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Articles
Resources for Teaching Dental Hygiene
First Dentists May Have Practiced 9,000
Years Ago
Is Success Determined by Your Smile?
Bad Breath Not Necessarily Linked to Bad Habits,
Notes Delta Dental
Test Your Dental IQ
Oral Health Breakthroughs of the Past Century
Dental History on Display in Baltimore
Mouthguards Aren't Just for Contact Sports
Resources for
Teaching Dental Hygiene
Looking for ideas that will inspire youngsters to
take an active interest in their oral health? A good
place to start is at these websites.
- www.dentist4kids.com claims to be the largest
Internet resource for pediatric dentistry. For
kids it offers dental-related games, a resource
library and even a way to e-mail the tooth fairy.
- www.ada.org , the website for the American Dental
Association, features sections for younger children
(ADA Kids' Corner, with puzzles, games and downloadable
coloring sheets), teens and teachers.
- www.deltadentalnj.com, Delta Dental Plan of New
Jersey's website, has a special section called
Kid's Club, which features cartoons, an online
game called "Plaque Attack" and information
about how your school can arrange a visit from
our very own cavity-fighting hero, Captain Supertooth!
First
Dentists May Have Practiced 9,000 Years Ago
That's the belief of a team of archaeologists studying
the Mehrgarh people of ancient Pakistan. Scientists
found that teeth from several different jaws shared
a similar characteristic: tiny, man-made holes on
the biting surface. The holes were too uniform to
have been caused by dental decay. Other possible
explanations, including dental decoration or part
of a funeral rite, were also ruled out. The Mehrgarh
people certainly had the right tools to practice
dentistry. The holes were the same diameter as those
drilled into beads that were found at the site. Research-team
member Andrea Cucina from the University of Missouri-Columbia,
says, "At this point we can't be certain, but
it is very tantalizing to think they had such knowledge
of health and cavities and medicine to do this."
Is Success
Determined by Your Smile?
A recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic
Dentistry (AACD) indicates that most Americans believe
it's true. According to the survey, 92% said an attractive
smile is an important social asset, and 74% said
an unattractive smile could hurt a person's chances
for career success. "A smile is not only a reflection
of a person's oral health, but of their self-esteem
and passion for life," said Dr. Arthur Chal,
AACD President.
Bad Breath
Not Necessarily Linked to Bad Habits, Notes Delta
Dental
Bad breath, clinically termed halitosis or fetor
oris, can cause both social and physical discomfort.
Understanding the many factors that influence our
breath and their underlying causes, as well as following
some simple practices, are paramount to remedying
the problem, says Dr. Scott Navarro, Dental Director,
Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey. "There is a
popular misconception that bad breath is always caused
by lack of dental hygiene or neglect," says
Dr. Navarro. "The truth is, people may have
bad breath in spite of the fact they brush and floss
regularly." Dr. Navarro points out that bad
breath can be caused by eating garlicky or spicy
foods, digestive problems, and bacteria in the mouth
that produce volatile sulfur compounds.
Treatment for bad breath will depend on the cause.
Some remedies may include treatment of dry mouth,
antifungal medication, dietary modifications, improved
oral hygiene, periodontal disease therapy, and dental
treatment. Dr. Navarro offers the following suggestions
for combating common causes of halitosis:
- Daily defense: Brush your teeth with fluoride
toothpaste, clean your tongue with a brush, floss,
and use a fluoridated mouth rinse (if recommended
by your dentist).
- Drink plenty of water: Keep your body hydrated
and the saliva working to eliminate excess bacteria.
- Treat dry mouth: Drink fluoridated water often,
brush and floss after eating, adjust prescriptions
(after consulting your doctor), and upon consultation
with your dentist, consider using over-the-counter
saliva substitutes. Tap or bottled water is not
a good substitute because both lack the minerals
and neutralizing agents of saliva, cautions Dr.
Navarro.
- Combat morning mouth: Remove plaque before going
to sleep and when you wake in the morning by flossing.
The increased amounts of saliva produced when you
are awake often take care of the problem after
brushing. Using mouthwash alone may only mask bad
breath temporarily and actually contribute to a
drier mouth because of its alcohol content. Frequent
use of sugared mints and gum may increase the risk
for cavities.
- Avoid tobacco products: The degree of exhaled
bad breath directly corresponds to the odor intensity
present in the type of tobacco used. Cigar and
pipe smoking create the greatest risk of bad breath
due to their intense initial odors. Tobacco-induced
periodontal disease also contributes to bad breath.
- Treat problems immediately: Cavities or periodontal
disease should be taken care of as soon as a dentist
has identified them. Similarly, general health
problems such as infections, ulcers or abscesses
should be treated promptly to reduce the risk of
further complications, some of which can have oral
manifestations.
Dr. Navarro says that the causes of bad breath illustrate
the connection between overall health and oral health.
Last year's Surgeon General report labeled oral disease
a "silent epidemic."
Test Your
Dental IQ
Do you know...
The name of the Revolutionary War hero who practiced
dentistry?
Which U.S. president had oral surgery done in secret
to avoid a national panic?
The piece of equipment invented by a dentist that
changed how golf was played?
These and other dental-related questions are part
of "Who Wants to be a Dental Genius?" a
dental history quiz available online on the American
Dental Association's website, www.ada.org.
The quiz offers a light, sometimes irreverent, look
at dentistry throughout history. (For the record,
Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere was not only a
silversmith, but he was also a skilled maker of dentures.
President Grover Cleveland had a malignant growth
removed from the roof of his mouth in secret while
aboard a yacht in New York's East River to avoid
panic because the country was involved in an international
monetary crisis. And William Lowell, a New Jersey
dentist, is credited with inventing the wood golf
tee in 1920.)
Oral Health
Breakthroughs of the Past Century
1901 - X-rays first used in root canal treatment.
Electric drill used for the first time in dentistry.
1905 - Novocain invented.
1940s - American cities begin adding fluoride to
water supplies.
1960s - First fluoride toothpastes introduced, earning
acceptance from the ADA. Mouthguards mandated to
protect high school and junior college athletes.
1970s - Sealants introduced to help seal teeth against
tooth decay.
1990s - Dental offices go high-tech. Among the latest
equipment: intraoral cameras that allow dentists
to shoot and store digital photos of each patient's
mouth.
Dental
History on Display in Baltimore
George Washington's dentures, a set of dental instruments
used on Britain's Queen Victoria and a display on
St. Apollonia, the patron saint of dentistry, are
part of the collection at the National Museum of
Dentistry in Baltimore, Maryland. The country's only
national museum of dentistry showcases the people,
objects and events that created and defined the profession.
The museum also included displays of antique dental
chairs, toothbrushes, and dental instruments.
Not planning to visit Baltimore anytime soon? Take
a virtual tour of the museum at www.voyagerweb.com/nmd/nmdgia.htm.
One fascinating bit of dental history explained at
the site: George Washington's dentures were made
of ivory, not wood as is popularly believed. The
teeth were, however, fastened by wooden pegs.
Mouthguards
Aren't Just for Contact Sports
As fall gives way to winter, children become involved
in more indoor activities, such as gymnastics, soccer,
volleyball and roller-skating. While many people
know that protective gear such as helmets, shin and
wrist pads help protect children from injuries, they
may not be aware of another important safety device
- mouthguards.
In its most recent report, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission stated that in 1991, more than
100,000 cases of facial trauma occurred in children
younger than 14 while they participated in sports
activities. Now that motorized scooters are so popular
with children, experts expect that number to rise.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA),
mouthguards help cushion blows that might otherwise
cause broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue,
face or jaw. Mouthguards may also reduce the severity
and incidence of concussions.
"Parents just need to remember to 'slip and
slide'
when it comes to protecting their children from head
injuries,"
says Matthew Messina, D.D.S., an ADA consumer advisor
and general dentist based in Ohio. "Slipping
on a helmet and padding, and sliding in a mouthguard
will significantly reduce a child's risk of mouth
trauma."
Before facemasks or mouthguards were worn,
half of all injuries during football occurred
in or around a player's mouth, according
to the ADA. Since high schools and colleges
began to require use of facemasks and mouthguards
for football, about 200,000 injuries to the
face and mouth have been prevented each year.
"New findings in sports dentistry show
that even in non-contact sports, such as
gymnastics, mouthguards help protect children
from injury. Isn't it time to extend this
same type of protection off school grounds?" Dr.
Messina asks.
According to the ADA, the most effective
mouthguard should be resilient, tear-resistant
and comfortable. It should also fit properly
and not restrict one's speech or breathing.
Three types of mouthguards exist:
- Custom-made;
- Ready-made or stock; and
- Mouth-formed "boil and bite."
All three types of mouthguards provide protection,
but they differ in the amount of comfort and cost.
A custom-made mouthguard is individually designed
and produced in a dental office or professional laboratory,
following the dentist's instructions. The dentist
makes an impression of the patient's teeth, and the
mouthguard is molded over the model using a special
material. Because of the material and the extra time
and work involved, a custom-made mouthguard is generally
more expensive, but more likely to provide the most
comfort, fit and protection.
The read-made or stock mouthguard can be bought
at most sporting goods and department stores. While
it is the least expensive, little can be done to
adjust its fit. There are two types of mouth-formed
mouthguards. A shell-liner mouthguard is made with
acrylic material that is poured into a firm outer
shell where it forms a lining. Fluids in the mouth
cause the liner to harden. The second type is made
with thermoplastic. Typically referred to as a "boil
and bite," the mouthguard should be immersed
in hot water to soften it, then placed in the mouth
and shaped around the teeth. The wearer may bite
down, and the resulting pressure will help form the
mouthguard around his teeth. Be sure to follow the
product's instructions.
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