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February was "National Children's Dental Health Month"
Every year since 1953, the American Dental Association (ADA) has declared February to be National Children's Dental Health Month as a way to raise awareness among families and policymakers about the critical importance to children of good practices of oral health.
"Oral health is such an important part of a child's overall good health, and yet it can be overlooked in young children" said ADA President Mark J. Feldman, D.M.D. "Good oral health practices should begin with an introductory dental visit before a child's first birthday. Children's teeth are meant to last a lifetime" Dr. Feldman said, "and with proper care, a balanced diet and regular dental visits, children can have a lifetime of healthy smiles."
As tooth decay rises among the nation's preschoolers, the American Dental Association hopes that National Children's Dental Health Month and the annual ADA Give Kids A Smile campaign will serve as an urgent reminder.
Held this year on Feb. 1, Give Kids A Smile provided more than 51,000 dental professionals offering dental services to an estimated 500,000 underserved children at more than 2,000 sites nationwide, free of charge. Those services included educational materials and where possible, free dental care such as: cleaning, fluoride treatments, cavity fillings and even more intensive care.
'It serves as an annual reminder to children, parents and caregivers of the importance of healthy oral health habits,' Dr. Feldman explained.
Friends of "My Dental Complaint"
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
How Stress Can Damage Your Teeth
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Grinding your teeth can make them a casualty of everyday stress
The daily grind at work can turn your mouth into a grinding machine at night. Chicago's Dr. Jeffrey Weller specializes in cosmetic and rehabilitative dentistry. He said men have larger jaw muscles, which can cause more damage when they clench.
"What I see with men is men have more wear on their teeth," said Weller. "They come in more for the wear, cracked teeth, fractured teeth, worn teeth, and pain in their jaw muscles."
Wayne Kramer's front teeth have been a problem since they were knocked out as a child, but it's everyday eating that's done the rest. To fix it, Weller fits porcelain veneers on eight of Kramer's upper teeth.
"It's not a quick fix," Kramer said. "Often patients need their entire bite restored and that can cost tens of thousand of dollars. But at least the pain's gone, and there's a bonus -- things look better. You would take 10 years off your life."
Physician Jason Kole now has the brightest smile in St. James Hospital's emergency room. His teeth grinding began years ago from the stress of medical school.
"I would find my teeth grinding to the point where I would wake up in the morning and my jaw would be locked," Kole said. But now, after seeing Dr. Weller, things are different.
"My wife was just, she couldn't believe it how great it looked and she noticed that I was smiling a lot more after the procedure was done," Kole said.
Insurance doesn't usually pay for extensive teeth reconstruction, even if the teeth are cracked and painful. Luckily there is one type of dental coverage that will reduce your teeth's reconstruction costs by 15% all the way up to 50% or more; Discount Dental Plans.
To learn more about these type of dental plans and how they help reduce the cost of restorative dental work, visit my web site at DiscountDental4U.net
Dental Health
Insurance
Stress
Grinding your teeth can make them a casualty of everyday stress
The daily grind at work can turn your mouth into a grinding machine at night. Chicago's Dr. Jeffrey Weller specializes in cosmetic and rehabilitative dentistry. He said men have larger jaw muscles, which can cause more damage when they clench.
"What I see with men is men have more wear on their teeth," said Weller. "They come in more for the wear, cracked teeth, fractured teeth, worn teeth, and pain in their jaw muscles."
Wayne Kramer's front teeth have been a problem since they were knocked out as a child, but it's everyday eating that's done the rest. To fix it, Weller fits porcelain veneers on eight of Kramer's upper teeth.
"It's not a quick fix," Kramer said. "Often patients need their entire bite restored and that can cost tens of thousand of dollars. But at least the pain's gone, and there's a bonus -- things look better. You would take 10 years off your life."
Physician Jason Kole now has the brightest smile in St. James Hospital's emergency room. His teeth grinding began years ago from the stress of medical school.
"I would find my teeth grinding to the point where I would wake up in the morning and my jaw would be locked," Kole said. But now, after seeing Dr. Weller, things are different.
"My wife was just, she couldn't believe it how great it looked and she noticed that I was smiling a lot more after the procedure was done," Kole said.
Insurance doesn't usually pay for extensive teeth reconstruction, even if the teeth are cracked and painful. Luckily there is one type of dental coverage that will reduce your teeth's reconstruction costs by 15% all the way up to 50% or more; Discount Dental Plans.
To learn more about these type of dental plans and how they help reduce the cost of restorative dental work, visit my web site at DiscountDental4U.net
Dental HealthInsuranceStress
Saturday, February 9, 2008
New Test For Detecting Breast Cancer
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Dentists May Soon Use Saliva To Make Early, Non-Invasive Diagnoses For Breast Cancers
The onset of breast cancer produces a change in the normal type and amount of proteins in glandular secretions from the salivary glands. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston know what to look for and published their study findings last month (January 2008) in "Cancer Investigation."
The ultimate goal is to bring a diagnostic saliva test, which is capable of detecting cancer before a tumor forms, into dental offices or other health care facilities. The technology aims to enable health care providers to provide quick, accurate diagnostic information and physician referrals to their patients.
“Why not the dentist?” asked Dr. Charles Streckfus, a lead researcher of the study. “Most folks, especially women and children, visit the dental office way more often than they ever see the physician. Saliva is a non-invasive, quicker way for detection.”
In the study, researchers analyzed saliva samples from 30 patients. They found 49 proteins that differentiated healthy patients from those with benign breast tumors and those with malignant breast tumors.
Dr. Streckfus and his collaborators are continuing to pursue salivary diagnostics for other types of cancer, such as ovarian, endometrial, cervical and head and neck cancers.
Dental Health
Breast Cancer
Dentists May Soon Use Saliva To Make Early, Non-Invasive Diagnoses For Breast Cancers
The onset of breast cancer produces a change in the normal type and amount of proteins in glandular secretions from the salivary glands. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston know what to look for and published their study findings last month (January 2008) in "Cancer Investigation."
The ultimate goal is to bring a diagnostic saliva test, which is capable of detecting cancer before a tumor forms, into dental offices or other health care facilities. The technology aims to enable health care providers to provide quick, accurate diagnostic information and physician referrals to their patients.
“Why not the dentist?” asked Dr. Charles Streckfus, a lead researcher of the study. “Most folks, especially women and children, visit the dental office way more often than they ever see the physician. Saliva is a non-invasive, quicker way for detection.”
In the study, researchers analyzed saliva samples from 30 patients. They found 49 proteins that differentiated healthy patients from those with benign breast tumors and those with malignant breast tumors.
Dr. Streckfus and his collaborators are continuing to pursue salivary diagnostics for other types of cancer, such as ovarian, endometrial, cervical and head and neck cancers.
Dental HealthBreast Cancer
Sunday, February 3, 2008
How To Tell A Good Dentist From A Bad One
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Have you ever had to find a new dentist on your own or been asked by a someone if you... "Know of any good dentists around here"? Chances are, you probably know, few if any dentists in your area, let alone the good ones.
Well, now there's some help from Consumers Research by way of eight ways you can judge the good dentists from the bad ones. More importantly, you'll feel confident when recommending -or not recommending in some circumstances- the dentists to someone who asks you.
Consumers Research offers these questions for judging a dentist's skills after you have received treatment:
Dentists
Dental+Health
Consumers Research
Have you ever had to find a new dentist on your own or been asked by a someone if you... "Know of any good dentists around here"? Chances are, you probably know, few if any dentists in your area, let alone the good ones.
Well, now there's some help from Consumers Research by way of eight ways you can judge the good dentists from the bad ones. More importantly, you'll feel confident when recommending -or not recommending in some circumstances- the dentists to someone who asks you.
Consumers Research offers these questions for judging a dentist's skills after you have received treatment:
- How does your bite feel?
- Is any of the dental work irritating your gum?
- Does the treated tooth look like a tooth?
- Does dental floss or your tongue catch on the tooth?
- Did the dentist take time to polish your fillings?
- Do you feel pain when drinking hot or cold liquids?
- Was any debris left in your mouth after treatment?
- Does the dentist use a water spray to cool your teeth while drilling?
DentistsDental+HealthConsumers Research
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