Many of us frequently use sugar-free products with the aim to protect our teeth from harmful effects of sugar. Especially, parents like giving sugar-free bars and products to their children in order to lower the risks of damaging children’s teeth. However, the specialists ring the bells saying that such products are very often overfilled with acidic and other types of additives, which can be not less but even more harmful to our teeth than sugar. The same can be said about sugar-free drinks.

When choosing a product in the markets or shops, modern consumers usually look ate sugar content. But they do not realize that other ingredients can also be as bad. The specialists tested more than 85 popular sugar-free snacks, including the ones of such popular brands as Kellogg’s and Nestle. It turned our that all of those products have harmful acidic elements, and the same can be said about commercial orange juice. Brad Schmitt, a nutritionist, comments on the study: “Kids love their muesli bars and fruit snacks but parents should limit them to be a once-a-week treat.”

Acid damage is sometimes more dangerous than sugar damage, because it not only weakens the enamel and erodes the minerals in it. It also extremely increases teeth sensitivity and makes tooth enamel more vulnerable for harmful activity of sugars. Many specialists consider acid erosion even more dangerous than damage  from sugar as the former causes enamel demineralization, and the latter is more likely linked to cavities and tooth decay. That is why we all should be careful of consuming sugar-free foods thinking that the risks of damaging teeth are minimized.

Tags: acid erosion, sugar-free foods, tooth enamel

Posted: July 19th, 2010 under Dental Care for Every Day.
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Many people avoid visiting dental specialists because of unpleasant and scary procedure of dental drilling. They postpone again and again, making the situation even worse. Certainly, it is hard to do something to avoid dental cavities, but it is possible to change something about drilling. Recently, French specialists at at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale came up with a new technology which can help us forget about dentist’s drill once and forever.

According to the results of a new study which were recently published in the journal ACS Nano, a new technology includes applying a new teeth-healing gel to the cavities, instead of very unpleasant and painful procedure of dental drilling. The experiments started in order to check out the properties of the peptide MSH, which was reported to be able to regenerate the tissues of human bones. It is a known fact that human teeth and bones are quite similar in structure, therefore French specialists made up their minds to take a chance and study the effects of using this substance for healing teeth.

Their research showed that when a thin film or gel with the peptide MSH  is placed into a cavity, the tooth starts regenerating the tissues in a natural way. The experiments on mice demonstrated that within one month it is possible to heal tooth cavities using this revolutionary method, which can help to substantially reduce the need for root canals, removing the pulp and nerve, etc.

However, the specialists underline that this innovative technology will not lead to giving up such important daily procedure as tooth brushing. Benkirane-Jessel, one of the scientists and dental specialists at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, told the press that it is only a new technology which can help control cavities, but not the process of their formation. Therefore, regular tooth brushing and flossing will still play a key role in lowering the risks of cavities and other dental problems.

Tags: dental drilling, dental specialists, tooth brushing

Posted: June 30th, 2010 under Miscellaneous.
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This week the findings of a new study by the specialists from University College London were revealed. British experts are convinced that brushing our teeth two times a day is a perfect way not only to keep our teeth and guns healthy, or prevent bad breath, but it also a great strategy to avoid such problems as heart disease and keep away other serious cardio-vascular ailments.

According to the specialists, dental bacteria can affect our cardio-vascular health, and this study was aimed on researching the effects of our brushing habits on our heart. The experiments and surveys, led by Prof. Richard Watt from University College London, involved 11,000 male and female participants with different dental problems and heart health. The scientists analyzed medical histories of the patients, took their blood samples, interviewed them to learn more about their lifestyle, habits and family.

According to the records, 6 out of 10 participants visit a dentist once per 6 months, and 7 out of 10 participants have a habit of brushing their teeth two times a day. After analyzing the information and adjusting the data received, the specialists found out that those who brush their teeth two times a day on a regular basis have 70% lower chances to develop a heart disease. Therefore, brushing you teeth in the morning and in the evening is a way to healthy heart and living a long life.

It was a known fact that there are links between dental and cardio-vascular health, but this study became the first scientific research for the last 20 years, which was specifically carried out to understand the connections between these two factors. The findings and conclusions of the British specialists were recently published in the British Medical Journal.

Tags: brushing, cardio-vascular health

Posted: June 11th, 2010 under Dental Care for Every Day.
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