Oral Health News

I've been doing a lot of research on Periodontitis in preparation for adding a section on various gum diseases to the web site, and let me tell you, this is scary stuff. It's not scary just because of what it can do to your teeth, but what it can do to your entire body as well.

In the early stages, it's possible that you won't even realize that you have it. There's usually no pain at this stage, and the little bit of redness and bleeding of the gums is generally written off as brushing too vigorously or a bit of Gingivitis. According to the Mayo Clinic:

Early-stage periodontal disease (gingivitis) is seldom painful and causes relatively minor signs, such as red, swollen and bleeding gums. But untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, a serious infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth, and eventually may cause tooth loss.

What's more, long-term periodontitis can lead to even more-serious problems, including higher blood sugar levels and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Gum disease may even affect your unborn child. Pregnant women with periodontitis are much more likely to give birth to premature babies than are women with healthy gums.

If you're fighting any form of Periodontal disease, you might want to consider Periotherapy. For additional information, click the Helpful Resources link below.



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February 17, 2007 12:01 - What Does Your Mouth Say About Your Heart?

Fighting bad breath isn't the only reason for practicing good oral hygiene. Since periodontitis is a persistent bacterial infection causing chronic inflammation in periodontal tissues, there's a possibility that it may travel through the bloodstream and increase the risk of acute cardiac syndrome.

Eliminating dental plaque could be one of the most important things you can do to prevent both periodontitis and coronary artery disease, this according to a new study published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Periodontology.

In the study, researchers examined 20 individuals with chronic periodontitis. In 13 of the 20 patients, bacterial pathogens most frequently found in severe chronic periodontitis were also found in atherosclerotic plaque of coronary vessels. In 10 cases, those species of bacteria were also present in atherosclerotic plaque and in subgingival plaque. (Atherosclerosis is a multistage process set in motion when cells lining the arteries are damaged as a result of high blood pressure, smoking, toxic substances and other agents.)

"We found that patients with periodontal pathogens detected in atherosclerotic plaque had four millimeters or greater of deep periodontal pockets and a significantly higher bleeding index," said study author Dr. Maciej Zaremba. "This supports the possibility that bacteria associated with periodontitis can permeate into coronary vessels."

"Since periodontal and cardiovascular diseases have several common risk factors, more studies are needed to evaluate the strength of association between the two diseases," said Dr. Preston D. Miller, DDS, and AAP president. "It is very important for people to talk to their dentist or periodontist about their periodontal health and their at-home oral hygiene routine to prevent periodontal disease and maybe even coronary artery disease."

According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is the number one single cause of death in the United States. Knowledge of the risk factors and possible links to coronary heart disease, such as periodontal disease is the first step towards preventing it. To find out if you are at risk for periodontal disease, please visit the AAP’s Web site at www.perio.org and take a free risk assessment test.

For help fighting gingivitis and peridontitis as well as bad breath, click on the Helpful Resource link below.

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February 26, 2007 13:31 - Cram Some Clay In Your Mouth For Healthier Teeth And Gums

A company called Z Health (short for ZionHealth) has just released its latest product containing Montmorillonite.

What's Montmorillonite, you ask?

Believe it or not, it's a type of clay that's long been used to improve health.

The new product is ClayBrite, a toothpaste that helps absorb bacteria trapped in between the teeth and gums. I haven't tried it yet, but it's tauted as minimizing tooth and gum decay by up to 90 percent.

The cavity battle is increasing as sugar becomes the main ingredient in commercially packaged foods targeting children. Unnatural levels of sugar in fruit drinks, cereal, soft drinks and processed foods destroy the teeth and cause gum decay. "Tooth decay affects more than one-fourth of U.S. children aged 2-5 and half of those aged 12-15," states Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona.

ClayBrite's active ingredient, Montmorillonite, is uniquely structured to absorb bacteria trapped in the gums and in between the teeth. Montmorillonite is a combination of trace minerals derived from desert clay. According to the "Clay Cure" by Ran Knishinsky, "A mineralogist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Robert T. Marin, stated that one gram of this clay has a surface area of 800 square meters. To give this some perspective, that's about ten football fields!" This gives Montmorillonite great capacity to absorb unwanted bacteria in the mouth.

Haim Zion, president of Z Health, states, "Parents can help their kids develop healthier teeth by cutting sugar intake in half and using toothpaste with Montmorillonite."

ClayBrite also appears to have a healing effect on the gums. Dental Surgeon, Mary Garcia D.D.S. noticed a complete recovery on patients with early stage gum disease when brushing with ClayBrite once daily for a period of six weeks.

Not all Montmorillonite is the same. Z Health uses the same Montmorillonite sold to astronauts for its unique ingredient in ClayBrite. Its combination of essential trace minerals is the choice mineral supplement for astronauts in the NASA space program. Z Health also offers pure Montmorillonite for Nutritional Supplementation and Internal Cleansing.

ClayBrite is now available to consumers nationwide at various Whole Food stores, Rainbow Grocery, www.kanwaminerals.com and select mass retailers will be in select mass retailers nationwide by the end of the year.

February 28, 2007 13:04 - Brush Correctly To Control Bad Breath

The first thing you have to do to win the war against bad breath is implement a good oral hygiene regimen. At the heart of that regimen is brushing your teeth CORRECTLY.

What's the correct technique?

Make sure you use a soft toothbrush. Brush back and forth gently with the head of the brush at an angle of 45 degrees to the gumline. Do a small section at a time. Finish off each section with a vertical stroke that runs from the gums toward the biting surfaces of your teeth. After you've performed this process on the inner and outer surfaces, brush the chewing surfaces. If you're havng trouble picturing the process, click on the Helpful Resources link below for an excellent video demonstration.

Use this technique twice a day minimum, and you'll be well on your way to getting bad breath under control.


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