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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Colored Fillings
"Your child has a cavity."
Not many parents want to hear those words, especially if their child has dental anxiety.
Last summer, I saw a three year old child who needed to have a filling on one of his upper molars.
The only reason he sat still in the chair long enough for us to remove the decay and get a filling put in was because we told him we were going to give him a yellow colored filling.
He loved tractors, and wanted it to be yellow like his toy tractor. When he was all done, we took a picture of it and gave it to him so he could show his friends and family.
I've found that giving children a colored filling (along with some other things we do to make the comfortable), helps them to sit in the dental chair and get their needed dental work completed.
Find out why baby teeth need to have fillings if they just fall out.
Colored Fillings
Colored fillings are made of the same composite materials as tooth-colored fillings, they simply have more exciting coloring added to them.
At our office, we have five colors to choose from: blue, green, yellow, orange, and pink.
To the right, you can see how the pink filling looks on a tooth - it's what most of the girls end up choosing. That filling, as well as the green one above, was placed to fill in a cavity that formed between the teeth, which is one of the more common places you can get a cavity.
While we can do a colored filling to repair most cavities in baby teeth, nobody has had us do one on a front tooth yet!
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Dental bib clips can harbor oral and skin bacteria even after disinfection, study finds
Researchers have found that a significant proportion of dental bib clips harbored bacteria from the patient, dental clinician and the environment even after the clips had undergone standard disinfection procedures in a hygiene clinic.
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So I Met the Father of Facebook at a Henry Schein Festival
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at the Henry Schein Metro Fall Festival in Teaneck, NJ. Guess who was scheduled in the room after me? Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, father of Mark Zuckerberg. You...
Read the rest @ The Dental Implant Blog 
Read the rest @ The Dental Implant Blog
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New evaluation method for assessing toothpastes
There are various types of toothpaste available on the market. They come as pastes and gels, there are some that guard against tooth decay or protect teeth from acid attack, others that are designed for sensitive teeth. But which toothpastes clean well? Which preserve the tooth enamel? A new evaluation method sheds light on the subject.
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013
A New Way to Get Your Dental Work Done While Traveling
Update 4/2/2012: Happy April Fools Day 2012 — Unfortunately, in-flight dentistry hasn't quite taken off yet!
Don't be surprised if during your next visit to the friendly skies you hear the faint whine of the dental drill. Two major airlines are poised to announce the addition of the DentAir program to their flight services. The program has been in its trial stage since January 1, 2012 and has met with such success that it is now being expanded throughout both airlines. After years of cost-cutting, many airlines are trying to woo back disgruntled fliers by offering extra in-flight services that cater to their frequent travelers.
I hate to be a naysayer, but I did have my doubts when I first heard about this program. I mean, dentistry in the air? But after discussing the idea with both patients and other dentists, I have to admit that being an aerodentist is actually something I could see myself doing after I graduate from dental school.
The program is currently offered on about 5% of domestic flights, as well as several international destinations. Patients can requests services while checking in online up to 24 hours in advance or they can request an appointment once they get to their gate. A full range of services are offered, including routine cleaning and exams, custom whitening trays, and restorations.
What Patients Are Saying About the DentAir Program
We all know how difficult it is to fit dental check-ups into our busy schedules nowadays. But with the addition of the DentAir program, people can fly where they need to — and get an exam on the way.
Kerri Zrisk, creator of the DentAir concept, explains, "Whether you are a business traveler or a retired couple vacationing around the world, you probably struggle to find the time to get to your dentist. With this program, the dentist comes to you. We realized that passengers already had time slots open in their schedules — the only problem was that they were flying on airplanes during these lulls in their day. So we started thinking, 'How can we get the dentists to these people?' The DentAir program naturally followed."
Phil Mitewth, DentAir Conniseur
Many patients expressed relief that they had access to dental professionals while traveling. After all, dental emergencies rarely occur at convenient times. Phil Mitewth, director of sales for Mardott International, said, "As a busy executive, I simply don't have time to go to the dentist. With my busy schedule of flights, it's easy to get my dental work done - and I have to say that there's nothing quite as exhilarating as having a root canal over the Panama Canal."
Passenger Joseph Miller was equally excited. "I couldn't wait to get caps on my badly-stained two front teeth. Getting it done in the air was awesome and I would even say it was the crowning moment of my whole vacation!"
What Dentists Are Saying About the Dental Air Program
View from DentAir Dental Chair
New York Dentist Dr. Mo Lerr, DDS stated, "Many patients are flying down to Mexico to get their dental work done at a fraction of the cost. By being an airplane dentist, I have some time to persuade them to get their dental work done in-country. I can even offer cheaper prices since there are no taxes in the friendly skies!"
Dr. Daryl B. Payne says, "A lot of my colleagues were skeptical at first, but I will always remember doing my first 'mile-high' filling. I just revved up the drill and waited. As an aerodentist, I've learned to just hold the drill in the mouth and let the turbulence guide me to the decay. It works every time, and I've never had a patient leave."
Most dentists that were interviewed said they feel like an integral part of the flight team, despite their unique role. Dr. Timothy DeKay chimed in, "Everything has gone fairly smoothly so far. One time the pilot did tell me to lay off the suction since it was decreasing cabin pressure, but other than that we've had a pretty good working relationship."
The Stewardentess: A Fulfilling Career Choice
Meredith Russell, Stewardentess
Aerodentistry, like traditional dentistry, requires specially-trained support staff. After a recent flight, I was able to meet up with long-time Delta stewardess Meredith Russell. She returned to school last year to get her dental assisting degree and has recently been certified the first stewardentess in the nation.
In our interview she mused, "Sometimes it gets really boring during the downtime after I've collected the empty drink cups and pretzel bags. I felt like there was something I was missing out on as a stewardess and I wanted more out of my career. In-flight dental assisting was just a natural extension of my duty to make everyone's flight perfect."
The Future of Dentistry
Whether aerodentistry will really take off remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: dentists are branching out and considering unconventional treatment venues. It could be the recent economic recession or just a shift away from traditional care models, but whatever the reason, dentistry is expanding to reach more people.
"It's hard to say what the next 5 or 10 years will bring, " says Dave Capitt, dean of Michigan State School of Dentistry, "but if you ask me, the future of dentistry is up in the air."
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Richmond Dentist Explains the Link Between TMD and Neck Pain
How often do you find yourself experiencing neck pain? Did you know that this could be a warning sign of a serious medical issue? Over ten million Americans currently suffer from TMJ disorder, or TMD. At Richmond Smile Center, we can diagnose your TMD and offer minimally invasive treatment options. In today’s blog, your Richmond [...]
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Can Dental Anesthetic Really Make Your Heart Beat Faster?
Back when I was in dental school, the instructors told us to always pull back on the anesthetic syringe before injecting. By doing this, we would make sure that we weren't injecting the anesthetic into a blood vessel, which would cause the epinephrine in the anesthetic to make the patient's heart feel like it was beating out of their chest.
They called this the epinephrine reaction, and I blindly believed it. I even wrote a post about why dental anesthetic makes your heart beat faster. Until one day, this belief was questioned by a comment on that article (which actually caused Gavin to post a rather entertaining comment). I realized that I'd blindly believed what I'd been taught without doing any research of my own.
In this follow-up article, I'll answer the question: Can dental anesthetic really make your heart beat faster?
A few weeks ago, a woman told me that she hates getting injections because it makes her heart beat really fast. I asked her if a dentist had ever offered her the anesthetic brand Carbocaine (a type of dental anesthetic without any added epinephrine). She told me that she'd never heard of it. I tried it on her and she told me that it was the first injection she could remember where she didn't feel like her heart was beating out of her chest.
Naturally, this (along with other similar experiences) made me a believer that regular dental anesthetic with epinephrine can indeed make your heart beat faster. As a dentist I realize that stories, while fun and exciting, may not be a very good source of evidence, so I decided to do some more in-depth research.
Can Dental Anesthetic Really Make Your Heart Beat Faster?
The main question here is whether or not the small amount of epinephrine inside the dental anesthetic makes your heart beat faster or if it's simply caused by the epinephrine your body releases in response to being afraid of the crazy dentist that's about to poke you.
Many years ago, it was thought that the tiny amount of epinephrine in the dental anesthetic made no difference in your heart rate, and any change in your heart rate was simply caused by the "fight or flight" response.
Many studies have since confirmed that the epinephrine in dental anesthetic can cause an increase in your heart rate.
One study states that "intravenous administration of 0.015 mg of epinephrine with lidocaine results in increase in the heart rate ranging from 25 to 70 beats per minute, with elevations in the systolic blood from 20 to 70 mm Hg." For your information, one cartridge of dental anesthetic contains 0.018 mg of epinephrine — that's even more than the amount that has been shown to increase the heart rate by 25 to 70 beats per minute. Here's a link to one of those studies that discusses this.
Malamed's dental textbook on anesthetic even confirms what I'd discovered. It says, "Contrary to a previously held position that the intraoral administration of "usual" volumes of epinephrine produced no cardiovascular response and that patients were more at risk from endogenously released epinephrine than they were from exogenously administered epinephrine, recent evidence demonstrates that epinephrine plasma levels equivalent to those achieved during moderate to heavy exercise may occur after intraoral injection."
That simply says that the epinephrine in dental anesthetic can make your heart beat very fast, even tricking it into beating as fast as it would if you were exercising.
The author goes on to state that even if your dentist does inject slowly and "pull back" to ensure that they don't inject into a blood vessel, your heart can still beat faster: "However, even following usual precautions (e.g. aspiration, slow injection), sufficient epinephrine can be absorbed to cause sympathomimetic reactions such as aprehension, tachycardia, sweating, and pounding in the chest (palpitation): the so-called "epinephrine reaction."
More Evidence That Dental Anesthetic Can Make Your Heart Beat Faster
Even more evidence that dental anesthetic can make your heart beat faster comes from the American Heart Association. They recommend that any patients with heart disease receive a maximum of 0.04 mg of epinephrine from dental anesthetic. That's usually the equivalent of just two cartridges of dental anesthetic. For comparison's sake, a normal person without heart disease can receive up to eleven cartridges of anesthetic.
This shows that the AHA believes that the epinephrine in dental anesthetic can have an effect on the heart, and that's why they recommend limiting it so strictly.
The textbook Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient confirms this by stating "If [a vasoconstrictor] is considered essential, use cautiously (maximum 0.036 mg epinephrine or 0.20 mg levonordefrin)." Levonordefrin is similar to epinephrine, but it is mostly used in European countries, not in the U.S.
Lastly, the American Acamedy of Pediatric Dentists even has guidelines for dentists telling us what to do when a patient has a reaction to the epinephrine in dental anesthetic. They say to reassure the patient, ensure they're breathing well, and to check their vital signs if necessary.
Dental Anesthetic Can Make Your Heart Beat Faster
In summary, the most recent studies and evidence all point to the fact that the epinephrine (or levonordefrin for my European friends) can definitely make your heart feel like its beating out of your chest!
Do you have any questions about dental anesthetic and how it affects your heart? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
Image Credits: First Image © Diego Cervo/Shutterstock.com, Second Image © beerkoff/Shutterstock.comSource: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OralAnswers/~3/tKCeqWe3Kss/
Evidence insufficient to recommend routine antibiotics for joint replacement patients, experts say
Medical researchers have found that there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of antibiotics for joint replacement patients.
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Your Time with Kim: Radio Interview on Medical Tourism
Medical travel for major dental work, plastic surgery and other medical care continues to be in the news in the United States. On Friday evening, I was interviewed about the subject on the Your Time with Kim syndicated talk radio program.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BeautyFromAfar/~3/MjdSCI6SKJQ/
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Dentist in Columbus, OH Goes Beyond Traditional Dental Care
Dr. Dawne Slabach, Columbus, OH dentist, maintains the ability to treat the whole person using the latest technologies and philosophies available.
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Monday, July 29, 2013
Quincy Dentist Is Specialists In Teeth Restoration And Replacement
Dr. Alaa AlWazzan is proud to be a Prosthodontists, a dentist with additional, in-depth training
Coconut oil could combat tooth decay
Digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay. It is a natural antibiotic that could be incorporated into commercial dental care products, say scientists.
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How Your Dentist Knows You’re Not Flossing
A recent survey by the American Dental Association found that just under half of all Americans floss their teeth daily.
What about the other half?
My guess is that they're the ones who floss twice a year — right before their dental checkups. They think they can pull a fast one on us, but here's a little secret: dentists can tell when you've been flossing and when you haven't.
How Dentists Can Tell When You're Not Flossing
The way we can tell if you're not flossing is if your gums are bleeding. Although there are other, less common conditions that can make your gums bleed, gingivitis is the main cause. Gingivitis is when the gums are inflamed due to all of the bacteria in your mouth collecting right between the gums and the teeth.
The problem is that it takes about a week of daily flossing for gingivitis to go away and make it so your gums don't bleed when they are cleaned.
The most authoritative book on the gums — that's 1,328 pages dedicated to your gums! — states the following:
The presence of plaque for only 2 days can initiate gingival bleeding on probing, whereas once established, it may take 7 days or more after continued plaque control and treatment to eliminate gingival bleeding.
So, if you end up brushing and flossing really well right before your dental cleaning and exam, your teeth will be clean, but your gums will still show the main sign of inflammation: bleeding.
If you really want to trick your dentist into thinking you're brushing and flossing regularly, you'll have to do it for at least seven days before your visit. And if you're gonna do that, why not simply brush and floss every day?
Image © Cheryl Casey/Shutterstock.comSource: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OralAnswers/~3/60zaPP0OTF8/
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Ancient teeth bacteria record disease evolution
DNA preserved in calcified bacteria on the teeth of ancient human skeletons has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behavior from the Stone Age to the modern day.
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Sunday, July 28, 2013
The Multiple Benefits of the Banal Mouthwash
Everybody knows that after brushing and flossing, there comes swishing the mouth with some mouthwash. Most of the people believe that the main benefit of mouthwashes is to give you that icy fresh breath.
Source: http://worldental.org/teeth/multiple-benefits-banal-mouthwash/12289/
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Large Scale Free Dental Clinic Coming to Colorado
On October 4 and 5 there will be a massive free dental clinic held in Greeley, Colorado.
Source: http://worldental.org/free-dental/large-scale-free-dental-clinic-coming-colorado/12296/
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Cold cases heat up through new approach to identifying remains
In an effort to identify the thousands of John/Jane Doe cold cases in the United States, scientists have found a multidisciplinary approach to identifying the remains of missing persons. Using "bomb pulse" radiocarbon analysis, combined with recently developed anthropological analysis and forensic DNA techniques, the researchers were able to identify the remains of a missing child 41 years after the discovery of the body.
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