Tag: Dentist

  • Five ‘dental health tips’ that could actually ruin your teeth, says top dentist

    Five ‘dental health tips’ that could actually ruin your teeth, says top dentist

    From charcoal toothpaste to lemon water, the internet is awash with advice on how best to keep your pearly whites looking their best – but if you follow some of this guidance you could end up damaging them instead

    A smiling woman
    To keep your teeth healthy it’s sensible to follow no-nonsense advice from dental professionals

    We all know social media loves peddling health and wellness advice – but some dental guidance out there is so worryingly wide of the mark that following it could do more harm than good.

    Thankfully, one expert is keen to debunk such unhelpful internet myths, advising people to steer well clear of them if they want to keep their teeth healthy.

    Dr Khaled Kasem, chief orthodontist at orthodontic chain Impress, said it can be difficult separating fantasy from fiction when so many suspicious theories are often presented as fact.

    Here are his top five worst bits of advice he has recently seen on the web:

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    Charcoal toothpaste is not everything it’s cracked up to be, says a leading dentist
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    Shared Content Unit)

    Charcoal toothpaste

    You’ve probably seen charcoal toothpaste heralded as the ultimate tooth-whitener, but don’t be fooled, Dr Kasem told The Sun.

    “Charcoal toothpaste does lift a light surface of staining, giving your teeth a temporary glow, however it can be abrasive and damage the enamel on your teeth.

    “If the particles become embedded in the cracks of your enamel, it can cause your teeth to crack and may result in an expensive trip to the dentist – not ideal when you’re searching for that Hollywood smile.”

    As a simple alternative, he recommended treating your gnashers to a standard whitening toothpaste.

    “If you’re hoping to achieve a permanently brighter, white smile, it’s best to consult a dental professional as not only will it be much more effective, but it will also be safer, too,” he said.







    Drinking copious amounts of lemon water is bad for your teeth, it has been warned
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    Togs – Andrea Simpson)

    Lemon water

    Who hasn’t seen those TikTok videos extolling the virtues of drinking humble lemon water?

    Yes it can indeed help to hydrate, is a good source of vitamin C and aid digestion and support skin health – but at what cost?

    Dr Kasem said that drinking too much could actually damage your teeth.

    “Lemon juice is very acidic and can erode enamel, making your teeth susceptible to gum disease and decay over time,” he said.

    “Therefore, if it is one of your daily rituals, it’s best to drink it through a straw to help protect your teeth. If you’re showing any signs of mouth sores, steer clear of it all together, as the acidity can cause irritation and inflammation,” he added.

    Apple cider vinegar

    Some influencers are forever perpetuating that apple cider vinegar is great for detoxing and weight-loss, but consuming a lot of it can upset your stomach and throat, not to mention wrecking your teeth, says Dr Kasem.

    Just like lemon water, the high acidity can erode tooth enamel.

    “Without this protective layer, your teeth are open to the dangers of decay and permanent staining.

    “Before trying apple cider vinegar, consider whether it’s worth jeopardising the colour, and overall health, of your teeth,” he added.







    ‘Juice cleanses’ – a diet that involves consuming only juices from vegetables and fruits – comes with its own risks to our teeth
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    PA)

    Eating s maller meals, more often

    Many of us have taken to eating smaller meals more often, but have we ever considered this could be unkind to our teeth?

    Dr Kasem says these smaller gaps between eating gives your mouth less time to break down the foods you’ve just eaten.

    This then paves the way for bacteria and acid to build-up on your teeth and gums.

    “We’d always recommend eating three meals a day where possible, brushing once after breakfast and once after your evening meal, because eating little and often without a substantial break and clean, increases your chances of developing tooth decay and even gum disease,” he added.

    Juice cleanses

    ‘Eating clean’ is something of a buzz phrase at the moment, with ‘juice cleanses’ – a diet that involves consuming only juices from vegetables and fruits – often touted as being highly beneficial to us.

    While Dr Kasem says such a regime is, of course, helpful to getting your five-a-day, it could also be harming your mouth.

    “Drinking juice directly allows sugar to build up and get stuck in the crevices of your teeth.

    “Overexposure to juicing can lead to complications such as cavities, crumbling molars, and even tooth decay, so if you’re wanting to try juicing, make sure to do it as part of a balanced diet between solids and liquids,” he said.

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  • 6 Oral Health Tips a Regenerative Dentist Needs You to Know

    6 Oral Health Tips a Regenerative Dentist Needs You to Know

    For as extended as I can try to remember, I have experienced a really like-despise partnership with my tooth. Even immediately after four yrs of braces that defined my center school existence, I have been adamant about smiling lips-only. Useless to say, I have been craving a number of important oral health ideas to assist me embrace my not-so-pearly whites, and a lot more importantly, just take treatment of them for a long time to come.

    In a world that is swiftly (and thankfully) starting to be more inclusive as it relates to attractiveness, I’ll admit this fraught relationship isn’t a little something I’m happy of. Appreciate the pores and skin you are in and accept your flaws and shift on, right? Eh… occasionally, it is a minimal more difficult than it seems. But in the title of holistic health and fitness and all-encompassing natural beauty behavior and routines, I’ve resolved the best issue I can do is give this location of wellness a minor less criticism and a lot far more adore. 

    I received in contact with Dr. Gerry Curatola, a biologic restorative dentist, to get an update on what oral care appears to be like like in 2022 and the best oral overall health suggestions to hold your mouth discomfort-no cost and smilin’ powerful. Let’s get to it.

    Attribute graphic by Riley Reed.

    Beyond our bi-once-a-year dentist visits and heading via the motions of holding our enamel clear, oral health and fitness does not get substantially focus in the wellness environment. Why?

    Today, as a wellbeing-centric society, we’re laser-centered on perfecting plant-centered meals, have committed to a actual physical exercise regimen, and are even coming about to the relevance of supporting our mental health and fitness. But oral health? It typically goes neglected. “150 several years ago, medicine and dentistry turned illogically separated,” claims Dr. Curatola. “People normally do not recognize that bodily ailment both enters and manifests alone in the mouth. Oral health is the 800-pound gorilla in the wellness place.”

    What does an perfect brushing and flossing regimen look like?

    When it will come to wellness, though I like indulging in my routines and having fun with self-treatment to the fullest, I’m usually searching for the lower-and-dry, optimum suggestions to verify I’m following a wellbeing-advertising route. The answer? Your brushing and flossing schedule relies upon on your taking in and mealtime habits, as food will effect your mouth’s pH equilibrium.

    “After consuming, wait 30 minutes to an hour before brushing your teeth,” advises Dr. Curatola. “When you have a healthful oral microbiome, your saliva rebalances your mouth just after having. If you brush way too before long, the food’s acid might soften or weaken tooth enamel.”

    As for the actual frequency and ideal duration of time? “Brush 2 times a day for at the very least two minutes and floss at night,” says Dr. Curatola, who emphasizes the “at least” and encourages brushing 3-4 minutes when doable.

    Are there advantages to a routine that incorporates mouthwash?

    The reply will probably appear as a surprise (at minimum, it did for me). “Mouthwash is an American creation which has no actual price other than a cleaner experience soon after brushing to rinse out debris,” notes Dr. Curatola. “If you brush two times a day and floss nightly,” he provides, “it is not important to use a separate product or service other than water.” Let the shock and awe sink in.

    When it comes to sugarless gum, it is generally touted as an oral wellbeing-marketing pattern. Is there any fact in this, or does it do much more damage than superior?

    When they come to feel antiquated now, the Orbit commercials selling a “just brushed thoroughly clean feeling” absolutely held an impact about our collective reception of chewing gum. And whilst the gum chewers between us may perhaps have ditched the big brand names and are now opting for sugarless gum from nearby co-ops or health and fitness outlets, according to Dr. Curatola, the latter continue to is not a wonderful selection. “Beware of sugarless chewing gum that takes advantage of sugar alcohol chemical substances this kind of as xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol as sweetening substances. Although these have been touted as nutritious by the producers, they are calorie-absolutely free ‘junk chemicals’ which are not metabolized, or even absorbed, by the human body.”

    The end result? Dr. Curatola cites the disruption sugarless gums can cause to each the oral and intestine microbiomes, what he defines as “the necessary organic microbial communities that preserve us alive.” He shares that a lot of individuals who put up with from dry mouth find out sugarless gum as a momentary answer, but implies an additional route. “In dry mouth, food stuff remnants and acids continue to be on the tooth enabling tooth decay and enamel erosion. Keeping hydrated ought to prevent it. On the other hand, if you nonetheless endure from dry mouth, it’s essential to comprehend the lead to. It could be an airway difficulty that can be tackled by a biologic dentist.”

    What are the finest food items for white enamel?

    Dr. Curatola asserts that “White tooth are the outcome of a well balanced oral microbiome and a apparent airway to avoid dry mouth.” The very good news is that a healthful teeth-endorsing diet follows a lot of of the same guidelines of a complete food items-centered, plant-centered eating plan. “A healthier diet plan includes fibrous fruits and vegetables in many shades. Your tooth are much less very likely to be stained if the enamel is guarded by the pH balance in your mouth.” 

    What does this seem like particularly? Dr. Curatola shares the adhering to listing of enzyme-enhanced, lacto-fermented fruits, veggies, and beverages, that he claims “allow the fiber to act like ‘tiny toothbrushes’ to clean up your enamel from food items that stain, like crimson wine.”

    • celery
    • apples
    • carrots
    • kale
    • dill pickles
    • kombucha

    In Dr. Curatola’s guide, The Mouth-Overall body Link, his signature, Triple A Diet outlines an anti-inflammatory and alkalizing feeding on program stuffed with “natural natural and organic food items that are as close to their original state as attainable.”

    What strategies and methods ought to we hold in brain if we’re looking to get started a whitening regime?

    It all starts with a professional dental cleansing. “The dental hygienist can remove mineralized plaque that can deposit over and down below the gum line,” says Dr. Curatola. He emphasizes that kicking off your whitening journey in a dental business makes certain that “steps are taken to isolate the soft tissue (i.e., gums) so that the oxidizing brokers these kinds of as carbamide and hydrogen peroxide do not deplete these tissues of the essential antioxidants necessary for periodontal well being.”

    A couple rapid suggestions to aid your whitening routine, submit-professional treatment method:

    • Rinse your mouth with water just after having.
    • Drink by a straw.
    • Keep away from tea, espresso, and pink wine.

    Store Dr. Curatola’s beloved oral well being-optimizing merchandise.

  • Dentist Offers 5 Oral Health Tips for Patients With Cancer

    Dentist Offers 5 Oral Health Tips for Patients With Cancer

    Chemotherapy regimens can wreak havoc on patients’ oral wellness, generating it extremely critical that folks see their dentist before starting up remedy – and keep up with them throughout most cancers treatment, too, discussed Dr. Susan Calderbank.

    Calderbank is an associate professor of oral medicine at the University of Pittsburgh College of Dental Drugs and operates her own private apply, the place she raises awareness of the oral problems of most cancers therapies. She said that approximately 30{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of patients going through chemotherapy will have mouth ulcers, and in individuals with head and neck radiation or mobile transplants, that percentage goes up to about 80 to 90{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}.

    In a the latest job interview with CURE®, Calderbank – who is also on the experienced advisory board at Breastcancer.org – talked over why clients must see their dentists as a portion of their most cancers treatment team and supplied insights on what people should really know about oral treatment in advance of starting off chemotherapy.

    CURE®: Can you give a short overview of how chemotherapy influence a person’s mouth and dental wellness?

    Calderbank: When individuals get chemotherapy, a ton of periods they consider they are getting a magic bullet which is only likely to go and get treatment of the cancer cells, and they really don’t know that it also impacts usual healthful tissue.

    (The mouth has) the cells that divide the speediest in the human body, and when a individual has most cancers, the cure is targeted to have an effect on quickly-dividing cells. So when the chemotherapy shuts down the fast-dividing cells, it has an outcome in the mouth also. As these substitution cells in the tissue of the mouth are remaining sloughed off with talking, consuming (and) yawning, the replacement cells usually are not there to fill in the gap, and then the tissue by itself will get thinner and thinner and thinner. And then what can come about is that the mouth gets to be infected and irritated. And then alterations basically can manifest.

    What are the most prevalent oral side outcomes that people must search out for?

    The 1st side impact that you can see is that the tissue will become purple, and that is a signal that you can find irritation likely on. If which is not stopped, then the swelling – and as the tissue thins – it can ulcerate really, promptly. In putting the dental care of the patient ahead of the most cancers procedure, then we can leap in and give the individual practical ideas, like the Pure Dentist rinse, which is usually effective in reducing inflammation. It has a really robust aloe vera base and quite a few other botanicals, and which is a seriously robust anti-inflammatory. In utilizing that prior to starting the procedure, you’ve by now begun to minimize any neural inflammation in the mouth and make the tissue much healthier. When it truly is more healthy, it will withstand chemotherapy substantially improved.

    In addition, in placing the dental treatment ahead of the cancer procedure, we have the capability to evaluate the procedure of the affected individual – what the requires are, for instance, (like) if there are abscessed enamel, if there are teeth that are likely to be resulting in an infection. Simply because do not ignore, in chemotherapy, the body’s resistance to an infection will decrease. And that’s when an an infection which is been remaining unattended can actually flare up and cause huge troubles for the individual that can actually lead to a lethal an infection that is not able to be healed with antibiotics. So it can be a fairly significant phase.

    What we like to feel of is that the cancer treatment would be extra holistic – you would really be earning connections and synergy concerning the different vendors, which is always to the reward of the client. In our observe, we get the (patient with) most cancers right in, there is incredibly hardly ever a delay of cure. It performs out for all the get-togethers associated: the oncologists have an much easier time, since the individual is not in discomfort, they’re still ready to take in. When you get a mouth ulcer, it can be really agonizing. You you should not want to try to eat or drink or discuss. And a great deal of situations these are published off as just top quality-of-life problems, when essentially they have a really crucial aspect influence in that it may possibly be to the detriment of the individual receiving the cancer therapy.

    What do you want the remaining takeaway for patients with most cancers to be?

    From time to time dentistry is regarded as the divorced next cousin of the relaxation of the overall body, and the mouth. It really is extremely essential to go to the dentist…for these patients, it’s just immensely practical, simply because if we can see them early, we can assistance them get via their therapy.

    If they get ulcerated to the level where by they are unable to swallow … the tissue is the exact basically from the mouth all the way down by the digestive tract, so when they begin to change it, people alterations can also be in the throat. That’s one particular of the terrific issues about the Normal Dentist (rinse) since it is all organic. If they get the ulcerations in the throat, the individuals can gargle with it and in fact swallow it and soothe the tissue in the alimentary tract which is getting ulcerated also.

    It’s a earn-get, generally, for the sufferers to get these pre-most cancers treatment method dental checks. Truly, I wrote an article the moment and it was entitled, “You’ve obtained to be kidding me,” because when most individuals are informed they have to go to the dentist, (they believe) “I have cancer I need to handle it. Why do I have to go to the dentist?” and you know, essentially that’s the extremely to start with spot they should really appear.

    For a lot more news on cancer updates, investigation and education and learning, really do not overlook to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters right here.