Posts Tagged ‘gum disease’

Something We Can Agree On

Friday, August 7th, 2009

On June 22, the government passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Public health organizations from all sides had nothing but praise for this measure. According to ADA President, Dr. John S. Findley, “Dentists are the first line of defense in the war against cancer and many other tobacco-related diseases. The American Dental Association heartily commends Congress for passing the FSPTC Act.”
Tobacco is responsible for a myriad of diseases, from emphysema, heart disease and severe peripheral artery disease, to lung cancer and probably the most fatal of all, oral cancer. One person dies every hour from oral cancer in the U.S. Other diseases manifested in the mouth, such as gum disease, decay, leukoplakia and diabetes are either aggravated or caused by smoking or chewing tobacco. Dr. Kathleen O’Loughlin, the ADA executive director, was invited to attend the signing of the bill, and had this to say: “The passing of this bill speaks to the power of broad-based support from very different and unique advocacy organizations coming together from different places and perspectives yet united by a common urgent public health issue.”
The mantle of the control of tobacco will now pass to the FDA from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, BATF ( I suppose now they will just be the BAF). So what will the FDA do with their new responsibilities? At least for now, they are inviting health agencies and even public opinion to help implement the new laws. It’s nice to see everyone on the same page. Of course, this will mean much higher tobacco taxes. I’m never in favor of higher taxes, but maybe we could just call this one “tough love.”

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Swine Flu Update

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Have you had your Swine Flu vaccination yet? Likely not. Although the vaccine is currently being produced, it takes time, and America just doesn’t have the facilities to meet our own demand. Only 20% of the flu vaccines used in this country are produced in the US, because the stringent government controls on medical research and development have made it economically unfeasible for private pharmaceutical companies to produce them. 70% of all the vaccines produced in the world come from Europe, and they may become hesitant to export them to the US, and may not want to deny them to their own citizens if this flu turns out to be as serious as some think.

So far the World Health Organization has reported 95,000 cases of Swine Flu, with 429 associated deaths. Other flu-related deaths total over half a million a year, so the Swine Flu deaths don’t appear that alarming. However, the percentage of deaths and the rate of spread of the disease are the cause of concern. Therefore, until these vaccines become more available, just take extra measures to be safe and protect your health and thus your resistance to viral attack.

The common things you are probably already aware of are prevention and lifestyle. Stay away from anyone with flu symptoms, use wipes on shopping cart handles, and if you develop severe symptoms, contact your doctor right away. On the lifestyle side, get plenty of rest and water, eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables, avoid sugar like the plague, and floss your teeth! Seriously! I’ve seen research that claims up to 90% of all other diseases stem from gum disease, the most critical of which is lung disease. The primary target of Swine Flu is the respiratory system and the main cause of respiratory weakness is gum disease. The premier concern for anyone wishing to protect their lungs should be periodontal health. This includes flossing and brushing of course, and regular cleanings, which have been called “the best bargain in dentistry”.

Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, July 2009

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ANOTHER DIMENSION

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

One dimensional is when you’re boring, two dimensional is this newsprint you’re reading and three dimensional is our physical world. The fourth dimension might be a parallel universe and the Fifth Dimension is some old rock group.
We will need to reserve the sixth dimension, however, for the relationship between your upper and lower jaws. That’s called the occlusal vertical dimension (OVD), the distance between your upper and lower jaws when your teeth meet. That distance is important, because it relates to the stress experienced by your temporomandibular joints (TMJ’s). Just imagine if your teeth weren’t there (some of you don’t have to imagine), when you closed your mouth until your jaws bumped together, your lower lip would overlap your upper lip (like Gabby Hayes). But you would also experience a lot of stress and even pain in your TMJ’s.
That’s a drastic example however. In most cases, the vertical dimension is lost gradually through tooth loss and attrition. If too many teeth are lost, the remaining teeth start to collapse because they can’t stand up to the immense stress produced in chewing. This category could also include the loss of support around the teeth through gum and bone recession due to gum disease.
There are many reasons for excessive wear on the biting surfaces of the teeth, such as abrasive foods in the diet, like lemons. Lemon juice is great, but just don’t chew them. Grinding your teeth at night is another biggie. There can be many reasons and many remedies for this malady. It is best to have your dentist evaluate it.
Finally, extensive dental work can actually be the cause of compromising the OVD. As crowns and fillings are ground down to fit your bite, great care must be taken to make sure they aren’t reduced too much. If the crowns are covered with porcelain they can be very abrasive to your other teeth unless they are made from the non-abrasive low fusing porcelain. Ask for it.
Also, you can get a lot of wear on dental materials that are used to replace and fill teeth. Plastic denture teeth are especially susceptible to wear. They are more comfortable, but need to be changed often. Some white filling materials can be easily worn down. I recommend and use the latest generation of white filling material, called DiamondLite, which combines the microcrystalline PEX resin matrix and ceramic nanofillers to give three times the wear resistance of any of the other materials.
Your TMJ stress is directly proportional to the loss of OVD, and that stress will determine the health and function of your jaws in the future. And any chiropractor will tell you that it also has far reaching effects in your neck and spine and the rest of your body.
Most people over 30 have varying degrees of overclosure, but fortunately, the biting surfaces of your teeth can be built back up to their normal height. So if you want to impress your dentist, on your next checkup ask him to evaluate your occlusal vertical dimension.

Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, February 2006

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The Care and Feeding of the Mouth

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Perhaps the most requested and beneficial thing we do in our office is to show people how to care for their teeth and gums, and yet it’s sometimes surprising when we come across someone that has never learned these things. So let’s give the subject a quick once-over.
BRUSHING: This is the most basic and effective of oral care methods, but a quick once-over won’t do the job in this department. Three whole minutes (four for braces) is longer than you realize, so check the clock to get a better feel for that length. That will give you enough time to clean every aspect of the teeth, the outside and inside as well as the top, angling the bristles toward the gum and using a circular scrubbing motion. A rotary brush works much better and some, like the Rotadent, have an orthodontic tip for those with braces.
Unfortunately, too many people think that’s all they need, but brushing alone is usually not enough to ward off gum disease, which is way more dangerous than cavities.
FLOSSING, ETC: I’m listing these activities in order of decreasing importance, but flossing is a very close second. Don’t underestimate it because it could literally be a matter of life and death for those with a tendency for gum disease. Flossing could add years to your life expectancy by preventing secondary infections that could affect your heart and cause strokes. Work the floss back and forth so it gently passes between the teeth and doesn’t snap into the gum, injuring it. Then you wrap it against one tooth and floss back and forth, going under the gum as far as you can without feeling any pain, and then you do the same thing against the other tooth. Continue between all the teeth including behind the last teeth. In some cases, there are fixed bridges or orthodontic wires that prevent the floss from going between the teeth, so you have to use floss threaders or plastic-tipped floss like Superfloss to go underneath. When you first begin flossing, you may experience some bleeding, but don’t be discouraged. That will go away as the gums heal. The etc. refers to cleaning aids you work in between your teeth, like toothpicks, stimudents and proxabrushes. Those are great, but just be gentle.
DENTAL CLEANINGS: You notice this is all the way down to third on the list. As important as regular cleanings are, good home care is by far the most effective means of preventing decay and gum disease. But no matter how good a job you do, tarter will still form on your teeth, and that’s nothing but a housing project for bacteria. So dental cleanings top off that 1-2-3 punch called dental hygiene. If it’s been a while, you may need more than one visit to get all the tartar off, but then regularly scheduled cleanings will prevent any further gum damage. Also, there is a tendency to think that if you are seeing an orthodontist regularly for braces, you’re covered in the dental department, but it’s actually even more important to see your general dentist for periodic cleanings.
DIET: You know the drill (no pun intended). Sugar is the thing to avoid. That is what feeds the bacteria that cause decay and gum disease, especially if it’s in a form that is sticky or liquid, like candy or soda. If you go sugarless, it is very important to avoid toxic sweeteners like aspartame, also sold as NutraSweet and sucralose, also sold as Splenda. Xylitol is an excellent natural sugar made from berries. It’s good for diabetics, and it actually prevents decay and gum disease. It’s manufactured by a company called Xlear. Chewing gum has a natural cleansing action. Don’t chew it for more than ten minutes at a time, however, because it can stress the supporting structures of the teeth and jaws. Also, almost all brands contain sugar and/or aspartame except Spry gum, which contains xylitol. That’s also made by Xlear, and is sold at Valley Nutrition health food store. It’s the only kind you should chew.
You notice we didn’t talk about mouthwash. It’s not only unecessary, the alcohol in it can actually harm your white fillings and your children if they swallow it.

Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, September 2007

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The New Order

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

In the olden days, there seemed to be an order of things that would prompt a person to go see their dentist for care.
The first concern for most patients was pain, followed by appearance, decay, gum disease, and missing back teeth, respectively. Many patients would only seek dental treatment when they were experiencing extreme pain, or if they were not happy with the look of their front teeth. Cavities, gum problems, and spaces where teeth were extracted were often ignored.

With all of the new information we know about gum disease, it is necessary to change our list of priorities.
Pain is still the front-runner and greatest cause for concern. If a patient has a tooth-ache, it often means that there is an infection present, whether it is within the tooth itself, or the gums that surround the tooth. Dental infections can be very serious and should be taken care of immediately.

Periodontal, or gum disease, is the second most important priority. According to recent studies, more than half of all people over 18 have at least the early stages of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection that destroys the gum surrounding your teeth and also destroys the supporting bone that holds your teeth in place. Unlike most diseases that give us early warning signs, gum disease progresses silently, often without pain. It may develop slowly or progress quite rapidly. Not only is the loss of gum and bone a concern, but studies have proven that gum disease may increase your risk of a variety of health problems, including:
Heart disease
Weakened immune system
Diabetes
Stroke
Lung Disease
Preterm, low birth babies
Respiratory disease
Osteoporosis
Gastric ulcer

If you are already experiencing any of these health concerns, it is very important to maintain good oral health by visiting your dentist regularly.

Tied for third on the new list are decay and appearance. I’m sure most of you know that if decay is not kept under control, it can actually spread to other teeth in your mouth. Also, if decay is left in a tooth long enough, it will eventually reach the nerve of the tooth, often causing an abscess, or infection, in the bone. The tooth will then need a root canal, or may need to be extracted.
We all understand how prominent appearance has become in our society. Everyone wants to have a beautiful smile to share. There are many ways to achieve the smile you have been wanting, including whitening, “invisible” braces,
porcelain veneers, etc. Just remember that a beautiful smile is more than straight, white teeth. It is important to make your entire oral health a priority.
As before, missing back teeth are last on the list. But that doesn’t mean they are less significant than the other things.
When a tooth is lost and not replaced as soon as possible, the remaining teeth can drift out of position and change the bite. This can lead to cavities, gum disease, bite problems, and TMJ (joint problems in the jaw). All of your teeth work together to help you chew, speak, and smile. When teeth are missing, it is difficult to do these things. Even the loss of back teeth can cause your bite to shift and your face to look older. Fortunately, missing teeth can be replaced in several ways, including implants, bridges, and removable appliances.
As you may have noticed, the dental concerns we have discussed can often times be interrelated. Gum disease can cause tooth loss, and tooth loss can cause gum disease. A “tooth-ache” can be caused by gum disease as often as it can be caused by decay. Loss of teeth, swollen, red gums, and decay all affect our appearance.
Evidence shows that it is time to let go of the ‘old school’ mentality and embrace the new order of things. We cannot stress enough how important it is to visit your dentist to have oral examinations and cleanings done regularly. By keeping these recare appointments you will increase your chances of a healthy smile, but most importantly, a long, healthy life.

Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, June 2007

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