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Mother's Vitamin D Status During Pregnancy Will Affect Her Baby's Dental Health

New studies from the University of Manitoba suggest that low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect primary tooth calcification, leading to enamel defects.  These defects are a risk factor for early-childhood decay. 

Out of the 206 pregnant women in their second trimester who participated in the study, only 21 women (or 10.5%) had adequate vitamin D levels which were found to be related to milk consumption and prenatal vitamin use.  Investigators also examined 135 infants with and average age of 16 months.  Twenty one percent had enamel defects while 33.6% had signs of early-childhood decay.

Mothers of the children with enamel defects had lower, but not significantly so, vitamin D levels than mothers whose children did not.  However, mothers of children with early-childhood decay had significantly lower vitamin D levels than mothers with cavity free children. 


Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080704104315.htm


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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The Role Parents Play in the Transmission of Dentist Fear in Their Family

Fear of the dentist among children is not a new phenomenon but a new study about the origin of that fear may be surprising.  The Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid initiated a study that analyzed the role parents play in their children's fear of the dentist. Several other studies have already suggested emotional transition between the parents' and children's fear levels exists but the intricacies of the role of each parent have not been investigated. 

This study analyzed 183 children, aged 7 to 12 years, and their parents in the community around Madrid.  The author of the study concluded that fear levels among fathers, mothers, and children are linked. 

Furthermore, the study results suggested that fear of the dentist in just one family member may increase the anxiety in others, with a key factor being the father.  The father acts a a mediating factor in the transmission of dentist fear from the mother to the children. Previous studies have supported this in that children seem to mainly pay attention to the father's emotional reactions when deciding if the dentist is potentially stressful. 

Positive emotional transmission of attitudes towards the dentist is possible is two key implications of this study are met. There is a need for mothers and especially fathers to participate in dentist fear prevention.  It is also suggested that fathers attend the dentist and show no signs of fear or anxiety.


Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252954.php


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

Denture Facts

• Not long ago, dentures were common wedding gifts in the British Isles because many people expected to eventually lose all of their teeth and expedited the process by having them extracted at an early age

• In Vermont, it is illegal for women to wear false teeth without written permission of their husband

• The first set of false teeth were discovered in the 8th century BC

• George Washington, the first president of our country, had several dentures made of hippopotamus, cow, walrus teeth, and elephant's tusks. 

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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Nov. 15 is the 37th annual Great American Smokeout

This Thursday (Nov 15), the American Cancer Society is observing the 37th annual Great American Smokeout.  The Smokeout is a day set aside for tobacco users to begin to create a plan to quit smoking or to quit on that day.   

According to the American Cancer Society, “tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet more than 45 million Americans still smoke cigarettes. However, more than half of these smokers have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year. As of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes.”

Smoking increases risk for many diseases/disorders including high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, and certain kinds of cancer.  Quitting not only reduces the risk for those but also has some short term benefits including:

• 20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

• 12 hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting, your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

• 1 to 9 months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) start to regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

• 1 year after quitting, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s.

• 5 years after quitting, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years.

• 10 years after quitting, the risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas decreases.

• 15 years after quitting, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Not only is smoking bad for the body but tobacco use increases the risk for periodontal (gum) disease, stained teeth and tongue, oral cancer, dulled sense of taste and smell, and elongated recovery time after oral surgery.  Mouthhealthy.com can offer more information regarding the impact of tobacco on oral health.

Source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ADA/2012/article/ADA-11-Nov-15-is-the-37th-annual-Great-American-Smokeout.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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Better Oral Hygiene Could Lower Pneumonia Risk

With the weather getting colder, people start to think about the ways they can avoid getting sick. One way to prevent pneumonia may be simpler than expect, just brush your teeth. 

Research from the Yale University School of Medicine found that changes in oral bacteria preceded the development of pneumonia in hospital patients.  After studying 37 patients over the span of a month, the researchers concluded that the changes in oral bacteria coincide with the person's risk for pneumonia development.

While respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, and oral health have been thought to be connected for years, the exact link as not been investigated.  Studies have shown a higher pneumonia mortality rate for people with a more than average amount of gum problems. 

Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and cutting down on sugary foods and drinks may just help reduce your risk of contracting pneumonia and other respiratory infections.

Source: http://www.colgate.com/app/CP/US/EN/OC/Information/Articles/ADA/2012/article/ADA-01-Better_oral_hygiene_could_lower_pneumonia_risk.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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