THE DENTIST’S PAGE

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Recommendations for a healthy mouth and heart

For some time now, evidence has been pointing to a possible link between the health of one’s mouth

and the health of one’s heart. Although the exact connection between periodontal disease, which results from bacterial activity in the pockets between the gums and the teeth, and heart disease is not known, there are healthy habits that can be cultivated that fight both conditions:

Start with flossing. Brushing at least twice a day is essential to good oral health, but daily flossing is the

key to preventing gum disease and inflammation, which may interfere with blood vessel function and contribute to heart disease.

Downsize your diet. Focus on smaller food portions, fewer carbohydrates, and foods lower in sugar.

Up your healthy nutrition intake. Not surprisingly, the diet that is best for your teeth is also better for your heart. Choosing vegetables, low-fat dairy products, nuts and grains, and fresh fruits can mean a lower risk of both cavities and heart disease.

Give up tobacco products. Smoking is detrimental to oral health and heart health. On average, smokers lose more teeth over a lifetime than nonsmokers, and smoking can contribute to the formation of blood clots and clogged arteries.

Get moving. Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for long periods in front of a television or computer may have an adverse effect on fats and sugars in the blood. Be sure to get up and move around periodically to keep muscles and joints from stiffening, and blood

pumping in a healthy manner.

…there are healthy habits that can be cultivated to fight both gum

disease and heart disease.1.

2.3.4.5.

Produced for the patients of James E. Ellashek, D.D.S.Melinda A. Ross, D.D.S.

3665 Stutz DriveSuite 2Canfield, OH 44406

Fall 2016

OFFICE STAFF

Office Manager:Loretta Chapman

Dental Assistants:Shannon AliSonja Harrison

Hygienists:Sharon RichKimberly Vernon

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use it to be able to better serve you,

our patients. Check it out at

www.canfielddentist.com.

Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives.

Brush 2 minutes, 2 times a day.

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Diabetes is so common that it affects nearly 30 million Americans, close to 10 percent of the population. Diabetes is characterized by the body’s inability to process sugar properly, resulting in high blood sugar, which in turn can affect the heart, eyes, nerves, kidneys, and mouth.

Diabetes specifically affects the mouth by causing xerostomia, or dry mouth, which in turn can increase the risk of periodontal disease—a common cause of tooth loss and cavities.

Because diabetics are more susceptible to infection, periodontal disease can also be harder to fight in diabetics.

Another common problem in diabetics is a slowed healing process. This can make it more difficult to heal ulcers or cold sores and to keep gums healthy.

To keep their mouths and whole bodies healthier, diabetics should take the necessary steps to control blood-sugar levels. Frequent professional checkups may be part of an overall plan to keep the mouth healthy. Diabetics should brush thoroughly after each meal and floss daily. Tobacco use should be avoided. Diabetics who wear dentures or have partial plates should be sure to cleanse them daily.

All the reasons to rinse

Don’t be fooled into thinking a mouth rinse on its own can complete-ly solve an oral problem. However, a rinse coupled with good dental habits such as brushing after each meal and daily flossing can contribute to a healthier mouth and fresher breath.

Before choosing a rinse, consider whether it’s more important to kill germs that cause gingivitis, prevent cavities, freshen breath, or whiten teeth. Then, look for a rinse with the ADA (American Dental Association) seal of approval or one we have recommended.

After brushing and flossing, swish the recommended amount of rinse in your mouth for at least 30 seconds at the end of your brushing and flossing routine.

The health of the diabetic mouth

A dental office, with its myriad sounds and unusual-looking implements, may not seem to be the most welcoming place to a small child. Transforming a visit to the office into an adventure takes a little creativity and planning, but it can mean giving a child a positive impression of the importance of regular checkups.

An early first visit (usually around age 1) should not be long, but the child should have a chance to meet the dentist and hygienist, and sit on a parent’s lap in the chair. A brief discussion of the best ways to care for the child’s budding teeth should be part of the experience.

A parent can reinforce a positive image at home by playing dentist’s office in the same way you play grocery store. Ask your child to open his or her mouth, and use a flashlight to help you see to count the erupting teeth.

Children are very perceptive to the feelings of their parents, so if you experience dental anxiety, you will need to be cautious not to pass those fears to your child. To do that, it’s important to keep your discussions of visits and procedures free of negativity.

As your child grows older, encourage him or her to learn good homecare methods so he or she can show off well-honed brushing and flossing skills at their next dental visit. Arriving at the dental office with a smile that is clean and cavity-free is a reward in itself, and another way to enhance your child’s positive view of the advantages of receiving regular professional dental care.

Alleviating children’s anxieties

Know your rinsesWhitening rinses—Used over a period of time, these may help lighten teeth.Breath fresheners—These include an astringent salt, which can temporarily alleviate bad breath, along with odor neutralizers, which interfere with the causes of bad breath.Antimicrobial rinses—These are a weapon against germs that cause both gingivitis and bad breath.Fluoride rinses—These rinses bathe teeth in fluoride to aid in cavity prevention.

Medicine and your mouthPerhaps one of the best examples of medication affecting

teeth is the case of tetracycline, an antibiotic that causes staining on the teeth of children born to women who took the drug while they were pregnant. Some other types of medications known to cause problems in the mouth include antidepressants, asthma drugs, and chemotherapy medications.

One unusual side effect of some chemotherapy medications is a change in how the mouth tastes food, called dysgeusia. Often, patients report a metallic taste in the mouth. In other cases, food might taste saltier or more bitter. Some antihistamines are also known to cause taste alterations. These problems usually subside when the patient stops taking the medication.

Mucositis—inflammation of tissues in the mouth and digestive tract—is another common side effect of chemotherapy. The condition, which can cause discomfort and bleeding, is often characterized by mouth ulcers. Patients being treated with medications linked to this condition should practice scrupulous oral care and avoid tobacco and alcohol.

Dry mouth is one of the most common side effects of medication. This condition has been linked to more than 400 types of drugs. Dry mouth is not just uncomfortable; it can be detrimental to teeth because lack of saliva can contribute to dental decay and gum disease. Many patients who suffer from dry mouth find that sipping plain water or chewing sugarless gum provides some relief.

Swelling of the gums, which can be caused by some seizure and blood pressure medications, can increase a patient’s risk of developing periodontal disease. Stepping up home oral care and seeing a dentist more often can help reduce the chances of gum overgrowth.

Patients who use asthma medications regularly can lower their chances of developing a yeast infection in the mouth by rinsing with plain water immediately after using their inhaler.

For specific information on how medications you have been prescribed may affect your teeth, seek professional dental advice.

Tongue troublesMost of the time when your tongue causes you trouble, it is related to something you maybe shouldn’t have said. But there are

other kinds of troubles—both serious and not so serious—that can affect your tongue and interfere with eating and speech.

Seeing red?Normally, the tongue is pinkish, but certain problems can

cause the tongue to turn red, develop red spots, or even give the surface of the tongue a strawberry-like appearance. Among the causes of these are Kawasaki disease, which usually affects small children, and scarlet fever. In either of these situations, a high fever may develop. Less serious causes of tongue redness include vitamin deficiencies and a benign condition known as geographic tongue. Unexplained tongue redness lasting more than two weeks requires a professional diagnosis.

Tongue turning white?A tongue that turns white may be linked to one of several

causes. If the tongue is painful and exhibits white patches reminiscent of cottage cheese, the cause may be oral thrush, a yeast infection that can be treated with a variety of medications. Oral lichen planus, which appears as a pattern of white lines on the tongue, may have a variety of causes. Good oral hygiene and abstaining from tobacco use, along

with avoiding foods that irritate the mouth, may be recommended for those who experience this condition. Leukoplakia is a third condition that will turn the tongue white. It is caused by excessive cell growth within the mouth. However, the presence of leukoplakia may indicate the possibility of cancer development, so the cause of any white patches seen on the inside of the mouth should be professionally determined.

Bumps, burns, and black tongueA trauma to the tongue, such as burning it with a hot

liquid or biting it accidentally, can cause discomfort. Ulcers, which can develop on the tongue as well as elsewhere in the mouth, can be uncomfortable, but these are harmless and can often be treated with over-the-counter preparations. A tongue that appears black and hairy may look frightening, but it is usually caused by bacteria in overgrown papillae located on the tongue. The condition often coincides with a course of antibiotics or chemotherapy and may be more common in diabetics.

Tongue troubles or any discomfort in the mouth should not be dismissed. If pain or discoloration persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as a high fever, a professional diagnosis should be sought.

Sippy cup solutions

The discovery that fluoride, which is a naturally occurring mineral, prevents dental decay has significantly decreased the incidence of tooth decay. However, now that fluoride is added to many public water supplies and is available in a variety of other sources, including toothpastes, mouthwashes and rinses, and tablets, the question of “how much fluoride is too much?” emerges.

This concern caused the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to drop the amount of fluoride allowed in community water sources from up to 1.2 mg per liter to 0.7 mg per liter.

Parents especially should be aware of the amount of fluoride children are exposed to in order to be sure they ingest enough to prevent cavities. Feel free to ask us about your child’s specific needs.

Thank you for all your referrals. We appreciate them!© Copyright 2016. Newsletters Ink Corp. Printed in the U.S.A. www.NewslettersInk.com

The information included in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for dental advice. For your specific situation, please consult our office.

Many parents of small children have heard of nursing bottle syndrome, which can cause cavities in baby teeth, but probably fewer are aware that some sippy cups can cause similar issues.

Sippy cups are generally made of plastic, and they sport a tight lid with a slatted spout from which the child sips liquid. Sippy cups, which are designed as a temporary transition from baby bottles to normal cups, are not all created equal.

The problem with some sippy cup designs is that a valve located under the spout can cause the child to have to suck the liquid out rather than sip it. This can lead to the for mula or juice bathing the teeth in sugars that can cause enamel to erode and cavities to form.

Steps parents can take to prevent this problem include:

1. Choosing a cup that does not employ a valve so that the child will learn to sip.

2. Limiting the use of the cup to meals and designated snack times.

3. Restricting snack time and other between-meal drinks to plain water.

4. Making sure the cup is cleaned thoroughly after each use.

Fluoride consumption considerations

Ellashek Dental3665 Stutz Drive, Suite 2Canfield, OH 44406Office Hours

Monday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.Tuesday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.Wednesday 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.Thursday 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.*Friday 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.**Doctors are in either Thursday or Friday of each week.Alternating Saturdays 8:00 a.m.-Noon

Appointment and Emergency Phone: (330) 702-8500Fax: (330) 702-8249

Website: www.canfielddentist.com

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