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A wake-up call to infants

August 26, 2013 By DentalBuzz Staff 3 Comments

A Wake Up Call to Infants: Dentists Recommend ‘Healthier Lifestyle’

by Elizabeth McAvoy, RDH

Dental professionals have issued a serious wake-up call to infants around the world, encouraging them to live a healthier lifestyle. The bold announcement comes in the wake of new research that suggests up to 40% of American children have cavities and more serious dental caries by the time they reach kindergarten (i). According to a new study, those cavities are most likely the result of an unhealthy lifestyle during infancy.

To better understand how poor oral health during infancy can lead to cavities later in life, researchers at the University of Illinois studied the origin and spread of oral bacteria in babies between the ages of 12 and 24 months. Lead researcher and University professor, Dr. Kelly Swanson, summarizes the findings by explaining, “The soft tissue in the mouth appear to serve as reservoirs for potential pathogens prior to tooth [formation],” (i).

Infants Respond to Warning, Asking Parents for Help

In wake of the University of Illinois study, infants are asking parents for help in preventing the accumulation and spread of oral bacteria. By urging parents to better understand the basics on bacteria and oral hygiene for infants, babies hope to reduce the incidence of tooth decay among kindergartners by 2016.

In an effort to make this dream a reality, infants have aligned themselves with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) to spread awareness for the 5 best ways to prevent oral disease and tooth decay among infants and young children.

5 Tips from the AAPD for Healthier Lifestyle & Better Hygiene

The AAPD offers the following 5 tips to help parents effectively prevent the development of oral disease in young children (ii):

1. Schedule an oral health risk assessment.

By 6 months old, infants should have themselves taken to a licensed dental professional for a thorough check-up and health assessment. Additional check-ups are recommended every 6 months, unless otherwise recommended.

2. Establish a ‘dental home.’

Parents should aim to establish a ‘dental home’ for their child by the age of 12 months. There are many advantages to choosing a primary care provider, most important of which is establishing a record of medical history for both parents and child. This may help to determine the child’s susceptibility to oral disease, decay, and dental caries.

3. When it comes to teething, avoid anesthetics.

According to the AAPD, parents should consider using only oral analgesics and chilled teething rings to soothe the pain and irritation of teething. The AAPD advises parents to avoid over the counter anesthetics for concerns over toxicity.

4. Gently brush teeth, as they become visible.

As teeth become visible, parents must proactively brush all surfaces with a soft bristled toothbrush. In cleaning teeth after each meal, parents can prevent the formation of plaque and oral bacteria.

5. Focus on nutrition and meal timing.

Most importantly, the AAPD urges parents to consider how changes in nutrition and meal timing can significantly reduce oral health issues. The following behaviors are to be avoided, as research indicates they increase the risk of tooth decay: Breast feeding more than 7 times daily (after 12 months), nighttime bottle feeding, repeated use of non-spill cups, and sugary snacks in between meals. 

Editorial Note and Disclaimer: Infants, in fact, can neither speak nor coordinate far-reaching public awareness campaigns in conjunction with national health organizations. This report has been created by a mother, health advocate, and dental hygienist at Assure A Smile, who has done her best to imagine how infants would respond to the alarming increase of tooth decay among young children.

Sources:

(i) “Cavity Present in Saliva of Infants.” Medical Daily. Accessed 8 August 2013.

(ii) (iii) “Guideline on Infant Oral Healthcare.” American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Accessed 7 August 2013. Download PDF: http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_infantOralHealthCare.pdf

 

Filed Under: Research

Weight Watchers has spies in your mouth

July 27, 2013 By DentalBuzz Staff 1 Comment

Why are sensors being designed to detect if you’re smoking or overeating?

Instant gratification must so much of a problem that researchers are trying to solve it by gluing accelerometers to teeth. These devices have been calibrated to differentiate between chewing, smoking, speaking, and coughing with 94% accuracy. Read the rest of the story here at today’s Engadget post.

Filed Under: News, Research

Famous people you didn’t know were dentists

January 8, 2013 By DentalBuzz Staff 19 Comments

by Robert Milton

Who says dentistry isn’t exciting? Our noble profession has captured the hearts and imaginations of some pretty interesting people over the years. Granted, eventually these folks turned to other less fascinating professions—like acting, gun fighting, inventing, painting and saving the country—but still, they all had their “roots” (pardon the pun) in the enviable art of dentistry. Just check out this list of people you didn’t know were dentists:

Edgar_Buchanan· Edgar Buchanan: This popular character actor started out as a successful dentist before moving to California in 1939. Although he co-starred in countless movies over the years, Buchanan was probably best known for his memorable roles in 1960s sitcoms like “Petticoat Junction,” “Green Acres” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Once he was bitten by the acting bug, he left dentistry. But, interestingly enough, his wife actually took over his successful practice after he retired.

 

dholliday• John Henry “Doc” Holliday: You may remember Doc Holliday for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and their famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but Holliday was actually a dentist who was trained in Pennsylvania and developed a booming little practice in Atlanta. After a short time, Holliday contracted tuberculosis and he was forced to leave his practice and move out West, where the rest is, well…history.

 

marks

• Mark Spitz: Many of us know Mark Spitz from his record-breaking  7 gold medals won during the 1972 Olympic Games. What you may not know is that Spitz was actually accepted into dental school earlier on, but he decided to pursue his Olympic swimming career instead.

 

zgrey• Zane Grey: If you’re a fan of Western novels, then you’re no stranger to the name Zane Grey. Before writing over 80 books, Pearl Zane Grey was a practicing dentist in New York. Unfortunately, his love for dentistry decayed and he quickly abandoned the field when he became a published author. The lackluster Pearl went on to be one of history’s first millionaire authors. We can only hope none of his patients ever felt pangs while at the dental clinic as he did.

 

Thomas_Bramwell_Welch• Thomas Welch: While it may seem ironic that the creator of a company specializing in sugar-laden fruit juices was also a dentist, that’s exactly what happened with Thomas Welch. The founder of Welch’s was a dentist before he retired and gained some notoriety for inventing a pasteurization process for grape juice that kept it from fermenting. Welch’s intention was to create a non-alcoholic wine that could be used at the sacrament in churches.


trumpet• Miles Henry Davis:
The father of Miles Davis, who is arguably one of the most famous and influential musicians of the last hundred years, was actually a dentist. While we’re not sure whether Miles Jr. was ever tempted to go into his dad’s profession, we’re glad he didn’t. Miles Sr. bought his son his first trumpet when he was a small boy.

 

paul-revere-large• Paul Revere: This famous Revolutionary War hero made a midnight ride just before the battles of Concord and Lexington to warn people that, “The British are coming! The British are coming!” If he were advertising his day job, he might just as easily called out, “The dentist is coming! The dentist is coming!” Revere was a skilled silversmith who also advertised his services as a dentist and was known for making false teeth for his patients.

Keep this list of famous dentists handy for the next time someone hints that dentistry isn’t the most exciting profession. After all, if we were successful in attracting this list of characters in the past, you never know who’ll be among our ranks in the future!

Robert Milton blogs for Austin Dental Center, PC, and will also write compelling content for your practice website if you’d like to benefit from his extensive knowledge base, enthusiasm for dentistry, and killer smile.

DochollidaystoneBW

 

 

 

Trish adds: thanks to Robert for researching this article – I always had a warm mushy place in my heart for Doc Holliday, and was drawn to visit his gravesite in Glenwood Springs a summer ago. Here’s the pic with me and his…(wait for it….) TOMBSTONE! ahHAHAHAHAHAha!

DBSmile1

 

 

 

Filed Under: Anecdotes

Dentistry: Sexier than you think?

June 24, 2010 By DentalBuzz Staff 4 Comments

Working in the dental industry, you can expect your fair share of stress, headaches and professional challenges, but it’s unlikely that your office has an atmosphere that could accurately be described as “sexually charged,” right? Dentists may be many things to many people, but few would call them “sexy” – until now. Word broke in Hollywood this week that none other than Jennifer Aniston is set to play a dentist in the upcoming film Horrible Bosses. That’s right: Brad Pitt’s ex-wife, the former Friend who launched a thousand copycat haircuts, is going to portray one of our own. And not just any dentist, mind you: Ms. Aniston will be playing a dentist whose aggressive sexuality toward her coworkers makes her one of the “horrible bosses” of the movie’s title.
If all of this sounds a little far-fetched to you, take a look at this news story about a dentist from Little Falls, New Jersey who is being sued for sexual harassment by three different members of his staff. The women claim that Dr. David Ulanet made numerous inappropriate comments and unwanted physical advances toward them between 2007 and 2010; in fact, attorney Robert J. Stack sums up the situation rather tidily by claiming that Dr. Ulanet “converted his dental practice into his own sexual playground.” Naturally, the victims deserve justice, and my intentions are not to minimize their plight. Yet the fact that a gorgeous movie star is slated to play a sexually voracious dentist – in a story not far removed from recent headlines – makes one wonder if the entire dental industry isn’t about to undergo a major image change.

Next stop: Desperate Dentists, starring Teri Hatcher? I smell a pilot in the works…

SOURCES:

Jennifer Aniston story (from Entertainment Weekly):
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/15/jennifer-aniston-horrible-bosses-aggressive-sexually/

Sexual harassment case involving NJ dentist:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/96632594_Dentist_office_called_sexual_playground_.html

Melissa is a musician and writer from Los Angeles.  She has contributed dental articles to several dental blogs and websites around the web, including Millennium Dental, a cosmetic dentistry practice in Los Angeles famous for its celebrity clients.

DBSmile

Filed Under: Anecdotes, Fun Tagged With: Films about Dentists, Horrible Bosses, sexual harrassment

Dell releases new firmware for Latitude and Precision laptops

December 3, 2009 By DentalBuzz Staff Leave a Comment

If your Dell E6500, E6400 or M6400 has been overheating, and seemingly sluggish then we have good news for you. The folks in Round Rock, TX have released a bios update that should fix all your performance problems.

Head over to dell.com and click on Support to download the latest drivers and bios update for your machine.

Here is a little of the back story

Filed Under: Software, Technology

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