Fluoride helps protect your children's teeth, reducing decay in "baby"
teeth by 60 percent and in permanent adult teeth by nearly 35 percent,
according to the American Dental Association (ADA). But the key to good health is
to make sure children are getting the proper amount.
Some kids get too much fluoride from combined sources such as sodas made
in areas with fluoridated water and by swallowing fluoridated mouthwashes and toothpaste.
Too much fluoride during childhood can cause a permanent brown mottling of the teeth
known as fluorosis. And some studies of animals and humans have linked ingestion of
fluoride in drinking water to an increased risk of a osteosarcoma, a bone cancer.
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The War on Mercury (UPDATED)
American Council on Science and Health (press release), NY
Dr. Stephen Barrett has made an analogy between water and amalgam:
hydrogen is an explosive gas; oxygen is highly combustible.
However, put them together and we get water, which is neither explosive nor combustible.
Similarly, mercury in some compounds is highly toxic, but not when bound in dental amalgam. Moreover, the American Dental Association has labeled the removal of amalgams
for alleged reasons of health to be improper and unethical.
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Critical Information for Patients About Possible Side Effect of Bisphosphonates
Newswise (press release)
Patients using bisphosphonates as part of their cancer treatment and for debilitating
bone diseases, such as osteoporosis and Paget’s disease, may be at risk of experiencing
a painful, disfiguring condition known
as osteonecrosis of the jaw, a disease that leads to the breakdown of the bone.
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Innovative Dental Technique May “Lift” Your Spirits!
Des Moines Register
According to the Institute for Dental Implant Awareness (IDIA),
approximately 105 million Americans have missing teeth. Dental implants offer a
trouble-free solution. While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more
tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring
teeth for support. Adequate bone in your jaw is needed to support the implant, and the
best candidates have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.
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Dentists should check up on child abuse, too
Asahi Shimbun, Japan
"When you take a look inside a child's mouth, you get a picture of the little patient's home."
This is what many pediatric dentists are saying now. It is not rare for dentists to come
across a mouth full of decayed teeth that have obviously been left untreated for a long time.
Often, they come across mouths that are quite unhealthy, with teeth plastered with plaque.
Many dentists are encouraging colleagues who see a child with bad oral hygiene to
follow up and consult with the parents about their child-rearing skills.
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Bad Breath May Equal Bad Health
24-7PressRelease.com (press release)
Mouthwash, breath mints and gum are the common agents we think of when we want
to fight bad breath. We tend not to think of technology. But one Southern California
dentist is using advanced technology to identify levels of odor causing bacteria in the mouth,
which helps determine the cause and subsequent treatment of bad breath.
In his private practice, Dr. Parviz Azar-Mehr, Clinical Professor at USC School of Dentistry,
who uses the HalimeterR to scientifically detect the levels of volatile sulfur compounds
(VSC) caused by bacterial growth. Measuring VSC accurately and properly is vital for proper
diagnosis and treatment of bad breath.
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Teeth-whitening procedures vary in cost, effectiveness
Sacramento Bee, USA
White is the new black - for teeth, that is.
So how do you get your teeth their pearly whitest? There are at-home and in-office
smile solutions to fit every budget.
At home:
Tray teeth-whitening systems from your dentist utilize a carbamide peroxide
whitener to remove stains left by such substances as coffee or tea, which can
usually be removed in the course of two to six weeks. First, your dentist will take
molds of your teeth to make the custom-fitted trays. Once they are ready, you'll be
sent home with the bleaching product, along with your dentist's recommendation that
you wear the trays from one to three hours a day or overnight. The cost for one of
these systems can run anywhere from $250 to $850.
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Introducing New Crest Vivid White Night(R) Toothpaste - Now You Can Whiten While You Sleep for a Brighter Smile in 14 Nights
PR Newswire (press release), NY
New Crest Vivid White Night(R)
toothpaste stays up all night, so you don't have to. It works while you sleep
to reduce surface stains by up to 84.9 percent in 14 nights for a noticeably
whiter smile. The unique formula contains special silica to gently polish
teeth and micro-cleansing whiteners to loosen surface stains during the night,
making them easier to brush away in the morning.
"I recommend Crest Vivid White Night to my patients because it offers the
extra beauty benefit of whitening from something that they use every night -
their toothpaste," says Dr. Jennifer Salzer, New York City celebrity dentist.
"Since it is such an easy regimen to follow and the paste's whiteners have
been shown to adhere to teeth after brushing, I feel confident that they will
see results."
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"Brush" with Danger - What's in Your Toothpaste?
KPHO Phoenix, AZ
You'd like to think when you brush your teeth tonight the toothpaste you're using is safe.
But not all brands are created equal especially those shipped in from another country.
In our exclusive CBS 5 News investigaton we unravel the problems.
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Micro-needles mean jags won't hurt a bit
Scotsman, United Kingdom
Patients dreading a visit to the doctor for a routine jab could soon be relieved
of their phobia thanks to the creation of a pain-free injection.
Micro-needles have been developed which are just long enough to penetrate the skin
but not long enough to make nervous patients scream.
"Research into micro-needles has proved that patients, especially children and older people,
may no longer need to fear a visit to their doctor or dentist.
Our plans are now to carry out some rigorous testing of the devices."
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