Brush teeth before sleep for healthy smile

How often do you attend late night parties and then use plain laziness as an excuse for not brushing your teeth before sleep? Better not forget that cleaning your teeth daily as just one "miss" begins the process of cavity and plaque building.



And don't trust gum, mints or mouthwash as brushing replacements.



"All three can give your mouth a fresher feel but brushing and flossing are the only ways to effectively physically remove the plaque," Indian-origin dentist Deepinder Ruchi Sahota from Fremont, California was quoted as saying in media reports.



According to Sahota, also a spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA), missing night brushing encourages the growth of bacterial buildup in the form of plaque that can lead to cavities and gum disease.



"The longer plaque sits in one place the more likely it is to become tartar - a hard, yellow, rough material in between your teeth," she added.



This can later cause inflammation and bleeding in the gums.



"Untreated for too long and you could risk losing teeth," she emphasized.



Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Brush-teeth-before-sleep-for-healthy-smile/articleshow/42625497.cms



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/26571.html

Simple Teeth Whitening Solutions Revealed: Importance and the Benefits

There are numerous reasons why smile is one of the most important aspects of a person. The primary reason being that your smile reflects your character. It makes the very first impression on others, and if you are comfortable with your smile, your confidence level is bound to soar.



Teeth Whitening is in vogue right now, and people over 70-years of age are also trying it out. Your teeth can get stained due to numerous reasons such as genetic structure, food habits, antibiotics and age.



Your teeth can get discolored naturally too due to changes in the dentin and enamel. Smoking, drinking red wine, tea or coffee can stain your teeth too. Contrary to popular belief, Teeth Whitening can be done successfully at home too, although, they take a lot more time than the professional products available at the dentists’.



Store-bought teeth whitening solutions are safe and should be used under proper guidance mentioned on the pack. This is the primary reason why most people still opt for professional help.



Apart from teeth whitening, regular cleaning is crucial, as its absence is bound to lead to significant damage. Teeth Whitening can have its side effects too if not done properly and the most common problem that people face is sensitivity.



However, there are numerous ways by which this can be avoided. Hence, there is nothing to worry about as long as you got a professional taking care of the situation.



Looking for Teeth Whitening solutions? Choose a dentist carefully!



Source: http://airherald.com/simple-teeth-whitening-solutions-revealed-importance-and-the-benefits/10412/



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/26210.html

Removing Wisdom Teeth – Is It Wise?

When a dentist suggests removing someone’s wisdom teeth, many parents or young adults do not think twice and made appointments. For people in their 40s and 50s, removing the wisdom teeth was a milestone like getting a driver’s license and graduating high school. The assumption was that the wisdom teeth were going to cause problems, so get them before they can. But today, that assumption is being questioned.



For many, removing the wisdom teeth is still a right of passage – at least in the U.S. In other areas and some circles here, the latest thinking is that removing wisdom teeth may not be needed.



What are Wisdom Teeth and Reasons for Removing Them?



Wisdom teeth are the third molars. They usually come in when a person is in their late teens or supposedly once someone has matured and gained “wisdom.” Because not everyone’s jaw can accommodate 34 teeth, they sometimes come in at odd angles or do not descend below the gum line at all (i.e., are impacted).



According to a 2007 American Journal of Public Health report cited in the Wall Street Journal, 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted each year. Reasons given for the procedure range from the weak to the unlikely:



If the wisdom teeth are not removed at a young age, people are simply postponing the inevitable.

There is not always enough room in the mouth for wisdom teeth to grow properly. Whether they do break through or remain impacted, they many crowd the other teeth. Wisdom teeth can come in at an awkward angle or push straight teeth out of alignment (ruining all that orthodontia!)

In teens and those in their early 20s, the wisdom tooth’s roots are not fully developed and the jaw bone is not as dense, so it is easier to remove the tooth at that age. Consequently, the recovery should be the easier too.

Wisdom teeth are difficult to reach and clean so they may develop decay and gum disease.

If wisdom teeth only break partway through the gums, a flap of gum tissue typically grows over them. Food can get trapped under the flap, which then becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and causes gums to become swollen, and infected.

If a cyst forms around a wisdom tooth that is impacted, it could permanently damage nearby teeth and the jaw.

If someone has a medical condition that could get worse as they age, it makes sense to have the wisdom teeth removed before the condition precludes it. Wisdom tooth extraction like any surgery poses risks for complications.

Guidelines Evolving Today



The guidelines from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons’ (the people who usually do wisdom teeth extractions) have changed in the last few years. In 2010, removal of wisdom teeth was still preferred if there was insufficient space for them. By 2012, the Association began to recommend regular monitoring of the teeth when the patient is a young adult to determine if they should be retained or removed. A panel of experts could not reach a decision whether they should be removed or not.



In England, the thinking has changed too. Removing wisdom teeth used to be one of the most common procedures, according to the National Health Service. But now, Britain’s National Health Service stopped paying for the procedure if there was no good reason for it.



So, what should an adolescent or parent do? If a dentist recommends removing wisdom teeth, ask why? What other options are there? After all, while it is rarely harmful to one’s health to have the wisdom teeth removed, it costs a lot (many dental plans only cover part of the cost) and there are health risks involved with any surgery.





Read more at: http://guardianlv.com/2014/09/removing-wisdom-teeth-is-it-wise



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/26053.html

How coffee can save your Discover

Chugging a daily cup of joe may have you spewing sour coffee breath, but it also might pack some sweet rewards, too. Research from Boston University suggests that drinking coffee can help protect your chompers from periodontal disease, the inflammation of your gums and jawbone.



After studying more than 1,000 men for up to 30 years, the researchers found that those who drank one or more cups of coffee each day had fewer teeth with bone loss--the hallmark of periodontal disease which can lead to loosening and ultimately loss of your teeth. The researchers also found no evidence that even moderate or heavy coffee drinking was associated with any other markers of periodontal damage, such as bleeding of the gums or development of bacteria-collecting pockets around the teeth. (Is there a more brain-dead time than the 2 minutes you spend brushing your teeth?



The researchers believe that the antioxidants in the coffee may explain the protective measure of the brew.



“They could be muting the body’s own inflammatory processes that normally would be harmful to the gums and the jawbone supporting the teeth,” said study author Raul Garcia, D.M.D. (The oil pulling teeth whitening trend is popular again, but it may make you want to gag. Would You Do THIS for Whiter Teeth?)



Now, coffee will still stain your teeth, Garcia said, but you don’t have to worry about it leading to any dental demise. Plus, it’s less acidic than many other common beverages, like fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks. According to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition, all of those drinks--but not coffee--were shown to weaken teeth’s protective enamel.



Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/07/how-coffee-can-save-your-teeth/



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/25733.html

Warning to parents on high acidity drinks

Dental researchers at the University of Adelaide are warning parents of the dangers of soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks and other drinks high in acidity, which form part of a "triple-threat" of permanent damage to young people's teeth.




For the first time, researchers have been able to demonstrate that lifelong damage is caused by acidity to the teeth within the first 30 seconds of acid attack.



The researchers say drinks high in acidity combined with night-time tooth grinding and reflux can cause major, irreversible damage to young people's teeth.



"Dental erosion is an issue of growing concern in developed countries, and it is often only detected clinically after extensive tooth wear has occurred," says Dr Sarbin Ranjitkar, corresponding author of a paper on tooth enamel erosion published in the Journal of Dentistry. Dr Ranjitkar is a member of the University's Craniofacial Biology Research Group, which is part of the Centre for Orofacial Research and Learning. The research was conducted by School of Dentistry Honours student Chelsea Mann.



"Such erosion can lead to a lifetime of compromised dental health that may require complex and extensive rehabilitation - but it is also preventable with minimal intervention," Dr Ranjitkar says.



Speaking during the Australian Dental Association's Dental Health Week (4-10 August), Dr Ranjitkar says the number of cases of tooth erosion from the consumption of acidic beverages is on the rise in children and young adults.



"Often, children and adolescents grind their teeth at night, and they can have undiagnosed regurgitation or reflux, which brings with it acidity from the stomach. Combined with drinks high in acidity, this creates a triple threat to young people's teeth which can cause long-term damage to teeth," he says.



Dr Ranjitkar says parents should minimise consumption of any kind of soft drinks, sports drink, fruit juice or acidic foods to their children.



"Our research has shown that permanent damage to the tooth enamel will occur within the first 30 seconds of high acidity coming into contact with the teeth. This is an important finding and it suggests that such drinks are best avoided.



"If high acidity drinks are consumed, it is not simply a matter of having a child clean their teeth an hour or 30 minutes later and hoping they'll be okay - the damage is already done," he says.



Dr Ranjitkar suggests children consume fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. "Although fresh fruit is naturally acidic, it is a healthier option to fruit juice, which can have additional food acids in it. The important thing to appreciate is that there is a balance between acids and host protection in a healthy mouth. Once that balance is shifted in favour of the acids, regardless of the type of acid, teeth become damaged," he says.



Source: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news72162.html



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/25390.html

Tooth plaque provides unique insights into our prehistoric ancestors' diet

An international team of researchers has found new evidence that our prehistoric ancestors had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture. By extracting chemical compounds and microfossils from dental calculus (calcified dental plaque) from ancient teeth, the researchers were able to provide an entirely new perspective on our ancestors' diets. Their research suggests that purple nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus) -- today regarded as a nuisance weed -- formed an important part of the prehistoric diet.




An international team of researchers has found new evidence that our prehistoric ancestors had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture.



By extracting chemical compounds and microfossils from dental calculus (calcified dental plaque) from ancient teeth, the researchers were able to provide an entirely new perspective on our ancestors' diets. Their research suggests that purple nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus) -- today regarded as a nuisance weed -- formed an important part of the prehistoric diet.

Crucially, the research, published in PLOS ONE and led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the University of York, suggests that prehistoric people living in Central Sudan may have understood both the nutritional and medicinal qualities of this and other plants.

The research was carried out at Al Khiday, a pre-historic site on the White Nile in Central Sudan. It demonstrates that for at least 7,000 years, beginning before the development of agriculture and continuing after agricultural plants were also available the people of Al Khiday ate the plant purple nut sedge. The plant is a good source of carbohydrates and has many useful medicinal and aromatic qualities.

Lead author Karen Hardy, a Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) Research Professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and an Honorary Research Associate at the University of York, said: "Purple nut sedge is today considered to be a scourge in tropical and sub-tropical regions and has been called the world's most expensive weed due to the difficulties and high costs of eradication from agricultural areas. By extracting material from samples of ancient dental calculus we have found that rather than being a nuisance in the past, its value as a food, and possibly its abundant medicinal qualities were known. More recently, it was also used by the ancient Egyptians as perfume and as medicine.

"We also discovered that these people ate several other plants and we found traces of smoke, evidence for cooking, and for chewing plant fibres to prepare raw materials. These small biographical details add to the growing evidence that prehistoric people had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture."

Al Khiday is a complex of five archaeological sites which lie 25km south of Omdurman; one of the sites is predominantly a burial ground of pre-Mesolithic, Neolithic and Later Meroitic age. As a multi-period cemetery, it gave the researchers a useful long-term perspective on the material recovered.

The researchers found ingestion of the purple nut sedge in both pre-agricultural and agricultural periods. They suggest that the plant's ability to inhibit Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium which contributes to tooth decay, may have contributed to the unexpectedly low level of cavaties found in the agricultural population.

Dr Stephen Buckley, a Research Fellow at the University of York's BioArCh research facility, conducted the chemical analyses. He said: "The evidence for purple nut sedge was very clear in samples from all the time periods we looked at. This plant was evidently important to the people of Al Khiday, even after agricultural plants had been introduced."

Dr Donatella Usai, from the Instituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente in Rome led the excavation and Dr Tina Jakob from Durham University's Department of Archaeology, performed the analysis of the human remains at Al Khiday. Anita Radini, an Archaeobotanist at the University of Leicester Archaeological Service (ULAS) and a PhD candidate at BioArCh, University of York, contributed to the analysis of microfossils found in the dental calculus samples.

Dr Usai said: "Al Khiday is a unique site in the Nile valley, where a large population lived for many thousands of years. This study demonstrates that they made good use of the locally available wild plant as food, as raw materials, and possibly even as medicine."

Dr Hardy added: "The development of studies on chemical compounds and microfossils extracted from dental calculus will help to counterbalance the dominant focus on meat and protein that has been a feature of pre-agricultural dietary interpretation, up until now. The new access to plants ingested, which is provided by dental calculus analysis, will increase, if not revolutionise, the perception of ecological knowledge and use of plants among earlier prehistoric and pre-agrarian populations."

Fieldwork was funded by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente, Centro Studi Sudanesi e Sub-Sahariani, and the Universities of Milano, Padova and Parma. The research was endorsed by the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) of Sudan.



Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140716141047.htm



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/25176.html

Cosmetic dentistry can improve smiles, health

More than 9 in 10 Americans say a smile is the most important social asset, and three quarters of them say an unattractive smile would hurt a person's career chances.



But only half of adults polled by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry say they are happy with their own smiles. "As a society, we are very smile conscious," said Dr. Ronnie Myers, a professor and vice dean at Columbia University's College of Dental Medicine.



MORE: Watch your mouth! Dental health gives signs to overall well-being



While some may turn to cosmetic dentistry solely for aesthetic purposes, it also can improve dental health, Myers said.



A person with malocclusion, or a misalignment of teeth, who turns to an orthodontist or cosmetic dentist will likely end up with a prettier smile. But straighter teeth also will be easier to clean, potentially leading to better oral health, he said.



There also can be a self-esteem boost that comes with having an improved smile, Myers said.



"There are instances when it is not strictly cosmetic. There's a place for it," he said. "On the other hand, sometimes the sales pitch is worse than what you need."



Myers asks patients why they want cosmetic dentistry and what they want to achieve with improvements to their smile, then proceeds from there to decide what procedure might be best for that patient.



"There are different reasons to do one or the other. If it's just the shade of their teeth that patients are concerned about, well, maybe bleaching is enough. If the patient has very good teeth intact and wants to even them out, maybe veneers are the way to go," he said.



If the dentists suggests cosmetic dentistry, patients can ask several questions to help them decide what is best for them:



• What is your reasoning for it?



• Why do you believe I need it?



• Is it strictly cosmetic or are there health benefits for me?



• What are risks and benefits of it?



If patients are not satisfied with the answers, they should seek second opinions, Myers said.



Source: http://www.app.com/story/life/wellness/2014/08/11/cosmetic-dentistry-can-improve-health/13922329/



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from Affinity Dental Fresno http://affinitydental.livejournal.com/25044.html