Dental Health & Nutrition

Nutrition is at the top of the priority list for dental health. Research has discovered strong correlations between optimal oral health and great nutrition habits. This study shares the links uncovered and how families can implement them in their daily routines. Read more about nutrition and dental health...

More stress needs to be placed upon other aspects to truly determine one’s oral health. The practice paper “Oral Health and Nutrition” has been published on the Academy of Nutrition’s Web site, which backs up the Academy’s paper that appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics last year. Based on the information from the paper, nutrition assessment is one of the keys to pinpointing dietary intake and other nutritional factors that could impact a person’s oral health. It’s also important for dentists to stress the value of food choices to ensure that a person can maintain optimal oral health. 

— Dentistry Today

Can Dental Health Affect Mental Health?

The affects of Alzheimer's disease impacts the entire family and can drastically change the structure of a family's life. Could there be links between dental and mental health? This study by the University of Central Lancashire discovered that poor oral hygiene can  impose a higher risk for development of Alzheimer's. Those with healthy dental practices showed lower risks for development.

"Research currently under way at UCLan is playing an active role in exploring this link," Prof. St John Crean continues, "but it remains to be proven whether poor dental hygiene can lead to dementia in healthy people, which obviously could have significant implications for the population as a whole. It is also likely that these bacteria could make the existing disease condition worse." The researchers hope that continued donation of brain tissue will enable examination of more samples from people with and without Alzheimer's disease who have relevant dental records. 

— Alzheimer's Disease Linked to Poor Dental Health

The Right Way to Store Your Toothbrush

There are hundreds of dental care programs created to educate young children on the proper routines for healthy teeth. Many of these programs teach kids the best practices for brushing their teeth and recommend turning off the water faucet while brushing. However, one of the most important dental health tips is often overlooked. This article shares how important it is to teach children how to properly store tooth brushes.

Appropriate toothbrush storage and care are important to achieving personal oral hygiene and optimally effective plaque removal, says Maria L. Geisinger, DDS, assistant professor of periodontology in the School of Dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "The oral cavity is home to hundreds of different types of microorganisms, which can be transferred to a toothbrush during use," Geisinger said. "Furthermore, most toothbrushes are stored in bathrooms, which exposes them to gastrointestinal microorganisms that may be transferred via a fecal-oral route. The number of microorganisms can vary wildly from undetectable to 1 million colony-forming units (CFUs). Proper handling and care of your toothbrush is important to your overall health."

— Tyler Greer

Dental Benefits Found in Red Wine Consumption

A glass of wine may be good for your health. Literally. This article suggests  that the ingredients found in red wine possibly stop the growth of streptococcus. The study also suggest that the health benefits of red wine are extended from the heart to your teeth. Learn how here...

Hundreds of microbial species co-exist within the human mouth simultaneously. Because the teeth are "non-shedding surfaces," microorganisms are able to adhere to them for long periods of time, which can lead to the formation of biofilms and dental plaque. Forming a symbiotic relationship within dental plaque, bacteria such as streptococci or lactobacilli are able to produce organic acids in high levels following the fermentation of dietary sugars. These acids demineralize the surface of the teeth, leading eventually to periodontal disease or tooth loss. Up to 60-90% of the global population are affected by these oral diseases.

— Could Red Wine Be Used to Prevent Dental Cavities?

Tips for a Younger and Healthier Smile

Is it possible for a healthier smile to ultimately lead to a healthier heart? How can we keep our smiles looking young and healthy? How does dental health affect our overall health? This article suggests that effective dental health routines can impact the long-term health of your heart and leave you with a younger looking smile in your elderly years.

Your mouth is more than just a pretty smile. It's also a gateway to your overall health. Keeping that gateway clean may keep you healthier longer -- and looking younger. “Just as white, straight teeth convey youth, a smile with crooked, discolored, worn, or missing teeth is associated with an aged look,” says Edmond Hewlett, DDS, professor of restorative dentistry at UCLA's School of Dentistry. “The adage ‘long in the tooth,’ used to describe older persons, reflects the fact that gum disease causes gums to recede and teeth to appear longer as a result." Recommended Related to Oral Health Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart? Paying attention to your dental hygiene and health -- especially your gums -- may pay you back with more than a gleaming, healthy smile and manageable dental bills. It may keep your heart healthy too.

— Dental Tips For a Younger Smile

Custom Mouth Guards Could Save Lives

Youth athletic leagues and school sponsored sports programs are searching for a more effective way to protect students. This study shows that helmets could be a helpful solution to reducing the number of concussions suffered by children each year. With the use of these modified mouth guards the reduction of concussions may be able to provide safer opportunities for students to play the sports they love. Read more about the study and the advances being made in this field.

"Researchers and, most importantly, parents, are looking for ways to better protect children against concussions," said lead author Jackson Winters, DDS, a pediatric dentist who also served as a high school and collegiate football official for 28 years. "Consumers may believe that today's advanced helmet design provides sufficient protection, but our research indicates that, when compared to over-the-counter versions, a custom-made, properly fitted mouthguard also is essential to player safety." The study followed 412 players from six high school football teams.

— Athletes' Risk of Concussion Reduced by Mouthguards

Two Forms of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a common form of a periodontal disease. The term "gingivitis" means swelling of the gums. There are two forms of gingivitis plaque induced and non-plaque induced. Both forms are treatable and require focused dental treatment. Gingivitis is a common condition that easily preventable with healthy hygiene routines. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments of gingivitis in the article below.

A patient with gingivitis will have red and puffy gums, and they will most likely bleed when they brush their teeth. Generally, gingivitis resolves with good oral hygiene - longer and more frequent brushing, as well as flossing. Some people find that using an antiseptic mouthwash, alongside proper tooth brushing and flossing also helps. In mild cases of gingivitis, patients may not even know they have it, because symptoms are mild. However, the condition should be taken seriously and addressed immediately.

— What is Gingivitis?

Preventive Dental Care for Your Children

Delayed dental care is an important issue in the U.S. Many parents are unaware of the appropriate age to begin preventive dental care for their children. This article highlights the need for preventive dental care in the adolescent stages and programs focused on decreasing the number of children that are unable to receive
proper care.

Of the 2,505 children around 4 years of age who were surveyed from 2011-13, 39 per cent had never been to a dentist. The children were part of TARGet Kids! (The Applied Research Group for Kids!), a unique collaboration between doctors and researchers from St. Michael's Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children. The program follows children from birth with the aim of preventing common problems in the early years and understanding their impact on health and disease later in life. Dr. Maguire's study was published in the journal Pediatrics. The study found never having been to a dentist was associated with younger age, lower family income, prolonged bottle use and higher daily intake of sweetened drinks such as juice. With each one-cup increase in the amount of sweetened drinks consumed daily, the odds of never having visited a dentist increased by 20 per cent.

— Early Preventive Dental Care

New Device Saves Jaws Damaged by Cancer

A new artificial device may win the fight against the results of periodontitis and mandibular cancer. Mandibular cancer potentially disfigures the face and periodontitis causes teeth to loosen over time. Dentists are able to insert artificial scaffolding to determine the new bone tissues growth. The foam and rubber helps the body repair itself. Learn more about the scaffolding device and the benefits it could offer.

To begin with, the invention can save those who suffer from loose teeth and damaged mandibles. Periodontitis is a troublesome infection of the gums. When the infection causes the bone adjacent to teeth to break down, the teeth come loose. Mandibular bone can also be damaged by cancer, infections and accidents. Using this new method, dentists can insert artificial scaffolding that will determine where the new bone tissue will grow. To understand this method, we need to understand how bone can repair itself. After a fracture, the bone fragments can knit together only if they are in very close contact. Even if they have the ability to do this, there are major limitations. When a bone fractures, a lot of blood collects at the site of fracture. Blood contains organic molecules that coalesce into long strands. This coagulum is then populated with cells and turn into connective tissue that later calcify. The connective tissue functions as a porous growth platform for bone cells and blood vessels. The bone cells remodel the calcified structure and forms functional bone. New blood vessels help bring nutrients and oxygen.

— New Device Saves Loose Teeth

The Basics of Brushing Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth is a key hygiene practice that most adults don't do properly. The length of time and specific areas that require more attention are important points to remember when brushing your teeth daily. Here's a  resource that can be passed down from generation to generation. Freshen up your brushing skills with this step by step oral hygiene guide.

Proper brushing takes at least two minutes — that's right, 120 seconds! Most adults do not come close to brushing that long. To get a feel for the time involved, try using a stopwatch. To properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration. Concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section as follows: 

-Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth. 

-Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth. 

-Clean the chewing surfaces -For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too.

— Oral and Dental Health Basics