teeth

Cut Sugar to Prevent Cavities

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If you are looking to avoid cavities in your teeth and wisdom teeth, then you may want to consider limiting your intake of sugar. Free sugars are added to many foods and are naturally present in other food such as honey and fruit juice. Since 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said they suggest less than 10% of all calorie intake should be from free sugars. A study conducted by Newcastle University and commissioned by the WHO and was published last year in the Journal of Dental Research explored free sugar intake as a percentage of calorie intake and the incidence of dental cavities. The article found when less than 10% of total calories in the diet is from free sugars there are much lower levels of cavities (tooth decay). The article also found that when less than 5% … Read more

Ethical Issues for Consent in Dentistry

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An article appears in the Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 39, pp. 59-61, January 2013, titled “Consent in dentistry: ethical and deontological issues,” written by Adelaide Conti, Paola Delbon, Laura Laffranchi, and Corrado Paganelli. The authors are from Italy and so the focus of the article is a discussion of some of the ethical issues in dentistry. I have previously discussed some ethical issues in medicine and dentistry. See for example, Attending to the Patient in the Informed Consent Process and Are Dentists Ethical or Scam Artists?. In the article the authors say “The right of patients to make decisions about their healthcare has been enshrined in legal statements: in Italy the National Constitution establishes that personal liberty is inviolable and that no one may be obliged to undergo any given health treatment except under the provisions of the law…In … Read more

Is Creative Diagnosis on the Rise in Dentistry?

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A very interesting MyView column by the American Dental Association (ADA) is titled “Creative Diagnosis” by Jeffrey Camm, D.M.D. located over at http://www.ada.org/9151.aspx and published October 21, 2013. In the column the author touches on an issue he faces as a dentist where he has patients who have seen other dentists who were likely unethical in their treatment (and treating when it is not warranted) – a term he calls creative diagnosis. Of course one can ask, what is the motivation for creative diagnosis and one would answer money and staying afloat. Essentially the author describes several cases he has dealt with at his practice: A 16 year old patient who graduates from his pediatric practice and sees a new dentist who then says she has 16 cavities. The patient and her mother of course are upset and he reviews … Read more

Bisphenol A Exposure in Early Age May Damage Enamel

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Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound that is used to make up resins and plastics. For example, bisphenol A is used in bottles, inside drink cans, and inside food tins. Research has shown that bisphenol A has been found in human blood and urine hence indicting that it has been ingested. Other research has shown that bisphenol A has adverse effects on the development and reproduction of lab animals. Bisphenol A has already been banned from being used in the manufacturing process of baby bottles in Europe. A recent study set out to determine if teeth of rats when treated with low daily doses of bisphenol A are damaged. The researchers showed that the teeth of rats treated with low daily doses of bisphenol A are in fact damaged and that the characteristics present are similar to what has … Read more

Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants

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Dental Implants A dental implant is a replacement tooth that looks exactly like your real teeth. There is a root that is placed into the jawbone, which holds the replacement tooth in place. Dental implants are a perfect option for people who have lost teeth because of an injury, periodontal disease, or for any other reason. Types of Dental Implants There are two types of dental implants. The type of dental implant that you receive depends on what condition your mouth is in. The two types are Endosteal and Subperiosteal. Endosteal: This is the type of implant that is used most often, and is placed in the jawbone. Screws, blades, and cylinders are used to secure the teeth to the jawbone. Each of the implants holds one prosthetic tooth, and it is used as an alternative for patients with removable … Read more