Dr. Tereza's Blog

Do Dental X-Rays Cause Brain Tumors?

Digital X-Ray Sensors

A study published today in Cancer, a scientific journal of the American Cancer Society, associates yearly or more frequent dental X-rays with an increased risk of developing meningioma, the most commonly diagnosed brain tumor. This type of tumor is usually not malignant.

Meningiomas affect the lining of the brain and the spinal cord. More than 90% are classified as benign, not malignant. But in some cases they can grow to the size of a baseball and disrupt the brain’s functioning, leading to vision problems, headaches, hearing and memory loss, and seizures.

The problem with the study is that people generally do not remember when they had their X-ray taken. Another problem with the study is that it was observational in nature, meaning it showed an association but not cause-and-effect.

In the study, the researchers examined a group of more than 1,400 patients aged 20 to 79 who were treated for the tumors between 2006 and 2011, and compared them to 1,350 similar people who did not develop the tumors. Those with tumors were more than twice as likely as the others to report having more frequent bitewing X-rays and panorex X-rays.The study did not connect having the X-rays to the risk of getting cancer.

So what should a patient do?

The best thing is to talk to your dentist.

Meantime, consider that the amount of radiation in dental X-rays has gone down significantly over the years, thanks to factors such as the improved speed of X-ray film and the advent of digital X-rays. (We use digital X-ray in our office.)

How do dental X-rays compare to other sources of radiation?

The amount of radiation that we are exposed to from dental X-rays is very small compared to our daily exposure from things like, cosmic radiation and naturally-occurring radioactive elements (for example, those producing radon).

The table below compares the estimated exposure to radiation from dental X-ray with other various sources. As indicated below, a millisievert (mSv) is a unit of measure that allows for some comparison between radiation sources that expose the entire body (such as natural background radiation) and those that only expose a portion of the body (such as X-rays).

Source

Estimated Exposure (mSv)

Man Made

Dental X-rays

Bitewing radiographs
Full-mouth series

0.038
0.150

Medical X-rays

Lower gastrointestinal tract radiography
Upper gastrointestinal tract radiography
Chest radiograph

4.060
2.440
0.080

Natural

Cosmic (Outer Space) Radiation

Average radiation from outer space In Denver, CO (per year)

0.510

Earth and Atmospheric Radiation

Average radiation in the U.S. from Natural sources (per year)

3.000

Source: Adapted from Frederiksen NL. X-Rays: What is the Risk? Texas Dental Journal. 1995;112(2):68-72.

For learn more about brain tumors, including meningiomas, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Article Source: American Dental Association

Tags: Dental X-ray, Digital X-ray

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Categories Uncategorized

Digital X-ray

10 Apr

Digital X-ray

Tags: Dental X-ray, Digital X-ray

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Categories Uncategorized

Tips for Healthy Baby Teeth

7 Mar

The following are some practical tips for parents to prevent tooth decay in their children:

Take your infant to a dentist before the first birthday for an assessment of cavity risk, even if your child has only a few teeth.
In general, brush your children’s teeth – 2 or younger — with a bit of fluoride toothpaste twice a day. At 2, start to use a pea-size amount of toothpaste.
Reduce snacking. Eating any starchy or sugary food causes the pH level in the mouth to drop sharply. This leaves teeth acidic which is bad for the enamel. The frequency of exposure to acid (i.e. frequent snacking) is more harmful to the tooth than just the sugar content of food. Generally, it takes about 20 minutes for the mouth to balance the pH level in the mouth, so take a break from snacking.
Do not share utensils with a child. For sure, do not “clean” a pacifier in your mouth, then give it to your infant. Research has shown that parents or caregivers with active tooth decay can pass cavity-causing bacteria via saliva.
Brush preschoolers’ teeth for them. Generally, kids are not in a position to effectively brush their teeth until they are 7 or 9.

If you have any questions on any of the tips mentioned above, feel free to call our office at (818) 241-3155.

Tags: Child, Dental caries, Sugar, Tooth

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Categories Dental Hygiene, General Dentistry

Dental Crisis in America

3 Mar

In the U.S., many people have access to the best oral health care in the world, yet millions are unable to get even the basic dental care they need.

Dental_Visits_US_2011

The issue of lack of access to dental care is extremely serious because untreated oral diseases can lead to not only pain, infection, and tooth loss, but also contribute to an increased risk for serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and poor birth outcomes.

A report published on February 29, 2012 by chairman Bernard Sanders, Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions contains more detail on our dental crisis.

The following are the key findings of the “Dental Crisis in America” report:

More than 47 million people live in places where it is difﬁcult to access dental care.
About 17 million low-income children received no dental care in 2009.
One fourth of adults in the U.S. ages 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.
Low-income adults are almost twice as likely as higher-income adults to have gone without a dental check up in the previous year.
Bad dental health impacts overall health and increases the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and poor birth outcomes.
There were over 830,000 visits to emergency rooms across the country for preventable dental conditions in 2009 – a 16% increase since 2006.
Almost 60% of kids ages 5 to 17 have cavities – making tooth decay ﬁve times more common than asthma among children of this age.
Nearly 9,500 new dental providers are needed to meet the country’s current oral health needs.
However, there are more dentists retiring each year than there are dental school graduates to replace them.

Click here to read the complete report on the dental crisis.

Tags: Dental Care, Dentist in America, Oral Health, United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging

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Categories Dental News, General Dentistry, Healthy Living

Smoking is Bad for You! FDA has Pictures to Prove

2 Mar

This image provided by the Food and Drug Administration shows one of nine new warning labels cigarette makers will have to use by the fall of 2012.

Each label includes a national quit smoking hotline number. The labels will take up the top half -- both front and back -- of a pack of cigarettes. Warning labels also must appear in advertisements and constitute 20% of an ad.

Mandates to introduce new graphic warning labels were part of a law passed in 2009 that, for the first time, gave the federal government authority to regulate tobacco, including setting guidelines for marketing and labeling, banning certain products and limiting nicotine.

In recent years, more than 30 countries or jurisdictions have introduced labels similar to those being introduced by the FDA. The U.S. first mandated the use of warning labels stating "cigarettes may be hazardous to your health" in 1965. Current warning labels -- a small box with black and white text -- were put on cigarette packs in the mid-1980s.

The FDA says the new labels will "clearly and effectively convey the health risks of smoking" aimed at encouraging current smokers to quit and discourage non-smokers and youths from starting to use cigarettes.

The new labels come as the share of Americans who smoke has fallen dramatically since 1970, from nearly 40% to about 20%. The rate has stalled since about 2004.

The FDA estimates the new labels will reduce the number of smokers by 213,000 in 2013, with smaller additional reductions through 2031.

The World Health Organization said in a survey done in countries with graphic warning labels that a majority of smokers noticed the warnings and more than 25% said the warnings led them to consider quitting.

Canada introduced similar warning labels in 2000. Since then, its smoking rates have declined from about 26% to about 20%.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Tags: Cigarette, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, Health effects of tobacco, Tobacco smoking, Warning label, World Health Organization

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Categories Healthy Living, Oral Cancer

19 Dental Habits to Avoid

26 Nov

Chewing on Ice

It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.

Playing Sports With No Mouth Guard

Whether you play football, hockey, or any other contact sport, don’t get in the game without a mouth guard. This is a piece of molded plastic that protects the upper row of teeth. Without it, your teeth could get chipped or even knocked out when the action gets rough. Self-fitting mouth guards may be purchased at a store, or you can have one custom made by your dentist.

Bedtime Bottles

It’s never too early to protect teeth. Giving a baby a bedtime bottle of juice, milk, or formula, can put new teeth on a path to decay. The baby may become used to falling asleep with the bottle in his or her mouth, bathing the teeth in sugars overnight. It’s best to keep bottles out of the crib.

Tongue Piercings

Tongue piercings may be trendy, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. Lip piercings pose a similar risk. And when metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections and sores. Bottom line, discuss the health risks with your dentist first.

Grinding Teeth

Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can wear teeth down over time. It is most often caused by stress and sleeping habits. This makes it hard to control. Avoiding hard foods during the day can reduce pain and damage from this habit. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent grinding while sleeping.

Cough Drops

Just because cough drops are sold in the medicine aisle doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Most are loaded with sugar. So after soothing your throat with a lozenge, be sure to brush well. Whether the sugar comes from a cough drop or a hard candy, it reacts with the sticky plaque that coats your teeth. Then bacteria in the plaque convert the sugar into an acid that eats away at tooth enamel. Hello, cavities.

Gummy Candy

All sugary treats promote tooth decay, but some candies are harder to bear. Gummies stick in the teeth, keeping the sugar and resulting acids in contact with your enamel for hours. If your day just isn’t the same without a gummy critter, pop a couple during a meal instead of as a separate snack. More saliva is produced during meals, which helps rinse away candy bits and acids.

Soda

Candy isn’t the only culprit when it comes to added sugar. Sodas can have up to 11 teaspoons of sugar per serving. To add insult to injury, sodas also contain phosphoric and citric acids, which eat away at tooth enamel. Diet soft drinks let you skip the sugar, but they may have even more acid in the form of the artificial sweeteners.

Opening Stuff With your Teeth

Opening bottle caps or plastic packaging with your teeth may be convenient, but this is one habit that makes dentists cringe. Using your teeth as tools can cause them to crack or chip. Instead, keep scissors and bottle openers handy. Bottom line, your teeth should only be used for eating.

Sport Drinks

There’s no doubt a cold sports drink is refreshing after a good workout. But these drinks are usually high in sugar. Like soda or candy, sugary sports drinks create an acid attack on the enamel of your teeth. Drinking them frequently can lead to decay. A better way to stay hydrated at the gym is to chug sugar-free, calorie-free water.

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, but unfortunately most juices are also loaded with sugar. Some juices can have as much sugar per serving as soda. For example, there are only 10 more grams of sugar in orange soda than in orange juice. Fruits are naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar. You can also reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water.

Potato Chips

The bacteria in plaque will also break down starchy foods into acid. This acid can attack the teeth for the next 20 minutes — even longer if the food is stuck between the teeth or you snack often. You might want to floss after eating potato chips or other starchy foods that tend to get stuck in the teeth.

Constant Snacking

Snacking produces less saliva than a meal, leaving food bits in your teeth for hours longer. Avoid snacking too frequently, and stick to snacks that are low in sugar and starch — for example, carrot sticks.

Chewing on Pencils

Do you ever chew on your pencil when concentrating on work or studies? Like crunching on ice, this habit can cause teeth to chip or crack. Sugarless gum is a better option when you feel the need to chew. It will trigger the flow of saliva, which can make teeth stronger and protect against enamel-eating acids.

Drinking Coffee

Coffee’s dark color and acidity can cause yellowing of the teeth over time. Fortunately, it’s one of the easiest stains to treat with various whitening methods. Talk to your dentist if you’re concerned about discoloration of your teeth.

Smoking

Cigarettes, as well as other tobacco products, can stain teeth and cause them to fall out as a result of gum disease. Tobacco can also cause cancer of the mouth, lips, and tongue. If you were looking for one more reason to quit, think of your smile.

Drinking Red Wine

The acids in wine eat away at tooth enamel, creating rough spots that make teeth more vulnerable to staining. Red wine also contains a deep pigment called chromogen and tannins, which help the color stick to the teeth. This combination makes it easy for the wine’s red color to stay with you long after your glass is empty.

Drinking White Wine

You might think sticking to white wine would spare your teeth. But the acids still weaken the enamel, leaving the teeth porous and vulnerable to staining from other beverages, such as coffee. Swishing with water after drinking or using toothpaste with a mild whitening agent can fight the staining effects of red and white wines.

Binge Eating

ice cream cone

Binge eating often involves excessive amounts of sweets, which can lead to tooth decay. Binging and purging (bulimia nervosa) can do even more damage to your dental health. The strong acids found in vomit can erode teeth, making them brittle and weak. These acids also cause bad breath. Bulimia can lead to a variety of serious health problems, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you have been purging.

Tags: Bedtime Bottles, Bruxism, Candy, Dental caries, Grinding, Health, Mouth Guard, Soda, Soft drink, Sugar, Tongue Piercing, Tooth, Tooth enamel

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Categories General Dentistry

Common Dental Product Ingredients

21 Nov

Name of Ingredients	Other Name	Main Purpose(s)
Aluminum Oxide	Alumina	A mild abrasive to clean teeth
Calcium Phosphate	None	Can help re-mineralize teeth. A mild abrasive for teeth.
Chlorhexidine	None	An antiseptic and disinfectant to reduce unpleasant odors and plaque formation.
Fluoride	None	Helps prevent tooth decay.
Methyl Salicylate	None	A natural plant extract with antiseptic properties. A flavoring used as an alternative to mint.
Potassium Nitrate	Saltpetre	Helps reduce the sensitivity of teeth.
Pyrophosphates	None	Helps prevent the formation of tartar.
Silica	Silicon Dioxide	A mild abrasive to clean teeth.
Sodium Fluoride	None	Helps prevent tooth decay.
Xylitol	None	A naturally occurring sugar substitute which does not cause dental decay.

Tags: Dental product ingredients, flouride, xylitol

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Categories Dental Products

Got Braces?

19 Sep

What are Braces?

Braces are applications that dentists put on a patient’s teeth to make them straight so that they can have a leveled bite using both the upper and lower teeth.

A dentist would advice a patient on the best type of braces to use depending on availability, cost, age and maybe even health reasons, depending on the allergies the patient suffers from.

Anyone can use braces, but children respond best to them when they have problems with their teeth, because their bones are still growing unlike adults who may not achieve very good results due to age.

A dentist will first have to identify the root cause of the problem and develop a treatment program. They will advise the patient on the best application necessary, and then treat them by use of the preferred application. Thereafter, they would then monitor the patient’s progress during and after the treatment, to ensure that the teeth are well leveled. Treatment usually takes between 1 to 3 years and is faster for children as indicated above.

Reasons for Having Braces

People use these applications when the lower and upper teeth do not meet properly and it may be caused by several reasons such as genetics and thumb sucking. It could even be accidental. A bad road accident can damage ones jaw, therefore causing them to use braces to rectify the problem.

Unleveled or scattered teeth can lead to jaw problems and may also affect the way a person chews their food, as well as how they speak. This can easily make one lose their self esteem leading to their being embarrassed of their appearance.

Children are more conscious of their teeth, especially when they are school going, because a child may not be courageous enough to face a bully who makes fun of their appearance. If this is not checked, it may impact negatively on the child’s self esteem and that is why most parents go out of their way to purchase their children braces if they have this problem.

In general people get braces so that they can have leveled teeth. This is because they are easy to clean and cavities may not form as easily as they would in a mouth with scattered teeth.

Scattered teeth are not so easy to clean and can hide germs in areas where a toothbrush may not be able to reach.

Different Types of Braces

There are various types of these applications and each depends on a person’s preference as well as their ability to afford. Braces could be metallic, gold, clear, and invisible and they all vary in price. A dentist is always better placed to advise a client on what is available and what is best for them, depending on their health situation.

They also vary in terms of how they are stuck inside a person’s mouth. Some can only be removed by the dentist whereas, others can easily be removed by the patient anytime they want to clean their teeth or sleep.

Great care should be taken by the wearers of braces, and those engaged in sports are advised to use brace guards for their own protection as well as for the applications.

These applications resolve the scattered and unlevel teeth problem by exerting gradual force on the teeth to make them level by slowly moving them over time.

Nobody should go through life unhappy with their appearance and in need of braces because a dentist can always work out a treatment program which is affordable by anyone who is willing to pay.

Call us today for a complimentary consultation to find out which options are better for you.

Tags: Dental braces, Invisalign

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Categories Orthodontics

Healthy Habits for your Kids!

13 Sep

Now that your kids are back to school, it is a good time to check on their nutrition. This is a continuous challenge, especially if you are struggling with your picky eaters, but there is help!

Here are some tips to help avoid bad eating habits and encourage a lifetime of good nutrition and healthy habits:

Buy what you want them to eat. It is easier to avoid bad habits if it’s not in the house.
While you are shopping in the produce section, involve your child by talking about the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.
Be creative by incorporating healthy foods into their favorite foods.
Redefine the idea of dessert by offering fruits or yogurt instead of the sugary options.
If your child rejects the meal you’ve prepared, don’t prepare anything else as this can encourage picky eating and power struggles over food.
During mealtimes, enforce “No TV Policy”. Not only are you removing distractions, you’re removing the possibility of ads for sugary snacks and fast foods.
And most importantly… set a good example by eating a variety of healthy foods yourself.

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