from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/33749.html
30 Dec 2014
25 Dec 2014
18 Dec 2014
5 Scary Health Conditions Your Dentist Can Spot
The health of your mouth may shine a light on what’s happening in the rest of your body. (Kulka/Corbis)
You expect your dentist to flag cavities, but did you know your drill-wielding doc might also be able to spot trouble that extends well beyond your pearly whites?
“It’s becoming clear that we need to consider integrating oral and general health care,” says Steve Offenbacher, D.D.S., director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The oral cavity is the mirror to the rest of the body, so we can pick up on systemic problems by simple dental examinations.” In other words, the state of your smile may shine a light on the rest of your body — sometimes even before other symptoms show up.
Case in point: Offenbacher once told a middle-aged patient he suspected she was pregnant, based simply on the redness of her gums. “The next week, she came back and said, ‘I went to the doctor, and yes, I am pregnant!’’ he recalls. In that case, Offenbacher was the bearer of good news, but not all of the secrets your mouth may reveal are so positive. Your teeth may also provide clues about these five health-threatening conditions:
Diabetes
Your dentist isn’t just worried about how white your teeth are. In a 2014 study, nearly two-thirds of dentists said they’d refer a patient with periodontitis (inflammation around the gums) for a diabetes evaluation. Why that’s a good thing: “Diabetes is not only a common problem, but it’s also highly under-diagnosed,” says Offenbacher. Read: Lots of people have diabetes and don’t know it, which means adding your dentist to your team of health detectives is a smart idea.
So what’s the dental-diabetes link? High blood sugar may be as damaging to your oral health as the sweet stuff in a can of soda. That’s because the condition can cause dry mouth, which increases plaque build-up, making people with uncontrolled diabetes more prone to dental problems.
“[Periodontal disease in diabetics] is usually severe for their age or for local factors, meaning they have pretty clean mouths, but they still have a periodontal problem,” says Offenbacher.
Two common oral signs of diabetes: multiple abscesses on the gums and bad breath. “It’s kind of a sour fruit smell,” Offenbacher says. “It’s ketones — metabolic products associated with poor glycemic control — in their bloodstream that you can smell.”
Heart disease
Your teeth may reveal what’s going on with your ticker. A 2007 study review found that people with periodontal disease are significantly more likely to develop heart disease than folks with good oral health. Among people who have both diseases, “if the periodontal disease is treated, the heart disease is greatly improved,” says Marjorie Jeffcoat, D.M.D., a professor and dean emeritus of dental medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
The common thread? Inflammation. “When you look in a patient’s mouth and you see chronic inflammation, you know that it’s creating systemic stress,” says Offenbacher.
Although there are no dental red flags specific to heart disease, “more severe periodontal disease is strongly associated with heart disease risk,” Offenbacher says. Signs include loose, shifting, or missing teeth, and increased probing depths, where the pockets around the teeth have deepened.
Dementia
Can tooth loss indicate memory loss? In recent British research, a lack of teeth was associated with mental decline, while a 2012 study found that older adults with poor dental hygiene were 76 percent more likely to develop dementia. This is a relatively new area of research, which means the link between the two isn’t entirely clear, says Jeffcoat. However, a small 2013 study detected Porphyromonas gingivalis — a bacteria associated with gum disease — in the brains of people with dementia, suggesting that it may play a role in the inflammation associated with cognitive decline.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis won’t cause your teeth to decay — but your dentist may be able to spot bone loss in the surrounding structures, like the jaw, with digital X-rays, says Jeffcoat. Normal, healthy bone should be dense both at the edges and in the interior, and when that’s not the case, “the patient is more likely to have osteoporosis,” she explains.
In fact, in a 2013 study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, the thickness of postmenopausal women’s jawbones — as measured with a panoramic X-ray — was correlated with the bone density of their spine. This means that dentists could potentially diagnose osteoporosis, which often goes undetected until a fracture occurs, in its early stages, the scientists say.
Acid reflux disease
You may feel heartburn most intensely in your chest, but its effects may be most obvious in your mouth. If you have acid reflux disease, the constant uprising of stomach acid could wear away at the enamel on your teeth, says Jeffcoat. “You’ll usually see it in the lower front teeth,” she says. “You’ll see erosion of the teeth — they get thinner. You can’t miss it.” Another sign you may be suffering from acid reflux disease: You have a persistent sour taste in your mouth, she says.
In a 2008 study review, researchers found that about a third of adults with dental erosion also had gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Keep in mind, this erosion can happen even in the absence of chest pain — that is, you may have reflux without knowing it, until your dentist points out the damage to your choppers.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/health/5-scary-health-conditions-your-dentist-can-spot-105279962062.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/33145.html
17 Dec 2014
Long-in-the-Tooth Dental Advice
Terry O’Brien, 73, a retired administrative assistant in Billerica, Mass., recently had to make a tough decision about her dental care.
“I always took care of my teeth,” she said. But even so, she was told she needed a crown — an artificial cap — at a cost of about $2,000.
Since she and her husband lack dental coverage, she opted for a less expensive filling. She worries, however, about how she will fund dental care long term. “I’ll make 100, I bet,” she said. “But I wonder how long my teeth will last.”
Older Americans face such situations often, because many people over age 65 lack dental insurance. Only about 10 percent of retirees have dental benefits from their former employer, according to Oral Health America, a nonprofit advocacy group.
And 22 percent of Medicare beneficiaries had not seen a dentist in five years, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported in 2012. The main factor is the cost of care, said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare policy expert with the foundation.
Traditional Medicare, the federal health program for older adults and people with disabilities, doesn’t cover routine dental care or dentures. Some Medicare managed care plans offer coverage, but it is often limited to preventive care like cleanings. Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people, may cover some dental care for adults, but benefits vary by state. Individual plans are available, but they typically cap payments at low levels and may not cover any advanced treatments, like implants to replace lost teeth.
That means most older Americans must pay for dental care out of their pockets.
According to 2013 data from the American Dental Association, which surveyed private dentists, the average cost of a basic examination is about $45, while a cleaning is $85. X-rays are another $27; a tooth-colored filling is $149, while a silver filling is about $125. Costs vary widely, however, depending on the market.
Artificial implants average about $4,000 per tooth, the A.D.A. found. But the bill can be much higher, after adding anesthesia and related treatments like bone grafts. Implants involve inserting a metal screw into the jawbone to serve as the foundation for a replacement crown.
Implants are an economic impossibility for some patients, said Beth Truett, chief executive of Oral Health America. But, “If they can afford it, they are a great solution to maintaining not only that tooth, but the teeth around it.” A full set of teeth for an adult is 28 (32 if you still have your wisdom teeth), and you should have at least 22 teeth to eat properly, she said. Once a tooth is lost, nearby teeth bear additional strain and it gets more difficult to chew; that leads to a cycle of poor nutrition and further tooth loss, she said.
Ed Decker, 69, a retired hospital pharmacist in Ashland, Mass., said he had poor dental health his entire life and had budgeted to make dental care a priority. “I think my family was born with marshmallows instead of teeth,” he said. Ultimately, he lost so many teeth he couldn’t chew, and had 10 implants, at a total cost of about $50,000. He was able to pay for it, he said, because of successful investments recommended by his financial adviser. “When you put in an implant, it’s like having a natural tooth,” he said.
Judith Jones, a professor at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and an authority on dental care for older people, recommends that after age 65, the bare minimum level of care needed is a professional examination and cleaning at least once a year. Poor mouth health has been linked to other ailments, like heart disease and diabetes.
Patients should brush at least twice a day for two minutes, she said. If older people aren’t able to do it themselves, family members or caregivers should assist them. Basic mouth hygiene, including daily flossing, is important to maintain healthy gums and remove tartar and plaque, which traps bacteria and can lead to infections.
People also need to be aware of the possibility of being pressured into unnecessary treatment. To find a reputable dentist, you may want to ask your doctor or your friends for a referral. And be skeptical of treatment that sounds overly aggressive. “If you go in and they want to replace every filling in your head, you should get a second opinion,” said Athena Papas, co-head of geriatric dentistry at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
However, she noted, patients who haven’t been to the dentist for several years may have a real need for restoration work, particularly if they are on multiple prescriptions. Some medications can cause a reduction in saliva, which can promote development of cavities.
One way to limit costs for replacement teeth is to have implants on the lower jaw, and use dentures to replace upper teeth, said Dr. Papas; it’s easier to keep upper dentures in place.
Older adults on tight budgets generally should avoid cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening, dentists say. But many dismiss the idea that older people don’t need to spend on oral care because they are near the end of their lives. Patients who are in their 80s, but who are fit and have a healthy lifestyle, can benefit from technologically advanced dental care “because it is estimated that they will have another 10-15 years of life span,” Helena Tapias-Perdigón, an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Dentistry at Texas A&M Health Science Center, said in an email.
Some dental schools offer discounted treatment, although some require deposits and may have waiting lists. The American Dental Association lists accredited schools on its website.
You can also ask dentists if they offer a payment plan. But read the fine print of any discount program, said Jim Quiggle, a spokesman for the nonprofit Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, since some programs offer little in the way of true savings.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/your-money/long-in-the-tooth-dental-advice-.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/32971.html
4 Dec 2014
New recommendations for fighting dental caries
Do you know what the most common chronic disease is affecting American children? It's not obesity. And it's not allergies, though those are good guesses. It's cavities. Or as health experts call them, dental caries.
Well, that's no big deal, right? Dental caries just affect the teeth — teeth that kids are going to lose anyway as they make way for their adult chompers. So why worry?
Dental caries are a big deal. Cavities lead to inflammation and infections that could seriously harm a child's health. And they can affect the growth and development of permanent teeth even before they break the surface of the gums. To combat the recent increases in dental caries, health experts have announced new dental recommendations for kids that they hope will reduce the number and severity of cavities in kids.
Cavities are caused when bacteria sit around in the mouth and start to erode tooth enamel. According to a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 59 percent of kids between 12 and 19 have at least one cavity, and poor and minority children are disproportionately affected. A child's chances of getting dental caries depend on a number of factors, namely diet, genetics and oral hygiene.
The AAP recently announced new recommendations for dental hygiene for children, stating that all children should start using toothpaste with fluoride when their teeth appear, regardless of their risk level for cavities. Previously, health experts worried that fluoride toothpaste might be harmful for young children who may be more likely than older kids to swallow the paste. But these new recommendations reflect the view that a small amount of fluoride is necessary to protect teeth and keep kids healthy. The AAP recommends that parents use only a teeny bit of fluoride toothpaste — about as big as a grain of sand — to brush their child's teeth. And that they start doing so as soon as the teeth start popping through the gums.
Talk to your child's doctor or dentist for more information about kids and cavities and the best ways to protect your kids from tooth decay.
Source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/new-recommendations-for-fighting-dental-caries
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/32761.html
3 Dec 2014
Saliva Really Does Help Protect Teeth From Cavities
Salivary mucins work to actively protect the teeth--what's otherwise known as the cariogenic bacterium. Now, recent findings published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology reveal that bolstering these native defenses could help to fight dental caries instead of simply relying on exogenous materials such as sealants and fluoride treatments.
Lead study author Erica Shapiro Frenkel of Harvard University and principal investigator Katharina Ribbeck, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both in Cambridge, Mass., found that the body's natural defenses work in a better way to prevent tooth decay while relaying on external agents such as sealants and fluoride treatments.
"We focused on the effect of the salivary mucin, MUC5B on S. mutans attachment and biofilm formation because these are two key steps necessary for cavities to form," said Frenkel, via Medical News Today. "We found that salivary mucins don't alter S. mutans' growth or lead to bacterial killing over 24 hours," she added. "Instead, they limit biofilm formation by keeping S. mutans suspended in the liquid medium. This is particularly significant for S. mutans because it only causes cavities when it is attached, or in a biofilm on the tooth's surface."
Furthermore, she went to say that the oral microbiome is better preserved when naturally occurring species aren't killed. "The ideal situation is to simply attenuate bacterial virulence," she concluded.
Researchers said they believe that the research makes a fundamental contribution to scientific understanding of host-microbe interactions.
Source: http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/18973/20141117/saliva-really-does-help-protect-teeth-from-cavities.htm
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/32400.html
27 Nov 2014
Cheese May Prevent Dental Caries, New Study Suggests
According to new research led by Dr Ravishankar Telgi from the Kothiwal Dental College and Research Center, India, consuming cheese and other dairy products may help protect teeth against cavities.
The new study suggests that cheese has the highest anticariogenic property among the dairy products. The image shows cheddar cheese cubes (Guillaume Paumier / CC BY-SA 3.0)
In the study, reported in the journal General Dentistry (paper in .pdf), Dr Telgi’s team sampled 68 participants ranging in age from 12 to 15. The scientists looked at the dental plaque pH in the subjects’ mouths before and after they consumed cheese, milk, or sugar-free yogurt.
A pH level lower than 5.5 puts a person at risk for tooth erosion, which is a process that wears away the enamel of teeth.
“The higher the pH level is above 5.5, the lower the chance of developing cavities,” said co-author Dr Vipul Yadav.
The participants were assigned into groups randomly. Dr Telgi and his colleagues instructed the first group to eat cheddar cheese, the second group to drink milk, and the third group to eat sugar-free yogurt. Each group consumed their product for three minutes and then swished with water. The scientists measured the pH level of each subject’s mouth at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after consumption.
The groups who consumed milk and sugar-free yogurt experienced no changes in the pH levels in their mouths. Subjects who ate cheese, however, showed a rapid increase in pH levels at each time interval, suggesting that cheese has anti-cavity properties.
The findings indicate that the rising pH levels from eating cheese may have occurred due to increased saliva production, which could be caused by the action of chewing.
Additionally, various compounds found in cheese may adhere to tooth enamel and help further protect teeth from acid.
“It looks like dairy does the mouth good. Not only are dairy products a healthy alternative to carb- or sugar-filled snacks, they also may be considered as a preventive measure against cavities,” said Dr Seung-Hee Rhee, spokesperson of the Academy of General Dentistry, who was not involved in the study.
Source: http://www.sci-news.com/medicine/article01165-cheese-dental-caries.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/32025.html
In the study, reported in the journal General Dentistry (paper in .pdf), Dr Telgi’s team sampled 68 participants ranging in age from 12 to 15. The scientists looked at the dental plaque pH in the subjects’ mouths before and after they consumed cheese, milk, or sugar-free yogurt.
A pH level lower than 5.5 puts a person at risk for tooth erosion, which is a process that wears away the enamel of teeth.
“The higher the pH level is above 5.5, the lower the chance of developing cavities,” said co-author Dr Vipul Yadav.
The participants were assigned into groups randomly. Dr Telgi and his colleagues instructed the first group to eat cheddar cheese, the second group to drink milk, and the third group to eat sugar-free yogurt. Each group consumed their product for three minutes and then swished with water. The scientists measured the pH level of each subject’s mouth at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after consumption.
The groups who consumed milk and sugar-free yogurt experienced no changes in the pH levels in their mouths. Subjects who ate cheese, however, showed a rapid increase in pH levels at each time interval, suggesting that cheese has anti-cavity properties.
The findings indicate that the rising pH levels from eating cheese may have occurred due to increased saliva production, which could be caused by the action of chewing.
Additionally, various compounds found in cheese may adhere to tooth enamel and help further protect teeth from acid.
“It looks like dairy does the mouth good. Not only are dairy products a healthy alternative to carb- or sugar-filled snacks, they also may be considered as a preventive measure against cavities,” said Dr Seung-Hee Rhee, spokesperson of the Academy of General Dentistry, who was not involved in the study.
Source: http://www.sci-news.com/medicine/article01165-cheese-dental-caries.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/32025.html
25 Nov 2014
Our mouth naturally fights dental cavities
Salivary mucins - key components of mucus found in mouth - actively protect our teeth from the cavity-causing bacterium, a new study has found.
Bolstering native defences might be a better way to fight dental caries than relying on exogenous materials, such as sealants and fluoride treatment, said first author Erica Shapiro Frenkel, of Harvard University.
The bacteria Streptococcus mutans attaches to teeth using sticky polymers that it produces, eventually forming a bio-film, a protected surface-associated bacterial community that is encased in secreted materials, said Frenkel.
As S mutans grows in the biofilm, it produces organic acids as metabolic byproducts that dissolve tooth enamel, which is the direct cause of cavities.
"We focused on the effect of the salivary mucin, MUC5B on S mutans attachment and biofilm formation because these are two key steps necessary for cavities to form," said Frenkel.
"We found that salivary mucins don't alter S mutans' growth or lead to bacterial killing over 24 hours," said Frenkel.
"Instead, they limit biofilm formation by keeping S mutans suspended in the liquid medium. This is particularly significant for S mutans because it only causes cavities when it is attached, or in a biofilm on the tooth's surface," she said.
She adds that the oral microbiome is better preserved when naturally occurring species aren't killed.
"The ideal situation is to simply attenuate bacterial virulence," she said.
"Defects in mucin production have been linked to common diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and ulcerative colitis," said Frenkel.
"There is increasing evidence that mucins aren't just part of the mucus for structure or physical protection, but that they play an active role in protecting the host from pathogens and maintaining a healthy microbial environment," Frenkel added.
The research was published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/our-mouth-naturally-fights-dental-cavities-114111200599_1.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/31872.html
20 Nov 2014
Improving oral health for ageing populations
Millions of elderly people across the globe are not getting oral health care they need. Poor oral health amongst older people has been particularly evident in high levels of tooth loss, dental caries and the prevalence rates of other dental disease and oral cancer.
Many elderly people worldwide do not have a full set of teeth. Poor oral health negatively impact on the quality of life of older adults and is an important public health issue which must be addressed by policy-makers. Experts warned that failure to address oral health needs today could develop into a costly problem tomorrow.
Advancing age puts elderly at risk of a number of health problems. As the number of aging population increasing worldwide, it will be a big problem in near future. The burden of oral disease is likely to grow in many developing countries like Bangladesh because of unhealthy diets rich in sugars and high consumption of tobacco.
In many developing countries, the only treatment is tooth extraction in case of pain and problems with teeth. Thus, millions of older people suffer tooth loss. Eventually they live without natural teeth.
As with other health issues, older people have very different oral health needs to children and younger adults. They are more likely to take medication that causes dry mouth, leading to tooth decay and infections of the mouth. More than 400 commonly used medications — many of them for chronic conditions to which the elderly are susceptible — can dry out the mouth.
Oral cancer is another danger that can strike after years of over-consumption of tobacco and alcohol. The incidence of this cancer is rising in places with growing or high tobacco use. In many cases, ill-fitting dentures can reduce a person’s quality of life, for example by impeding their ability to chew.
An unfounded belief by families and healthcare practitioners that tooth loss is inevitable during ageing, lack of education on the importance of oral health and components of dental care, poor access to services and a low dentist-to-population ratio complete the picture.
The World Health Organisation recommends that countries adopt certain strategies for improving the oral health of the elderly. National health authorities should develop policies and measurable goals and targets for oral health. National public health programmes should incorporate oral health promotion and disease prevention based on the common risk factors approach.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/improving-oral-health-for-ageing-populations-48420
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/31498.html
18 Nov 2014
Consider your family’s oral health
On Nov. 15, the open enrollment period will begin under the Affordable Care Act, giving Illinois residents an opportunity to shop for health care coverage that could have a major impact on their physical and financial health in 2015. Whether you are already covered or are looking for the first time, it is important to evaluate the available options and remember not to overlook dental coverage for your family’s oral health.
Although dental disease is largely preventable, it still finds its way into the mouths of our state’s residents and is actually the most common chronic childhood disease today. In fact, by third grade, more than 50 percent of Illinois children have cavities. Alarmingly, many are left untreated, which can affect a child’s ability to learn, speak and eat.
Fortunately, dental coverage for children is an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act. This means that if you have a child under 19 and purchase a health care plan, pediatric dental coverage will be included.
However, health plans are not required to offer adult dental coverage, but you should strongly consider its importance. Nearly one in four Illinois adults has unresolved oral health issues, and nearly three in five say the biggest reason for not addressing a problem is the ability to pay for care, according to a survey by Delta Dental of Illinois.
Serious oral health problems can be expensive and time-consuming to treat. But the fact is that dental coverage is relatively low cost, and because it is prevention-based, it actually encourages regular dental checkups that can save money in the long run. Nearly eight of 10 Illinoisans with dental coverage visit the dentist at least once a year versus a little more than half who don’t have coverage.
Seeking preventive oral health care, like checkups and cleanings, can be far less expensive than receiving costly treatments down the road. Plus, oral health is linked to your overall health and a dental exam can help you protect your overall health. During a checkup, your dentist can detect as many as 120 different diseases in their earliest stages, when they are most effectively and cost-efficiently treated.
Studies also suggest that the state of your oral health can affect other health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The mouth is a key part of the body, and good dental habits such as brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist contribute to better oral and overall health.
These are just some of the reasons why it is important for you and your entire family to have dental coverage that encourages regular dental visits.
On the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, it is possible to purchase pediatric and adult dental benefits through a medical carrier or from a stand-alone dental benefits carrier. Many Illinois residents choose stand-alone dental benefit plans because of the likelihood their dentist is in-network and the overall value they provide. For example, since many medical plans may require the policy’s annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums be met before paying dental benefits, a stand-alone dental policy may expand benefits and reduce overall expenses.
Along with dental coverage for individuals and families, most dental benefit carriers also now offer dental plans for small businesses off-exchange that are compliant with new Affordable Care Act guidelines.
Choosing health care coverage is one of the most important decisions you will make this year. Therefore, it is essential that you fully understand your options during open enrollment so you can choose benefits that are best for you and your family. For more information or to select a dental plan that helps your entire family maintain great oral health, visit GetCoveredIllinois.gov or DeltaDentalIL.me.
Source: http://illinoistimes.com/article-14671-consider-your-family%E2%80%99s-oral-health.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/31445.html
13 Nov 2014
Building a Story on Autism’s Impact on Dental Care
Sometimes reporters hear about important stories by chance. In this case, a friend who is the mother of a 9-year-old son with autism had recently moved to New Jersey and had finally found a dentist willing to work with him after years of struggle.
She said their first dentist had given up on her son. Cleanings were possible only if he sat on her lap in the chair and she wrapped her arms and legs around him to keep him still. “It is awful,” she said.
Another dentist suggested general anesthesia to facilitate a simple cleaning, which I later found is not uncommon, but ill-advised for routine preventive care because of anesthesia’s risks.
The situation changed only when she happened to find a dentist who specialized in using behavior modification techniques. Her son had been “terrified,” she said, but with accommodations, he could finally tolerate cleanings and sit on his own. (X-rays are still but a dream, alas.)
Her odyssey surprised me and jump-started my own. Some stories hinge on convenient statistics demonstrating a change and thus can be swiftly assembled. Instead, this piece was built brick-by-brick this past summer.
One parent’s story is just one story, so the tip might have ended there. But it turned out that her plight to find a dentist was not uncommon among parents of children with autism, nor was her distress. In interviews, parents told me again and again that dentist visits were terribly stressful for a host of reasons: Children with sensory issues can get overwhelmed by gritty paste, odd noises or simply the new environment. Some kids can’t talk about their fear, so they squirmed, kicked or clamped their mouths shut. Some dental offices didn’t let parents accompany their nonverbal children for cleanings, even to act as translators. Meltdowns ensued.
It felt as if I had my first brick in the wall.
I called around to dentists nationwide to ask what barriers historically have existed for children on the spectrum and what, if anything, had changed of late.
One issue was that dentists — especially general practitioners who haven’t done a pediatric residency — might not have been taught to provide care for people with autism spectrum disorders. Only relatively recently, in 2006, did the Commission on Dental Accreditation implement a standard requiring graduating dental students to be competent in assessing the treatment for patients with special needs.
A little digging unearthed a wealth of continuing education courses that dentists and hygienists were taking to better accommodate children on the spectrum. In the last year, more than 14,000 dental professionals completed one online offering.
Some sources played down continuing education’s ability to spur dentists who had been on the sidelines to start treating children with autism spectrum disorders. But not Dr. Richard Valachovic, the executive director of the American Dental Education Association. In addition to dental schooling, continuing education “increases the level of patients that dentists are comfortable treating and not having to refer out to somebody else,” he said.
As I deepened my reporting, an unforeseen thread emerged: Some parents took their child with autism for a first cleaning only at age 8 or later, and others only went once there was an emergency. The children never got preventive care, though dentists recommend a visit by the eruption of the first tooth or by the first birthday.
It was odd because the importance of early intervention is drilled into the heads of parents in the autism community when it comes to talking, walking or social interactions. But somehow oral health was not part of that broader message.
“Parents basically avoid dental visits for fear of their child’s behavior,” said Dr. Cavan Brunsden, a pediatric dentist in Old Bridge, N.J. Yet, he said, if patients on the spectrum could come to see him before age 5, dental cleanings could become nonthreatening with repetition.
Getting that public-health message to parents seemed important to me and my editor, Mike Mason, who, by then, was pushing to get the story into the Science section.
I was thrilled that the video department decided to send a photographer and video journalist named Katie Hayes Luke with me to visit Dr. Amy Luedemann-Lazar, a pediatric dentist in Katy, Tex. She captured what my words couldn’t: how tricky even sitting in the dental chair can be for a child with autism. Equally important, the video captured the emotion in the voices of grateful parents.
This month, the final brick in the wall came when I met Nicole Brown and her 13-year-old daughter, Camryn Cunningham, at Dr. Luedemann-Lazar’s office. Ms. Brown’s odyssey to find dental care had been a long one, and even included a frustrated dentist screaming at her daughter.
Yet, Ms. Brown’s story, too, had a hopeful ending, because step by step, a hygienist and an assistant taught Camryn what was expected of her, starting with how to sit in the dental chair.
We watched as Camryn sat — hands on her stomach, legs out straight — through a full cleaning, only her second ever. “I was thinking this is unbelievable. I didn’t know it would be that good of an appointment,” Ms. Brown said, adding, “It’s embarrassing to say that at one point I was afraid to take her to the dentist because I didn’t know where to start.”
Since the story ran last week, I’ve heard from dentists who champion improving access to routine care for children with autism who hoped my article would spur more dentists to educate themselves to be able to treat children on the spectrum. The story has been shared more than 10,000 times on Facebook. Parents desperate to find a dentist willing to treat their child emailed. And on the New York Times Facebook page, some parents asked for pointers on how to find a dentist, so I joined the conversation and tried to help. One mother in Miami wrote about struggling to find a dentist who is “autistic friendly” and mentioned that she had been told her child needs to be treated under general anesthesia, to the tune of $2,800.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/times-insider/2014/10/28/building-a-story-on-autisms-impact-on-dental-care/
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/31127.html
11 Nov 2014
Dental treatment for kids should be priority
Dental treatment for children aged six and under should be prioritised, a new report has stated.
According to the first National Oral Health Forum Report, A Vision for Improved Oral Health in Ireland, the Government's decision to provide universal healthcare for all children aged under six provides the perfect opportunity to extend dental cover to this age group.
This would result in children becoming engaged with dental services at a younger age, which would lead to more disease prevention.
The report also highlighted the impact of the recession on dental services in Ireland. The PRSI scheme used to allow taxpayers to receive subsidies towards certain dental work, such as fillings. However, spending on this scheme has fallen from over €70 million per year to just €10 million per year and taxpayers now only receive one dental check-up per year.
Meanwhile services for mental card holders have also been severely cut, leading to poorer dental health for many.
In response to this, the report recommends that the use of patient co-payments should be assessed as a potential method of payment for medical card patients. This would see the patient and the State both making a contribution, not unlike the old PRSI model, to ensure that patients receive the appropriate treatment when they need it.
The report also said that the roles of the HSE and the Department of Health need to be clearly defined in this area.
"Delivery decisions in the HSE need to be matched to clinical needs and prioritised in line with the available resources. At the moment the delivery of services is considered to be patchy, with no uniform patterns of delivery decision or priority setting," the Forum said.
The report added that when it comes to dentistry, the main interests seem to relate to fluoridation and orthodontics and there is little or no political representation about important issues such as the provision of dental services to people with disabilities, and the prevalence and suffering caused by cavities during childhood.
The report is an initiative promoted mainly by the Irish Dental Association, the Dublin Dental School, the Cork Dental School and the RCSI Faculty of Dentistry.
Source: http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=24172
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/30857.html
6 Nov 2014
Tips for fresh breath and oral health
Halloween kicks off a series of holidays celebrated with delicious treats, from yummy chocolate candies to gut-busting dinners to seasonal alcoholic beverages. While most parents will make sure their kids brush after eating their treats, National Dental Hygiene Month in October encourages a fuller approach to oral health.
“Teeth and gums are obviously key components of oral health care, but they’re just part of the whole environment inside one’s mouth,” says Dr. Bob Kross, a biochemist who’s been researching and developing oral health-care products since the 1980s.
“The nooks and crannies in our mouths and gums are not the only places crammed with organic debris, which feed the bacteria that create biofilm, such as plaque, to protect themselves from oxygen. There are also cracks on the tongue’s surface and in the other soft tissues in the mouth and pharynx where bacteria collect, further compromising dental health and creating bad breath.”
Normal oral bacteria are fine, actually even necessary, when present in proper balance with each other, but it’s a problem when putrefying and pathogenic bacteria start to take over, he says.
Kross offers this tip for preventing bad breath:
Add tongue scraping and an oxidizing daily rinse to your oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing reach about 25 percent of your mouth, and that’s why you should add tongue scraping and rinsing to your daily routine. That white stuff you might see on your tongue is a collection of food particles and other organic matter, which can putrefy and create oral malodorants. Oxygen inhibits the growth of the responsible anaerobic bacteria, so scraping off the film and using an oxidizing mouthwash will counter that problem.
Source: http://www.ardmoreite.com/article/20141028/Lifestyle/141029743
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/30703.html
5 Nov 2014
Diabetes and Dental Health
TORONTO – HEALTH - “Diabetes can be associated with an increased prevalence and severity of periodontal diseases, and as an infectious and inflammatory disease, periodontitis can affect the control of blood sugar,” says Dr. Gerald Smith, President of the ODA. “When blood sugars remain high over time it can put people with diabetes at risk for further complications.”
Did you know there is a connection between diabetes and oral health? Research shows that poorly managed blood glucose (sugar) levels put you at greater risk for developing oral health problems such as gum disease, fungal infections, tooth decay, taste impairment, dry mouth and delayed healing. Conversely, having periodontal (gum) disease can intensify the complications associated with diabetes.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) and dentists across the province will be supporting the Canadian Diabetes Association’s “Don’t Be Risky” campaign which urges Canadians to identify the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.
The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA), estimates that today more than 1.4 million people in Ontario are living with diabetes, representing 9.8 percent of the population. By 2024, that number is estimated to rise to 2.2 million. “Knowing the risk factors for diabetes and its complications will provide Canadians with information to act and potentially lower their risk, in consultation with their health-care teams, including their dentist,” says Rick Blickstead, President and CEO of the CDA.
Dentists have the training and expertise to help prevent and treat any oral health problems associated with this serious disease. Through oral examinations, dentists can also detect certain oral-health conditions that could signal a need for you to be tested for diabetes. If you are experiencing any problems with your oral health, such as bleeding gums, impaired taste or dry mouth, see your dentist immediately. To help prevent gum disease and tooth decay, the ODA recommends following a routine which includes brushing your teeth, flossing, using a toothpaste containing fluoride, consuming sugar in moderation and having regular dental exams.
“Diabetes is one of many medical conditions that prove the connection between your oral health and your overall health,” says Dr. Smith. “Your dentist can be a vital part of your health-care team by helping you manage the oral complications that may come with having diabetes.”
Your oral health is related to your overall health. Stay in touch with your dentist to assist you with your oral health needs. For information on your oral health and diabetes, go to youroralhealth.ca. For more information on diabetes, visit diabetes.ca or alternatively you can visit DontBeRisky.ca and fill out a CANRISK questionnaire to find out what your risk is of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Source: http://www.netnewsledger.com/2014/11/04/diabetes-and-dental-health/
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/30210.html
30 Oct 2014
NEW MATERIALS FOR BETTER, STRONGER AND CHEAPER DENTAL IMPLANTS
Experts from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), in the east coast of Mexico, develop new generation dental implants from mixtures of polymers with ceramic and a light consistency. So far the experts at this university have optimized the performance of those dental tools as they simulated the repetitive force of mastication and considered this factor to ensure that the impact of stress is absorbed by the piece and not by the bone structure.
They have proposed some formulations that allow those teeth to be resistant to the effort of chewing and corrosion as titanium implants (which are often used by dentists), but at a more affordable cost. “By optimizing the geometry and consistency of the implants we can ensure that they remain in place longer, but with a lower cost than the titanium implant,” said Mauricio Paz González, project collaborator in charge of industrial design.
Through mathematical simulations, UABC experts seek to reduce stress levels in patients before the introduction of these auxiliary pieces. Traditional implants are placed with the same dynamics as a screw, and bone structure functions as a base for holding those dental tools.
Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Paz González, head of the manufacturing processes of the pieces, commented that a goal is to have the implants coated with vitamin D, because that chemical stimulates production of bone tissue around the piece. This, he said, adds support; he added that once pilot tests were trough, they will be compared to traditional implant performance.
Luis Villarreal Jesus Gomez, head of research, said that the manufacture of these implants will not only improve the oral health of patients, but also benefit their economy. “Most people who require implants are older adults, who often find it impossible for a transaction of this nature to be affordable,” he said.
So far, the specialist has proposed several possible formulations for achieving the implant. “Additionally we seek to include vitamin D in the composition of dental implants, to achieve a better integration of the piece with the bone structure of the patient,” commented the scientist at UABC.
Source: http://www.eurasiareview.com/04102014-new-materials-better-stronger-cheaper-dental-implants/
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/30116.html
28 Oct 2014
The women who spend up to £32,000 on their smiles
Two women tell why they splashed out on fixing their teeth
- Sallyann, 49, felt her pearly whites were an embarrassment
- She wouldn’t let anyone see them, let alone allow them to be photographed
- A support worker at a school, she spent a staggering £32,500 on her teeth
- Sallyann, from Kent, had a dentist remove her teeth and put in implants
- Judy Murray recently caused a stir with her new dental work
- Stephanie Biggin, from Southsea, spent £12,000 on cosmetic dental work
As her younger brother walked his new bride down the aisle, Sallyann Hall beamed with delight. She carried on grinning proudly through all the official wedding portraits. In fact, she didn’t stop smiling all day.
But her elation wasn’t just from seeing her brother married. It was also because, for the first time in her life, the 49-year-old felt she had teeth good enough to show off in photographs.
For decades, Sallyann’s pearly whites had been such a source of embarrassment to her that she wouldn’t let anyone see them, let alone allow them to be photographed. As a result of abscesses and infections throughout her adult life, she had lost six teeth, with three gaps visible, and her bottom front ones wobbled.
The mother-of-three had searched in vain for an answer until a few weeks before her brother Sid’s wedding four years ago.
Sallyann, from Hythe, Kent, discovered a dentist who would remove all her teeth and replace them with implants.
‘I hadn’t planned it that way, but my teeth were perfect for the big day,’ she says. ‘I hogged the camera all day long. Everyone commented on my wonderful smile.’
What they didn’t realise was quite how much her smile had cost, because Sallyann, a pastoral support worker at a school, had spent a staggering £32,500. Far more than most people spend on a new car, or even earn in a year.
But Sallyann is far from alone in the amount she was prepared to spend on cosmetic dental work. It’s estimated that thousands of Britons are shelling out a small fortune every year to achieve perfectly straight white teeth.
While in the past a snaggle-toothed smile was perfectly acceptable for us Brits — and the butt of many a joke abroad — it’s something we’ve become increasingly keen to correct.
A survey last year by a dental website found the number of people requesting expensive cosmetic procedures such as clear braces and tooth whitening had more than doubled in just two years.
And in 2013 an estimated 100,000 people had implants fitted, the most expensive procedure of all and a four-fold increase on the previous five years.
The so-called ‘status smile’ — once something only seen in the mouths of Hollywood stars — has become big business in the UK. Tennis’ most famous mum, Judy Murray, recently caused a stir with her new dental work — her sparkling white teeth outshining her footwork on Strictly Come Dancing.
Given that research has shown good teeth are not just an indicator of wealth, they can also improve people’s employment potential and make them look five years younger, it’s perhaps no wonder.
A 2008 study, for example, discovered we judge people with a missing tooth to be more aggressive and less trustworthy or intelligent than others.
Social scientist Malcolm Gladwell believes those with bad teeth are now held back socially and financially. Like the obese, they’re denied certain jobs because they don’t look appealing.
The subtext is that if you have crooked teeth your parents didn’t care enough to pay for braces, while missing teeth signal a poor diet or a lack of oral hygiene.
Sallyann, married to fellow pastoral support worker Mark, 46, believes she inherited bad teeth from her mother and grandmother. ‘I’ve always taken great pride in my appearance and cleaned my teeth properly, but I was always losing teeth,’ she says.
‘People think if you have rotten teeth, you don’t clean them properly, but it’s not true. No one ever said anything, but I was convinced they were thinking it.’
Sallyann spent years looking for a solution and eventually realised implants were her only hope. They’re small titanium rods that are drilled into the jawbone and protrude through the gum. A false tooth is then attached on top for a natural look.
They traditionally last longer than crowns (caps placed over failing teeth) or bridges (a false tooth held in place by being attached to the surrounding teeth). The implants themselves last for decades while the false teeth may occasionally need to be replaced.
The first dentist Sallyann saw said she wasn’t suitable for implants as she didn’t have enough jawbone to screw them into, and suggested dentures.
DID YOU KNOW?
74 per cent of British adults believe your smile can affect career potential
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2785718/The-women-spend-32-000-smiles.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/29895.html
23 Oct 2014
Schools should check kids brush teeth, says NICE
More than one in 10 three-year-olds in England have rotten teeth.
In some parts of the country, as many as half of five-year-olds have decayed, missing or filled teeth.
NICE's new guidelines for England say nurseries and schools should consider introducing supervised tooth-brushing and fluoride varnishing programmes.
Prof Mike Kelly, director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE, said: "Children, as young as three, are being condemned to a life with rotten teeth, gum disease and poor health going into adulthood.
"Many children have poor diets and poor mouth hygiene because there is misunderstanding about the importance of looking after children's early milk teeth and gums," he added.
School tooth-brushing
Nurseries and primary schools should supervise tooth-brushing in areas with a high level of child tooth decay, the advisory body said.
Tooth decay in children and adults is disproportionately higher in disadvantaged areas, as well for vulnerable people, and in some ethnic minorities, NICE said.
After local authorities identify areas that would benefit, free toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste should be handed out to parents and carers for use at school and at home, it advises.
If a supervised tooth-brushing scheme is not feasible, children's teeth should be painted with fluoride varnish at least twice a year to strengthen teeth, NICE added.
A recent Public Health England survey found that 12% of three-year-olds had suffered from rotten teeth.
In one area - Leicester - 34% of children had tooth decay.
Milk teeth 'don't matter'
Part of the issue is that many parents don't recognise that they should take steps against tooth decay, according to health consultant Mandy Murdoch, who was part of the team that developed the guidelines.
"Many people believe that the health of a child's first teeth does not matter as 'they will fall out anyway'," she said.
"However, severe tooth decay at a young age can have negative consequences in later life."
Rotten teeth, aside from being painful for the child, can lead to higher incidences of oral health problems later in life.
Thousands of children have to undergo general anaesthetic to have teeth out, said Prof Elizabeth Kay, foundation dean for the Peninsula Dental School, Plymouth.
"Around 25,000 young children every year are admitted to hospital to have teeth taken out," she said.
"Given that we know how to prevent dental disease this really should not be happening," Prof Kay added.
Poor oral hygiene in adults has been linked to increased gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancers.
The British Dental Association said that there were "still unacceptable inequalities which need to be tackled" in people's dental health.
Dr Christopher Allen, chairman of the BDA's dental public health committee, welcomed the NICE guidelines.
However, he added: "It's important that local authorities have access to specialist dental health advice to ensure that the interventions chosen are the most appropriate for the needs of the population."
Dr Allen added that water fluoridation programmes would be a more efficient means of strengthening people's teeth.
Only around six million people in the UK have access to fluoridated water, the BDA said.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29712453
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/29440.html
22 Oct 2014
Children as young as three suffering from severe tooth decay
Children as young as three are suffering from severe tooth decay and people need to “act now to stop the rot”, health officials have said.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has urged local authorities to tackle a growing crisis in the state of people’s teeth in disadvantaged areas of England.
Tooth decay and gum disease are the two most common, largely preventable dental problems. Those most at risk are from the most vulnerable sections of society and who are dependent on others to care for them, such as young children and frail older people who need help to stay independent, Nice said.
The health body said schools and nurseries should help children brush their teeth, adding that severe tooth decay had been reported in children as young as three and in many cases was starting much earlier.
Professor Mike Kelly, the director of the centre for public health at Nice, said: “Children as young as three are being condemned to a life with rotten teeth, gum disease and poor health going into adulthood.
“Many children have poor diets and poor mouth hygiene because there is misunderstanding about the importance of looking after children’s early milk teeth and gums.
“They eat too much sugar and don’t clean their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. As a society we should help parents and carers give their children the best start in life and act now to stop the rot before it starts.”
Prof Kelly said there were wide regional differences in oral health, and said the situation was “bleak for many adults as well as children in disadvantaged areas”.
He added: “Diet, poor oral hygiene, smoking, alcohol and a lack of understanding about oral health are causing tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss and increasing the risk of mouth cancers. These are also the risk factors causing many chronic conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.”
Nice suggests local authorities consider supervised tooth-brushing and fluoride varnishing programmes in nurseries and primary schools in areas where children are at high risk of poor oral health.
Professor Elizabeth Kay, foundation dean for the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth, said: “Around 25,000 young children every year are admitted to hospital to have teeth taken out. Given that we know how to prevent dental disease this really should not be happening. If there were a preventable medical condition which caused thousands of young children (mostly around five years old) to end up in hospital to have body parts removed, there would be an outcry.”
Dr Sandra White, director of dental public health at Public Health England, said: “Tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in England, yet it is largely preventable.
“Whilst children’s oral health has improved over the past 40 years, one in eight (12%) three-year-olds have suffered from the disease, which can be very painful and even result in a child having teeth removed under general anaesthetic.
“Oral health is everyone’s responsibility and by expanding oral health education to the wider community so that nurseries, children’s centres and primary schools all play a role, we can reduce dental decay and ultimately improve the oral health of the local population.”
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/22/children-young-three-suffering-severe-tooth-decay
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/29337.html
17 Oct 2014
Why sugary sports drinks may be slowing athletes down
Poor oral health could be harming the chances of elite athletes in competition, it has been warned, after experts found sugary sports drinks cause damage to the teeth of one in five
Simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies
Sports drinks and a high carb diet could actually be holding back elite athletes in competition, it has been suggested, as poor oral health affects their performance.
Research has found that almost one in five athletes have suffered in competition because of poor oral health and almost half have not been to the dentist in the past year.
Yet good brushing, flossing and even high fluoride mouthwashes can counter the effects of sugary sports drinks and improve performance, University College London experts said.
A third of the medical visits during the London Olympics was for dental treatment and demand has increased at competitions since, they said.
In a consensus statement published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the authors call for action to tackle poor oral health among athletes.
Athletes with poor dental health are likely to suffer pain, difficulties sleeping and eating, general inflammation, a dent to their confidence and may be generally out of sorts, all of which could be detrimental to their performance, they suggest.
They said that simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies.
The statement came out of the Oral Health and Performance in Sport collaboration led by Professor Ian Needleman of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Professor Fares Haddad of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH).
A UCL survey at the London 2012 Olympic Games found that 18 per cent of athletes said that their oral health had a negative impact on their performance and 46.5 per cent had not been to the dentist in the past year.
Professor Needleman said: “Oral health could be an easy win for athletes, as the oral conditions that can affect performance are all easily preventable.
“Professional athletes and their teams spend a lot of time and money on ways to marginally improving performance, as this can make all the difference in elite sports.
"Simple strategies to prevent oral health problems can offer marginal performance gains that require little to no additional time or money. Things like better tooth brushing techniques and higher fluoride toothpastes could prevent the toothache and associated sleeping and training difficulties that can make the crucial difference between gold and silver.”
The intense dietary and training pressures on athletes could put them at high risk of oral health problems for many reasons. Saliva helps to protect teeth from decay and erosion, so dehydration and drying of the mouth could increase the risk of oral health problems, they said.
The amount of energy that athletes need for training often means they have high-carbohydrate diets and regularly use sugary, acidic energy drinks that may contribute to decay and erosion in athletes’ teeth.
Prof Needleman added: “We do not want to demonise energy drinks and are not saying that athletes shouldn’t be using them.
“However, people should be aware of the risks to oral health and can take simple measures to mitigate these. For example, water or hypotonic drinks are likely to be more suitable for simple hydration, and spit don’t rinse after tooth brushing. For sports where athletes need a lot of energy drinks, high fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses should be seriously considered.”
Dr Mike Loosemoore, Lead Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said: “I think this is an important consensus statement. My experience of instituting a programme of improving oral health in elite sportsman has had a very positive effect.”
The team found 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women, showed that tooth decay affected up to three quarters of athletes; moderate to severe gum disease up to 15 per cent; enamel erosion between one third and eight in ten; and infected or impacted molars affected between one in 20 and one in three.
Athletes from rich countries were no less likely to be affected than those from poor countries, the data showed. And, overall, the dental health of athletes was on a par with that of non-athletes living in deprived communities.
Sportsmen and women participating in disciplines were aesthetics and weight are important such as boxing, horse riding and gymnastics are also prone to eating disorders which are known to affect oral health.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11158740/Why-sugary-sports-drinks-may-be-slowing-athletes-down.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/29002.html
Sports drinks and a high carb diet could actually be holding back elite athletes in competition, it has been suggested, as poor oral health affects their performance.
Research has found that almost one in five athletes have suffered in competition because of poor oral health and almost half have not been to the dentist in the past year.
Yet good brushing, flossing and even high fluoride mouthwashes can counter the effects of sugary sports drinks and improve performance, University College London experts said.
A third of the medical visits during the London Olympics was for dental treatment and demand has increased at competitions since, they said.
In a consensus statement published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the authors call for action to tackle poor oral health among athletes.
Athletes with poor dental health are likely to suffer pain, difficulties sleeping and eating, general inflammation, a dent to their confidence and may be generally out of sorts, all of which could be detrimental to their performance, they suggest.
They said that simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies.
The statement came out of the Oral Health and Performance in Sport collaboration led by Professor Ian Needleman of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Professor Fares Haddad of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH).
A UCL survey at the London 2012 Olympic Games found that 18 per cent of athletes said that their oral health had a negative impact on their performance and 46.5 per cent had not been to the dentist in the past year.
Professor Needleman said: “Oral health could be an easy win for athletes, as the oral conditions that can affect performance are all easily preventable.
“Professional athletes and their teams spend a lot of time and money on ways to marginally improving performance, as this can make all the difference in elite sports.
"Simple strategies to prevent oral health problems can offer marginal performance gains that require little to no additional time or money. Things like better tooth brushing techniques and higher fluoride toothpastes could prevent the toothache and associated sleeping and training difficulties that can make the crucial difference between gold and silver.”
The intense dietary and training pressures on athletes could put them at high risk of oral health problems for many reasons. Saliva helps to protect teeth from decay and erosion, so dehydration and drying of the mouth could increase the risk of oral health problems, they said.
The amount of energy that athletes need for training often means they have high-carbohydrate diets and regularly use sugary, acidic energy drinks that may contribute to decay and erosion in athletes’ teeth.
Prof Needleman added: “We do not want to demonise energy drinks and are not saying that athletes shouldn’t be using them.
“However, people should be aware of the risks to oral health and can take simple measures to mitigate these. For example, water or hypotonic drinks are likely to be more suitable for simple hydration, and spit don’t rinse after tooth brushing. For sports where athletes need a lot of energy drinks, high fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses should be seriously considered.”
Dr Mike Loosemoore, Lead Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said: “I think this is an important consensus statement. My experience of instituting a programme of improving oral health in elite sportsman has had a very positive effect.”
The team found 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women, showed that tooth decay affected up to three quarters of athletes; moderate to severe gum disease up to 15 per cent; enamel erosion between one third and eight in ten; and infected or impacted molars affected between one in 20 and one in three.
Athletes from rich countries were no less likely to be affected than those from poor countries, the data showed. And, overall, the dental health of athletes was on a par with that of non-athletes living in deprived communities.
Sportsmen and women participating in disciplines were aesthetics and weight are important such as boxing, horse riding and gymnastics are also prone to eating disorders which are known to affect oral health.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11158740/Why-sugary-sports-drinks-may-be-slowing-athletes-down.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/29002.html
Athletes' Poor Oral Health Results From Diet, Eating Disorders, And Sugary Sports Drinks
Recent evidence has shown that changes in saliva caused by exercise can lead to poor dental health in the form of tooth decay, cavities, and even gum disease. Dental health, sport, and exercise medicine experts from the United Kingdom and North America have released The Consensus Statement to shed light on poor dental health among athletes and how it is impacted by training and performance.
"With clear psychosocial impacts of oral health, it would be surprising if training and performance were not affected in those athletes with poor oral health," the authors of the study said in a statement. "To achieve a sustained effect, oral health should be embedded within other aspects of health promotion, taking into account the structural issues and inter-relationship of athletes within their sport and peer networks. National sport funders and policy organizations should take a lead in integrating such an approach."
Researchers from the UK and North America conducted a thorough review of published evidence, including 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women. Among the effects of poor dental health experienced by elite or professional athletes, 15 to 75 percent suffer from tooth decay, up to 15 percent are affected by moderate to severe gum disease, 36 to 85 percent deal with enamel erosion, and five to 39 percent are treated for pericoronitis/impacted molars.
Around 14 to 57 percent of athletes in high-risk sports reported dental damage caused by trauma. While it was no surprise that around two-thirds of athletes who sustained trauma to their teeth reported adverse effects, around 40 percent said that their poor dental health “bothered” them and affected their quality of life. Between one in 20 and one in five also said their poor dental health had an effect on their performance. Performance woes experienced by athletes with poor dental health was likely the result of pain, trouble sleeping and eating, systemic inflammation, and a problem with confidence.
As to what causes poor dental health among athletes, the research team cited various contributing factors related to their diet, including a diet high in carbohydrates and acidic sports drinks that break down enamel. The impact of these contributing factors can be exasperated by a dry mouth during performance. Eating disorders, especially among sports where body weight becomes an important part of competition (i.e. boxing, wrestling, gymnastics, and long distance running), can also cause significant damage to an athlete’s teeth.
Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/athletes-poor-oral-health-results-diet-eating-disorders-and-sugary-sports-drinks-306921
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/28824.html
Why sugary sports drinks may be slowing athletes down
Poor oral health could be harming the chances of elite athletes in competition, it has been warned, after experts found sugary sports drinks cause damage to the teeth of one in five
Simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies
Sports drinks and a high carb diet could actually be holding back elite athletes in competition, it has been suggested, as poor oral health affects their performance.
Research has found that almost one in five athletes have suffered in competition because of poor oral health and almost half have not been to the dentist in the past year.
Yet good brushing, flossing and even high fluoride mouthwashes can counter the effects of sugary sports drinks and improve performance, University College London experts said.
A third of the medical visits during the London Olympics was for dental treatment and demand has increased at competitions since, they said.
In a consensus statement published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the authors call for action to tackle poor oral health among athletes.
Athletes with poor dental health are likely to suffer pain, difficulties sleeping and eating, general inflammation, a dent to their confidence and may be generally out of sorts, all of which could be detrimental to their performance, they suggest.
They said that simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies.
The statement came out of the Oral Health and Performance in Sport collaboration led by Professor Ian Needleman of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Professor Fares Haddad of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH).
A UCL survey at the London 2012 Olympic Games found that 18 per cent of athletes said that their oral health had a negative impact on their performance and 46.5 per cent had not been to the dentist in the past year.
Professor Needleman said: “Oral health could be an easy win for athletes, as the oral conditions that can affect performance are all easily preventable.
“Professional athletes and their teams spend a lot of time and money on ways to marginally improving performance, as this can make all the difference in elite sports.
"Simple strategies to prevent oral health problems can offer marginal performance gains that require little to no additional time or money. Things like better tooth brushing techniques and higher fluoride toothpastes could prevent the toothache and associated sleeping and training difficulties that can make the crucial difference between gold and silver.”
The intense dietary and training pressures on athletes could put them at high risk of oral health problems for many reasons. Saliva helps to protect teeth from decay and erosion, so dehydration and drying of the mouth could increase the risk of oral health problems, they said.
The amount of energy that athletes need for training often means they have high-carbohydrate diets and regularly use sugary, acidic energy drinks that may contribute to decay and erosion in athletes’ teeth.
Prof Needleman added: “We do not want to demonise energy drinks and are not saying that athletes shouldn’t be using them.
“However, people should be aware of the risks to oral health and can take simple measures to mitigate these. For example, water or hypotonic drinks are likely to be more suitable for simple hydration, and spit don’t rinse after tooth brushing. For sports where athletes need a lot of energy drinks, high fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses should be seriously considered.”
Dr Mike Loosemoore, Lead Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said: “I think this is an important consensus statement. My experience of instituting a programme of improving oral health in elite sportsman has had a very positive effect.”
The team found 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women, showed that tooth decay affected up to three quarters of athletes; moderate to severe gum disease up to 15 per cent; enamel erosion between one third and eight in ten; and infected or impacted molars affected between one in 20 and one in three.
Athletes from rich countries were no less likely to be affected than those from poor countries, the data showed. And, overall, the dental health of athletes was on a par with that of non-athletes living in deprived communities.
Sportsmen and women participating in disciplines were aesthetics and weight are important such as boxing, horse riding and gymnastics are also prone to eating disorders which are known to affect oral health.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11158740/Why-sugary-sports-drinks-may-be-slowing-athletes-down.html
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Sports drinks and a high carb diet could actually be holding back elite athletes in competition, it has been suggested, as poor oral health affects their performance.
Research has found that almost one in five athletes have suffered in competition because of poor oral health and almost half have not been to the dentist in the past year.
Yet good brushing, flossing and even high fluoride mouthwashes can counter the effects of sugary sports drinks and improve performance, University College London experts said.
A third of the medical visits during the London Olympics was for dental treatment and demand has increased at competitions since, they said.
In a consensus statement published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the authors call for action to tackle poor oral health among athletes.
Athletes with poor dental health are likely to suffer pain, difficulties sleeping and eating, general inflammation, a dent to their confidence and may be generally out of sorts, all of which could be detrimental to their performance, they suggest.
They said that simple measures such as encouraging better brushing and flossing could provide the same marginal performance gains as expensive physical therapies.
The statement came out of the Oral Health and Performance in Sport collaboration led by Professor Ian Needleman of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Professor Fares Haddad of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH).
A UCL survey at the London 2012 Olympic Games found that 18 per cent of athletes said that their oral health had a negative impact on their performance and 46.5 per cent had not been to the dentist in the past year.
Professor Needleman said: “Oral health could be an easy win for athletes, as the oral conditions that can affect performance are all easily preventable.
“Professional athletes and their teams spend a lot of time and money on ways to marginally improving performance, as this can make all the difference in elite sports.
"Simple strategies to prevent oral health problems can offer marginal performance gains that require little to no additional time or money. Things like better tooth brushing techniques and higher fluoride toothpastes could prevent the toothache and associated sleeping and training difficulties that can make the crucial difference between gold and silver.”
The intense dietary and training pressures on athletes could put them at high risk of oral health problems for many reasons. Saliva helps to protect teeth from decay and erosion, so dehydration and drying of the mouth could increase the risk of oral health problems, they said.
The amount of energy that athletes need for training often means they have high-carbohydrate diets and regularly use sugary, acidic energy drinks that may contribute to decay and erosion in athletes’ teeth.
Prof Needleman added: “We do not want to demonise energy drinks and are not saying that athletes shouldn’t be using them.
“However, people should be aware of the risks to oral health and can take simple measures to mitigate these. For example, water or hypotonic drinks are likely to be more suitable for simple hydration, and spit don’t rinse after tooth brushing. For sports where athletes need a lot of energy drinks, high fluoride toothpastes and mouthrinses should be seriously considered.”
Dr Mike Loosemoore, Lead Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said: “I think this is an important consensus statement. My experience of instituting a programme of improving oral health in elite sportsman has had a very positive effect.”
The team found 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women, showed that tooth decay affected up to three quarters of athletes; moderate to severe gum disease up to 15 per cent; enamel erosion between one third and eight in ten; and infected or impacted molars affected between one in 20 and one in three.
Athletes from rich countries were no less likely to be affected than those from poor countries, the data showed. And, overall, the dental health of athletes was on a par with that of non-athletes living in deprived communities.
Sportsmen and women participating in disciplines were aesthetics and weight are important such as boxing, horse riding and gymnastics are also prone to eating disorders which are known to affect oral health.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11158740/Why-sugary-sports-drinks-may-be-slowing-athletes-down.html
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Athletes' Poor Oral Health Results From Diet, Eating Disorders, And Sugary Sports Drinks
Recent evidence has shown that changes in saliva caused by exercise can lead to poor dental health in the form of tooth decay, cavities, and even gum disease. Dental health, sport, and exercise medicine experts from the United Kingdom and North America have released The Consensus Statement to shed light on poor dental health among athletes and how it is impacted by training and performance.
"With clear psychosocial impacts of oral health, it would be surprising if training and performance were not affected in those athletes with poor oral health," the authors of the study said in a statement. "To achieve a sustained effect, oral health should be embedded within other aspects of health promotion, taking into account the structural issues and inter-relationship of athletes within their sport and peer networks. National sport funders and policy organizations should take a lead in integrating such an approach."
Researchers from the UK and North America conducted a thorough review of published evidence, including 39 studies on elite or professional sports men and women. Among the effects of poor dental health experienced by elite or professional athletes, 15 to 75 percent suffer from tooth decay, up to 15 percent are affected by moderate to severe gum disease, 36 to 85 percent deal with enamel erosion, and five to 39 percent are treated for pericoronitis/impacted molars.
Around 14 to 57 percent of athletes in high-risk sports reported dental damage caused by trauma. While it was no surprise that around two-thirds of athletes who sustained trauma to their teeth reported adverse effects, around 40 percent said that their poor dental health “bothered” them and affected their quality of life. Between one in 20 and one in five also said their poor dental health had an effect on their performance. Performance woes experienced by athletes with poor dental health was likely the result of pain, trouble sleeping and eating, systemic inflammation, and a problem with confidence.
As to what causes poor dental health among athletes, the research team cited various contributing factors related to their diet, including a diet high in carbohydrates and acidic sports drinks that break down enamel. The impact of these contributing factors can be exasperated by a dry mouth during performance. Eating disorders, especially among sports where body weight becomes an important part of competition (i.e. boxing, wrestling, gymnastics, and long distance running), can also cause significant damage to an athlete’s teeth.
Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/athletes-poor-oral-health-results-diet-eating-disorders-and-sugary-sports-drinks-306921
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/28244.html
9 Oct 2014
Oral health a major threat to public health, says India President
New Delhi: Underlining that oral diseases pose a major threat to public health, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said that they have become leading health problems resulting from tobacco use, alcohol and changing life style. Inaugurating the FDI Annual World Dental Congress hosted by the Indian Dental Association at Greater Noida, Mukherjee said that most people are ignorant of the significance of oral health and its impact on general health.
"The standards of oral and dental health are challenging in this subcontinent. Most people are ignorant of the significance of oral health and its impact on general health. Oral diseases and tooth decay were considered a part of the ageing process and ignored by a large number of people," he said at the function.
Mukherjee complimented FDI and the United Nations for recognition of oral diseases as a part of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer, on account of their sharing certain common risk factors.
Inaugurating the FDI Annual World Dental Congress hosted by the Indian Dental Association at Greater Noida, Mukherjee said that most people are ignorant of the significance of oral health and its impact on general health.
"What we need today in India is an Oral Health Revolution similar to the Green Revolution and White Revolution," the President said. He said that dental caries affect 60-80 per cent of our children and periodontal (gum) disease affect nearly 90-95 per cent of the population.
The President also highlighted surge in oral cancer cases in the country with tobacco use being the leading cause behind the fatal disease. "Dentists often are the first to detect any pre-cancerous lesions in the mouth. I am informed that IDA has set up an Oral Cancer Foundation for early detection and treatment of oral cancer along with Tobacco Intervention Initiative for tobacco cessation," he said.
Mukherjee said that an Oral Cancer Registry has also been set up to register exclusively oral cancer cases. The President said that there is a need to sensitize school children about the basic needs of oral healthcare with an emphasis on general health.
"Regular dental check-up camps at schools, which IDA has been organizing, will spread awareness of oral health and hygiene. IDA must work out with the school authorities to reach the maximum number of schools for preventive oral healthcare amongst the school children," he said. The President said with the spread of information about the diseases among patients and their expectations bring a challenge before the professional capabilities of healthcare service providers.
"To meet these expectations, you need to devise methodology to deliver comfortable and affordable dental care to the community and adopt innovative procedures and technology," he said. The President said the use of information technology and digitalisation of patient records have given a new dimension to oral healthcare.
"Latest technologies have significantly improved diagnostic quality, patient comfort and efficiency in dental care. Healthcare is under digital transformation and it is redefining virtually every aspect of clinical practice and related business activity," he said. The President said that IDA must work out how the young population of the country can be utilised by skilling more number of people in oral healthcare sector with the twin purpose of generating the employment as well as creating access of quality oral healthcare to over 1.2 billion population of this country.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oral-health-a-major-threat-to-public-health-says-president/498236-3.html
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"The standards of oral and dental health are challenging in this subcontinent. Most people are ignorant of the significance of oral health and its impact on general health. Oral diseases and tooth decay were considered a part of the ageing process and ignored by a large number of people," he said at the function.
Mukherjee complimented FDI and the United Nations for recognition of oral diseases as a part of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer, on account of their sharing certain common risk factors.
"What we need today in India is an Oral Health Revolution similar to the Green Revolution and White Revolution," the President said. He said that dental caries affect 60-80 per cent of our children and periodontal (gum) disease affect nearly 90-95 per cent of the population.
The President also highlighted surge in oral cancer cases in the country with tobacco use being the leading cause behind the fatal disease. "Dentists often are the first to detect any pre-cancerous lesions in the mouth. I am informed that IDA has set up an Oral Cancer Foundation for early detection and treatment of oral cancer along with Tobacco Intervention Initiative for tobacco cessation," he said.
Mukherjee said that an Oral Cancer Registry has also been set up to register exclusively oral cancer cases. The President said that there is a need to sensitize school children about the basic needs of oral healthcare with an emphasis on general health.
"Regular dental check-up camps at schools, which IDA has been organizing, will spread awareness of oral health and hygiene. IDA must work out with the school authorities to reach the maximum number of schools for preventive oral healthcare amongst the school children," he said. The President said with the spread of information about the diseases among patients and their expectations bring a challenge before the professional capabilities of healthcare service providers.
"To meet these expectations, you need to devise methodology to deliver comfortable and affordable dental care to the community and adopt innovative procedures and technology," he said. The President said the use of information technology and digitalisation of patient records have given a new dimension to oral healthcare.
"Latest technologies have significantly improved diagnostic quality, patient comfort and efficiency in dental care. Healthcare is under digital transformation and it is redefining virtually every aspect of clinical practice and related business activity," he said. The President said that IDA must work out how the young population of the country can be utilised by skilling more number of people in oral healthcare sector with the twin purpose of generating the employment as well as creating access of quality oral healthcare to over 1.2 billion population of this country.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oral-health-a-major-threat-to-public-health-says-president/498236-3.html
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/27970.html
The importance of good oral health
Good oral health doesn't begin and end with brushing their teeth after meals. While this practice is commendable, it is not enough. Food particles, especially those at the back of the teeth and in hard-to-reach areas, may remain lodged, causing a host of alarming oral health problems. These include halitosis (bad breath), gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (a gum infection that damages soft tissue and the teeth’s bone support).
Food particles that are not removed by regular brushing may be used as fuel by anaerobic bacteria (bad bacteria) so they can multiply. These bacteria may cause dental problems such as tartar, plaque, and cavities, among others. They also release gaseous elements called volatile sulfur compounds, which are identified as major sources of strong odors in the mouth.
In addition to brushing, most dentists recommend flossing as part of regular oral hygiene. Many also recommend the use of mouthwash, especially if there are problems with oral malodor. Despite these advisories, patients still fail to comply. There are several reasons for non-compliance and one of these may be because the alcohol-based mouthwash they use stings the mouth and leaves a strong aftertaste.
No-sting OraCare Mouthrinse is specially formulated with stabilized chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and purified water for a more pleasurable gargling experience. It is an effective way of eliminating harmful bacteria and odor-causing compounds in the mouth.
OraCare is the only mouthwash brand available in leading drugstores and grocery stores nationwide that contains stabilized chlorine dioxide. While it delivers the same benefits as the alcohol-based variants such as killing bad bacteria, preventing plaque build-up and promoting healthy gums, OraCare’s ClO2 also neutralizes foul odor-causing compounds for a really clean mouth. Plus, as an added benefit, it does not stain teeth, even with regular use, unlike mouth rinses that contain chlorhexidine.
Made by Pascual Laboratories, OraCare Mouthrinse has three variants (Cool, Regular and Merrymint) and comes in 80mL, 250mL and 500mL sizes (except Merrymint). It is available in major drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.
Source: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/06/the-importance-of-good-oral-health/
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/27735.html
Food particles that are not removed by regular brushing may be used as fuel by anaerobic bacteria (bad bacteria) so they can multiply. These bacteria may cause dental problems such as tartar, plaque, and cavities, among others. They also release gaseous elements called volatile sulfur compounds, which are identified as major sources of strong odors in the mouth.
In addition to brushing, most dentists recommend flossing as part of regular oral hygiene. Many also recommend the use of mouthwash, especially if there are problems with oral malodor. Despite these advisories, patients still fail to comply. There are several reasons for non-compliance and one of these may be because the alcohol-based mouthwash they use stings the mouth and leaves a strong aftertaste.
No-sting OraCare Mouthrinse is specially formulated with stabilized chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and purified water for a more pleasurable gargling experience. It is an effective way of eliminating harmful bacteria and odor-causing compounds in the mouth.
OraCare is the only mouthwash brand available in leading drugstores and grocery stores nationwide that contains stabilized chlorine dioxide. While it delivers the same benefits as the alcohol-based variants such as killing bad bacteria, preventing plaque build-up and promoting healthy gums, OraCare’s ClO2 also neutralizes foul odor-causing compounds for a really clean mouth. Plus, as an added benefit, it does not stain teeth, even with regular use, unlike mouth rinses that contain chlorhexidine.
Made by Pascual Laboratories, OraCare Mouthrinse has three variants (Cool, Regular and Merrymint) and comes in 80mL, 250mL and 500mL sizes (except Merrymint). It is available in major drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.
Source: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2014/10/06/the-importance-of-good-oral-health/
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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/27735.html
2 Oct 2014
How often do you need to see a dentist?
A lot of us think that we should visit the dentist every six months – even if it’s not what we do in practice. Whether those biannual check-ups are really necessary is, however, a matter of debate. In fact, it’s not even clear where the six-month figure initially came from. Some believe it dates back to the 18th Century, long before the advent of randomised controlled trials that could test its benefits.
People with a lot of problems with their teeth do, of course, need to visit the dentist often. But what about everyone else? Permanent teeth are more vulnerable to decay soon after they’ve come through, so when children have just grown their first permanent teeth at the ages of six to eight they need those regular check-ups. In the teens, teeth are less vulnerable, until wisdom teeth come through in your twenties. So the risk varies at different times of life.
In 2000, three-quarters of dentists surveyed in New York were recommending six monthly check-ups, despite the absence of studies examining whether the frequency of visits made a difference to patients at low-risk of tooth decay or gum disease. Today, many organisations such as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry still recommend six monthly check-ups.
But for several decades some have been arguing that the choice of six months as the ideal space between visits is rather arbitrary. Back in 1977 Aubrey Sheiham, a professor of dental public health at University College London, published a paper in The Lancet bemoaning the lack of evidence for six monthly check-ups. Almost 40 years on, he’s still making the same point.
In 2003 a systematic review examined the research that had then been done. The results were mixed. Some studies found no difference between the number of decayed teeth, fillings or missing teeth in those who attended the dentist frequently and those who didn’t, while other studies found fewer fillings in those who went a lot. When it came to gums most research found no difference in the amount of bleeding, plaque or gingivitis in permanent teeth. One study found that going to the dentist more than once a year made no difference to the size of tumours at diagnosis with oral cancer, while another found that if people waited more than a year between visits, tumours could be more advanced when they were found.
Last year the Cochrane Collaboration performed a similar systematic review of the research, and they were disappointed with what they found. The quality and quantity of the research was simply too poor to back up or refute the idea of six-monthly check-ups. They found just one controlled study where patients were randomised to attend the dentist either annually or every two years. Those who went annually did better, but it’s possible that the dental staff knew whether patients were in the annual or two-yearly group, which could have influenced the treatment they received and biased the results.
There’s something else we have to bear in mind. Even when a study finds, for example, that children who go to the dentist frequently have fewer fillings, there may be other factors at work. Those same children may have other advantages; they may belong to a higher socio-economic group, eat more healthily and have better quality dental equipment.
There is a secondary purpose to dental visits. Even if the dentist doesn’t spot any problems, they are likely to remind you to keep on caring for your teeth and cleaning them properly – although there’s no consensus about the best way of doing that either.
How often should you visit the dentist, then? Bodies like Nice, which provides guidance for the National Health Service in England and Wales, say that the frequency of dental visits all depends on the individual. They recommend that children go at least once a year because their teeth can decay faster, while adults without problems can wait as long as two years. They even go as far as to say that longer than two years is OK for people who have shown commitment to caring for their teeth and gums. Similar advice is given elsewhere. An expert group reviewing the evidence in Finland back in 2001 recommended that under-18s who are at low risk could visit between every 18 months and two years.
Where does this leave the rest of us the next time we receive a card through the door reminding us our next dental visit is due? We’d all like an excuse to go less often, and the good news is that if you don’t have any problems you can probably wait a little longer than six months between visits. But exactly how long you can wait before your appointment with the dentist’s chair will depend on the assessment you and your dentist make of your individual risk.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140926-how-often-must-we-see-a-dentist
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