Dental topic news stories June 2015

Here's a recap of recent news stories related to dentistry -- commentary and links I have posted on my Facebook page.


(1) In medieval times, the common people ate very little sugar and used honey sparingly. Peasant diets consisted of healthy fruits and vegetables, with plenty of calcium.

Sugar has been the modern nemesis of dental health.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/dental-hygiene-was-actual_b_7590896.html






(2) Dental plaque isn't all bad -- for archaeologists. It has preserved microscopic organic remains for thousands of years, revealing the diet of ancient humans.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2015/06/17/oldest-evidence-of-manmade-air-pollution-found-in-dental-plaque-from-palaeolithic-israel/






(3) Why is dental treated differently than medical? Too many times, dental insurance is considered less critical, a garnish, like parsley on a steak dinner. This is old fashioned and dangerous thinking.

QUOTE

About a third of people in the U.S. don’t visit the dentist every year, and more than 800,000 annual ER visits arise from preventable dental problems.

“Medicaid doesn't acknowledge that you have teeth unless you're a child,” said Thomas Ritter, a dentist who was volunteering at the event.

One reason for this is that since the beginning of time, dentistry and medicine have been considered inherently distinct practices.

The two have never been treated the same way by either the medical system or public insurance programs.

But as we learn more about how diseases that start in our mouths can ravage the rest of our bodies, it’s a separation that’s increasingly hard to rationalize.

END QUOTE

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/why-dont-we-treat-teeth-like-the-rest-of-our-bodies/380703/





(4) Your teeth are amazing. Learning more about your teeth can inspire you to take better care of them.

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/picture-of-the-teeth





(5) How would you feel about dentures made from the teeth of dead troops? Dentistry has certainly come a long way since that time!

Contact me to learn about the new dental technology that increases efficiency and comfort, while giving you the smile you deserve!

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33085031





(6) Don't let tooth decay fester, in hopes that it will somehow "go away." You'll just make your problem worse and more expensive to fix. Don't let a problem turn into a disaster.


http://time.com/3856212/cavity-tooth-decay/






(7) Your inner conversation (internal dialogue) can be shaped to overcome fears. Those who suffer from severe Dental Anxiety (DA) are being helped with cognitive therapy.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150612091325.htm




(8)

Some good news about free bilingual dental screenings.

"Due to factors such as language barriers and lack of awareness about proper dental hygiene, a large percentage of U.S.

Latinos tend to experience poor dental conditions and difficulty in accessing oral health education. Colgate's Oral Health Month aims to empower these consumers by providing the oral health tips and information they need."

http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/news/press_release.asp





(9)  The golf tee, that is most often used today, was invented by a dentist. Dr. George Franklin Grant, a Boston dentist, secured US patent no. 638,920 for the golf tee on Dec. 12, 1899.

Dr. Grant graduated from Harvard in 1870 and was the 2nd African-American to receive a dental degree in the US.

While a number of others claimed to have invented the golf tee, in 1991 the USGA officially recognized Grant as the original inventor of the golf tee.




(10) "Only floss the teeth you want to keep" is a slogan being used to communicate dental hygiene to disadvantaged people.

http://www.coronadonewsca.com/news/coronado_home_and_business/only-floss-the-teeth-you-want-to-keep/article_0b0dd0a8-0a19-11e5-a9e6-377159e2c5f5.html




(11) Jurassic Dinosaur Teeth Quiz.

Fun for you and your kids.


https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDentalAssociation/posts/10152801633617167





(12) How a mobile dentist brings a dental office on wheels to companies who offer it as a perk to employees.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/07/16/mobile-dentists-office-keeping-bay-area-tech-workers-teeth-clean/





(13) “He’s the guy with no cavities, (and) to think he came from poor origins where people lose their teeth,” de la Vega [dentist] said.

He said mouth guards for pro athletes – whether the sport is football, basketball, hockey or even badmitton – is highly specialized work that can play a major role in preventing catstrophic injuries.

He believe’s Pacquiao’s mouth guard, adorned in the colors of the Filipino flag, is well-made.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/05/02/dentist-crafts-colorful-mouth-guard-for-manny-pacquiao/