Notes From The Dentist

Happy Father's Day!

Happy (belated) Father's Day to all dads, grandfathers, uncles, and other father figures out there! This father's day, I received quite a gift when the Kirkwood-Webster Times did a special feature on my daughter and myself.

It is just shy of a year since my daughter Morgan joined my practice.  It has not only been a delight but has afforded me the special opportunity to share my passion for dentistry with my daughter while improving our patient care.

To read the article, follow the link below:

http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/Articles-Features-i-2014-06-13-192522.114137-Like-Father-Like-Daughter-.html#axzz34pK7HO9D

 

 

 

 

R. Eric Emery, DDS

Morgan A. Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis,  MO 63122

(314)821-7100

smilestationdental.com

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News You Can Use

Remains of Ancient Dental Implant Found in France

 

In 2009, archaeologists found what is believed to be the earliest dental implant, dating back to third century France.  They excavated a grave site in Le Chene and found an iron pin in the place of an upper incisor of a young woman. 

 

While the skeleton was poorly preserved, the teeth were in anatomical order and the iron pin was of the same dimensions as the surrounding teeth.  The researchers believe this pin to be an implant but have not ruled out the possibility that it was placed after the woman's death as a way of improving the corpse's appearance before burial.

 

The idea for the iron pin may have come to the Celtic people from Etruscan mercenaries.  The Etruscans are renowned for their early expertise in dentistry although this specific technique has not been found in Etruscan history.

 

 

Source: http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?sec=nws&sub=rad&pag=dis&ItemID=315808

 

 

R. Eric Emery, DDS

Morgan A. Emery, DDS

Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd., Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

smilestationdental.com

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Dental Did You Know

Famous Dentists - John Greenwood

I have previously posted on historical figures who were also dentists as well as the history of dentures.  There is one man who deserves recognition for both topics... John Greenwood.

 

John Greenwood, born in 1760, was the first native-born American dentist.  He was more than that, though, as he was also George Washington's personal dentist.  John Greenwood personally designed and created George Washington's famous dentures out of a mixture of animal teeth and hippopotamus tusk (they were not made out of wood as many people believe).  A letter dated in 1799 that John Greenwood sent to George Washington in regards to payment for the denture is on display at the A.D. Black History of Dentistry Collection at Northwestern University.


Source:http://dentaldegree.org/2012/20-intriguing-facts-about-the-history-of-dental-health/


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Morgan A. Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental
2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314)821-7100
smilestationdental.com
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Red Wine May Function as a Cavity Fighter

Studies have illustrated the benefits of a glass of red wine for overall health but a recent article published in American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that a glass of red wine may also function as a cavity fighter.  Red wine contains antioxidants and polyphenols which reduce the biofilm, or the layer of bacteria that forms over teeth, in the mouth.

The researchers exposed biofilm bacteria to red wine with and without alcohol as well as to water.  The red wine decreased the formation of the biofilm regardless of whether or not it contained alcohol while the water did nothing.  While the effect of red wine on biofilm may need more research, the results from the current study illustrate the oral health effects of a glass of red wine.


Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140521133617.htm


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

I have blogged on sleep apnea facts before but would like to spend a little time to discuss the signs and diagnosis of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common but potentially life-threatening medical disorder in which the tissue at the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway.  Due to the collapsing tissue, oxygen flow may be reduced to the heart, brain, and other important organs.

People with sleep apnea tend to snore loudly and stop breathing for short periods during sleep.  The reduction in oxygen to the system causes the body to momentarily wake up but it does so very quickly so the individual is not aware that they woke up.  The body could do this hundreds of times a night leading to less restful sleep. Sleep apnea can cause daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, memory loss, decreased sex drive, irritability, depression, and impaired concentration. 

Some of the signs of sleep apnea include:

• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Unintentionally falling asleep throughout the day
• General daytime sleepiness
• Unrefreshed sleep
• Loud snoring
• Waking from sleep with choking sounds or gasping for breath

If you have any of these symptoms, you may have sleep apnea.  To properly diagnose sleep apnea, a physician would perform a sleep study where an individual is linked to a machine called a Polysomnogram.  The machine would chart the individual's heart beat, brain waves, and breathing during sleep.  The machine's printout would indicate the pause in breathing that occurs with sleep apnea and the body's reactions to wake up.

There are several options for treatment of sleep apnea, including surgery to reduce the tissue at the back of the throat or a mechanism that would aid in keeping the airway open during sleep.  After a proper diagnosis of sleep apnea, a sleep specialist would recommend the proper treatment options. 

Source: http://www.aadsm.org/sleepapnea.aspx

R. Eric Emery, DDS

Morgan A. Emery, DDS
Smile Station Dental

2901 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Suite 400

St. Louis, MO 63122

(314)821-7100

smilestationdental.com

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Custom-Made Mouthguards Reduce Risk of Concussion

Healthcare professionals and parents have long sought better ways to protect children from sports-related injuries.  While most dental research in this area focused on protecting the teeth and gums, recent research indicates that by protecting the mouth correctly, you may reduce the risk of a sports-related concussion.  

A recent study released by the Academy of General Dentistry examined the effect of an over-the-counter (OTC) mouthguard versus a professionally made mouth guard on the incidents of mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI)/concussions.  The researchers split 412 children into two groups, one received a professionally fabricated mouthguard (made by a dentist) and the other received an OTC mouthguard from a sports store.  All children wore the same football helmet.  

The results indicated that 8.3% of athletes with the OTC mouthguard suffered from MTBI/concussions. For athletes using custom-made mouthguards, the rate of MTBI/concussions was only 3.6%.  

Some factors that contributed to the greater effectiveness of the custom-made mouthguards included the fit of the mouthguard and the thickness.  Custom-made mouthguards fit better and last longer than OTC mouthguards.  They also tend to be thicker with the custom-made ones averaging 3.5 mm in thickness with the OTC mouthguards averaging 1.65 mm.


 Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140501101133.htm


R. Eric Emery, DDS
Morgan A. 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

Barbers in Dental History

While there is evidence of exploring dental issues as early as the Sumerians in 5000 BCE (or Before Common Era), the American Dental Association cites the Middle Ages as the start of the dental profession. The early history of the profession is quite interesting and the professionals who performed dental procedures might just surprise you. 

At the start of the Middle Ages, monks were generally the most educated individuals at the time so they performed needed medical, dental, and surgical procedures.  A series of Papal edicts from 1130-1163 CE (or Common Era) prohibited monks from performing certain tasks such as surgeries, blood letting (a common medical procedure at the time), or tooth pulling.

After the edicts, barbers began to assume the monks' duties.  Barbers had already been visiting the monasteries on a regular basis to shave the monks' heads.  The tools they used, sharp knives and razors, lended themselves well to surgical work and the barbers had more knowledge of the procedures as they assisted the monks previously.

In 1210 CE, The Guild of Barbers was established in France.  This guild divided the barbers into two groups, the more educated/highly trained barbers that performed the more complex surgical procedures and the lay barbers (also called barber-surgeons) that performed routine services such as shaving, bleeding, and tooth extraction. 


Source: http://www.ada.org/sections/educationAndCareers/pdfs/dental_history.pdf


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