Archive for the ‘Your Teeth’ Category

Archive for the ‘Your Teeth’ Category

Periodontal Disease is Linked to Other Diseases Not in the Mouth

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Over the last ten years there has been a growing body of evidence linking periodontal disease and systemic diseases. Every day new research is making the link stronger. Periodontal infection is the advanced stages of gum disease that causes bone loss. The bone loss is irreversible. Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease and with early detection, treatment and proper oral hygiene can be reversed. Periodontal infection has been associated with other systemic disorders that would not on the surface appear related.

Periodontal disease is a potential risk factor for:

  • infective endocarditis (damaged heart valves)
  • cardiovascular diseases (arteriosclerosis, coronary thrombosis ischemic heart disease, stroke)
  • diabetes
  • respiratory problems
  • pancreatic cancer
  • behavioral and psychosocial status

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A Question From Molly

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

I’ve just ordered the Dental Air Force system a few days ago and I have a few questions before it arrives.  Do you place the tip on your teeth directly, and do you run it over the whole surface of every tooth, or just where the teeth meet the gums?  How would you do the chewing surfaces?  Thanks a lot! Molly

Hello Molly
When using the system, imagine you are “painting” your teeth. You want to go around every tooth and along the gum line. It is most effective slightly away from the tooth and gum surface, because the air stream picks up the slurry that is already in your mouth and propels it toward your teeth. (In addition to the fresh slurry coming from the tip. At the end spray over the chewing surface of your teeth, your tongue, roof of mouth and cheeks. It is most critical that you do a thorough job between your teeth where most of the bacteria causing plaque resides and is the most difficult to remove.

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Six Signs of Periodontal Disease

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Early periodontal disease often is not painful and symptoms go unnoticed. As the disease progresses, there are six signs that will help you identify this condition. It is important that regular six month check ups with a dentist are made to identify periodontal disease before the systems become severe.

SIGNS OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE:

●       Bad breath that won’t go away

●       Red or swollen gums

●       Tender or bleeding gums

●       Painful chewing

●       Loose teeth

●       Sensitive teeth

We will look at each sign in upcoming blogs…

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Other Sources of Bad Breath

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

We’ve talked about how bad breath can be caused by poor oral hygiene, infection from dental decay and dry mouth.

Finally, the bad breath odor may be from sources other than the oral cavity. Some medical conditions cause bad breath. Infections in the lungs, nasal cavity or sinuses can cause odor that is associated with bad breath. Bad breath in diabetics is a rather common occurrence. And finally, less likely, but still possible, bad breath can be associated with certain conditions related to malfunctioning kidneys and some cancers.

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Dry Mouth Can Cause Bad Breath

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Still on the subject of bad breath….There are other factors that feed the bacteria besides food and infection. Smoking, mouth breathing, alcohol based mouth washes and certain medications also increase dry mouth. Reduced saliva does not allow your mouth to remove the bacteria that cause the odor.

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Infection Can Cause Bad Breath

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

Infections from dental decay, gingivitis, or periodontal disease also cause bad breath. Again, poor oral hygiene is the biggest factor in these infections. Improper flossing will take an infection from one part of the mouth and inoculate a health part. The infections also produce dead tissue, which add to the smorgasbord feeding the bacteria. The gasses given off is what you smell.

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Odors & Acids That Cause Bad Breath

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Odors and acids are produced in the film of plaque that resides between teeth, along the gum line and on the surface of the tongue. The plaque is produced by the bacteria. Poor oral hygiene can not keep the population of bacteria under control, resulting in bad breath. Cleaning teeth twice daily is the minimum requirement for reducing the population of bacteria. However, meticulous cleaning is difficult. Tooth brushing does not access in between teeth and often causes ridges and grooves along the gum line. Oral irrigating does not cut through the sticky greasy barrier the plaque produces.

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Silver Fillings

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Amalgams are silver fillings. They are very infrequently used today. In fact, I haven’t placed a silver filling in 22 years. There may be a few old timers who are still using these. Amalgams start out a 50/50 ratio of silver to mercury. The bond between the silver and mercury is very strong; hence that is why they lasted so long in the mouth – even under an acidic environment. The silver in the amalgam actually corroded and sealed the amalgam into the tooth, preventing bacteria from entering the tooth cavity.

Even with a half a dozen fillings in your mouth, your daily dose of mercury is 1 microgram of mercury. Your body absorbs about 6 micrograms a day from the food, water and air you are exposed to. Science daily reports that “A person would need between 265 and 310 amalgam fillings before even slight symptoms of mercury toxicity could be felt.” http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143746.htm

If you are part of the population that has old amalgam fillings and are worried about the mercury, that’s not the reason to replace them. However, if they are old and leaking (your dentist can detect this), then you need to replace them.

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The Grease Barrier

Monday, June 29th, 2009

The excrement from the anaerobic bacteria is the taste and smell in the mouth upon waking up in the morning. Not only is it acidic, it also forms a sticky hydrophobic (water resistant) shield around the tooth, called plaque. This is why water alone does not work to remove plaque. In addition, gums act like a gasket around the tooth, further preventing air or water to reach the anaerobic bacteria along the gum line. Something else is needed to break through the grease barrier.

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Using the Dental Air Force System

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

This might help some users on the best way to use the Dental Air Force System….

·         mmalc Crawford  April 29, 2009 at 9:31 pm

Thanks for the product and the site update.

Having just received my equipment today, I’d appreciate more details on techniques for using it. The first time I tried, I assumed I needed to keep my mouth closed whilst the machine is in operation, and very rapidly had puffed out cheeks and an intense mintiness in my nose.

Watching your demonstration video, it seems that you held your mouth open for the short duration that the machine was in working. I assume this is the expected mode of operation? How do you ensure that: (a) Sufficient cleaner is picked up and directed to the right place, and (b) Liquids aren’t sprayed around the bathroom?

 

·         Dr. Piero  May 4, 2009 at 2:02 pm

Hello mmalc Crawford
Thank you for your feedback.
The best way to utilize the Dental Air Force is to
1. hold your head over the sink (do not look into the mirror or you will spray your mirror),
2. start with the upper teeth
3. keep your mouth gently closed over the tip (not tightly or you will puff up like a puffer fish out of water!)
4. allow the air to escape through your mouth (the slurry will settle behind your lower front teeth while the air will escape out of your mouth instead of out of your nose)
5. allow the excess slurry to drip out of your mouth (slurry will still settle behind your lower front teeth)
6. work your way around the upper cheek side teeth, upper tongue side, then go to the lower cheek side and lastly the lower tongue side. This will allow the most amount of slurry to be picked up at the end of the cleaning, when you may be beginning to run out.

 

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