Wisdom Teeth

Antibodies Present Mean Healthier Teeth and Gums

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Antibodies present in people with good oral health could become the first tool for dental professionals to assess a patient’s probable response to periodontal disease treatments. The antibody is to a protein called HtpG, the bug that makes it is Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important pathogen in periodontal disease. The antibody also has potential as a vaccine candidate, according to Charles Shelburne, assistant research scientist at the U-M School of Dentistry. Researchers discovered that the HtpG antibodies were present in much lower amounts in people with periodontal disease, and in much higher concentrations in those with healthier teeth and gums. Typically, antibodies are elevated in people with disease, because they help fight the disease. “What has been seen in periodontal disease over the last 30-40 years is that patients with periodontal disease have higher levels of antibodies to the bacteria associated … Read more

National Health Service (NHS) Dentistry Shakeup

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A new report suggests that the National Health Service (NHS) in Britain is having it’s fair share of problems. Dentists are simply removing teeth rather than taking on complicated treatments because they have become uneconomical to provide. The number of tooth extractions has increased. In the two years following the introduction of a new contract to NHS dentists in April 2006, 900,000 fewer people saw an NHS dentist than in the last two years of the previous system. This could also be an understatement. Why the sudden decline? It seems as if now dentists in the National Health Service are no longer paid on a per patient basis based on the procedure or treatment done. Instead they receive a fee for the year while agreeing to perform a certain number of services. To read the entire article go here.

Swimming Causes More Dentist Trips?

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With the recent Michael Phelps frenzy in the 2008 Summer Olympics a lot of people may have a renewed interest in the sport of swimming. I personally have been actively swimming regularily for the past few years. I recently went on to the American Dental Association (ADA’s website) and took a look at some of their dental minute videos. One such video discusses how swimming more than 6 hours a week can cause your teeth to become brown. Thus swimming chemicals can stain your teeth. This can be managed though with regular dental exams. To view the video by practicing dentist Dr. Maria Lopez Howell go to the following link http://www.ada.org/public/media/videos/minute/additional_swimmingpoolchemicals_broadband.wmv (you will have to download it)

Organized Wisdom

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Organized Wisdom is a website that offers a human powered health web search. The health information is well organized and covers numerous topics. For example on Oral Health they offer the following categories: GuideWisdom, 5 Great Resources on Oral Health, What is Oral Health?, Oral Health Resources, Wisdom, Personal Experiences and Blogs about Oral Health, Foundations and Support Groups on Oral Health, Message Boards, Chat and Discussions about Oral Health, Clinical Trials on Oral Health, Related Wisdom Card, and User Recommended Links for Oral Health. Under each category are links primarily to external sites that the people who have edited the page feel are important and great rescources. For example, under Oral health there are links to WebMD, Mayo Clinic, and the American Dental Association. Unfortunely, there is no link to my website http://www.teethremoval.com. The site provides reviewed and organized … Read more

Root Canal Triggers Headache

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I found an interesting article the other day written by a Chiropractor and describing how myofascial trigger points can mimic signs and symptoms of a neurological disease. The case describes the patient as the following. “A 44-year-old female, an office manager for a dentist for eight years, was referred by an EENT specialist with a chief complaint of headaches (HA), with a six- to eight-year history of HA and facial pain. Although all of her symptoms were usually on the right side of the face and head, the HA occasionally became bilateral when very intense. The facial pain was always located on the right. Once started, her symptoms lasted anywhere from four to ten hours. The only thing she remembers that may have triggered the onset was dental work done within six months of the start of the symptoms-several fillings … Read more