Waterford, MI Dentist
Lloyd H. Alpert, D.D.S.
4025 Highland Road
Waterford, MI 48328
(248) 682-6010

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Posts for: October, 2013

October 23, 2013
Category: Dental News
Tags: halloween candy  

This was too good not to repost

Avoid Scary Tooth Decay This Halloween

Don't let Halloween Candy be a Nightmare

By Tammy Davenport

Updated: October 24, 2007

Who doesn’t love candy at Halloween? If your kids are like mine, they're going to come home from trick-or-treating with tons of candy. Sugary candy can lead to tooth decay, but following these simple steps can help you and your children have a fun Halloween without the nightmare of harming their teeth in the process.

  1. Don’t let your kids gorge on Halloween candy all night. Teaching your kids moderation on Halloween is important.
  2. Monitor that your children are brushing their teeth three times a day.
  3. Make sure that your children use an age-appropriate fluoridated mouthwash every evening.
  4. Have extra disposable dental flossers laying all over the house. You’d be amazed at what kids will do when their bored.
  5. Avoid or limit candy such as caramels, candy corn, jelly beans, and taffy. These particular candies are extra sticky, making it hard for saliva to wash away the sugar.
  6. Give your kids sugar free gum to chew. Not only does sugar-free gum help prevent cavities, it also helps neutralize the effects of sugar from the candy. Therefore, it combats the bacteria in plaque that causes cavities.

Halloween is a fun holiday and you shouldn’t have to worry about things like tooth decay. By practicing good oral hygiene and using moderation, your kids can have a fun and safe Halloween and still enjoy the candy!  


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October 16, 2013
Category: Dental News

We thought this was an interesting article from the Academy of General Dentistry and wanted to share:

Halloween is just around the corner, and although candy consumption is almost unavoidable this time of year, the Academy of General Dentistry(AGD) wants parents and children to know that there are both good and bad candy options, both of which may find their way into children's trick-or-treat bags this fall.

"Of course, dentists do not advocate that children eat large amounts of sugary treats, but it is that time of year, so we want to clarify for parents which treats are better for their kids' teeth and which ones may increase the risk of developing cavities," says AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, FAGD.

Worst:
  •  Chewy/sticky sweets,such as gummy candies, taffy, and even dried fruit can be difficult for children and adults to resist, and even more difficult to remove from teeth. "These candies are a serious source of tooth decay, particularly when they get stuck in the crevices between teeth,making it nearly impossible for saliva to wash them away," Dr. Sherwood says.
  •  Sour candies are highly acidic and can break down tooth enamel quickly. The good news: Saliva slowly helps to restore the natural balance of the acid in the mouth. Dr. Sherwoodrecommends that patients wait 30 minutes to brush their teeth after consuming sour/acidic candies; otherwise, they will be brushing the acid onto more tooth surfaces and increasing the risk of enamel erosion.
  • Sugary snacks, including candy corn, cookies, and cake,allcontain high amounts of sugar, which can cause tooth decay.

Best:

  •  Sugar-free lollipops and hard candies stimulate saliva, which can help prevent dry mouth. "A dry mouth allows plaque to build up on teeth faster, leading to an increased risk of cavities," Dr. Sherwood says.
  • Sugar-free gum can actually prevent cavities as it not only dislodges food particles from between the teeth but also increases saliva—which works to neutralize the acids of the mouth and prevent tooth decay.
  • Dark chocolate and its antioxidants, according to somestudies,can be good for the heart and may even lower blood pressure.

     

    "Parents should closely monitor their children's candy intake this Halloween—and all year round—and continue to promote good oral health habits," Dr. Sherwood says. "Kids also should be brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes."


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October 09, 2013
Category: Fun Dental Facts
Tags: Did you know  

Some   interesting  facts  about  t teeth  found  on  the  internet:

 It seems children have the right idea

About smiling…they smile about 400

 times a day.

 Women smile about 62 times a day compared to men who smile eight times a day on average.

Each person’s set of teeth is unique much

 like their fingerprints. Even identical twins do not have exactly the same set of teeth.

 Did you know that your tongue print is also unique? Does the hand you write with affect your teeth? It can. Right-handed people, tend to chew food on their right side, while left-handed people tend to chew on their left side.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist. William F. Semple, a dentist from Mount Vernon, OH. was issued the first patent in 1869 for chewing gum.

In the old days when dentures weren't invented yet, dentists would do a quick surgery in implanting teeth in the mouth of a person. The teeth came from dead people!

Aztec dentists would mix iron fillings, water and navel lint bake and insert it in the cavities to seal it. 


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October 02, 2013
Category: Dental News
Tags: Oral Cancer  

The ADA provides you with valuable information regarding oral cancer.

 

Did you know almost 41,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and throat cancers this year? And that the 5-year survival rate of those diagnosed is only slightly more than 64 percent? When cancer is detected and treated early, treatment-related health problems are reduced.

The oral cavity includes your lips, cheek lining, gums, front part of your tongue, floor of the mouth beneath the tongue and the hard palate that makes up the roof of your mouth. The throat (pharynx) starts at the soft part of the roof of your mouth and continues back into your throat. It includes the back section of your tongue as well as the base where the tongue attaches to the floor of your mouth.

During your dental visit, your dentist can talk to you about your health history and examine these areas for signs of mouth and/or throat cancer. The screening will consist of a visual inspection of the mouth and palpation of the jaw and neck. Regular visits to your dentist can improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, at a time when cancer can be treated more easily. In between visits, it's important to be aware of the following signs and symptoms and to see your dentist if they do not disappear after two weeks.

The symptoms of mouth or throat cancer can include:

  • a sore or irritation that doesn't go away
  • red or white patches
  • pain, tenderness or numbness in mouth or lips
  • a lump, thickening, rough spot, crust or small eroded area
  • difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your tongue or jaw
  • a change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth

Research has identified a number of factors that contribute to the development of mouth and throat cancers. Smokers and excessive alcohol drinkers older than 50 are the most at risk. More recently, the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted, has been associated with cancers of the oropharyngeal region that is the part of the throat at the back of the mouth. HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers are related to the increasing incidence of throat cancers in non-smoking adults.

HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers typically develop in the throat at the base of the tongue and near or on the tonsils making them difficult to detect. Although HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers are often diagnosed at a later stage, people with HPV-positive cancers have a lower risk of dying or having recurrence than those with HPV-negative cancers. It is likely that there is a complex interaction of many external and internal factors that play a role in the development of HPV-positive cancers.
 

 

Keeping your mouth healthy during treatment:

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the first thing you should do before beginning cancer treatment is to see your dentist. After your treatment begins, be sure to check your mouth every day for sores or other changes.
 

Other NIDCR tips to keep your mouth moist:

  • Keep your mouth moist.
  • Drink a lot of water.
  • Suck ice chips.
  • Use sugarless gum or sugar-free hard candy.
  • Use a saliva substitute to help moisten your mouth.

Tips for cleaning your mouth:
 

  • Brush your teeth, gums, and tongue with an extra-soft toothbrush after every meal and at bedtime. If it hurts, soften the bristles in warm water.
  • Use a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Use the special fluoride gel that your dentist prescribes.
  • Don't use mouthwashes with alcohol in them.
  • Floss your teeth gently every day. If your gums bleed and hurt, avoid the areas that are bleeding or sore, but keep flossing your other teeth.
  • Rinse your mouth several times a day with a solution of 1/4 teaspoon each of baking soda and salt in one quart of warm water. Follow with a plain water rinse.
  • Dentures that don't fit well can cause problems. Talk to your cancer doctor or dentist about your dentures.

 


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