Can't resist the most winsome of the holiday temptations? Do you plan on giving in to all the delicious delectable food that you had sacrificed the whole year? Well, you can go ahead...there's no-one to blame you except your teeth! Holiday foods are nice, sweet and full of spice, but can your teeth stand the strain of starch and sugar that you find in cakes, pastries and pies? Generating s. mutans or Streptococcus mutans which is a stubborn bacteria in the oral cavity can precipiatate 'superplaque' which builds up and aided by carbonated drinks and sodas result in damaging the enamel of the teeth. With celebrating all night long, people tend to give their nightly brush a break or skip this important procedure which causes the bacteria to build up and slowly damage the teeth.
Over-the-counter teeth whitening products are being sold in U.S.A. with Americans spending over $1.4 billion to brighten their teeth. But dentists advise that there are holiday foods that can be avoided so people do not have to be conscious of having stained teeth. With even soda, tea and coffee staining the teeth, the other holiday foods that deter a bright smile are hot cocoa, cranberries and blueberry pie. It is advisable to drink tea and coffee with a straw besides brushing the teeth after a meal or chewing gum that would help to maintain sparkling teeth. Striking a yummy note, the to-dos for white teeth include a sweet spectrum that people with a sweet tooth will love! You can indulge in candy that has xylitol and does not build up plaque like the ones with refined sugar. Dark chocolate offers health benefits and does not stick to the teeth while mints and sugar-free gum help when sugary temptations beckon! And, not to miss, another piece of advice would be to avoid hard candies with some of them being chewy which result in tooth decay. Be sure to see your dentist if you have been indulging during the holiday season.
As every dentist would advise, it will be great and definitely very important if people stick to their daily dental routines even during the holiday season. Though people travel to see loved ones during the holiday season or if their daily routine is thrown out of gear, it is imperative to maintain oral hygiene on a daily basis to avoid tooth decay and other unwanted dental problems. Ensure a healthy routine that will keep your teeth white and bright while the holiday season goes on with cheer. Teeth should be brushed after every meal or twice a day and that is...once in the morning and once at night to protect from plaque build up. This should be accompanied by flossing and rinsing the mouth thoroughly.
Whilst the holiday season goes on an uninterrupted travel of sweets, salt and a sticky carousel of candy, be sure to schedule your meals and your snacks without piling on the sugar and salt. Avoid salty and over-sweet foods besides adhering to timely meals and plenty of water as a natural drink. Incorporate healthy choices such as whole-grains, low-fat dairy products, crunchy vegetables and fruits such as apples and carrots that can eliminate bacteria and the gradual build up of plaque. Whether you have been naughty or nice during the holiday season, be sure to see your dentist for a check-up and schedule periodic visits to ensure a healthy set of teeth.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Sports and Energy Drinks Study
AGD Makes National Media Headlines with its Sports and Energy Drinks Study
This week, the AGD issued a press release about a study that was published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, showing that the alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth. Specifically, the study focused on the high acidity levels in the drinks, which cause significant erosion to tooth enamel. As a result, the AGD has secured an expansive amount of national media attention, with resulting articles appearing on:
- CBS National News
- Health.com
- The Huffington Post
- ABC National News
- Yahoo! News
- National Public Radio
- iVillage.com
- WebMD
The AGD has also garnered national TV exposure on the ABC programs, “America This Morning” and “World News Now.” Additionally, the story has been featured on more than 130 segments on local TV news stations across the country, similar to this clip from the local ABC News station in New York City.
Globally, the media coverage the AGD has secured as a result of the press release has reached more than 218 million people.
The AGD encourages you to read the study and press release in preparation for patient questions. If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Henderson, AGD public relations coordinator, at media@agd.org.
Stay tuned for more media coverage!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Oral Cancer - Are You At Risk?
April is Oral Cancer awareness month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year, and more than 8,000 deaths occur annually. The five-year survival rate for oral cancers is roughly 50%.
In observance of Oral Cancer Awareness Month, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends that patients receive a dental exam from a general dentist every six months. Dental exams not only help to decrease a patient’s risk of oral diseases, such as cavities and periodontal disease, but they also may help to diagnose other, sometimes life-threatening medical conditions, such as oral cancer.
“The next time you visit your dentist, ask about an oral cancer screening,” says AGD spokesperson Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, FAGD. “Your dentist will feel for lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, cheeks, and oral cavity and thoroughly examine the soft tissues in your mouth, specifically looking for any sores or discolored tissues. Although you may have already been receiving this screening from your dentist, it’s a good idea to confirm that this screening is a part, and will remain a part, of your regular exam.”
Although oral cancer is sometimes difficult to self-diagnose, warning signs may include bleeding sores, sores that do not heal, lumps, thick, hard spots, soreness or feeling that something is caught in the throat, difficulty chewing or swallowing, ear pain, difficulty moving the jaw or tongue, hoarseness, and numbness of the tongue, as well as changes in the way teeth fit together.
“If it is not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can be deadly. Treatment for advanced stage oral cancer may lead to chronic pain, loss of function, permanent facial and oral disfigurement following surgery,” says Dr. Rhee. “The earlier the cancer is detected and treated, the better the outcome.”
Scientists are not sure of the exact cause of oral cancer. However, risk factors include tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, age, gender (oral cancer strikes men twice as often as it does women), and race (oral cancer occurs more frequently in African Americans than it does in Caucasians). New research has uncovered a connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and oral cancer.
“Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate for cancers of the oral cavity,” says Dr. Rhee. “In addition to brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily, scheduling two visits with your general dentist each year helps to ensure that any concerns are caught early on.”
In observance of Oral Cancer Awareness Month, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends that patients receive a dental exam from a general dentist every six months. Dental exams not only help to decrease a patient’s risk of oral diseases, such as cavities and periodontal disease, but they also may help to diagnose other, sometimes life-threatening medical conditions, such as oral cancer.
“The next time you visit your dentist, ask about an oral cancer screening,” says AGD spokesperson Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, FAGD. “Your dentist will feel for lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, cheeks, and oral cavity and thoroughly examine the soft tissues in your mouth, specifically looking for any sores or discolored tissues. Although you may have already been receiving this screening from your dentist, it’s a good idea to confirm that this screening is a part, and will remain a part, of your regular exam.”
Although oral cancer is sometimes difficult to self-diagnose, warning signs may include bleeding sores, sores that do not heal, lumps, thick, hard spots, soreness or feeling that something is caught in the throat, difficulty chewing or swallowing, ear pain, difficulty moving the jaw or tongue, hoarseness, and numbness of the tongue, as well as changes in the way teeth fit together.
“If it is not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can be deadly. Treatment for advanced stage oral cancer may lead to chronic pain, loss of function, permanent facial and oral disfigurement following surgery,” says Dr. Rhee. “The earlier the cancer is detected and treated, the better the outcome.”
Scientists are not sure of the exact cause of oral cancer. However, risk factors include tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, age, gender (oral cancer strikes men twice as often as it does women), and race (oral cancer occurs more frequently in African Americans than it does in Caucasians). New research has uncovered a connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and oral cancer.
“Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate for cancers of the oral cavity,” says Dr. Rhee. “In addition to brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily, scheduling two visits with your general dentist each year helps to ensure that any concerns are caught early on.”
Friday, February 24, 2012
Quit the Tobacco Habit
If you use tobacco, you are at trisk of developing periodontitis, which can result in loosening or even loss of your teeth. Signs of periodontitis include red swollen gums that bleed, gums that seem to have pulled away from your teeth, constant bad breath or pus between your teeth and gums. You also are at risk of developing oral cancer.
Symptoms of oral cancer include
Talk with your dentist about products that are available to help wean you off nicotine. Adults can buy over-the-counter nicotine replacement products, including skin patches, lozenges and chewing gum. Your dentist may be able to prescribe another delivery method, such as a nasal spray or an inhaler. Prescription medicines also are available that do not deliver nictoine to your system but still help reduce cravings. Any product you choose can have adverse effects, so talk with your dentist about the approach that makes the most sense for you.
What If You Need More Help?
Some people benefit from counseling when trying to stop using tobacco products. One resource is 1-800-QUITNOW. The National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, also has counselors available who can answer questions about quitting (1-877-44U-QUIT). If you are more comfortable talking with someone in person, you can seek counseling from your dentist or physician or from a trained tobacco-use treatment specialist. Contact your state tobacco control program to find out if there are any tobacco-use treatment programs in your state.
Although any one of these approaches can be helpful, studies suggest that people who combine counseling with medication or nicotine repalcement therapy have an easier time giving up tobacco. However you do it, give tobacco the boot. Quitting will greatly reduce your risk of developing tobacco-related diseases -- such as oral cancer -- as well as an early death brought on by tobacco use.
Symptoms of oral cancer include
- pain or numbness in the mouth or lips
- tenderness, burning or a sore that won't heal;
- a lump or wrinkled or bumpy patch inside your mouth;
- gray, red or white spots or patches inside your mouth;
- difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your jaw or tongue;
- any change in the way your teeth fit together.
- Set a quit date. Sooner is better than later.
- Once you've set the date, practice by avoiding tobacco use in the places in which you spend a lot of time -- your car or specific rooms in your house.
- Tell people you are quitting. Family, friends and coworkers can be important sources of support.
- Be prepared for challenges, especially in the first few weeks. During this time, you may feel the effects of not having nicotine. Withdrawal symptoms can include irritability, anxiety and even depression. However, keep in mind that these are temporary.
Talk with your dentist about products that are available to help wean you off nicotine. Adults can buy over-the-counter nicotine replacement products, including skin patches, lozenges and chewing gum. Your dentist may be able to prescribe another delivery method, such as a nasal spray or an inhaler. Prescription medicines also are available that do not deliver nictoine to your system but still help reduce cravings. Any product you choose can have adverse effects, so talk with your dentist about the approach that makes the most sense for you.
What If You Need More Help?
Some people benefit from counseling when trying to stop using tobacco products. One resource is 1-800-QUITNOW. The National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, also has counselors available who can answer questions about quitting (1-877-44U-QUIT). If you are more comfortable talking with someone in person, you can seek counseling from your dentist or physician or from a trained tobacco-use treatment specialist. Contact your state tobacco control program to find out if there are any tobacco-use treatment programs in your state.
Although any one of these approaches can be helpful, studies suggest that people who combine counseling with medication or nicotine repalcement therapy have an easier time giving up tobacco. However you do it, give tobacco the boot. Quitting will greatly reduce your risk of developing tobacco-related diseases -- such as oral cancer -- as well as an early death brought on by tobacco use.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Good Eating Habits = a Healthy Smile and Body
Your diet -- including what and how often you eat -- plays an important role in attaining and maintaining a healthy smile. Candy has long been associated with dental caries (cavities), but your teeth are at risk from more than just candy. Many foods and beverages, particularly those high in added sugar, can set the caries process in motion.
Caring for Your Teeth and Gums
Dental caries is caused by a thin film of bacteria called "plaque" that coats your teeth. When you eat or drink, the plaque bacteria digest any sugar and produce acids that attack your tooth enamel. The stickiness of plaque keeps these acids in contact with the enamel for some time after you have finished eating or drinking. With repeated and prolonged exposure to these acids, your enamel eventually can wear through, resulting in caries.
It is important to remove plaque regularly by brushing your teeth twice daily and cleaning begtween your teeth with floss or another interdental cleaner once a day. If plaque builds up, it can cause swelling and bleeding of the gingival (gum) tissue. Eventually, the hard and soft tissues that hold your teeth in place can be damaged, and you run the risk of losing teeth.
You should visit the dentist regularly for a complete oral examination and professional cleaning.
Diet and Your Dental Health
Attention to your eating habits can reduce your risk of developing tooth decay. Frequent snacking or sipping on sugar-containing beverages such as soda, juices, and yes, even sports drinks and flavored waters creates an environment for decay because it exposes your teeth repeatedly to acid attacks.
Keeping an eye on the amount of sugar in your diet also can help protect your smile. Most foods contain some sugar. For example, fruits and vegetables contain sugars naturally, while other foods have added sugars. You can minimize the risk of developing caries as a result of consuming sugar by limiting foods with added sugar in your diet. Also, eat sweets as part of a meal rather than as a separate snack. Salivary flow increases more during meals than during snacks. Saliva helps weaken cavity-causing acids and rinses food particles from the mouth.
Chewing gum also stimulates salivary flow. The increased flow adds calcium and phosphate to the saliva, which help strengthen tooth enamel. Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals can help prevent tooth decay.
A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is important to maintain your overall health. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you select a mix of foods from the following groups: fruits and vegetables, expecially dark green or orange ones; foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice or oatmeal; milk products, such as low-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese; beans and meats, such as chicken, fish or lean beef; oils, such as cooking oils or oils found in nuts and some types of fish.
You can learn more about the USDA recommendations and find suggestions for developing a healthy lifestyle on their web site.
Caring for Your Teeth and Gums
Dental caries is caused by a thin film of bacteria called "plaque" that coats your teeth. When you eat or drink, the plaque bacteria digest any sugar and produce acids that attack your tooth enamel. The stickiness of plaque keeps these acids in contact with the enamel for some time after you have finished eating or drinking. With repeated and prolonged exposure to these acids, your enamel eventually can wear through, resulting in caries.
It is important to remove plaque regularly by brushing your teeth twice daily and cleaning begtween your teeth with floss or another interdental cleaner once a day. If plaque builds up, it can cause swelling and bleeding of the gingival (gum) tissue. Eventually, the hard and soft tissues that hold your teeth in place can be damaged, and you run the risk of losing teeth.
You should visit the dentist regularly for a complete oral examination and professional cleaning.
Diet and Your Dental Health
Attention to your eating habits can reduce your risk of developing tooth decay. Frequent snacking or sipping on sugar-containing beverages such as soda, juices, and yes, even sports drinks and flavored waters creates an environment for decay because it exposes your teeth repeatedly to acid attacks.
Keeping an eye on the amount of sugar in your diet also can help protect your smile. Most foods contain some sugar. For example, fruits and vegetables contain sugars naturally, while other foods have added sugars. You can minimize the risk of developing caries as a result of consuming sugar by limiting foods with added sugar in your diet. Also, eat sweets as part of a meal rather than as a separate snack. Salivary flow increases more during meals than during snacks. Saliva helps weaken cavity-causing acids and rinses food particles from the mouth.
Chewing gum also stimulates salivary flow. The increased flow adds calcium and phosphate to the saliva, which help strengthen tooth enamel. Chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals can help prevent tooth decay.
A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is important to maintain your overall health. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that you select a mix of foods from the following groups: fruits and vegetables, expecially dark green or orange ones; foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice or oatmeal; milk products, such as low-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese; beans and meats, such as chicken, fish or lean beef; oils, such as cooking oils or oils found in nuts and some types of fish.
You can learn more about the USDA recommendations and find suggestions for developing a healthy lifestyle on their web site.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
How to Have a Healthy Halloween
Last year there were about 41 millions trick-or-treaters in the 5 to 14 age group. These children can have any number of issues that develop from loading up on Halloween candy, including lost sealants and fillings and damaged teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests parents take measures to prevent their children from developing oral health problems after Halloween.
The most important step to help children have good oral health is for parents to have good oral health themselves and to set the kind of example their kids need to see. It's also essential for parents and children to brush before consuming any type of sugary candy. Parents should limit the amount of chewy or hard candy their children consume. These types of candies stay in the mouth longer, and have the greatest impact on creating decay as a result.
Making sure children's teeth receive some fluoride is also pivotal, in addition to flossing on a regular basis.
If children are going to eat candy, make sure they eat their candy in one sitting to reduce the amount of time they are exposed to sugar. If the children brush their teeth soon after eating the candy, the sugar can only have a minimal effect.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
What Happens When You Drink Soda
But what about diet sodas? Aren’t they harmless? Think again. Here’s a 60 minute time line of what happens in your body after you drink a can of regular or diet soda...
- Within 10 minutes – 100% of your recommended daily intake of sugar enters your system.
- 20 minutes – Insulin goes into overdrive as your blood sugar spikes. The liver transforms all sugar that it can into fat.
- 40-45 minutes – Complete caffeine absorption: dilated pupils, risen blood pressure, and full alertness as adenosine receptors in the brain are blocked to prevent drowsiness. Pleasure centers in the brain are stimulated by the dopamine your body is now producing. (Physically the same way heroine works).
- 60 minutes – CRASH! As your body tries to resume normal function, irritability and sluggishness sets in. Also, time for a potty break! You will soon be flushing out all of the water, bonded calcium, magnesium, zinc, and electrolytes (any of the good) which came with your soda, plus more of your body's mineral reserves along with it. One more thing to look forward to: a caffeine crash in just a few hours.
- Super-sized waistline- Diet or regular, both types of soda have been linked to obesity. Soda increases your appetite, causing cravings which lead to overeating.
- Dentist bills – Expect an increase in cavities and tooth decay. The combination of sugar and acid attack tooth enamel.
- Heart Disease – The American Heart Association has published a study stating that women who drink soda daily have a 40% higher risk of heart attacks or death from heart disease than those who rarely drink soda.
- Bone Weakening – Displaces calcium which lowers bone density and increases the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
- Diabetes – Excessive sugar and calories lead to weight gain and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. A Nurse’s Health Study found that women drinking one or more servings daily of sugary drinks or soft drinks were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
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