Ask the Dental Hygene Expert – Marianne Reeder
May 2012 Article
Newly Identified Oral Bacteria
Now meningitis can be added to the many other diseases associated with periodontal disease.
A new bacteria in the oral cavity named Streptococcus tigurinus was identified recently by researchers at the University of Zurich. This “novel bacterium” is linked to heart disease and meningitis. It is very similar to other related bacteria in the mouth. S. tigurinus was isolated from blood samples of patients suffering from endocarditis, meningitis, and spondylodiscitis (inflammation of the spine). Like other oral bacteria, bleeding gums provide a route of entry for the bacteria into the blood stream and increasing the chances of serious diseases developing in other areas of the body.
Scientists state that while there is no cause for alarm, it is important to be aware of it. Dr. Zbinden says “The next step is to work out exactly how common this bacterium is in the oral cavity and what risk it poses. Immunosuppression, abnormal heart valves, dental surgeries or chronic diseases are common predisposing factors for blood infections by this group of bacteria”. She emphases the specific risk factors remain to be determined and that further research needs to be done to determine information concerning the bacteria i.e. knowing how to track its spread, treat it quickly and with the appropriate drug.
So, this newly identified oral cavity dwelling bacteria is yet another reminder to practice good dental hygiene care because our oral health can reflect our overall health and vice-versa.
April 2012 Article
Could Your Dental Hygienist Save Your Life?
You bet! For over a decade now revealing new findings support what dental hygienists had long suspected: Infections in the mouth can cause disease elsewhere in the body such as heart disease, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, pre-term low birth weight babies, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, and more recently cancer and Alzheimer’s … the list seems to keep growing and much remains to be learned, but what’s increasingly clear is that oral health and overall health are inseparable. When your dental hygienist examines your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues, what she/he sees mirrors the condition of your whole body. More than 90% of all systemic diseases have manifestations in the mouth.
Dental hygienists reiterate daily to their clients how periodontal disease is a bacterial infection and all infections in the body are a cause for concern. Millions of bacteria exist in the mouth and ignoring oral health routines results in them entering the blood stream at an alarming rate, and travelling to major organs and begin new infections. The bacteria found in the plaque that forms on our teeth is the same bacteria that can clog up our coronary arteries!
So, don’t be surprised at your next dental hygiene appointment your dental hygienist asks you to roll up your sleeve (to take your blood pressure) before asking you to open your mouth – be assured your overall health is being cared for too.
Your Registered Dental Hygienist….”The Best Friend Your Teeth Can Have”……a Licensed Professional
March 2012 Article
What Your Smile Says About You
The smile is the most scientifically studied human facial expression. A smile is much more than just a pair of upturned lips.
Consider these facts that may make you, well, you know:
1) People with big grins live longer. Researchers recently analyzed photos of baseball players and found that on average those with bright, bigmouthed beams lived 4.9 years longer than those with partial smiles, and 7 years longer than those people who showed no grin at all.
2) Smiles exert subliminal powers. Individuals subjected to a subliminal image of a smiling face for just four milliseconds perceived the world in a better light – bland drinks tasted better and boring material became more interesting.
3) Three degrees of happiness. A smile spreads love. So if you smile, a friend of a friend is more likely to smile too.
4) Two types of smiles. Genuine smiles and fake smiles. Our ancestors evolved the fake smile in order to mask their fear and fury.
5) To spot a faker, check the eyes. When someone smiles with genuine delight, the orbicularis oculi muscle involuntarily contracts, crinkling the skin around the eyes. Most people are incapable of deliberately moving this muscle, which means that when a person fakes a smile, their orbicularis oculi likely won’t budge.
6) Smiles have accents. When reading facial expressions, different cultures home in on different parts of the face. Japanese search for feeling in the eyes, whereas North Americans focus on mouths.
So as Canadians whose culture focuses on mouths, our smiles are sending messages to everyone we meet. Keep in mind that people often make snap judgments about individuals based solely on the condition of their teeth. What is your smile saying about you or do you show no grin at all?
February 2012 Article
Gift from the Heart offers free dental cleanings
For the 2nd consecutive year, Finesse dental hygiene clinic will be participating in the GIFT FROM THE HEART campaign on Saturday February 11th which offers a way for participating independent dental hygienists across Canada to bring awareness of the overwhelming number of individuals who are financially unable to receive or access dental hygiene services. The event also goes one step further to make sure more people know about independent dental hygienists and their integral role in the delivery of accessible quality dental hygiene care.
Last year, Finesse provided approximately $7000.00 worth of treatment to 33 local residents in need. A number of dental suppliers gratefully provided free sundries. The day, while extremely busy, was full of smiles, laughter, and a huge feeling of happiness that can only come from giving back. This year, Finesse has one more very enthusiastic registered dental hygienist, Lacey Nowicki, to provide free dental hygiene services to even more participants.
Finesse’s focus for this year’s event will be specifically children aged 17 years and under who qualify medically, whose families have no dental insurance and dental hygiene services would represent a significant financial hardship.
Families with children fitting this criteria can call Finesse at 403.526.5506 by Feb. 8th. Callers will be asked a few questions to ensure they qualify and those who do will have their names put into a lottery for available appointment times. Appointments will be arranged on Feb 9th, with calls made to confirm appointments for Sat Feb 11th.
Finesse very much looks forward to what this annual event will bring in the years ahead.
January 2012 Article
Brighten Your Pearly Whites
Do you wish your teeth had just a bit more sparkle to them? Sadly, while stained teeth aren’t a health hazard, they have prompted those with stained teeth to do damaging things trying to whiten them.
Some stains (extrinsic) are removed with twice-yearly cleanings, while others (intrinsic) require getting them professionally bleached. Some stains may be almost impossible to remove (tetracycline antibiotic). Of course, age – that notorious thief of beauty – robs our teeth of their original brilliance too.
The best way to keep teeth their whitest is to avoid staining them in the first place. You knew that was coming, didn’t you? Yep, once again, conscientious brushing and flossing wins – hands down – as the best way to prevent dental problems.
Definite tooth-whitening don’ts:
• Don’t take aggressive measures on your own.
• Don’t use any amount of chlorine bleach on your teeth. It is highly toxic.
• Don’t over do it with “whitening” toothpastes. Some stain-removing toothpastes are quite abrasive and can wear off enamel if used too often.
To brighten your smile:
• Stick to your brushing and flossing regimen.
• Avoid all forms of tobacco use.
• Cut down on your intake of coffee, tea, and dark colas (drink from a straw whenever possible).
• Only get your teeth whitened by a dental professional.
• Treat yourself to an extra cleaning or two. Keep your teeth whiter (and your hygienist happier) by scheduling visits just for professional cleanings.
December 2011 Article
Oral Health Impacts Fertility
Who knew that brushing and flossing could help improve the chances of a woman conceiving a child.
Past studies have shown repeatedly that gum disease plays a significant role in heart disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory and kidney disease, and problems in pregnancy such as miscarriage and premature births. Now a study conducted in Australia and published in Obstetrics and Gynecology suggested that gum disease might be one of several factors that could be modified to improve the chances of a pregnancy. The study found that women with gum disease took an average of just over seven months to become pregnant – two months longer than the average of five months that it took women without gum disease to conceive. The study also revealed that non-Caucasian women who had gum disease were at the highest risk of later conception and were more likely to take over a year to become pregnant compared to those without gum disease.
Women about to plan for a family are encouraged to see their physician to ensure that they are as healthy as possible before trying to conceive. Now it appears that women should also be encouraged to see their dentist and/or dental hygienist to have any gum disease treated before trying to conceive.
November 2011 Article
Gum Disease Linked to Erectile Dysfunction
Bad breath and bleeding gums are definite turn-offs, but poor oral hygiene may hamper men’s sexual prowess even further – by causing erectile dysfunction – yep, you read that right fellas!
A recent study published in the Journal of Sex and Medicine showed subjects with poor dental hygiene were more likely to have ED. Study subjects had less of the enzyme eNOS which produces nitric acid in the body that relaxes blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the penis and triggers erections. Scientists believe the inflammation in the body led to decreased levels of eNOS.
Some experts say connecting the gums to the penis is too much of a stretch, however the study’s authors (albeit the study subjects were in fact rats) claim that treating periodontitis in human males will improve their sexual health.
While more research is needed – particularly on humans – some loose conclusions can absolutely be drawn from this study combined with findings from other studies.
So, a man with good dental habits and regular dental hygiene cleanings – smile big, fellas! – is less likely to have penile issues in the sack.
October 2011 Article
Avoid The Halloween Nightmare
Scary Tooth Decay
Without a doubt candy is the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of Halloween. Every year at Holloween, children bring tons of candy home after an evening of trick-or-treating. Sugary candy can lead to tooth decay, but following a few simple steps can help you and your child have a fun Halloween without the nightmare of harming their teeth.
1) Don’t let children gorge on Halloween candy all night. Halloween would be the perfect time to teach them moderation is important.
2) Monitor your child’s brushing. Brushing should be no less than three times a day.
3) Have children on an age-appropriate fluoridated mouthwash every evening.
4) Leave disposable dental flossers laying all over the house. It’s amazing what kids will do when they’re bored.
5) Avoid or limit sticky candy or candy labeled “sour”. Sticky candy is hard for saliva to wash away the sugar and sour candy is high in acids that cause the tooth enamel to erode away. Chocolate is the safest candy to eat. Saliva easily rinses the chocolate away.
6) Give your child sugar-free gum to chew. Sugar-free gum helps prevent cavities by neutralizing the effect of sugar from the candy.
By practicing good oral hygiene and eating candy in moderation, children can have a fun and safe Halloween and still enjoy the candy!
September 2011 Article
Most asked questions by parents about children’s dental health
At what age should I bring my child to the first dental hygiene visit?
Around age 2.5 – 3 years is the ideal age to have the first dental hygiene visit and dental check-up. This is when all the baby teeth are supposed to erupt. The first visit is all about fun for kids and education of their parents.
Why should I bring my child to the first visit so soon?
Well, there are a couple to things we are looking for when a child is in the dental chair.
We hope to count 20 baby teeth – 10 on the top and 10 on the bottom.
We are looking for any brown sticky spots, also known as dental cavities.
We hope to see good spacing in between teeth.
We are looking for amount of build-up on teeth, also known as plaque (bacteria) or calcified spots called calculus or tartar.
We are assessing child’s ability to brush their own teeth.
We are looking for any suspicious lesions in the mouth or anomalies (abnormal appearance) in anatomy of the soft and hard tissues.
We discuss any bad habits that child has acquired and if it changes the way his or her teeth are supposed to look like.
We discuss toothpaste that the child is using (having child using fluoridated toothpaste at such a young age can lead to white spots on adult teeth because a child does not know how to spit the toothpaste).
August 2011 Article
7 Brilliant Uses for Outdated/IckyTasting Toothpaste
Toothpaste: it whitens, brightens, deodorizes, removes stains, and restores and protects enamel. But when the toothpaste becomes outdated or if we don’t like the taste, it’s cleaning capabilities work wonders on many things besides our teeth. Try out these seven tricks with a white, non-gel toothpaste and watch that cavity-fighting, breath-freshening tube of wonder work its magic.
- Relieve irritation from bug bites, sores, and blisters. When applied to sores or blisters, it dries them up, thus allowing the wound to heal faster. It’s best when used overnight.
- Soothe a stinging burn. For minor burns that don’t involve an open wound, toothpaste applied delicately to the affected area can deliver temporary cooling relief.
- Decrease the size of a facial blemish. Want to speed up the healing of a zit? Apply a tiny dot of toothpaste to the affected area at night before bed. Wash it off in the morning.
- Keep hair in place. To style and hold an extreme hair creation, try gel toothpaste as your go-to product if you’re out of regular hair gel. (this is also a great trick for making baby barrettes stay in place.)
- Deodorize baby bottles. Always make sure to rinse well.
- Remove the burned crust on irons. The silica in toothpaste gently grinds away this rusty-looking layer.
- Defog goggles. Scuba divers, swimmers, and triathletes may already know about this handy little trick: Gently rub a small spot of toothpaste into each lens of your goggles. Then rinse thoroughly, and voila!
I’d like to see my toothpaste work harder anyway. After all, if I’ve got to suffer through a zit breakout, they might as well smell fresh!
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