The last generation has seen many links drawn between oral hygiene and other health issues. The connection between dental plaque and heart disease is probably the most publicized example, though it is now believed that 90% of all health issues have some connection to our teeth, gums and mouth. Sometimes this connection is an initial cause, sometimes it is an increased risk factor, more often it is a symptom that allows early diagnosis.
A study of patients having suffered a stroke has shown a strong association with the oral bacteria (cnm-positive Streptococcus mutans). The association seems strongest with Haemorrhagic strokes rather than intracerebral strokes.
Haemorrhagic stroke is the term for blood vessels in the brain that rupture. It is thought that the presence of cnm-positive Streptococcus mutans bacteria in the person’s blood may be increasing the risk of a stroke; the bacteria seem to bind to blood vessels weakened by age and high pressure and increase the risk of rupture. The bacteria are not the sole cause of the stroke, but it increases the chance of stroke if the other risk factors are already there. Only 10 % of the population have these types of bacteria in their body, but this level is measured at more than 26% in stroke victims
If the theory about the bacteria binding to blood vessels is accurate there may be further health implications; the same binding properties would affect dementia, and could well provide the link between dental hygiene and heart problems.
Previously, there had been speculation that heart, stroke and dental issues occurred because individuals were negligent in all aspects of their health – people who didn’t brush their teeth were also people who didn’t exercise or eat well. Now it appears the link is more direct and is physiological rather than psychological. Poor dental health compromises our overall health.
Toddler’s non-spill cups, sometimes known as Sippy cups, do prevent spilt drinks; however, they can also cause dental decay and injuries if not used safely.
Safe Drinking
The decay issues with sugary liquids in well known; sugar reacts with the bacteria in the mouth and steadily damages teeth. Sippy cups make this problem worse. When using such a cup the front teeth are constantly exposed to the liquid being consumed, increasing the decay. Furthermore, children using these Sippy cups tend to sip liquids steadily over a long period of time; this constant exposure also increases the decay. Individuals drinking from a regular cup tend to consume the beverage in one sitting, meaning only a brief exposure to the liquid. Children with Sippy cups have increased decay on the front teeth due to these teeth being constantly exposed to sugary liquids.
This issue does not apply to children when drinking water. Decent quality water will not harm the teeth. Problems only occur when the children drink sugary substances, or with some milk from baby formulas.
Safe Cup use
It is unfortunately common for children to trip while running with a Sippy cup. Tripping over is bad enough, but the child can severely damage teeth if they have something in their mouth. Instruct children to only drink when sitting or standing still. Most accidents can be avoided.
The choice of the cup makes a significant difference. Children’s drinking cups with soft silicon tops will cause much less damage if the child falls over. Children’s cups that incorporate a straw are reasonably spill-proof and expose the child’s teeth too much less liquid. It can be a good idea to replace the type of drinking cup as the child’s physical skills develop.
Summary
Only use water in the children’s non-spill cups, where possible. When a child needs to drink other liquids make sure they consume the whole drink in one sitting; small portions are advisable. Drinking through a straw reduces the teeth’s exposure to the liquid.
Use a non-spill cup that has a soft silicone top or a cup with an inbuilt straw. This prevents the child from injuring themselves if they fall with a cup in their mouth. Do not let the child run around while drinking from a cup.
Fluoride in water has always been the subject of some controversy. Fluoride was originally added to drinking water because populations drinking naturally fluoridated water suffered fewer dental cavities. But it has been known for a while that very high levels of fluoride can compromise health. The controversy debates where the safe fluoride level lies. Treated water should have far less fluoride than the amount needed to cause issues.
Both New Zealand and Israel have seen this debate resurface recently: Israel actually suspended fluoridisation for about two years before reintroducing it in mid-2016. New Zealand television has been running an anti-fluoridation campaign, strongly criticized for giving misleading information.
According to its critics, the fluoride in water can cause kidney strain, child development problems and (ironically) dental issues. It is known that these issues have some connection to fluoride, but only under extremely high levels of exposure. The human kidneys should be more than able to deal with the minute amount that most individuals are exposed to. And the dental issues from fluoride consist of white patches on teeth that are only of aesthetic importance. The effects on child brain development do not seem to be an issue in developed countries with regulated fluoride, only in unregulated, extremely high-level supplies; and even then there is suspicion that the problem might be caused by other pollutants. Low levels of fluoride seem to pose no threat.
The cost of water fluoridisation in many developed countries is about $1.oo per person. This is much less than the cost of fixing the dental problems that would exist without fluoridisation. Many studies support the idea that this practice is justified.
The human body needs many trace elements to survive. These same elements can sometimes be toxic in higher doses. Copper is one example of this; deficiencies are a health issue, but toxicity occurs beyond a very small dose. Fluoride is probably similar. It is useful in small doses but causes problems in humans when consumed in extremely high doses.
Anaesthesia can completely numb part of the body or produce unconsciousness. Some types of Anaesthesia reduce anxiety without putting the patient to sleep or relieving pain. These have been used to calm patients, particularly children, who are anxious about surgery.
In the past sedatives were given orally. They were effective provided that the right dose was administrated. But the right dose was hard to estimate and took time to work. The use of a new nasally administrated sedative looks promising, especially for children. The nasal sedative intranasal midazolam is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, making it fast-acting. As a result, there is no need for an estimated dose, the sedative is simply administered till effective.
There appear to be no issues regarding larger or smaller doses of the sedative. Trials in Africa have only revealed one issue- people complained of a burning sensation in the nose when the drug is administrated. This can be prevented with nasal anaesthesia applied a few minutes before the sedative.
At the moment this sedative spray is not available in Australia. Its status is unclear when it comes to administration, apparently requiring a professional sedation qualification. The nasal application is more convenient than other application methods, but it still requires a professional for administration.
For Dundas dental patients, Newington dental patients and Oatlands dental patients there are already several ways to deal with the discomfort and anxiety associated with dental procedures. Talk to Dentist on Victoria about what is best for your situation.
Our wisdom teeth are the last to develop. They are the third molars that appear at the back of our mouth. Our first set of teeth develops when we are about 1 year old. Our adult teeth come through by about the age of 12. But the wisdom teeth at the back of our mouth do not emerge until our very late teens or early twenties.
Wisdom teeth are notorious for causing problems. It is almost rare for all four wisdom teeth to emerge without some issues. Most individuals find that there is not enough room in their mouth for the wisdom teeth to emerge correctly; teeth either do not fully emerge or emerge to push other teeth out of alignment. This can lead to several problems.
Widespread problems with wisdom teeth include:
Swelling in the jaw and lower face
Red inflamed gum near the partially / full covered molar
Gum and jaw pain
Fever
Infections and pus from the gum
Sore lymph glands beneath the jaw
Difficulty swallowing or opening the mouth
Hard Impaction – the wisdom tooth pushes other teeth out of alignment
Soft impaction – the wisdom tooth causes the gum to be misshapen
The wisdom tooth emerges at an odd angle, no good for chewing
The patient finds it hard not to continually bite their jaw.
These problems will stay or reoccur unless the wisdom tooth is removed or otherwise treated. The infection will reoccur if the wisdom tooth is not removed, and individuals with pre-existing health problems or otherwise compromised immune function will find that dental infections can cause severe complications.
Wisdom tooth extraction
Many individuals find they need at least some of their wisdom teeth extracted. An earlier extraction is almost always better than a latter one.
A general dental examination, and possibly an X-ray, will show if an extraction is required.
Sometimes several wisdom teeth are removed in one session.
After a Wisdom tooth extraction
Your gum and jaw will be sore and swollen after the wisdom teeth are removed. This will continue for several days. Painkillers will help with the discomfort. Gargling salty water (wait 24 hours) will also help the healthy healing of the wound.
Damage or loss of a tooth is unfortunate. But there are some options for repairing and replacing a Natural tooth. In only the inside of a tooth is damaged the tooth might be preserved with a root canal. A root canal will remove the inner pulp and allow the main external body of the tooth to be preserved. Only the nerve has been removed the rest of the tooth can be saved.
If a natural tooth is lost completely or damaged beyond repair it can be replaced with an implant. Dental implants consist of a realistic porcelain tooth fitted over a titanium post. The titanium post bonds to the patient’s jawbone, providing sturdy support for the porcelain crown. Dental Implants look and function like natural teeth. They can be colour-matched with other teeth. They feel natural as if the original tooth has been restored. Implants require the same general maintenance as regular teeth – they must be brushed and flossed twice daily. Failure to do so will risk gum infections. With this basic maintenance, a dental implant will last many decades
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