This
week, students receive free dental care and preventive tips from the DentaQuest
Oral Health Center, we learn about how the mouth is the window to overall
health, find out what kind of bacteria gave our ancestors gum disease and learn
how much the Tooth Fairy gives to Heidi Klum’s kids. Join the conversation on
Twitter using #FridayDentalDL.
The DentaQuest Oral
Health Center
in Massachusetts hosted an event to provide local students free dental exams as
part of the “Give Kids a Smile” program sponsored by the American Dental
Association. Students at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High
School visited the DentaQuest team to receive dental exams, cleanings, x-rays
and fluoride treatments from seven members of the DentaQuest Oral Health Center
team, who also taught the students valuable preventive techniques to help them
avoid dental diseases in the future.
This article reminds us that problems
with your teeth, gums and breath can be warning signs for other health issues.
For example, some of the plaque that is found on teeth is the same that is
found in arteries, which can cause cardiovascular disease and lead to heart
attacks. The mouth is truly the gateway to the body, so it’s important
to recognize key warning signs early on, and to see your dentist immediately if
you experience abnormalities in your teeth and gums.
Researchers found plaque on the teeth of
1,000-year-old skeletons that helped them determine health and dietary
information of the person. According to the researchers, plaque deteriorates
even slower than bones and teeth, proving how detrimental it is to our teeth.
The most interesting thing the researchers found was that gum disease was
caused by the same bacteria 1,000 years ago as it is today. Check out our website for more information on gum disease and how to
prevent it.
This week, researchers found that there is a link
between a mother’s oral health and that of her child. In a study published in The Journal of Dental Research, children
aged 0-2 years whose mothers had high levels of a bacteria called salivary
mutans streptococci (MS) in their mouths were more likely to also have high
levels of MS at 3 years of age. High levels of MS often lead to Early
Childhood Caries (ECC), or aggressive dental disease, which
is the most common chronic childhood disease. To prevent ECC, it’s important to
practice good oral health habits and receive regular dental checkups.
A new study published in the Journal
of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
says that a part of hop leaves, which gives beer its bitterness and smell, may
contain a molecule that could be used to fight tooth decay. The researchers
found that a specific part of the leaves, called bracts, contain a healthy
antioxidant that prevents bacteria from sticking to surfaces and releasing
bacterial toxins to cause cavities and gum disease.
Heidi Klum told People
Magazine this week that she gave her oldest child $20 when her first tooth
fell out, but now that she has four kids losing baby teeth, keeping up with the
precedent of $20 per tooth is costing
her a “small fortune.”