Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Here’s a Twig … Now Brush Your Teeth

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

toothbrushesingreen_smParents have been telling their children to brush their teeth for at least 6,000 years. Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of ancient tooth cleaning implements, including twigs, feathers, bones, and quills. In fact, tooth brushing tools have been found as early as 3500 BCE in the Babylonian and Egyptian cultures, when people used frayed ends of twigs to scrub off bacteria and food particles.

Several early cultures used chewing sticks with aromatic or antiseptic properties, such as neem or miswak. The sticks not only cleaned teeth, but also freshened breath.

In 1498 in China, an enterprising soul plucked stiff hairs from a pig’s neck and attached the bristles to a bone or bamboo handle. When this toothbrush was adopted by the Europeans, they opted for softer bristles—using horsehairs or feathers.

The toothbrush was modernized around 1780 by Englishman William Addis when he tied boar bristles into tufts and glued them into drilled holes of a bone handle. In fact, he’s responsible for the first mass-produced toothbrush. The company that Addis started more than 230 years ago, Wisdom Toothbrushes, still exists today.

In 1857, H.N. Wadsworth was the first American to be granted a toothbrush patent. However, mass production on toothbrushes in the United States didn’t begin until 1885, and animal bristles were still used as the brushing components. Fast forward to 1938 when DuPont created a new material called nylon. These synthetic fibers soon replaced natural bristles in toothbrushes.

These days, you have a variety of toothbrush options, including electric and disposable. If you’re not sure which type of toothbrush is best for your dental care needs, ask your dentist at your next checkup. And skip the twigs.

Vegetarianism may be good for your heart, but is it good for your teeth?

Friday, December 30th, 2011

Many people make losing weight and getting healthy their new year’s resolution. If this is your goal for 2012, you might decide to try vegetarianism. While vegetarianism can help reduce your intake of fat and cholesterol while inveggiescreasing your intake of those healthy fruits and vegetables, are there any dental care issues associated with becoming a vegetarian?

How Vegetarianism Can Affect Your Oral Health

When designing your vegetarian diet, it’s essential to make sure you’re still getting certain nutrients. Some vegetarians might not get enough calcium, riboflavin, vitamins D or B12, or protein, and this can have a negative effect on the oral health of vegetarians.

A diet low on vitamin D and calcium can increase your risk of periodontal disease (gum disease), a very serious oral health problem. But take heart! You can counteract this problem with dietary supplements. It’s also recommended that you get guidance from a nutritionist before pursuing a vegetarian lifestyle to make sure you’re on the right track.

If giving vegetarianism a go is your new year’s resolution, there’s no need to be afraid for your oral health. Just make sure you’re getting all the important nutrients by eating a balanced diet. And don’t forget to make brushing and flossing a part of your oral health routine, too!

Oh, for Goodness Sake!

Monday, December 19th, 2011

If I Could Only Have My Two Front Teeth…

Around the age of six, a child’s baby teeth begin to fall out to make room for primary teeth. The last of their baby teeth typically fall out by the age of 13. Teeth fall out in the same order they erupted. So, most children lose their bottom two teeth first, and then their two front teeth.

Unfortunately, there are other ways to lose front teeth. Front teeth often take the full impact of a fall. If these teeth are knocked loose or knocked out, it’s important to get to the dentist right away. The dentist will try to reinsert the tooth so that it begins to re-bond with the bone. If it’s too late to save the tooth, then it’s likely the gap can be filled in with a dental prosthesis, such as a crown and bridge, or with dental implants.

Then I Could Wish You Merry Christmas…

In 1944, music teacher Donal Yetter Gardner asked his second grade class what they wanted for Christmas. He noticed nearly all his students had lisps because they were missing at least one front tooth, and he was inspired to pen a holiday song.  After performing “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth,” at a music teachers’ conference, Gardner gained the notice of a Witmark music company employee.  A few short years later, the song was recorded and released by Spike Jones & His City Slickers, and the catchy tune soared to the top of the 1949 pop charts.

For This Year’s Halloween, Choose Candy Made with Xylitol!

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

trick or treaterYou probably have memories of your own Halloweens when you were a kid. You know what that sense of anticipation feels like waiting for Halloween to come, and that giddy, nervous sensation as you stand on a neighbor’s porch, waiting for candy.

But you probably have memories of getting a filling, too. And though getting fillings is a much more comfortable experience now than it was in the past, you’d still like to see your own little one get through Halloween cavity-free.

So why not stock up on candy made with xylitol this Halloween?

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Are You At Risk for Cavities?

Friday, October 7th, 2011

Are you at risk for cavities? That may sound like a trick question—everyone is at risk for cavities! But some people are at a higher risk than others, and knowing the risk factors could help you improve your oral health and avoid the extensive tooth decay that eventually turns in to the dreaded cavities.tooth with umbrella

So, in the spirit of helping you avoid future cavities by educating you on some of the many risk factors, here’s a list! (more…)

Support Your Health with Antioxidants

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

veggiesYour Smile, and Your Overall Health, Is Under Attack

You can’t tell it right now, but your body is under attack from free radicals.

What are free radicals? To understand that question, you need to know a little bit about the human body.

You already know your body is made of cells, and that cells are made up of molecules, and that molecules are made of atoms. You may also know that every atom is made up of two positive protons and two neutral electrons.

A free radical is an atom that’s lost one of its electrons. In this state, the atom is unstable. Its singular goal becomes stealing an electron from wherever it can find one, and that usually means taking one from another nearby atom, resulting in a chain reaction of electron-stealing known as oxidation.

If this chain reaction is allowed to continue, your health can be negatively impacted. Problems like diabetes, gingivitis, heart attack, and even cancer, have all been linked to free radicals.

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The Tooth Fairy May Be Relatively Young, But Her Story Began a Long Time Ago

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

shutterstock_41235853-[Converted]While most of us can’t imagine a world without the tooth fairy, she didn’t actually grace us with her presence until the early 1900s… at least, not in her current form. And depending where in the world you are, the “tooth fairy” is likely unrecognizable to those of us who grew up waking up the morning after losing a tooth to find a quarter under our pillow.

In fact, it would appear that our own nocturnal visitor’s origins have been influenced by rituals and superstitions held all over the world, many of which date back hundreds of years. (more…)

Got a Sweet Tooth? Have Some Xylitol!

Friday, June 24th, 2011

gumIt’s the middle of the day and you’re hungry. You could eat that apple you brought for an afternoon snack, but there’s also that box of cookies in the break room. And not just any cookies—homemade double fudge cookies.

That apple’s lookin’ pretty dinky now, isn’t it?

But before you go hog wild on those cookies, stop and think about all that sugar you’ll be eating. You’ve always heard your dentist say sugar is bad for your teeth, but do you know why? It’s because sugar energizes bacteria and leads to the production of acid, which destroys the enamel protecting your teeth from decay.

Brushing can help protect you, of course, but that happens just twice a day—if that much. So what can you do in the meantime?

How about having a little Xylitol?

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Sinus Infections: A Real Pain in the… Teeth?

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

106392513It’s that time of year. Allergens permeate the air we breathe, irritating our sinuses and making us feel all sick in the head. Viral infections, allergies, pollution… all can trigger sinusitis, which often leads to the dreaded sinus infection.

The painful pressure behind your eyes and cheekbones. The constant need to grab for a tissue (or five). The sore throat and irritating cough. The pain in your teeth. Wait… pain in… what? That can’t be right. (more…)

Fight Back Against the Plaque Attack!

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

99012595You know that fuzzy feeling on your teeth at the end of the day? Well, it’s not fuzz (phew!), it’s actually plaque (oh no!).  What is plaque? It’s a sticky biofilm attached to your teeth containing hundreds of bacterial species. Before you run for the mouthwash, you should know those bacteria occur naturally. And it’s not just you, everyone has them!

What Causes Plaque?

Those little germs on your teeth use ingredients in saliva to flourish, namely sugar. As the bacteria metabolize tiny sweet particles, they produce acids that erode tooth enamel, cause cavities, and lead to gum disease and tooth loss. A diet full of candy, soft drinks, and carbohydrate-rich foods ups the ante. (more…)