We all know so well that a good dental care includes a proper daily oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups and a low sugar diet. However, recently, Australian specialists point on one more important element of everyone’s dental care routine. After one of the researches carried out by dental experts in Sydney, it became clear that a great deal of medications and drugs we use on a regular basis are actually harmful and damaging to our teeth. According to the statistics mentioned at Perth Now, up to 40% of modern people regularly take at least one type of medications which are harmful to their tooth enamel.

In particular, there are a great number of medications which cause saliva reduction or ‘dry mouth’. This condition is quite dangerous for our normal oral hygiene because dry mouth brings to increased number of bacteria population on our teeth and tongue, slows down the processes of de-mineralization and tooth enamel reconstruction, this way creating a favorable environment and speeding up tooth decay. Also, our saliva contains special substances that can neutralize mouth acids which make our teeth decay. Therefore, using too many medications causing ‘dry mouth’ (like antihistamines, etc.) is connected with increased risks of having dental problems.

Some of modern medications are extremely acidic and can cause serious tooth decay. Those include some asthma medicines and others, and if taken for long period of time, they can be very dangerous for our oral health. Also, some medical syrups have a very high content of sugar, which is also harmful for our tooth enamel. If you are taking syrups on a regular basis, it is recommended to brush your teeth every time after your medicine is taken. In addition, such medicines as diuretics, immune-suppressive medicines, oral contraceptives and others are associated with increased risks of having various gum problems, oral ulcers, inflammation, etc.

It is also very important to remember that young children and teenagers are more vulnerable to the above mentioned negative effects of medications and drugs on their teeth, than grown-ups. That is why parents must control the use of antibiotics and other dangerous medicines. A special attention should be paid on the medications which contain fluoride, because it can be very harmful for the developing permanent teeth of children if taken in excessive amounts. Always consult your doctor or a health care specialist before giving your child one or another medication.

Tags: medications and oral care, medications cause tooth decay, tooth decay

Posted: June 18th, 2009 under Dental Care for Every Day.
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The Naked Chief Jamie Oliver made the people throughout the world like vegetable stews and oven roasted vegetables. If cooked with love, such meals are very tasty and, in addition, they are considered to be very healthy and useful for our body. In particular, stewed and oven-roasted vegetables are beneficial for our digestive system. However, according to a research carried out two years ago by a group of specialists at the University of Dundee, Scotland, eating a lot of stewed and oven roasted vegetables can be harmful to our teeth and stimulate tooth decay.

The researchers were analyzing chemical content of stewed vegetables cooked in oven for 45 minutes and in a traditional way (boiled in a pot on the top of the stove). They discovered that stewed squash, eggplant and green belly pepper have increased acidity, which can be compared to the acidity level in sodas, the most powerful destroyers of human teeth. Red peppers should be also associated with increased acidity and negative effects on our teeth enamel. At the same time, such vegetables as tomatoes and onions do not have high acidity levels whatever way of cooking is chosen.

“The acidity of ratatouille prepared by oven roasting is the same as that of some carbonated drinks that, when consumed in excess, are believed to contribute to the development of dental erosion,” Dr Graham Chadwick of the School of Dentistry, one of the leaders of the research, comments. The results of this interesting study were published in 2006 in European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry. Acid erosion is one of the most common and dangerous dental conditions which affects modern people of all ages.

Tags: acid erosion, acidity level, oven roasted vegetables, stewed vegetables

Posted: May 28th, 2009 under Dental Care for Every Day.
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A group of Australian specialists from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Oral Health Science, leaded by Professor Eric Reynolds and Dr. Nathan Cochraine, recently came up with a new technology in tooth enamel restoration. This innovative approach can help to re-grow enamel of a decayed tooth, this way giving an opportunity to avoid using filling, and possibly prevent and even reverse tooth decaying process. Many experts are convinced that this promising technique should be considered a new revolutionary breakthrough in modern dentistry.

The treatment includes application of a strong solution (containing such elements as calcium, fluoride, phosphate and other constituents) on the affected tooth and keeping the solution overnight. “The localised application of the mineral treatment re-grows the crystals of the tooth, repairing damaged tooth enamel,” Nathan Cochraine comments in the results of the hard work. At that, the specialists used only natural materials derived from cow’s milk for preparing the solution. The ions of natural calcium, phosphate and fluoride can be stabilized and encouraged to diffuse into the enamel, improving the quality of the crystal lattice.

There is no need to mention new opportunities and horizons for the humanity which can be opened due to this innovative technique. “Dentists who have patients showing signs of early decay will be able to prescribe the nightly use of the remineralisation treatment for a given period, potentially avoiding treatments such as fillings and extractions,” the specialists underline. The invention is expected to be presented soon at the international conference the Pathfinders: the Innovators Conference at the National Convention Centre in Canberra.

Tags: calcium, decayed tooth enamel regrowth, enamel regrowth, fluoride, tooth enamel restoration

Posted: May 13th, 2009 under Cosmetic Dentistry.
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