Contrary to popular belief, Halloween is not your dentist's favorite holiday. Halloween is just as frightening for a dentist as it is for most parents, because of all the Halloween candy your kids will return home with, and the damage it can do to their teeth.
If you are worried that the treats your kids will be eating will damage their teeth, this list of the top Halloween candy tips for healthy teeth should do the trick (no pun intended).
•Sort and Eliminate - After a long night of trick-or-treating, sit down with your kids and sort through the candy together. Besides checking for candy that may have been tampered with, take a look at the type of candy received, to determine if it meets your parental standards. Is the candy rock hard, just waiting to break a tooth? Is it super sticky, ready to adhere to their bands, brackets, and the ever important tooth's biting surface? If the candy your child received sets off an alarm in your mind, consider offering a trade for such candy. Set a limit of 1 to 5 cents per piece of candy, and "buy back" the offending candy. If you are faced with an exorbitant amount of unapproved candy, consider donating the candy to your local food bank. We have a candy exchange at our office. This event allows your child to exchange their candy for a healthier treat, and at the same time, support the Smiles Change Lives program.
•Set Limits - Once you come to an agreement on the type of candy they can eat, set boundaries for when and how much can be consumed at a time. Schedule "candy time" once a day, preferably with snacks or meals, not in between. It is always best to eat sweets with other foods. The presence of the additional food increases the saliva production in the mouth. Plaque thrives on the acids produced by sugar. This increase in saliva helps to break down the sugar quickly, which in turn decreases the amount of acid produced in the mouth.
•Chew Sugar-Free Gum - Sugar-free gum works just like food to increase the saliva production in the mouth. Offer your child a piece of sugar free gum if tooth brushing is not an option after eating the candy. When selecting a sugar-free gum, look for one that contains xylitol, for the added benefit it brings for post-candy consumption.
•Brush and Floss - This one may seem obvious, but many people, kids included, fail to brush and floss their teeth immediately after consuming sugary Halloween candy. After eating a piece of Halloween candy, have your child brush and floss their teeth. Using a mouthwash designed for kids, that contains fluoride, will add that final bit of protection necessary to prevent cavities.
Halloween is an exciting time for your children. They can still have fun, and eat their candy too. By following these tips, they will learn how to enjoy the occasional treat while remembering the health of their teeth at the same time.
Random Thoughts on Dentistry in the 21st Century
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Grow Your Own False Teeth
Instead of false teeth, a small ball of cells (stem cells) capable of growing into a new tooth soon will able to be implanted where the missing one used to be. The procedure needs only a local anaesthetic and the new tooth should be fully formed within a few months of the cells being implanted.
Paul Sharpe, a specialist in the field of regenerative dentistry at the Dental Institute of King's College, London, says the new procedure has distinct advantages over false teeth that require a metal post to be driven into the jaw before being capped with a porcelain or plastic tooth.
"The surgery today can be extensive and you need to have good solid bone in the jaw and that is a major problem for some people," Professor Sharpe said. The method could be used on far more patients because the ball of cells that grows into a tooth also produces bone that anchors to the jaw.
The choice of growing a new tooth is likely to appeal to patients. "Anyone who has lost teeth will tell you that, given the chance, they would rather have their own teeth than false ones," said Prof Sharpe. The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth from a set of 32.
The procedure is fairly simple. Doctors take stem cells from the patient. These are unique in their ability to form any of the tissues that make up the body. By carefully nurturing the stem cells in a laboratory, scientists can nudge the cells down a path that will make them grow into a tooth. After a couple of weeks, the ball of cells, known as a bud, is ready to be implanted. Tests reveal what type of tooth - for example, a molar or an incisor - the bud will form. Using a local anaesthetic, the tooth bud is inserted through a small incision into the gum. Within months, the cells will have matured into a fully-formed tooth, fused to the jawbone. As the tooth grows, it releases chemicals that encourage nerves and blood vessels to link up with it.
Tests have shown the technique to work in mice, where new teeth took weeks to grow. "There's no reason why it shouldn't work in humans, the principles are the same," said Prof Sharpe.
Paul Sharpe, a specialist in the field of regenerative dentistry at the Dental Institute of King's College, London, says the new procedure has distinct advantages over false teeth that require a metal post to be driven into the jaw before being capped with a porcelain or plastic tooth.
"The surgery today can be extensive and you need to have good solid bone in the jaw and that is a major problem for some people," Professor Sharpe said. The method could be used on far more patients because the ball of cells that grows into a tooth also produces bone that anchors to the jaw.
The choice of growing a new tooth is likely to appeal to patients. "Anyone who has lost teeth will tell you that, given the chance, they would rather have their own teeth than false ones," said Prof Sharpe. The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth from a set of 32.
The procedure is fairly simple. Doctors take stem cells from the patient. These are unique in their ability to form any of the tissues that make up the body. By carefully nurturing the stem cells in a laboratory, scientists can nudge the cells down a path that will make them grow into a tooth. After a couple of weeks, the ball of cells, known as a bud, is ready to be implanted. Tests reveal what type of tooth - for example, a molar or an incisor - the bud will form. Using a local anaesthetic, the tooth bud is inserted through a small incision into the gum. Within months, the cells will have matured into a fully-formed tooth, fused to the jawbone. As the tooth grows, it releases chemicals that encourage nerves and blood vessels to link up with it.
Tests have shown the technique to work in mice, where new teeth took weeks to grow. "There's no reason why it shouldn't work in humans, the principles are the same," said Prof Sharpe.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
SNORING......In Kids Too!!!
12% of children snore habitually. Studies have shown that 1% to 3% of preschool children who snore have ‘obstructive sleep apnea’ (OSA). OSA can be found in children of all ages but is most common in two to six year olds. The airway obstruction in OSA can disrupt sleep and cause oxygen deprivation.
The consequences of the affected children laboring and compensating to increase the airflow are many. The facial development and tooth alignment may be affected. The concomitant mouth breathing can predispose the children to a dry mouth, tooth decay, and gum irritation. The children may also exhibit poor school performance due to excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, and social withdrawal and on rare occasions brain damage, seizures, or coma.
Whereas adults with OSA are prone to sleep arousal without complete awakening, children may suffer from hours of partial airway obstruction without sleep arousal.
Some leading causative factors for OSA in children are enlarged tonsils and adenoids, craniofacial anomalies, and obesity. Children with Down’s Syndrome are at high risk. However, not all children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or craniofacial anomalies, or obesity, or Down’s Syndrome, are necessarily affected.
Parents describe OSA episodes as labored breathing with no airflow followed by gasping or choking. Breathing is usually normal while the child is awake. A special test called a polysomnograph can help diagnose OSA. Treatments include the removal of the tonsils and adenoids; continuous positive airway pressure treatment; weight loss for obese patients; special mouth devices to reposition the tongue and/or the lower jaw (adults mostly); and surgery on the uvula, tonsils, palate, and pharynx (adults mostly).
Early diagnosis and treatment can avoid needless suffering. Parents who are unsure if their children are affected by this problem should speak to their pediatrician or ask me when they're in for a checkup.
Steve
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The consequences of the affected children laboring and compensating to increase the airflow are many. The facial development and tooth alignment may be affected. The concomitant mouth breathing can predispose the children to a dry mouth, tooth decay, and gum irritation. The children may also exhibit poor school performance due to excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, and social withdrawal and on rare occasions brain damage, seizures, or coma.
Whereas adults with OSA are prone to sleep arousal without complete awakening, children may suffer from hours of partial airway obstruction without sleep arousal.
Some leading causative factors for OSA in children are enlarged tonsils and adenoids, craniofacial anomalies, and obesity. Children with Down’s Syndrome are at high risk. However, not all children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or craniofacial anomalies, or obesity, or Down’s Syndrome, are necessarily affected.
Parents describe OSA episodes as labored breathing with no airflow followed by gasping or choking. Breathing is usually normal while the child is awake. A special test called a polysomnograph can help diagnose OSA. Treatments include the removal of the tonsils and adenoids; continuous positive airway pressure treatment; weight loss for obese patients; special mouth devices to reposition the tongue and/or the lower jaw (adults mostly); and surgery on the uvula, tonsils, palate, and pharynx (adults mostly).
Early diagnosis and treatment can avoid needless suffering. Parents who are unsure if their children are affected by this problem should speak to their pediatrician or ask me when they're in for a checkup.
Steve
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Do You Dream About Losing Your teeth??
If we no longer lose our teeth, will we lose our dreams about losing our teeth?
Teeth have great power in symbol and myth. Primitive people commonly adorn themselves with the teeth and claws of conquered animals. You still see shark-teeth necklaces on the chests of young beachgoers — usually male, presumably attempting to declare their virility.
“The tooth is the only part of the body that, as children, we get money for,” says Betty Sue Flowers of the University of Texas, who edited “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. “There’s no nail-clipping fairy. There’s no hair-cutting fairy.”
Since teeth are the archetypal means of attack, loss of one’s teeth in dreams signifies “a fear of castration or of complete failure in life,” reports J.E. Cirlot in “A Dictionary of Symbols,” the authoritative examination of the collective, social and religious meanings of images throughout history.
Freud thought that our extremely common tooth-loss dreams were about sexual guilt. Wow, was he predictable.
“Meaningful symbolic interpretation of teeth in dreams usually comes down to one idea: To lose teeth is to become vulnerable, to lose the first line of defense,” says Bernard Welt, professor of arts and humanities at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, where for 25 years he has taught a course about dreams.
“Thus it is not surprising if someone who feels defenseless or abandoned emotionally dreams of losing teeth.”
Yes, but does the end of tooth loss mean the end of tooth-loss dreams?
“To the extent that many dreams about losing teeth do seem to be inspired by seeing elderly people lacking teeth and incorporating that as a metaphor for mortality or aging or infirmity of later life, I think that proportion of the dreams would be expected to disappear,” says Deirdre Barrett of Harvard, editor of “The New Science of Dreaming.”
Welt is not so sure. “Obviously, people dream about being naked or partially clothed in public places — or about having to take an exam unprepared — without having these experiences,” he says.
And for all we know, the rarer tooth loss becomes, the more nightmarish it will be.
Steve
Teeth have great power in symbol and myth. Primitive people commonly adorn themselves with the teeth and claws of conquered animals. You still see shark-teeth necklaces on the chests of young beachgoers — usually male, presumably attempting to declare their virility.
“The tooth is the only part of the body that, as children, we get money for,” says Betty Sue Flowers of the University of Texas, who edited “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. “There’s no nail-clipping fairy. There’s no hair-cutting fairy.”
Since teeth are the archetypal means of attack, loss of one’s teeth in dreams signifies “a fear of castration or of complete failure in life,” reports J.E. Cirlot in “A Dictionary of Symbols,” the authoritative examination of the collective, social and religious meanings of images throughout history.
Freud thought that our extremely common tooth-loss dreams were about sexual guilt. Wow, was he predictable.
“Meaningful symbolic interpretation of teeth in dreams usually comes down to one idea: To lose teeth is to become vulnerable, to lose the first line of defense,” says Bernard Welt, professor of arts and humanities at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, where for 25 years he has taught a course about dreams.
“Thus it is not surprising if someone who feels defenseless or abandoned emotionally dreams of losing teeth.”
Yes, but does the end of tooth loss mean the end of tooth-loss dreams?
“To the extent that many dreams about losing teeth do seem to be inspired by seeing elderly people lacking teeth and incorporating that as a metaphor for mortality or aging or infirmity of later life, I think that proportion of the dreams would be expected to disappear,” says Deirdre Barrett of Harvard, editor of “The New Science of Dreaming.”
Welt is not so sure. “Obviously, people dream about being naked or partially clothed in public places — or about having to take an exam unprepared — without having these experiences,” he says.
And for all we know, the rarer tooth loss becomes, the more nightmarish it will be.
Steve
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