General anesthesia affects intelligence and language development

 

Growth and development of infants and young children makes the cornerstone of his/her future personality. Conditions provided in the childhood and treatment procedures employed for the remedy of various health disorders have strong impact on neurological, psychological and physical development of children. Least invasive oral and dental treatment procedures with minimal mental and physical stress should be the mainstay of diseases management. Specialist pediatric care should be provided keeping in mind all the side effects of minor and major surgical procedures. Prevention of the disease process through mother education and reinforcement of oral hygiene measures remains the mainstay of management plan.

General anesthesia is often considered to be part of overall management of oral disorders in uncooperative and phobic children. No doubt general anesthesia provides comfort and unimpeded field of operation to the dental and oral health care professional but it has severe side effects on the physical, intelligence and language development of the infants and small children. It has been established through evidence based studies that children below four years of age who went under general anesthesia for treatment procedures have suffered brain damage leading to cognitive and language impairment in their adulthood. Such persons cannot perform up to the mark in their fields of occupation. It is recommended to avoid general anesthesia in infants and small children at all costs unless deemed extremely necessary.

In past research, Dr. Loepke and colleagues found that general anesthesia led to nerve cell death and cognitive impairment in mice and rats, which sparked concern about how general anesthesia may impact the human brain in early life – a crucial neurodevelopmental period.

As such, the team set out to assess how general anesthesia given to children undergoing surgery before the age of 4 years may affect brain structure, IQ and language development.

“The ultimate goal of our laboratory and clinical research is to improve safety and outcomes in young children who have no choice but to undergo surgery with anesthesia to treat their serious health concerns,” says Dr. Loepke.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to analyze the children’s brain structures, and the children were also required to complete IQ and language development tests, including the Oral and Written Language Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale.

These findings remained after accounting for potential confounding factors, including children’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, left or right handedness, the type of surgery performed and the length of exposure to anesthetics.

According to the researchers, the lower IQ scores identified among children who received general anesthesia for surgery is the equivalent to a potential loss of around a 5-6 IQ points.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/294966.php

General anesthesia affects intelligence and language development

Your tooth brush needs clean environment

 

Brushing your teeth with an appropriate soft bristled tooth brush and dentist recommended tooth paste is the basic component of oral hygiene maintenance. It has been emphasized that maintenance of tooth brush hygiene is also essential to achieve the required goals. Your tooth brush should be clean and bristles should be in good shape. Contaminated tooth brushes with worn off bristles will provide more harm than doing any good to your teeth. do not keep your tooth brushes moist all the time in washrooms otherwise these will allow the growth and inhabitation of microorganisms. Recently various studies have shown fecal matter contamination of tooth brush bristles in bathrooms shared by multiple folks.

These studies have been done on hostel set ups where most often more than a dozen students share a washroom. In addition to the problem of fecal matter contaminated tooth brushes, it has been found that fecal matter of other individuals on your toothbrushes encourage the growth of microorganisms foreign to your body. Such change in flora can have adverse effects. Keeping your tooth brush clean is the key to combat dental and oral diseases. It is better to change the tooth brushes frequently to prevent such occurrences. Do not leave your tooth brush for longer periods of time in hostel washrooms. Keep the bristles dry and in an upright position away from other people’s tooth brushes.

Talk to health experts and other people like you in WebMD’s Communities. It’s a safe forum where you can create or participate in support groups and discussions about health topics that interest you.

The researchers analyzed toothbrushes from Quinnipiac students who used communal bathrooms with an average of more than nine users per bathroom.

Regardless of the students’ toothbrush storage methods, at least 60 percent of the toothbrushes were contaminated with fecal matter, the investigators found.

“The main concern is not with the presence of your own fecal matter on your toothbrush, but rather when a toothbrush is contaminated with fecal matter from someone else, which contains bacteria, viruses or parasites that are not part of your normal flora [microbes],” study author Lauren Aber of Quinnipiac University, said in a society news release.

In addition, “using a toothbrush cover doesn’t protect a toothbrush from bacterial growth, but actually creates an environment where bacteria are better suited to grow by keeping the bristles moist and not allowing the head of the toothbrush to dry out between uses,” Aber explained.

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/news/20150604/sharing-a-bathroom-with-many-others-your-toothbrush-likely-has-fecal-matter

Your tooth brush needs clean environment

Make your smile lively and attractive

 

Extra white teeth are not always suggestive of a lively and attractive smile. Enhancement of your facial profile requires a natural smile which involves clean teeth having a color matching with the sclera of your eyes essentially and color of skin tissues generally. Too white or too dark teeth can have a disastrous effect on overall looks and fake smile impression is perceived. Complex teeth whitening procedures have been developed with the advancements in dental sciences and these have their importance when deep internal tooth staining occurs. However, external stains can be prevented and removed with simple home whitening products provided you have the knowledge of such daily items.

Coconut oil has been found to be very effective in preventing the deposition of stain causing chemicals on tooth surfaces. Swishing coconut oil can also remove simple stains. Baking soda is another product which is also used in various teeth whitening mouth washes. Strawberries look red but they can provide sparkling teeth. Cheese has been found to be effective as well. Rinse your mouth with water preferably warm salt water soon after you take tea, coffee or wine. An electric tooth brush can remove extrinsic tooth stains more efficiently than a manual tooth brush. Drinking milk and eating popcorn can help in giving you an attractive smile

For many, dubbed ‘bleachorexics’, tooth-whitening has become an integral part of the beauty routine, like colouring hair or waxing legs.

According to experts in the dental industry watching what you eat and drink and how you brush can make all the difference to the wattage of that winning smile.

For instance, despite their bright red colour, strawberries go a long way to keeping teeth white, as does popcorn.

Time to move your baking soda from your kitchen cupboard to your bathroom cabinet. The fine powder, which is found in lots of toothpastes, is a natural teeth whitener.

Salt water not only helps whiten your teeth naturally, it also helps maintain healthy gums. ‘Salt is a natural antibacterial working by attacking bacterial cell walls,’ explains Dr Marques.

Coffee and balsamic vinegar are also best avoided and white wine is better than red. But Dr Peta Leigh, whitening specialist at Elleven Dental in central London says: ‘If you do want to treat yourself to red wine, drink a glass of water after. This will help minimise staining.’

‘Electric toothbrushes can remove up to 70 per cent more plaque than manual brushes because they vibrate or rotate in a more efficient and effective manner than manual brushing alone,’ says Dr Marques.

Cheese is another great naturally cleansing food that can strengthen the teeth. Dr Marques explains: ‘Cheese contains calcium and also has a cleansing surface structure – especially hard cheese like cheddar.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3111225/Swill-coconut-oil-smear-Vaseline-ditch-takeaways-20-surprising-ways-whiter-teeth-revealed.html

Make your smile lively and attractive

How can you maintain clean white teeth?

 

Dental health has been an area of prime importance for the overall health maintenance of an individual. Keeping your mouth clean prevents the occurrence of serious disorders in various body organs and systems. Microorganisms responsible for cardiovascular, neurological, liver, kidney and blood disorders get entry into the human body through the oral cavity. Inadequate oral hygiene maintenance can result in social embarrassment in the form of foul smelling mouth as well. Whiter and brighter teeth help in the enhancement of your smile. Clean teeth provide you healthy and confident lifestyle.

Twice daily tooth brushing with the help of properly selected tooth brush and tooth paste is the first factor involved in achieving good oral hygiene care. Tooth brushing should take at least 4-5 minutes of your time and involves thorough removal of food particles and dental plaque layer from tooth surfaces. Regular use of dental floss between the contact points of teeth is beneficial. Refined carbohydrates should be avoided in addition to lowering the frequency of inter meal snacks. Mouth rinsing and use of mouth wash are useful

Brush your teeth before you have breakfast and, if you want to ensure that sugar, acid or debris isn’t left in your mouth after a meal, simply drink a glass of water or chew sugar-free gum to restore your dental pH levels.

Spend two minutes twice a day on the task. Brush your teeth systematically, working your way from one corner of the mouth to the other, making sure you brush all the surfaces. Use just a smear of toothpaste and don’t brush too hard. Tickle the teeth and gums – that’s all the pressure you need. Don’t rinse with water at all – just spit out what’s left in your mouth. By not rinsing, the fluoride stays in your mouth longer and continues to do its job. 3. Live longer

Clinical trials have proved that gum disease affects our overall health. Twenty billion bacteria live in our mouths. Tooth and gum infection causes inflammation that spreads through our body, which is bad for our hearts, brains and blood vessels. So the big headline is: if you look after your teeth you will live longer. Non-smokers are ten times less likely to suffer from gum disease.

One in four of us suffer regularly from bad breath. Bacteria are responsible for halitosis, when our mouths dry out. Mother Nature’s mouthwash is just as effective as shop-bought remedies. Drink water or eat fibrous vegetables with a high water content, like cucumber, celery and carrots.

Watch out for hidden sugars and acids and try to alter your diet to reduce them. Substitute porridge for sugary cereals, for example, or eat an orange instead of drinking a glass of orange juice. Likewise, drink peppermint tea instead of a red berry fruit tea, which is very high in acid. And avoid lemon alcopops, which have the same acidity levels as stomach acid.

 

How can you maintain clean white teeth?

Answering concerns regarding dental amalgam fillings

 

Dental amalgam has been documented to be one of the most commonly used dental materials for restoration of decayed and carious teeth. It has greater strength as compared to other filling materials and has the convenience of easy manipulation for the dental professional during the operative procedure in the patient’s mouth. Dental amalgam has provides adequate mixing and working time to the dental assistants as well. Millions of people around the globe have silver dental amalgam fillings in their mouth for the last many decades. People are satisfied with the longevity and function of the silver dental amalgam restorations.

Few concerns have been raised in the past regarding dental amalgam restorations and the material went through serious controversy and criticism. Nevertheless still many dentists use amalgam material and patients do not hesitate from getting amalgam fillings. The major concern people raise about dental amalgam is its mercury content. Mercury is a known poison which is considered more harmful than arsenic. Mercury fillings in the oral cavity can cause serious damage such as neurological, respiratory and cardiac problems. Mercury fumes in the environment of dental clinics can be hazardous.

Another major concern about mercury is its silver or blackish silver color which gives an unaesthetic appearance to your smile. people now prefer the newly developed tooth colored fillings in their oral cavity. Dental composites with good mechanical properties have largely replaced dental amalgam fillings in the recent era. In spite of all the above mentioned problems, dentists still prefer doing amalgam fillings in areas subjected to high mastication forces and consider it perfectly safe for the human body

Some metro Atlantans strongly believe that the mercury fillings most people got as children could be making them sick.

As many as 180 million Americans have more than a half billion teeth restored with fillings made with mercury.

“Mercury is extremely toxic,” McKenzie said. “It’s more poisonous than arsenic. And you’re putting it in patients’ mouths.

McKenzie said the mercury readings in her 20-year-old patient’s mouth were enough to shut down a school. That patient, Elizabeth Tlapapan, wanted to get rid of the brain fog and headaches that had plagued her for year.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) took five years to consider conflicting research on the issue. In January, the agency denied petitions to ban mercury or declare it a high-risk device. The American Dental Association (ADA) also has defended the fillings as having “established a record of safety and effectiveness.”

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/2-investigates-are-fillings-your-mouth-toxic/nmJXk/

Answering concerns regarding dental amalgam fillings

Frequently asked questions about tooth extraction

 

Modern dental approach involves restoration of decayed and damaged teeth by all means. Preventive dentistry has been considered as the mainstay of dental management. Dental health professionals focus upon saving the decayed and carious teeth through the provision of dental restorations and root canal treatment procedures. Removal of teeth is only indicated when all other possible options are not possible. Dental extraction can be the treatment option in severely damaged teeth, broken down un-restorable cases, severe tooth rotations, teeth in line of radiotherapy or during chemotherapy of cancers and as part of an overall orthodontic treatment planning.

Dental extractions need thorough evaluation through complete history taking and comprehensive clinical and radiographic examination. Pre-medication is often required for medically compromised patients. Profound local anesthesia is essential for carrying out the whole procedure. Minimal discomfort and trauma remains the goal of simple as well as complex teeth extraction procedures. However, certain complications often occur irrespective of the care and treatment planning of the stepwise procedure. Common complications of teeth removal include dry socket, damage to adjacent teeth, bone fractures, loss of sensation or paresthesia and infection.

Also called exodontia or tooth-pulling, dental extraction is the process of completely removing a tooth from its socket. Tooth extractions are performed as a last resort when a tooth is too badly damaged to be saved by other types of dental treatment. A simple extraction refers to the removal of a tooth that is visible in the mouth. Surgical extractions are performed on teeth that are buried beneath gum tissues, such as impacted wisdom teeth. In some cases, teeth are removed to resolve crowding issues.

Before a dental extraction, your dentist will record your medical history carefully. You may receive antibiotics if you have a heart murmur, weak immune system, or infection is likely. You’ll also have the opportunity to discuss anesthesia and sedation options such as local anesthetic injection, nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and general anesthesia.

Dry socket occurs when no blood clot forms in the socket or a formed one becomes dislodged. The absence of the clot exposes sensitive nerves and bone to air. The condition is painful, but it is easily treated with a medicated dressing.

http://www.lakewoodranchdentalcare.com/blog/pulling-teeth-extraction-risk-recovery-and-cost/

Frequently asked questions about tooth extraction

Root canal treatment can be a great success now !

Root canal treatment is indicated for those damaged teeth in which the caries process has involved the vital living portion residing within the root canal system. The vital portion of the tooth containing the blood and nerve supply is known as dental pulp. Once the pulp becomes inflamed and diseased, it is not possible to save the teeth through simple filling procedures. Root canal treatment involves making a pathway to reach the diseased dental pulp tissue followed by its complete extirpation, thorough cleaning and shaping of the canal spaces and compact filling to make a hermetic seal to prevent leakage and ingress of infectious agents in future.

This is an extremely specialized procedure as the whole treatment is carried out in a small closed chamber of the tooth. An unimpeded and straight line path within the root canals is the key to perform state of the art root canal procedure. Modern science of endodontics has evolved various techniques and instruments to achieve the required outcomes. Specially designed files and armamentarium are used by highly skilled and trained clinicians for patient’s benefit. Cleaning and irrigation solutions help through the procedure by actively removing the dead and necrotic tissues. Intra canal medicaments are placed during visits to disinfect the space. The following article helps the patients to understand the science of endodontics and provides the clinicians various tips to perform a comprehensive root canal therapy procedure.

Following on from the preparation of an access cavity that allows good straight line access to all of the canals, the next stage is to clean and shape the canals.

It is important to scout the canal initially with a pre-curved #10K file to check canal patency and to ‘get a feel for the canal’. This physical feedback then allows the clinician to assess how to proceed with canal preparation. I always curve the tip of the file to ease the passage down the canal. Canals are almost always curved to some degree, and curved files will find their way more easily down curved canals. The endodontic glide path is a smooth tunnel from canal orifice to canal terminus, which allows the preparation instruments to follow the natural path of the canal. If the #10 file glides easily straight to length, very little work needs to be done to secure a glide path.

It must be remembered that canal shaping is not an end in itself. The shaping of the canal is carried out to allow delivery of the chemical cleaning agent to remove necrotic debris and kill bacteria. It is essential to constantly irrigate the canal from the start and throughout preparation using sodium hypochlorite in a side vented, 27 or 30 gauge endodontic syringe. This is especially important to remember when using file systems that shorten preparation time. Unless you constantly and copiously irrigate, you can prepare a beautifully tapered canal but without removing the bacteria and necrotic debris the treatment has a much lower chance of success.

http://www.dentistry.co.uk/2014/12/11/top-tips-endodontics-2/

 

Root canal treatment can be a great success now !