Taking Vitamin C

 When you brush or floss your teeth, do your gums bleed? If you answered yes, you could possible have gingivitis which is a disease that causes inflammation of the gums. 

If you gums continue to bleed, it's time to see a dentist and they can provide you with the best treatment option. However, according to a new study from the University of Washington recommends getting a blood test done to check your vitamin C levels.

The study was conducted by Philippe Hujoel, a participating dentist and professor of oral health sciences in the UW School of Dentistry. Below is a synopsis of the study...

"Hujoel's study, published Feb. 1 in Nutrition Reviews, analyzed published studies of 15 clinical trials in six countries, involving 1,140 predominantly healthy participants, and data from 8,210 U.S. residents surveyed in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The results showed that bleeding of the gums on gentle probing, or gingival bleeding tendency, and also bleeding in the eye, or retinal hemorrhaging, were associated with low vitamin C levels in the bloodstream. And, the researchers found that increasing daily intake of vitamin C in those people with low vitamin C plasma levels helped to reverse these bleeding issues."

"The study does not imply that successful reversing of an increased gingival bleeding tendency with vitamin C will prevent strokes or other serious health outcomes, Hujoel stresses. However, the results do suggest that vitamin C recommendations designed primarily to protect against scurvy -- a deadly disease caused by extremely low vitamin C levels -- are too low, and that such a low vitamin C intake can lead to a bleeding tendency, which should not be treated with dental floss."

It is also mentioned that if you partake in a specialized diet like paleo or low carb, it's vital to take vitamin C.

If you would like to read more about this study you can find the article here!

Temporary Home Remedies For Common Dental Problems

 Here are a few ways to treat some dental problems from home, until you can visit your dentist.

Sensitive Teeth:
Cause~ Exposed nerve root.
Treatment~ Lay off whiting treatments, brush teeth a little softer than normal.

Lost Tooth: 
Cause~ Sports.
treatment~ Rinse it with milk and push it back in right away, then bite down gently on a soft cloth or moistened tea bag to hold it in place. Then visit your dentist.

Burned Palate:
Cause~ Hot food.
Treatment~ Try using Kenalog in Orabase, an over-the-counter corticosteroid paste that creates a protective coating on the burn and speeds healing.

Burned Tongue:
Cause~ Hot drink or food.
Treatment~ Rinse your mouth with a solution of 1 teaspoon of salt and a cup of warm water.

Jaw Soreness:
Cause~ Temporomandibular joint disorder.
Treatment~Try sleeping on your side or back with a supportive pillow, instead of facedown.

Canker Sore:
Cause~ Sugary foods/Citrus.
Treatment~ Apply vegetable oil to a cotton ball and hold it against the sore three or four times a day.

Lost Filling:
Cause~Popcorn, Peanuts, Carmel.
Treatment~You can use sugarless chewing gum (chew it first) or soft wax to caulk the hole and reduce the sensitivity until you can visit your dentist.

Gum Pain:
Cause~Gingivitis (gum disease), tobacco use.
Treatment~ You can ease the pain by swishing peppermint tea around your mouth.

My Teeth Could Use Some Brightening- What Actually Works?

 We all know that coffee, tea, wine, dark snacks and condiments will stain our teeth. This does not mean you have to swear them off Though!

The dietitian says:
 Just rinse your mouth with water right after eating, or stash some sugar free chewing gum. Consider adding foods and drinks that work towards whiter teeth into your diet, such as cheese, fruit and veggies.

-Lisa Young, PH.D

The dentist says:
Use at home teeth whiting kits such as Crest 3D whiting strips for lighter stains. For darker stains or instant result you will need professional whitening.

-Marc Lowenberg, D.D.S.

The makeup artist says:.
Cool-toned lip colors create an optical illusion. Fair skin should wear pinks, medium/olive toned skin should wear reds, while darker skin tones should stick to plums. Another trick is to dust some bronzer. Tanned skin makes teeth stand out!

-Matthew VanLeeuwen, Celebrity makeup artist



 Information was found in the redbook magazine. October 2013

Strange Toothpaste....Dirt?

 Dirt.  That's right, dirt.  A refined, flavor added, clay type of mineral toothpaste known as Dirty Mouth toothpaste.  The very idea makes no sense, but then it really does, if one considers the minerals found in dirt and clay. And,  you can get it in peppermint, orange, spearmint and cinnamon flavors!

It is said to cleanse, polish, detoxify and re-mineralize your teeth. 
I am all about trying new things. Well, once anyway.... What do you think? 

Link here

Keep Smiling!

Managing Your Dental Costs With No Insurance

 For most people, a toothache that turns into an expensive procedure such as a crown or an implant can cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. Even routine check-ups with x-rays and a cleaning can add up to hundreds of dollars. It has been estimated that over one third of Americans have not visited a dentist in the last 12 months.

Given the nature of insurance companies and the cost of premiums vs. the actual procedures covered, relief from dental bills is not likely to come soon. That leaves it up to consumers to find smart ways to reduce their dental care costs without sacrificing their oral health. So, we did some research on ways to cut back on dental related costs. 

• Consider a good dental plan.  Better than insurance, some dental plans offer discounted fees with low premiums and no limit or "cap", no waiting periods on procedures, no exclusions and immediate coverage. 

• Try having your dental care done at a Dental School Clinic.  Teaching facilities have amazingly skilled dentists and in most cases the cost is cheaper than a private practice facility. Not to mention they use the most state of the art equipment so that your experience is more comfortable.

• Space out your treatments.  If you have extensive work to be done, most dentists will work according to a treatment plan, and a "pay as you go" strategy can go a long way toward helping the patient so those out of pocket expenses don't have to break the bank all at once! 

• Disclosure-No Surprise Fees!   Make sure to always, ALWAYS get the cost for the treatment plan or procedure before you agree to have it done, or sign anything.  Many patients agree to procedures while they are in the chair and don't fully understand that there may be an additional cost...an exorbitant additional cost.  Keep yourself from sticker shock by asking first and discuss other options if you cannot afford the procedure.  

• Prevention, Prevention, Prevention!  The key to saving on dental costs (just like having your car worked on) is to fix small problems before they become big ones.  Have your teeth cleaned twice a year and don't skip that oral exam. 

Here is a parting thought for those of you in the market for dental coverage.  PLEASE check the benefits carefully when considering dental insurance.  The premiums will always be more than the pay out...coverage is always limited and there will almost always be a waiting period for expensive procedures. They want to make sure they have your premiums firmly in hand before the payouts begin. It's the truth....do your homework carefully! A good dental plan is more effective at saving you money than an insurance company will ever be. 

Keep Smiling! 

Could Using Mouthwash And Nasal Spray Prevent The Transmission Of Covid-19?

 I came across an article published by Melisa Busch, Associate Editor from DrBicuspid.com called "Mouthwash plus nasal spray may cut SARS-CoV-2 transmission".

I thought it was an interesting read, and wanted to share it with all of you!

"Mouthwash plus nasal spray may cut SARS-CoV-2 transmission

By Melissa Busch, DrBicuspid.com associate editor

February 4, 2021 -- Gargling with a mouthwash and using a nasal spray containing povidone iodine may significantly reduce viral load in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, according to a research letter published on February 4 in JAMA Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.

Reducing the nasopharyngeal viral loads of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 can help limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, according to the authors.

"Nasopharyngeal decolonization may reduce the carriage of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in adults with mild to moderate COVID-19," wrote the group, led by Dr. Jeremy Guenezan from the emergency department at the University Hospital of Poitiers in France.

SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted primarily through the aerosolization of droplets containing contaminated nasopharyngeal secretions. In vitro studies have shown that povidone-iodine solutions at concentrations as low as 0.5% rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2 with contact times as short as 15 seconds.

Dental teams have encouraged patients to gargle with a variety of different rinses, including povidone-iodine products and chlorhexidine mouthwash, prior to procedures to help reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The new study included 24 patients who tested highly positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) via nasopharyngeal swabs within the previous 48 hours. Half of the subjects served as a control group. The others were asked to rinse four times in a row with mouthwashes and gargles containing 25 mL of 1% liquid povidone-iodine solution, followed by one 2.5-mL nasal spray of the same solution into each nostril using an intranasal mucosal atomization device connected to a 5-mL syringe.

Then, one application of 10% povidone-iodine ointment was dabbed on each nasal mucosa and massaged into the area. The patients were told to perform this regimen four times a day for five days. Follow-up was completed on day 1 and then every two days until day 7 to assess the efficacy and safety of the viral decolonization method. A linear mixed model for repeated measures was used to compare the samples, according to the authors.

Guenezan and colleagues measured the mean relative difference in viral titers, representing the burden of virus in a fluid volume. Those who used the povidone-iodine rinses and nasal sprays saw a 75% difference in viral load between baseline and day 1, compared with a 32% difference in the control group.

Despite the results, the study had limitations, including the small sample size and the single-center design. Study strengths included assessing the viral titer in patients to determine whether the virus was viable and, therefore, possibly transmissible, the authors wrote.

A larger clinical study should be completed in the future to "confirm the benefit of [povidone iodine] in limiting the excretion and resulting human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2," they added."

What are your thoughts?

There Could Be Dental Advantages to Drinking Red Wine!

According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Red Wine is rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are loaded with antioxidants and it was found that they can help to fend off the effects of bacteria in the mouth that can cause cavities and plaque. Who knew?!

Now, I wouldn't go off and drink more red wine just yet. This was only one study.  It's likely there will be another one to disprove it down the road.  But it is an interesting concept, isn't it?

Keep Smiling!