A guest in my practice arrived with these painful gums. It seems he decided to “save some money” by getting his teeth bleached at one of those mall/salon places. This is three days after his learning experience.
Painful gums
posted by John Hackbarth, DDS
What’s wrong with sugary snacks, anyway?
Sugary snacks taste so good — but they aren’t so good for your teeth or your body. The candies, cakes, cookies and other sugary foods that kids love to eat between meals can cause tooth decay. Some surgary foods have a lot of fat in them, too. Kids who consume sugary snacks eat many different kinds of sugar every day, including table sugar (sucrose) and corn sweeteners (fructose). Starchy snacks can also break down into sugars once they’re in your mouth.
How do sugars attack your teeth?
Invisible germs called bacteria live in your mouth all the time. Some of these bacteria form a sticky material called plaque on the surface of the teeth. When you put sugar in your mouth, the bacteria in the plaque gobble up the sweet stuff and turn it into acids. These acids are powerful enough to dissolve the hard enamel that covers your teeth. That’s how cavities get started. If you don’t eat much sugar, the bacteria can’t produce as much of the acid that eats away enamel.
How can I “snack smart” to protect myself from tooth decay?
Before you start munching on a snack, ask yourself what’s in the food you’ve chosen. Is it loaded with sugar? If it is, think again. Another choice would be better for your teeth. And keep in mind that certain kinds of sweets can do more damage than others. Gooey or chewy sweets spend more time sticking to the surface of your teeth. Because sticky snacks stay in your mouth longer than foods that you quickly chew and swallow, they give your teeth a longer sugar bath.
You should also think about when and how often you eat snacks. Do you nibble on sugary snacks many times throughout the day, or do you usually just have dessert after dinner? Damaging acids form in your mouth every time you eat a sugary snack. The acids continue to affect your teeth for at least 20 minutes before they are neutralized and can’t do any more harm. So, the more times you eat sugary snacks during the day, the more often you feed bacteria the fuel they need to cause tooth decay.
If you eat sweets, it’s best to eat them as dessert after a main meal instead of several times a day between meals. Whenever you eat sweets — in any meal or snack — brush your teeth well with a fluoride toothpaste afterward.
When you’re deciding about snacks, think about:
* The number of times a day you eat sugary snacks
* How long the sugary food stays in your mouth
* The texture of the sugary food (Chewy? Sticky?)
If you snack after school, before bedtime, or other times during the day, choose something without a lot of sugar or fat. There are lots of tasty, filling snacks that are less harmful to your teeth—and the rest of your body — than foods loaded with sugars and low in nutritional value. Snack smart!
Low-fat choices like raw vegetables, fresh fruits, or whole-grain crackers or bread are smart choices. Eating the right foods can help protect you from tooth decay and other diseases. Next time you reach for a snack, pick a food from the list inside or make up your own menu of non-sugary, low-fat snack foods from the basic food groups.
How can you snack smart? Be choosy!
Pick a variety of foods from these groups:
* Fresh fruits and raw vegetables
o Berries
o Oranges
o Grapefruit
o Melons
o Pineapple
o Pears
o Tangerines
o Broccoli
o Celery
o Carrots
o Cucumbers
o Tomatoes
o Unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices
o Canned fruits in natural juices
* Grains:
o Bread
o Plain bagels
o Unsweetened cereals
o Unbuttered popcorn
o Tortilla chips (baked, not fried)
o Pretzels (low-salt)
o Pasta
o Plain crackers
* Milk and dairy products:
o Low or non-fat milk
o Low or non-fat yogurt
o Low or non-fat cheese
o Low or non-fat cottage cheese
* Meat, nuts and seeds:
o Chicken
o Turkey
o Sliced meats
o Pumpkin seeds
o Sunflower seeds
o Nuts
* Others (these snacks combine foods from the different groups):
o Pizza
o Tacos
Remember to:
* Choose sugary foods less often
* Avoid sweets between meals
* Eat a variety of low or non-fat foods from the basic groups
* Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste after snacks and meals
Note to parents
The foods listed in this leaflet have not all been tested for their decay-causing potential. However, knowledge to date indicates that they are less likely to promote tooth decay than are some of the heavily sugared foods children often eat between meals.
Candy bars aren’t the only culprits. Foods such as pizza, breads, and hamburger buns may also contain sugars. Check the label. The new food labels identify sugars and fats on the Nutrition Facts panel on the package. Keep in mind that brown sugar, honey, molasses and syrups also react with bacteria to produce acids, just as refined table sugar does. These foods also are potentially damaging to teeth.
Your child’s meals and snacks should include a variety of foods from the basic food groups, including fruits and vegetables; grains, including breads and cereals; milk and dairy products; and meat, nuts and seeds. Some snack foods have greater nutritional value than others and will better promote your child’s growth and development. However, be aware that even some fresh fruits, if eaten in excess, may promote tooth decay. Children should brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste after snacks and meals. (So should you!)
Please note: These general recommendations may need to be adapted for children on special diets because of diseases or conditions that interfere with normal nutrition.
For additional copies of this pamphelet contact:
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse
1 NOHIC Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3500
301-402-7364
nohic@nidcr.nih.gov
www.nidcr.nih.gov
This publication is no longer available in print. It is not copyrighted. Make as many photocopies as you need.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 00-1680
Copyright © 2002, 2003 Colgate-Palmolive Company. All rights reserved.
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
January 28, 2009
A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that text messaging could be used to reduce children’s chances of becoming overweight or obese later in life, by helping them monitor and modify their own behaviors now.
Traditionally, paper diaries are the tool most often used by people who are obese for self-monitoring. While a paper diary can be very effective, researchers had a hunch that the same concept might work better in children if they could report their self-monitoring via cell phone text messaging ? and receive feedback messages in return. The participants were randomized into three groups: one that reported self-monitoring via cell phone text messaging, another group that reported self-monitoring in a paper diary and a no-monitoring control group.
The study found that:
• Children in the text messaging group had a lower attrition rate from the study (28 percent) than both the paper diary (61 percent) and the control group (50 percent).
• Children in the text messaging group also had a significantly greater adherence to self-monitoring than the paper diary group, 43 percent versus 19 percent.
The study concludes that cell phone text messaging may be a useful tool for self-monitoring of healthy behaviors in children, and suggests more broadly that novel technologies may play a role in improving health.
Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, November 11, 2008
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
Holiday Tooth Care
Eating during the holidays can be hard on more than your waistline; it can also take a toll on your teeth. Patricia Meredith, DDS, joins me now by phone to tell us what foods might not be good for our teeth. Dr. Meredith is a general dentist at in the Department of Hospital Dentistry, located at UI Hospitals and Clinics.
Why are the holidays different from any other time of the year in terms of our teeth?
During the holidays, we may eat foods high in sugar and some particularly sticky foods are not normally a part of our diets. These foods may enhance the possibility of tooth decay or cavities.
Brushing after we eat is always recommend, why is it more important after eating sweets?
Foods high in sugar provide nutrients for the bacteria that cause cavities. Removing sweets from the teeth decreases the chances that these decay causing bacteria can harm your teeth.
Are there certain foods we should avoid, or eat in moderation, to avoid damaging our teeth?
During the holidays there seem to be more hard foods and candies that might break your teeth. This time of year, I typically see several patients with teeth broken on peanut brittle. My advice here is, don’t give up your favorite peanut brittle, just moisten the piece in your mouth a little first to soften it up before your bite down and remember to rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless gun if you can not brush after eating sweets.
What are the signs or symptoms of a cracked tooth?
A cracked tooth will typically hurt after biting on something hard. It usually does not hurt on its’ own and sometimes it will hurt with chewing for a period of time then stop hurting and start hurting again once you bite on something hard again.
How is a cracked tooth repaired?
Most often a cracked tooth will require a crown otherwise known as a cap.
Traditionally what are the steps taken for a crown?
A traditional crown requires two separate appointments- one to prepare the tooth, make an impression and make a temporary crown and then the second appointment to cement the permanent crown.
Taken from: http://www.uihealthcare.com/kxic/2007/december/toothcare.html
Submitted by: Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
June 23, 2008
Tobacco smokers who eat three servings of fruits and vegetables per day and drink green or black tea may be protecting themselves from lung cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study by UCLA cancer researchers.
UCLA researchers found that smokers who ingested high levels of natural chemicals called flavonoids, water-soluble plant pigments that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can counteract damage to tissues, in their diet had a lower risk of developing lung cancer, an important finding since more than 90 percent of lung cancers are caused by tobacco smoking.
For the UCLA study, researchers looked at 558 people with lung cancer and 837 people who did not have lung cancer and analyzed their dietary history.
The study found that:
• Participants who ate foods containing certain flavonoids seemed to be protected from developing lung cancer.
• The flavonoids that appeared to be the most protective included catechin, found in strawberries and green and black teas; kaempferol, found in Brussels sprouts and apples; and quercetin, found in beans, onions and apples.
• The antioxidant properties found in the flavonoids also may work to counteract the DNA-damaging effects of tobacco smoking, explaining why they affected the development of lung cancer in smokers but not in nonsmokers.
Should smokers run out and stock up on the teas, apples, beans and strawberries? Quitting smoking is the best course of action, said Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang, a researcher at UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center and a professor of public health and epidemiology at the UCLA School of Public Health.
“Since this study is the first of its type, I would usually be hesitant to make any recommendations to people about their diet,” Zhang said. “We really need to have several larger studies with similar results to confirm our finding. However, it’s not a bad idea for everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables and drink more tea.”
Source: UCLA School of Public Health, May 29, 2008
Submitted by: Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
Aloe Vera Gel (aloe barbadensis) is a natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and moisturizer.
Why You Know It
Aloe is known as a “First Aid” plant. It’s a popular healer that grows in a live dispenser! Cut a leaf directly from the plant and score it to release the gel. Apply to minor burns, sunburns and surface cuts (but not deep wounds).
Why We Use It
The Natural Dentist uses aloe in our mouth rinse and toothpaste to soothe and help heal sensitive gum tissue. Aloe is used in dentistry in a variety of applications: for wound healing, to reduce pain and speed healing of canker sores, and to treat the site of tooth extractions. Aloe is also thought to be anti-inflammatory.
Who’s in the Family
There are more than 360 members of the aloe genus, which is part of the lily family. Aloe is also known as: bitter aloes, burn plant, Cape aloe, Curacao aloe, elephant’s gall, hsiang-dan, lily of the desert, lu-hui, socotrin aloe, Venezuela aloe, Zanzibar aloe.
Fun Facts and History
Aloe was first cultivated for pharmaceutical use in the 1920s
Aloe is used globally, from traditional healers in southern Africa to herbalists in China
The Egyptians used aloe, and drawings of it appear on the walls of ancient tombs and temples
It is said that Alexander the Great conquered the Greek Island of Socotra to gain control of the aloe crops
The primary source for these aloe facts was:
“An In-Depth Look at the Most Popular Herbs Found in Oral Care Products”, by Leslie Andrews, RDH, MBA and Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, RDH, PhD
From www.thenaturaldentist.com
Submitted by: Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
What common oral condition appears as shallow ulcers of different sizes, affects one in five Americans, can be caused by food allergies and hormonal changes, and also can cause severe mouth pain? Commonly referred to as “canker sores,” recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) now can be treated by an extract in licorice root herbal extract, according to a study published in the March/April 2008 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.
The authors examined the effects of an over-the-counter medicated adhesive patch (with extract from the licorice root) for treatment of RAU versus no treatment. After seven days of treatment, ulcer size in the group who received the adhesive patch with licorice extract was significantly lower, while ulcer size in the no-treatment group had increased 13 percent.
Licorice root extract was used as a prescribed treatment for gastric ulcers until the 1970s, according to the study. In its original form, licorice root extract has a very strong taste. However, when combined with a self-adhering, time-release, dissolving oral patch, the taste is mild and pleasant.
Among the causes of canker sores, a genetic predisposition might be the biggest cause, says Michael Martin, DMD, PhD, lead author of the study. “When both parents have a history of canker sores, the likelihood of their children developing them can be as high as 90 percent,” he says.
The most serious side effect of canker sores is sharp pain in the mouth, which can interfere with an individual’s quality of life and affect their eating, drinking or speech. Dr. Martin revealed that “in addition to speeding healing of the canker sores, the adhesive patch helped to reduce pain after just three days of treatment.”
Those who experience canker sores on a regular basis can visit their dentist for treatment techniques. “Dentists can give patients the proper medication and treatment options to seal the lesions, which will prevent further infection,” says Eric Shapira, DDS, MAGD, AGD spokesperson and expert on alternative medicine. “Also, increasing vitamins and other herbs, such as Vitamin C and zinc, can help treat canker sores because they help to regenerate tissue cells,” Dr. Shapira adds.
Common causes of canker sores:
- Local trauma and stress
- Diet and food allergies
- Hormonal changes
- Use of certain medications
Common treatments of canker sores:
- Antimicrobial mouthwashes
- Local painkillers
- Over-the-counter remedies (oral adhesive patches, liquids and gels)
—————————-
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Source: Stefanie Schroeder
Academy of General Dentistry
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
CHICAGO (April 29, 2008)—The American Dental Association (ADA) appreciates the responses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) addressing safety concerns raised by media reports about lead in dental prostheses such as crowns and bridges.
According to the CDC, trace amounts of lead at a level of 200 ppm, such as the amount the one Ohio news outlet reportedly found in several dental crowns, are “extremely unlikely to cause adverse health effects.” The CDC also states that given the current information at hand, they do not recommend that individuals defer needed dental treatment or have existing dental crowns, bridges or other prostheses removed.
“We are glad that the CDC sees no threat to patients based upon the trace amount of lead reported,” said ADA President Mark Feldman, D.M.D. “We are still conducting our own test of dental prostheses and will take the CDC up on its offer to evaluate the results.”
When the story broke in February, the ADA notified the CDC (Letter 1, Letter 2) and the FDA (Letter 1, Letter 2) and asked the agencies to address any safety concerns. The FDA regulates the materials used to make dental crowns and bridges, and the CDC has extensive information and expertise in the area of lead exposure.
According to the CDC’s response, “Many consumer products contain lead in trace amounts, and federal regulations limit the amount of lead in consumer products” based on “the way the body absorbs lead, the potential hazard, and the lead level product manufacturers can achieve using good manufacturing practices…”
The ADA is testing both foreign- and domestic-made dental crowns to determine:
The degree to which lead may be present;
Where the lead may be located (i.e., in the metal alloy, the porcelain, etc.); and
How much, if any, lead may be released from dental crowns.
Once testing is completed, the ADA will share the research findings with the dental profession, the public and the regulatory agencies responsible for protecting the public’s health. However, this investigation should not be viewed as a substitute for necessary oversight and enforcement by the federal and state government agencies responsible for protecting the public’s health and safety.
The ADA encourages patients to discuss any concerns about the safety of their dental crowns or other prostheses with their dentists and will continue to share information on this issue.
From the American Dental Association (www.ada.org).
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
TEA IS NO.2
Globally, in terms of its popularity as a drink, tea ranks second only to water.
POWERFUL POLYPHENOL
Green tea contains polyphenols, potent andtioxidants said to be 20 times more potent than Vitamin E and 200 times more potent than Vitamin C.
IT’S IN THE LEAVES
Green tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis. The leaves are rolled after picking, and then green tea is steamed without any fermentation, reportedly making it healthier than black tea.
FLUORIDE? REALLY?
Tea also can be a very rich natural source of fluoride. Dry tea leaves contain anywhere from 4 to 400 ppm of fluoride, translating roughly to 0.5 mg of fluoride per cup of brewed tea.
BYE-BYE, BACTERIA
Tea has an antibacterial effect on microorganisms typically associated with dental caries- Streptococcus mutans and S. sobrinus- and is rich in catechins, a substance that makes it difficult for bacteria to adhere to teeth and helps wipe out bad breath.
STAIN GAME
Andrew Weil, MD, says good quality green tea that is really green in color is less likely to stain teeth than inferior grades of “green” tea that look brown when brewed.
From Modern Hygienist April 2008.
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
Paradise Dental Technologies, Inc., introduces the Platypus, a disposable orthodontic flossing device. The wider, flatter end known as the spatula area slides between the brackets and under the wire so floss can effectively reach the gum line. The opposite end is designed as a mini brush/pick for access around anchors.
More information: www.pdtdental.com or Hygienetown.com and search: The Platypus
From Hygienetown April 2008.
Submitted by: Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
“There is nothing new under the sun.” “Everything old is new again.”
Not!
Dentistry is going through an amazing evolution. This is the age of new technology in dental care. We can predictably get results that were only a wish a few short years ago.
One of the areas that have vastly improved is the diagnosis of dental disease. Today, we can make x-rays using only a fraction of the radiation that was used in the old film type x-rays. Not only that, but we can see them instantly, and the image is as large as a computer screen. This allows the doctor to make an earlier diagnosis. Finding disease at an early stage can lead to less expensive repairs or even the stopping and reversal of disease.
There is also a laser application which allows us to accurately diagnose decay even before it is visible in x-rays. Lasers are also used in many other ways, especially in helping to treat gum disease.
Digital photography allows you to see what the dentist sees when he looks in your mouth. It puts things in context for you so you can participate in understanding what is going on in your mouth. Amazingly, in many areas, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist or a dentist to see and understand your problems.
Another neat advance is aligner orthodontics. Aligners give us a comfortable way to straighten teeth without braces, and aligners are practically invisible. While they don’t make braces obsolete, they are a great solution for straightening, especially for those who might find braces don’t fit in with your lifestyle. If you watch “Grey’s Anatomy” you might have notices that Catherine Heigl’s smile has greatly improved. This was accomplished with aligner orthodontics without disrupting her shooting schedule with unsightly braces.
John Hackbarth, DDS
Before you go scuba diving, see your dentist because this sport can lead to jaw joint pain, gum tissue problems or tooth pain.
All of these symptoms add up to “diver’s mouth syndrome,” a condition that is caused by the mouthpiece and by the air pressure change involved in scuba diving – a sport that is enjoyed by about 4 million enthusiasts in the United States.
“Most standard scuba-diving mouthpieces are usually too small for most,” says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Eric Curtis, DDS, who is also a scuba diver. “Divers are typically exhilarated when they dive, although they have to drag a bulky air regulator through the water with their teeth. They may bite too hard into the mouthpiece, which could lead to jaw joint pain and gum lacerations.”
At first, divers may not notice the discomfort in their mouth caused by an ill-fitting mouthpiece because they are so distracted by the thrilling scenery of colorful fish and graceful coral reefs. But when they conclude their dive and pull off their mouthpiece, they may notice the jaw joint pain or gum lacerations caused by clenching too hard onto the mouthpiece.
“If the jaw joint pain persists longer than a few days, the diver should consider visiting a dentist to evaluate for possible temporomandibular joint syndrome,” says Dr. Curtis. The dentist may construct a custom-fitted mouthpiece for scuba divers to avoid such problems.
“Tooth squeeze, or barodontalgia, is the other problem associated with scuba diving,” says Dr. Curtis. “If there’s a big cavity, a broken filling, gum disease or abscess or incomplete root canal therapy, the changing pressure of scuba diving can become extremely painful.”
“Be sure you’re in good dental health before you go scuba diving,” says Dr. Curtis. “Be wary of scuba diving if you’ve just had a tooth extracted or if you have only temporary fillings. Be very cautious if you have dentures or partial dentures, which can be inadvertently swallowed during a dive.”
From the Academy of General Dentistry.
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
WE’RE WORKING UP A SWEAT
According to the American Beverage Association, sports drinks made up 2.3% of total U.S. beverage consumption in 2005- that’s every man, woman, and child drinking more than 4 gallons per year.
SPENDING LIKE SUPERSTARS
Americans spent more than $5.4 billion on sports drinks last year, ABC News reports.
WHAT’S IN THERE?
Ingredients in the average sports drink include coloring, electrolytes, carbohydrates, and vitamins.
SET THE STANDARD
Gatorade, the pioneer of all sports drinks, was developed in 1965 by a team of scientists at the University of Florida who wanted to create a beverage to alleviate the hydration and muscle cramps that the school’s football players experienced.
CALL IN THE REFEREE!
A study, conducted by the University of Maryland and cited in General Dentistry, concluded that enamel damage caused by non-cola and sports beverages was 3 to 11 times greater than cola-based drinks. The methodology of this case came under much scrutiny and the results have been hotly disputed.
WE’RE NOT ALL “LIKE MIKE”
Most health experts agree that sports drinks have electrolytes and sodium that benefit athletes, but are of little value to the average user.
Caffeine source
According to the Coffee Statistics Report: 2008 Edition, coffee represents 75% of all the caffeine consumed in the United States.
9,000 corners
There are close to 9,000 Starbucks in the United States.
400 billion
The Coffee Statistics Report also states that coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide, with more than 400 billion cups consumed each year.
Not all bad
Over the years, some 19,000 studies have looked at the health impact of coffee. “Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, tells WebMd.
Lower risk
Coffee beans contain powerful antioxidants called quinines which have been linked to helping lower risk for Type 2 diabetes and a variety of other diseases.
Shocked?
According to the American Chemical Society, coffee is the leading source of antioxidants in American diets- mostly because we drink so much of it.
Oral effects
Normally, when we think coffee and teeth, we think staining, but in 2002, the Journal of Agricultural and food Chemistry published a study that shows that coffee can help fight Streptococcus mutans bacteria, a major cause of dental caries.
From Modern Hygienist February 2008
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
Sugar-free lollipops won’t hurt your teeth, but researchers in California and a local couple teamed up to go one better: a lollipop that fights decay-causing bacteria.
Dr. John’s Candies, a Grand Rapids company owned and operated by Dr. John Bruinsma, a dentist, and his wife, hygienist Debra Bruinsma, is marketing “Dr. John’s Herbal Lollipop.”
They created the candy several years ago with C-3 Jian Inc., California a company that develops products targeting harmful bacteria.
Microbiologist Wenyuan Shi, of the University of California-Los Angeles, is the scientific adviser for C-3 Jian.
The company tested 400 herbs against organisms that cause cavities and found Chinese licorice root extract worked the best.
In June 2002, C-3 Jian contacted Dr. John’s Candies. Since 1995, the couple has been manufacturing and selling sugar-free candies. C-3 Jian wanted the Bruinsmas to get their herbal cavity-fighter into sugar-free candy.
The Bruinsmas worked with their manufacturer in southern Michigan and the California researchers for several years to nail down a lollipop that kept herbal ingredient active and useful — and still tasted good.
The result is an orange-flavored treat that tastes as good as any other sugar-free candy.
In December 2005, a research trial in Alaska with 2,000 pounds of the candy showed it significantly reduced the bacteria that cause decay, according to Dr. Max Anderson, president and CEO of C-3 Jian.
Since summer 2006, the candy had been manufactured by Dr. John’s Candies, but only available through C-3 Jian for sale to dentists.
Now, Dr. John’s Candies has taken over distribution. The candy now can be ordered by anyone through its Web site.
Grand Rapids is famous in the dentistry world as the first city to fluoridate its water supply, John Bruinsma noted, and Grand Rapids could make dental history again.
The candy is available in 20 packs — the recommended dosage is two lollipops a day for 10 days — or in 2.5 pound bags.
The herb has been given a GRAS rating — for “Generally Regarded As Safe” — by the Food and Drug Administration.
The anti-bacterial benefits last 12 to 27 weeks, depending on the dental hygiene and eating habits of the patient, Debra Bruinsma said.
The researchers and Dr. John’s Candies also crafted a reduced-acid lollipop with the herb, intended for use in geriatric patients or others suffering from dry mouth, who find relief by sucking on candy.
This version is being studied in convalescent homes by University of Michigan researchers.
Tom Kochheiser, spokesman for Michigan Dental Association, said the licorice root is promising, but more research needs to be done.
“One of the key points is that dentistry has really prided itself over the years on making decisions on new treatments and new products based upon sound science and research,” he said. But Kochheiser also said the lollipops could be a helpful tool in the future.
Written by By Kristina Riggle, The Grand Rapids Press
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
This is to alert you to the risk of allergic reactions in users of denture cleansers, and the risks of misusing these products. The FDA has received at least 73 reports of adverse events, including at least one death, related to the use of denture cleansers. These adverse events have occurred both when the product has been used properly as well as, from improper use. The allergic reactions can occur soon after the patient begins using the product, or after years of use.
Nature of the Problem
The literature and research suggest that the ingredient in denture cleansers responsible for these reactions is persulfate, a known allergen. Persulfates are used in most denture cleansers to help clean and bleach the dentures.
In addition to the reports of allergic reactions, FDA has also received reports of severe adverse events, including at least one death, resulting from misuse of the product. Some patients have gargled or swallowed it, resulting in abdominal pain, vomiting, seizures, hypotension, and difficulty breathing.
Recommendations
- Be aware that patients who wear dentures may present with symptoms of an allergic reaction, and that the denture cleaner may be the cause of the reaction.
- Educate your patients and their caregivers about the symptoms of an allergic reaction to persulfates in the denture cleaner. These symptoms can include irritation, tissue damage, gum tenderness, rash, urticaria, respiratory conditions and hypotension.
- Educate your patients and their caregivers about the proper use of denture cleansers. Even though the product labeling may mention mouthwash as an ingredient, the product should NEVER be ingested. Ingestion can result in esoophageal ulcers, abdominal pain, vomiting, burns, irritation, breathing problems, hypotension, seizures, gum tenderness, bleaching of tissue, and blood in the urine.
Additionally, an accompanying Advice for Patients document can be found on the FDA website at www.fda.gov/cdrh/medicaldevicesafety/atp/022508-denturecleansers.html.
FDA Actions
FDA is recommending that all manufacturers of denture cleansers modify their labeling to include warning information that the product contains persulfates, which are a known allergen, and to improve the directions for use on their labeling in order to reduce misuse. We are also recommending manufacturers consider appropriate alternatives to use of persulfates. We believe these actions will minimize the risk of adverse reactions.
Reporting Adverse Events Related to Denture Cleansers
We encourage you to report adverse events related to denture cleansers, whether caused by an allergic reaction or misuse. You can report cases directly to the device manufacturer or to MedWatch, FDA’s voluntary reporting program. This can be done online at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm, by phone at 1-8—FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, or by returning the postage-paid FDA form 3500 which may be downloaded from www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm. You can also report by mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787.
From the FDA. Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
27.6 Gallons
According to a Beverage Marketing Corp. survey, the volume of bottled water sold in the U.S. in 2006 surpassed 8.25 billion gallons- an average of 27.6 gallons per person.
Tied for third
A 2005 American Beverage Association study revealed that bottled water is consumed as much as milk and coffee, trailing only behind alcoholic beverages and carbonated soft drinks.
Losing fluoride
When water undergoes treatment before bottling- such as reverse osmosis or distillation- fluoride may be lost.
Dissimilar drinks
Not all bottled waters are created equal! Would you know the difference between spring, purified, and artesian? Visit www.ameribev.org for the full scoop.
A solution
Spring! by Dannon Fluoridated Spring Water contains an American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry- recommended level of fluoride, making it easy for parents to give kids the right amount to beat tooth decay and offering families in low-fluoridated communities an alternative to fluoride supplements.
Not the best?
According to the ADA, the majority of bottled waters on the market do not contain optimal levels of fluoride (0.7-1.2 ppm, or 1 mg/L). Some contain no fluoride at all.
From Modern Hygienist Jan 2008 pg. 38
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H. 
A new study gives the strongest evidence yet that obesity surgery can cure diabetes.
Patients who had surgery to reduce the size of their stomachs were five times more likely to see their diabetes disappear over the next two years than were patients who had standard diabetes care, according to Australian researchers.
Most of the surgery patients were able to stop taking diabetes drugs and achieve normal blood tests.
“It’s the best therapy for diabetes that we have today, and it’s very low risk,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. John Dixon of Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia.
The patients had stomach band surgery, a procedure more common in Australia than in the United States, where gastric bypass surgery, or stomach stapling, predominates.
Gastric bypass is even more effective against diabetes, achieving remission in a matter of days or a month, said Dr. David Cummings, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal but was not involved in the study.
“We have traditionally considered diabetes to be a chronic, progressive disease,” said Cummings of the University of Washington in Seattle. “But these operations really do represent a realistic hope for curing most patients.”
Diabetes experts who read the study said surgery should be considered for some obese patients, but more research is needed to see how long results last and which patients benefit most. Surgery risks should be weighed against diabetes drug side effects and the long-term risks of diabetes itself, they said.
Experts generally agree that weight-loss surgery would never be appropriate for diabetics who are not obese, and current federal guidelines restrict the surgery to obese people.
The diabetes benefits of weight-loss surgery were known, but the Australian study in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association is the first of its kind to compare diabetes in patients randomly assigned to surgery or standard care. Scientists consider randomized studies to yield the highest-quality evidence.
The study involved 55 patients, so experts will be looking for results of larger experiments under way.
“Few studies really qualify as being a landmark study. This one is,” said Dr. Philip Schauer, who was not involved in the Australian research but leads a Cleveland Clinic study that is recruiting 150 obese people with diabetes to compare two types of surgery and standard medical care.
“This opens an entirely new way of thinking about diabetes.”
Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, and researchers are furiously pursuing reasons for the link as rates for both climb. What’s known is that excess fat can cause the body’s normal response to insulin to go haywire. Researchers are investigating insulin-regulating hormones released by fat and the role of fatty acids in the blood.
In the Australian study, all the patients were obese and had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during the past two years. Their average age was 47. Half the patients underwent a type of surgery called laparoscopic gastric banding, where an adjustable silicone cuff is installed around the upper stomach, limiting how much a person can eat.
Both groups lost weight over two years; the surgery patients lost 46 pounds on average, while the standard-care patients lost an average of 3 pounds.
Blood tests showed diabetes remission in 22 of the 29 surgery patients after two years. In the standard-care group, only four of the 26 patients achieved that goal. The patients who lost the most weight were the most likely to eliminate their diabetes.
Both patient groups learned about low-fat, high-fiber diets and were encouraged to exercise. Both groups could meet with a health professional every six weeks for two years.
The death rate for stomach band surgery, which can cost $17,000 to $20,000, is about 1 in 1,000. There were only minor complications in the study. Stomach stapling has a 2 percent death rate and costs $20,000 to $30,000.
In the United States, surgeons perform more than 100,000 obesity surgeries each year.
The American Diabetes Association is interested in the findings. The group revises its recommendations each fall, taking new research into account.
“There is a growing body of evidence that bariatric surgery is an effective tool for managing diabetes,” said Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, the association’s president for medicine and science.
“It’s just a question of how effective is it, for what spectrum of patients, over what period of time and at what cost? Not all those questions have been answered yet.”
Medical devices used in the study were provided by the manufacturers, but the companies had no say over the study’s design or its findings, Dixon said.
On the Net:
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org
Written by: By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
Submitted by: Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
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Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.
Drink up.
That tall glass of iced tea or steaming hot cup of chai could save your life - or at least prolong it.
So say an increasing number of researchers pointing to the Camellia sinensis plant - from which green, black and white teas are made - as a remarkable, oft-underestimated health tonic with the ability to fend off cancer, reverse heart disease, and promote mental clarity, to name a few.
“Not a day goes by in which somebody isn’t discovering another fantastic thing about tea and its role in determining human health,” says Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA, an industry trade group. “We now have scientific credibility to back many of the intuitive things that have been said about tea over the years.”
Of course, tea has been associated with calmness and well-being for roughly 5,000 years, since - as the legend goes - a Chinese emperor accidentally dropped some leaves from a nearby tree into the water he was boiling.
But only since the early 1990s, when animal models began to reveal anti-carcinogenic properties in tea leaves, have scientists in the United States seriously begun to study what health benefits it carries, and how it works.
Since then, the tea market has exploded, growing from a $1.8 billion industry in 1990 to more than $6.5 billion today, according to the Tea Council.
And thanks to an array of new bottled products and specialty tea boutiques, tea continues to shift from a drink once associated with grandmas sitting in rocking chairs to one that people of all ages are reaching for.
That’s good news to Lenore Arab, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition and epidemiology with the UCLA Department of Medicine.
“I always prefer it if we can find disease prevention through choices in our diet, rather than going to pills,” she says. “With tea, we are talking about something that is quite inexpensive, is calorie free, has a wonderful taste, and can offer this quiet moment in our busy lifestyle if prepared in the traditional style.”
Arab says that researchers don’t yet know precisely what tea’s active ingredients are, but they have some ideas. Tea is loaded with flavonoids - antioxidant compounds that can neutralize destructive free radicals before they damage the cells. It also contains an amino acid called theanine, which can cross the blood-brain barrier reducing stress and possibly promoting better cognitive function.
A look at tea and areas it might affect:
Skin cancer: In May, researchers from Dartmouth Medical School published a study of more than 2,000 people which found that, after adjustment for other factors, consuming two or more cups of tea per day significantly reduced their risk of developing skin cancer. Previous laboratory studies have found that mice given green tea in their drinking water had significantly fewer UV-induced tumors than those who weren’t.
“Green tea prevents UV radiation-induced suppression of the immune system, which has been considered a risk factor for the development of skin cancer,” said Santosh Katiyar, PhD., a University of Alabama researcher who has studied the impact of tea consumption in mice.
Heart disease: Arab’s own research suggests that an increase of tea intake to three cups of tea per day can reduce heart disease risk overall by 23 percent. And numerous other studies suggest that in people who have already had a heart attack, drinking tea can prevent another one by restoring elasticity to restricted arteries. But she cautions that the change doesn’t occur overnight.
“It isn’t like you drink the tea today and it protects you from cancer or heart disease tomorrow. It is a long-term cumulative effect.”
One study by Dutch researchers found that people who drank one to two cups of black tea daily had 46 percent lower risk of atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries), and those who drank more than four cups per day had a 69 percent lower risk.
Another Harvard study examined 340 men and women who had already suffered a heart attack and compared them to matched controls: Those who drank a cup or more of black tea every day had a 44 percent reduction in the risk of another heart attack.
Cancer: One of the largest areas of research surrounding tea and cancer has to do with preventing recurrence of prostate cancer, with numerous animal studies suggesting that compounds found in tea can slow tumor growth and promote programmed cell death. Other studies have shown that tea drinkers are less likely to develop rectal, colon, urinary tract, ovarian or pancreatic cancer.
Immune function: Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University recently published a paper suggesting that another substance in tea, L-theanine, may work to prime the immune system to better fight off infection. A subsequent human trial showed that participants who drank five cups of black tea per day for four weeks secreted up to four times more interferon, an important tool in the body’s effort to fight off illness.
Weight control: Although evidence is fairly preliminary, some research suggests that drinking tea may have effects on body weight, fat accumulation, insulin activity, and the rate at which the body burns calories. Plus, Arab points out, it meets the body’s need for plenty of fluid, without adding lots of sugar.
Oral health: Some research suggests that flavonoids in tea may inhibit the plaque-forming ability of oral bacteria, and the fluoride in tea may support healthy tooth enamel. One study conducted at the New York University Dental Center found that hamsters fed tea instead of water had 63.7 percent fewer cavities.
Downsides?
As with anything, tea can have its downsides. It does contain caffeine (although a fraction of what coffee contains), so those who up their tea intake should take care to reduce other sources of caffeine, such as chocolate and coffee. Because compounds in tea can bind with non-meat sources of iron, making them less available to the body, experts recommend drinking tea between meals rather than with them, and refraining from giving children too much tea.
How much and what kind?
Experts say that in order to get the most bang, healthwise, out of tea, people should drink between three and six cups per day of teas made with Camellia sinensis, such as black, green, white and oolong.
“From my perspective, they all seem to be relatively equivalent” when it comes to health benefits, Arab says. (Herbal teas, while they may contain their own health benefits, are not the one’s researchers are referring to in the above studies.)
If possible, make it fresh yourself, rather than out of a bottle, so you know just what you are getting and you don’t get too much sugar.
And at least a few times a day, take your tea with caffeine.
Some researchers believe that the process of decaffeinating it may diminish some of its health qualities.
Tea 101
A look at different types of tea:
Black tea: Is made from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis, a white, flowering evergreen bush native to China and India.
Green tea: Is made from the same plant, but the leaves are either steamed or pan-fired right after they are picked.
White tea: Is made from the first tender buds and top leaves of the same tea bush, typically gathered in springtime.
Chai: Is typically black tea mixed with herbs.
Herb tea: Is made from many different plants using leaves, flowers, roots, bark and seeds. It does not contain any part of the Camellia sinensis, so it is naturally caffeine free.
SOURCE: CELESTIAL SEASONINGS
By Lisa Marshall/Scripps Howard News Service
Submitted by Esther S. Conolly, R.D.H.