Category Archives: dentist

There’s More to Oral Cancer Risks Than Alcohol and Tobacco | Dentistry Today

28 Friday Apr 2017

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fruit heartApril is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and dentistrytoday.com will be celebrating the event with blogs, news stories, and other features all spotlighting the disease. #OralCancerAwareness 

Think back to the “dark days” of dental school. Somewhere buried in the curriculum of prosthodontics, restorative, orthodontics, and periodontics, there was some mention of oral pathology. Apparently, since you would be spending your career looking into the mouths of your patients, you needed some instruction on the inspection and diagnosis of a variety of lesions of the oral cavity.

During your coursework you undoubtedly learned about leukoplakia and erythroplakia, as well as the possibility that some of these lesions might progress to oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). You were taught that any ulcer that did not heal, erythroplakia, or suspicious appearing leukoplakia warranted a biopsy to rule out an early cancer.

– via There’s More to Oral Cancer Risks Than Alcohol and Tobacco | Dentistry Today

Being Mindful in the Dentist Chair

04 Tuesday Apr 2017

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“When confronted with fear of the dentist chair, our minds run wild by conjuring the most terrifying experiences. By staying in the present moment, we can avoid conjuring these worst case scenarios, and instead remain in a calm and centered place.” — Dr. Fern White, a dentist in Australia who practices mindful dentistry.

Breathe deeply through the nose and into the belly region.

Place one hand on your stomach to feel the breath move deeply.

Systematically relax the muscles of the jaw, shoulders, head, neck.

Note and feel anything that comes up while breathing.

Be curious about any discomfort or thoughts. What do they feel like? Where do they reside in the body? Note that they move and disappear.

Be aware of the sensations that pass through the body while in the chair — sense them when they come up as opposed to trying to wish them away.

Note that everything passes.meditating

via How to Be Mindful Sitting in the Dentist Chair – The New York Times

Europe to Phase Out Mercury in Dental Fillings

29 Wednesday Mar 2017

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The Europmercury fillingsean Parliament has adopted legislation that will restrict the use of mercury, further closing the gap between existing European Union legislation and the 2012 United Nations Minamata Convention against mercury pollution. The legislation will phase out the use of mercury in dental amalgam by 2030.

“Mercury is acutely toxic and is one of the 10 most damaging naturally occurring substances on the planet. Fetuses, newborns, and children are the most vulnerable group, since in the growth phase the brain and the nervous system react very sensitively to mercury,” said Member of Parliament Stefan Eck of Germany.

via Europe Votes to Phase Out Mercury in Dental Amalgam | Dentistry Today

Hey Kids- Avoid the Drill

24 Friday Mar 2017

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Child-at-dentist“Nobody looks forward to having a cavity drilled and filled by a dentist. Now there’s an alternative: an antimicrobial liquid that can be brushed on cavities to stop tooth decay — painlessly.

The liquid is called silver diamine fluoride, or S.D.F. It’s been used for decades in Japan, but it’s been available in the United States, under the brand name Advantage Arrest, for just about a year.

The Food and Drug Administration cleared silver diamine fluoride for use as a tooth desensitizer for adults 21 and older. But studies show it can halt the progression of cavities and prevent them, and dentists are increasingly using it off-label for those purposes.”

via A Cavity-Fighting Liquid Lets Kids Avoid Dentists’ Drills – The New York Times

Lose Your Teeth and Your Mind?

10 Friday Mar 2017

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284498603“As the numbers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disabilities increase, scientists are investigating how these conditions may be related to oral health. After evaluating available research, the International and American Associations for Dental Research concluded that individuals with fewer than 20 teeth face a 26% greater risk of cognitive decline and 22% greater risk of dementia.

The researchers searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycoINFO, and Cochrane Library databases and identified 1,251 articles published between 1990 and 2014, choosing 10 for their systematic review and 8 for their meta-analysis. A pair of researchers reviewed and assessed the studies independently according to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.”

– See more via Tooth Loss Associated With Reduced Cognitive Function | Dentistry Today

Bright not White- in the search for the perfect smile terminology matters

24 Friday Feb 2017

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“When patients ask for white and only white teeth, most of the time we think they want that old bathroom ceramic white, and we wonder why, for crying out loud, would they want something like that in their mouths? They probably don’t. They don’t know the terminology. So they probably will not tell their dentists, “I want translucency with light mammelons and gentle halo, and a vital, luminescent restoration.” Sometimes we even blame patients for wearing those dead-white crowns or veneers. We say, “It looks so fake, how can she think that looks good? She paid for that?”…and so on.” Read more bright-smilevia Keep it Bright! The Difference Between Bright and White | Dentistry Today

E-cigarettes ‘just as harmful as tobacco’ for oral health – Medical News Today

03 Friday Feb 2017

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Photo courtesy of NPR

“The researchers note that nicotine is a known contributor to gum disease, but e-cigarette flavoring appeared to exacerbate the cell damage caused by e-cigarette vapor, with menthol-flavored vapor posing the most harm.

While further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects of e-cigarette use, Rahman and team believe their findings indicate that the devices may have negative implications for oral health.”

via E-cigarettes ‘just as harmful as tobacco’ for oral health – Medical News Today