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10 Reasons to Fluoridate 

Recently, the American Dental Association presented 10 reasons to fluoridate public water at the Capital Hill forum on "Oral Health: Putting Teeth into the Health Care System".  The ten reasons cited include:

1. Fluoride is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay
2. Natural fluoride is already present in most water sources, including the ocean
3. It is similar to fortifying other foods
4. It is safe and effective
5. It protects people of all ages from dental caries (cavities)
6. It prevents dental disease
7. It saves money
8. It is recognizable by more than 100 organizations
9. The availability of fluoridation continues to grow
10. The ADA endorses it

For more information on fluoride, follow the link below:

ADA.org/fluoride

Source: http://ada.org/news/7487.aspx

R Eric Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

(314)821-7100

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Oral Health Connection to Celiac Disease

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, canker sores could be a symptom of Celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a lifelong inherited auto-immune disease where gluten (the proteins found in specific grains, such as wheat) causes an immune-mediated toxic reaction, damaging the small intestine and not allowing food to be absorbed properly. 

Celiac disease can appear at any time during a person's life but specifically after surgery, periods of severe emotional stress, pregnancy, childbirth, or viral infections. It is a multi-system, multi-symptom disease in which several of the bodies systems are affected and there are a myriad of symptoms.  For more information about the symptoms associated with the disease, follow the link at the end of this post. 

Canker sores are small ulcers that appear white or grayish with a red border.  They are not contagious but can return often and several may appear at once. For more information on these sores, see the Word of Mouth post from July 16th.

Currently, the exact cause of these sores is unknown but is thought to be viral or bacterial. Canker sores may be linked to Celiac due to the auto-immune nature of the disease. 


Source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ADA/2012/article/ADA-08-Oral-health-connection-to-Celiac-disease.cvsp


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
smilestationdental.com
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New School Year, Healthier Lunches

With the start of the new school year, children may find a few changes in school cafeteria. The American Dental Association recently supported the legislation entitled the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act in Washington which advocates more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in children's school lunches. The new dietary specifications also indicated that schools have to set specific calorie limits depending on the grades in the school (K-5, 6-8, 9-12).  The act includes a gradual decline in the sodium content of the meals as well. For more information, follow the link to the ADA article below:


New school year, healthier lunch - American Dental Association - ADA.org


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
smilestationdental.com
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Dental Did You Know

The History of Anesthesia

Although dentistry of some sort has been around since the days of primitive humans, painless dentistry was not available until less than 200 years ago. In the beginning, humans removed teeth with a strategically placed chisel and the whack of a good hammer. During the high times of the Greek and Roman empires, the chisel and mallet technique was abandoned in favor of forceps.

Unfortunately these forceps still did not make dentistry pain free.  In 1790, a British chemist started experimenting with nitrous oxide, a chemical known to inhibit pain. He also observed the chemical's famous side effect thereby giving it the nickname "laughing gas".  Around 1830, nitrous oxide was mixed with oxygen and became a staple for dental surgeries. 

Local anesthetic took a little longer to be created, not really coming into use until the 1900s.  The first local anesthetic was actually cocaine but after it's addictive properties were discovered, it was abandoned. Chemists attempted to create a synthetic cocaine but none were successful until 1905 when a German chemist created procaine. He named the drug Novocain which became extremely popular in the dental profession as well as assured patients a pain-free dental experience. 


Source: http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=h&iid=305&aid=1256


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Doughery Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
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A New Resource for Information on Kid's Teeth

The Partnership for Health Mouths Healthy Lives recently launched a website designed to give parents a plethora of information on their children's teeth.  The site includes videos to help your kids brush correctly, articles on dental topics related to children's oral health, links to other helpful resources and more. The site is sponsered by the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Dental Association and can be translated into Spanish. To visit the site, follow the link below:

http://www.2min2x.org/



R. Eric Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

(314)821-7100

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Medical School in VA Adds a Focus on Oral Health

Medical students in the 2014 and 2015 classes at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine are the first in the new groundbreaking program that includes 30 hours of oral health education and clinical practice during the first two years of medical school.

Traditionally, medical students received little oral health education. A medical school program that includes and even emphasizes oral health highlights the newly discovered importance of the connection between good oral health and overall health.

This program will include both education and clinical training in several oral health areas including oral exams, oral cancer, oral manifestations of systemic diseases, common oral pathologies, and on-site training in a dental clinic.  All of this will be done within the first two years of medical school. Viriginia Tech is continuing to work on incorporating oral health education for the third and fourth years.

For more information on this groundbreaking curriculum change, follow the link below:

Medical school program focuses on oral health education - American Dental Association - ADA.org

Source: http://www.ada.org/news/7473.aspx

R. Eric Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

(314)821-7100

smilestationdental.com

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Dental Did You Know

Meth Mouth

Meth mouth is the common term used for the tooth and oral health damage sustained after the use of the highly addictive and illegal drug methamphetamine.  Methamphetamine is catagorized as a stimulant and can cause hyperthermia, vomiting, nausea, shortness of breath, diarrhea, high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, permenant brain damage as well as uncontrollable tooth decay.

Meth mouth leaves the teeth with the appearance of being blackened, stained, rotting, or crumbling due to the combined effects of dry mouth (physiologically caused by the drug) and long periods of inadequate oral care.  Often, the teeth cannot be salvaged and must be removed.

During a meth high, which can last up to 12 hours, users neglect regular oral health procedures.  They also tend to crave high calorie, high sugar content foods and may clench or grind the teeth.  All of these behaviors mixed with the dry mouth caused by the drug lead to rampant tooth decay.


Source: Meth Mouth - A-Z Topics - MouthHealthy


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
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Diagnosing Diabetes in the Dental Chair

Now that I blogged a little bit about the importance of oral health for people with diabetes and how their oral health can be affected by the disease, I'd like to write about an article recently published by the American Dental Association on how diabetes can be diagnosed in the dental chair. 

A recent study on over 600 participants in a dental clinic in Manhattan found that most of the patients that had undiagnosed diabetes or were pre-diabetic tended to have two oral health factors in common.  Almost all of those patients had a similar number of missing teeth and a similar percentage of deep periodontal pockets. Those two factors together allow the dentist to recognize the signs for at-risk individuals earlier which may help the patient to better control their diabetes and may help limit the development of serious complications.

Periodontal disease is an early complication of diabetes and since more people see their dentist on a regular basis than their doctor, having the ability to help diagnose diseases that affect the whole body in the dental chair is another positive to dental visits.  Scheduling regular dental checkups will not only benefit your oral health but could help to keep your overall health in check.


Source: Oral and Dental Care Articles & News |Oral Hygiene, Dental Health Information and Resources | Colgate®


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
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The Importance of Men’s Oral Health

According to recent surveys and studies, men are less likely than women to take care of their physical health. Their oral health is no exception. Men are less likely to schedule regular dental checkups and at times can neglect their oral health for years, only seeing a dentist when a problem occurs. The current statistics also indicate that men lose 5.4 teeth, on average, by the age of 72 with the statistic increasing to 12 if they smoke. Men are also statistically more likely to develop periodontal disease and oral/throat cancer.

Recent studies have also indicated that having increased periodontal (gum) disease leads to an increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. Because men are already more likely to suffer from heart attacks, many are also on medications that cause dry mouth. Dry mouth is not only uncomfortable but can lead to an increase in decay. Playing sports and smoking are also factors that influence men’s oral health as those who play sports tend to have more trauma to their teeth and mouth and those who smoke are at an even greater risk for gum disease and oral cancers.

There are a few things men can do to help prevent these from occurring, including brushing twice a day and flossing daily. Scheduling regular checkups with Smile Station Dental at least twice a year will help keep your oral health on track as well as allow us the opportunity watch for the warning signs of these problems before they become painful or need more expensive restorations.
Source: http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=m&iid=312&aid=1266


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
smilestationdental.com
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