Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Dentist Chippenham
GUM DISEASE SYMPTOMS
Gum disease is often silent, meaning symptoms may not appear until an advanced stage of the disease.
However, warning signs of gum disease include the following:
- Red, swollen or tender gums or other pain in your mouth
- Bleeding while brushing, flossing, or eating hard food
- Gums that are receding or pulling away from the teeth, causing the teeth to look longer than before
- Loose or separating teeth
- Pus between your gums and teeth
- Sores in your mouth
- Persistent bad breath
- A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- A change in the fit of partial dentures
Millions of people don't know they have this serious infection that can lead to tooth loss if not treated.
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Wednesday, 7 December 2016
Dentist in Chippenham
First-ever study shows e-cigarettes cause damage to gum tissue
Electronic cigarette.
Credit: © chinchiller / Fotolia
A University of Rochester Medical Center study suggests that electronic cigarettes are as equally damaging to gums and teeth as conventional cigarettes.
The study, published in Oncotarget, was led by Irfan Rahman, Ph.D. professor of Environmental Medicine at the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry, and is the first scientific study to address e-cigarettes and their detrimental effect on oral health on cellular and molecular levels.
Electronic cigarettes continue to grow in popularity among younger adults and current and former smokers because they are often perceived as a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes. Previously, scientists thought that the chemicals found in cigarette smoke were the culprits behind adverse health effects, but a growing body of scientific data, including this study, suggests otherwise.
"We showed that when the vapors from an e-cigarette are burned, it causes cells to release inflammatory proteins, which in turn aggravate stress within cells, resulting in damage that could lead to various oral diseases," explained Rahman, who last year published a study about the damaging effects of e-cigarette vapors and flavorings on lung cells and an earlier study on the pollution effects. "How much and how often someone is smoking e-cigarettes will determine the extent of damage to the gums and oral cavity."
The study, which exposed 3-D human, non-smoker gum tissue to the vapors of e-cigarettes, also found that the flavoring chemicals play a role in damaging cells in the mouth.
"We learned that the flavorings-some more than others -- made the damage to the cells even worse," added Fawad Javed, a post-doctoral resident at Eastman Institute for Oral Health, part of the UR Medical Center, who contributed to the study. "It's important to remember that e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is known to contribute to gum disease."
Most e-cigarettes contain a battery, a heating device, and a cartridge to hold liquid, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. The battery-powered device heats the liquid in the cartridge into an aerosol that the user inhales.
"More research, including long term and comparative studies, are needed to better understand the health effects of e-cigarettes," added Rahman, who would like to see manufacturers disclose all the materials and chemicals used, so consumers can become more educated about potential dangers.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Isaac K. Sundar, Fawad Javed, Georgios E. Romanos, Irfan Rahman. E-cigarettes and flavorings induce inflammatory and pro-senescence responses in oral epithelial cells and periodontal fibroblasts. Oncotarget, 2016; DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12857
Cite This Page:
University of Rochester Medical Center. "First-ever study shows e-cigarettes cause damage to gum tissue." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 November 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161116155511.htm>.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Dentist in Chippenham
Sugar and children's oral health: top tips for patients
As dentists, we often see a lot of tooth decay in young children's teeth, decay which could have been entirely preventable.
It's essential that we get patients thinking about what they and their family are eating and encourage them to make sure their diet is balanced.
For oral health, the key is to avoid sugary snacks and drinks, as this will help protect teeth from decay.
Top tips for good oral health for your patients and their children
Here are our top tips for your patients to help make sure their smiles stay healthy:
- Reduce sugary snacks: the risk of developing tooth decay increases as the amount and frequency of sugar consumption rises.
- Brush twice a day: keeping teeth clean by regular brushing helps prevent decay. Children's brushing should be supervised until the age of seven. Ask your dentist for more advice.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste: all children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm, both morning and night. From three to six years old, their toothpaste should contain more than 1000ppm. For children six years and older, the recommended amount is between 1350ppm-1500ppm.
- Visit the dentist on a regular basis: ask your dentist how often you should visit and keep your appointments, if oral health problems are spotted early, then they can often be dealt with much easier. Your dentist can answer any questions you have about the best way to look after your child's teeth.
- Watch out for 'hidden' sugars: pure fruit juices can be a healthy choice, but the natural sugars these contain can still damage teeth. If you are offering fruit juice, drink it with a meal and only in a small glass (up to 150ml).
Where can I find out more?
The NHS Change for Life campaign has tips and idea for cutting down on sugary foods and drinks and has resources to help support a switch to healthier eating and drinking choices.
What is the BDA doing?
When it comes to oral health, we believe in #preventionfirst: tooth decay is an avoidable disease and we are campaigning for Government's to take this problem seriously, to act now and invest in real prevention.
About the BDA
The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association and trade union for dentists in the UK. It represents dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces, and includes dental students. The BDA promotes members’ interests, advances the science, arts and ethics of dentistry, and contributes towards improving the nation's oral health.
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