The Consequences of Missing Teeth

There are several negative consequences of missing some or all of your teeth. First, missing teeth will affect the aesthetics of your face. Not only will your smile be affected by the gaps from missing teeth, but if you’re missing too many teeth, the skin around your mouth won’t be supported properly and will start to sag, making your appear older than you are. Additionally, missing teeth will make it more difficult to chew your food properly and may even affect the way you speak. Finally, missing even one tooth may have emotional consequences; many people feel less confident about their smile when they are missing teeth. If you are currently missing any of your teeth, consider replacing them with dental implants, which can look and feel just like natural teeth.  

If you have missing teeth and are unsatisfied with the look of your smile, contact Dr. Alan Ferguson's office at (602) 242-5445 to schedule an oral evaluation.

Should You Share Your Toothbrush with your Partner/Spouse?

Just because you kiss your partner/spouse, sleep with them or occasionally taste food off their fork, these are not reasonable justifications for using their toothbrush.

Brushing your teeth sometimes causes the gums to bleed, which exposes everyone you share your toothbrush with to blood stream diseases. Therefore, by sharing a toothbrush, the couples are actually sharing blood, which is a lot more risky than just sharing saliva. 

By using their toothbrush, you automatically introduce millions of their oral bacteria into your mouth and likewise leaving undesirable bacteria on the brush for them.  Dental decay is caused by bacteria called streptococcus mutans and is contagious.

Other diseases a person risks contracting when he or she shares a toothbrush with another are cold sores, herpes, fungus and periodontal disease.

Soft Tissue Diode Laser Treatment

One of the most effective tools our dental hygiene team has incorporated is the use of the soft tissue diode laser. During a 2-4 minute laser bacterial reduction, the bacterial count can be reduced from “millions” of bacteria to “hundreds”. This allows for quick profound healing of inflammation. It reduces the amount of bacteria that can enter the blood stream and travel to the brain, heart, liver, etc. The laser is also used during scaling and root planning treatment of periodontal disease.

The Truth about your Saliva

Did you know saliva contains components that can directly attack cariogenic (cavity/decay causing) bacteria, and it is also rich in calcium and phosphates that help to remineralize tooth enamel.  Demineralization of enamel occurs when pH levels fall as a result of acid production by bacteria. It can be reversed at early stages if the local environment can counteract acid production, restoring pH to neutral levels. Remineralization can occur through the replacement of lost mineral (calcium and phosphates) from the stores in saliva.

nidcr.nih.gov

Vitamin D and Heart Disease

A growing number of studies support the idea that low levels of vitamin D are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, and that adding vitamin D supplements can help reduce this risk. Several large trials to learn more about this connection are underway, although there is not yet any conclusive evidence.

How Much Vitamin D do I Need?

It is well established that 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day is necessary to prevent rickets, but an overwhelming number of physicians and researchers believe this level is too low to help achieve optimal health and reduce the risk of disease.

They say the Institute of Medicine (IOM) should consider revising their current vitamin D recommendations, which are below:

200 International Units IU per day for adults age 50 and younger

400 IU per day for adults aged 51 to 70 years

600 IU per day for adults aged 70 years.

It is not clear just how much vitamin D is needed for increased health and disease risk reduction. However, many physicians are now recommending 1,000 IU to 2,000 IU daily for most adults. Your doctor can determine how much vitamin D you need, and it is important to talk to him/her before increasing the amount of vitamin D in your diet. Too much vitamin D can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, which can cause kidney stones or damage.

Best Sources of Vitamin D

The best way to start adding vitamins to your diet is through foods. However, there are few foods that contain vitamin D, and your doctor may recommend supplements to ensure you have at least the minimum recommended amount of vitamin D each day. Even if you take supplements, you should still eat a variety of foods rich in vitamin D. Many foods rich in vitamin D contain additional disease-fighting nutrients.

Foods Rich in Vitamin D

Food or Supplement       Amount of Vitamin D (IU)

Chinook salmon, 4 oz. cooked 410

Shrimp, 4 oz. cooked      160

Multiple vitamins, most brands         400

Canned salmon, 3.5 oz.  360

Dannon Frusion® smoothie (10 oz.)           80

Tuna, light, canned in water, 3 oz.     200

Soy milk, fortified, 1 cup           100-120

Milk, 1 cup 100

Orange juice, fortified, 1 cup   142

Viactiv® Calcium soft chews, 1          500

Cod, 4 oz. cooked 63

Fortified breakfast cereals, most brands, ¾ – 1 cup       40

Margarine, fortified, 1 Tbsp    40

Large egg, 1           22

Supplements Containing Vitamin D

There are many available over-the-counter vitamin D dietary supplements. Two forms of vitamin D are used in these supplements — ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D2 is often considered a vegetarian source of vitamin D because it is derived from plants. Vitamin D3 can be obtained from synthetic or animal sources. Many practitioners prefer vitamin D3 because it is better absorbed and closer to the naturally occurring form of the vitamin in humans. However, both forms can be effective in increasing vitamin D levels in the blood.

my.clevelandclinic.org

my.clevelandclinic.org

Important Vitamins & Minerals for Oral Health

 

Vitamins and minerals are extremely important for your overall dental health. When there is a significant lack of Calcium for instance, the teeth will become weaker and start to erode. An inadequate dietary intake can affect your dental health, and the gums may become inflamed or the teeth become much weaker.

Vitamin A - this precious vitamin helps maintaining proper saliva flow so that bacteria are flushed away from the mouth. Also, Vitamin A maintains a healthy mucous membrane and mouth tissues. One of the best sources of Vitamin A include beef liver, sweet potatoes, melon, and spinach.

Vitamin B1 - helps maintaining the natural and healthy rose pink color of your gums, and it fights off tongue inflammation very successfully. Some of the best food sources containing Vitamin B1 include sunflower seeds, all sorts of vegetables and pork meat.

Vitamin B2 -is an extremely important vitamin for the prevention of cheilosis. This is condition when the corners of the mouth become fissured or start scaling. Mushrooms, milk products or lean steak are perfect sources of Vitamin B2.

It is important to mention that you can maintain proper dental health also if you start taking multivitamin capsules. Eat healthy and take these vitamins on a daily basis for at least a month to fuse your system with precious nutrients. Also, Vitamin B3 helps greatly fighting off gingivitis symptoms.

Vitamin B5 or Panthenoic Acid - patients who have undergone major dental health surgery, are advised to increase their Vitamin B5 intake as it helps with healing of the oral tissues in general. Some of the best food sources for this vitamin include liver, kidney, or egg yolks.

Folic Acid- or Vitamin B9 - is the best vitamin to help preventing inflammation of the tongue, and it also fights off the symptoms of chronic periodontitis. Also, patients with yeast infection problems are advised to increase their intake of Vitamin B9.

Top 5 Teeth Staining Culprits!

Culprit #1

Coffee and Tea. Many of us love a good old cup of Joe in the morning or a nice cup of tea. Unfortunately, drinking several cups per day will cause the tannin chemicals in coffee and tea to turn your teeth yellowish or a darker shade. If you must have that coffee or teas in the morning to get going, try to limit your intake to a cup per day. Avoid black coffee or tea - try milk-based choices if at all possible.


Culprit #2
Cigarettes. One of the worst offenders, cigarettes stain you teeth in multiple ways... not only do the effect of the tobacco leaves stain your teeth, the habit of smoking causes the smoker to continually expose the teeth to the staining process.


Culprit #3
Wine. Dark wines such as reds have the greatest staining impact on your teeth due to the dark purple colors found naturally in the grapes used for their production. Lighter wines have a lesser impact, but can still stain your teeth over time. Always try to rinse your mouth thoroughly with clear water after enjoying wine to minimize the staining impact of your vino.


Culprit #4
Soda / Pop / Cola. Whatever you call them, dark colored soft drinks can have a major staining effect on your teeth. The food coloring in soda heads right to the tooth and begins darkening almost immediately. If possible, limit your intake of soda, or enjoy lighter colored sodas. Using a straw to sip you soda can also help reduce the staining effect by reducing the contact between the soda and your teeth.


Culprit #5
Processed foods. Make processed foods are chocked full of chemicals and food colorants that make them look and taste mouth-wateringly yummy. Unfortunately, those artificial goodies are a big source of teeth staining badness. Don't believe us? Have a quick peek at your teeth after enjoying some chips or another snack. They'll most likely resemble the snack instead of their normal bright white selves.

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