About 30% of people lie about how they floss. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Flossing should be a part of everyone’s oral care routine and this habit should start early in life.

Brushing your child’s teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste is essential but brushing alone is not enough to keep his or her mouth clean.

There are places toothbrushes can’t reach, especially those in between your child’s teeth. Flossing will help dislodge plaque and keep those areas clean.

Why is flossing important?

If we don’t floss, we miss cleaning one-third of our tooth surface. Poor oral hygiene leads to oral diseases such as cavities and gum diseases. Did you know that gum disease can lead to strokes, pneumonia and other health problems?

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My teeth are getting straighter and straighter, but I noticed that whenever I smile, I have to force my lips upwards to make it look “normal”, otherwise I only see the bottom of my top teeth which kind of looks weird.

My orthodontist told me that he’ll try to fix my underbite with elastics, but will the elastics also fix the fact that we don’t see my upper teeth that much when smiling or I have to go under surgery to do so?

Sorry for bad english

• The clinical study that began in 1980 involved 755 young Finns aged 6, 9 and 12 years old.
• In 2007, after 27 years, a follow-up was done, and cardiovascular risk factors were measured at several time points.
• The researchers found that the more signs of oral infections in childhood, the higher the risk for atherosclerosis in adulthood.

A recent study conducted at the University of Helsinki in collaboration with The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study suggests that children who develop common oral problems such as caries and gum disease are more likely develop risk factors for heart diseases later in life.

“The observation is novel, since there are no earlier follow-up studies on childhood oral infections and the risk of cardiovascular diseases,” says docent Pirkko Pussinen from the University of Helsinki.

SEE ALSO: US Study: Poor Oral Health Is Linked to Bad Blood Pressure Control

The researchers conducted dental examinations for 755 Finnish children aged 6, 9 and 12 in 1980 and followed-up 27 years later. The children were checked for signs of oral infections and inflammation including caries, fillings, bleeding on probing and probing pocket depth.

During the follow-up in 2007, the carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured. The thickening of the carotid artery wall signifies the progression of atherosclerosis and a heightened risk for myocardial or cerebral infection.

What are the findings of the research?

In a press release, the researchers said that from all the participants, 68%, 87%, and 82% had bleeding, caries, and fillings, respectively. There were no differences between the boys and the girls. Fifty-four percent of the children presented with slight periodontal pocketing and it was more frequent in the boys than in the girls. Five percent of the examined mouths were totally healthy, whereas 61% and 34% of the children had

I posted about this previously but only one person answered. My 12 year old has been in braces 20 months. The left side of her jaw is way off. The the inner cusps of her upper molars are hitting the outer cusps on lower molars. I think 2 of her molars are chipped because of this. I went today for her orthodontist to look at and she says they are normal and the teeth are in these positions for a short time to do damage. I beg to differ Her left side has been off for many months. Please advise. I am going crazy!! Sorry if the pictures are bad. I couldn’t get a good angle.

• Researchers in Norway have discovered a clear connection between gum disease and Alzheimer´s disease.
• DNA-based evidence shows that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain.

Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway has discovered clear evidence that Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.gingivalis), the bacteria that causes gingivitis or gum disease, can move from the mouth to the brain. When it does, it produces a protein that destroys the nerve cells in the brain, which leads to loss of memory and ultimately, Alzheimer’s.

SEE ALSO: Regular Brushing Linked to Reduced Risk of Dementia

P.gingivalis causes chronic infection in the gums. This type of bacteria is also linked to esophageal cancer, rheumatism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Clean your teeth properly for good memory

According to researcher Piotr Mydel, P.gingivalis does not cause Alzheimer’s alone, but the presence of these bacteria increases the risk of developing the disease and are also linked to a more rapid progression of the disease.

To slow down Alzheimer’s, “brush your teeth and use floss.”

Mydel also recommends regular dental visits and proper oral hygiene if you have gingivitis and have Alzheimer’s in your family.

New medicine can block harmful enzymes

Mydel also says that they have “managed to develop a drug that blocks the harmful enzymes from the bacteria, postponing the development of Alzheimer´s. We are planning to test this drug later this year.”

Recommended

A very common concern from parents is the amount of radiation their children are exposed to when their X-rays are taken.

From the clinician point of view, we need to understand the overall status of both visible and concealed areas in the mouth. These are mainly the contact areas of the molars where food may keep getting stuck leading to cavities or carious decays.

SEE ALSO: Top 5 Questions About Dental X-Rays for Children

As per the documented researches, nearly 80% of the decays in young children occur in-between the contact areas of the baby molars. The primary reason for this is frequent snacking and lack of flossing by kids.

At Dr. Michael’s Dental Clinic, we follow these steps to make sure that X-ray exposures are minimal:

1. Fast speed films are used.
2. X-ray beams are focused around the core areas.
3. Protective collars and shields are used.
4. Proper film exposure and processing techniques are followed.
5. The number of X-rays is limited to a minimum.

The AAPD recommendation

As per the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry or AAPD, at approximately around age 5 years, when primary dentition is complete, we should do two bitewings and two periapicals.

The total amount of radiation for this set is 0.008 mSv. If one or more adult teeth are present, then a panoramic x-ray is additional. The amount of radiation exposure in a single panoramic x-ray is 0.007 mSv.

SEE ALSO: “Help! My Child’s Teeth Are Rotting.”

The radiation around us

According to the US National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, almost any average person receives an effective dose of 3 millisieverts (mSv) per year from naturally occurring radioactive materials and cosmic radiation from outer space. Naturally occurring radioactive materials can be found in the air that we breathe and the food

Around the world, there are many campaigns that discourage smoking and the use of tobacco. Every year on May 31st, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners celebrate the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).

This year’s theme “tobacco and lung health” aims to spread and increase awareness on the dangers of tobacco on our lungs which includes a wide range of illnesses from chronic respiratory disease to cancer. The campaign also advocates for effective government policies that support the fight for tobacco control.

In the UAE’s National Agenda, one of the key performance indicators of the pillar of world-class healthcare is the reduced consumption of cigarettes and tobacco products. The federal law of the country forbids smoking in private cars when a child under the age of 12 is present and selling of tobacco products to those less than 18 years old, amongst other regulations.

“The law protects the present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences generated from smoking tobacco and inhaling its smoke,” said UAE Health Minister H.E. Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim.

What do we know about tobacco use?

Here are some statistics from WHO.

• Tobacco kills up to half of its users.
• It kills one person every four seconds.
• No level of tobacco exposure is risk-free.
• Around the world, 8 million deaths are caused by tobacco annually.
• Every year, over 1 million deaths are caused by secondhand smoke.
• The most common cause of lung cancer is tobacco smoking and it causes about 1.2 million lung cancer deaths annually. Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke at home or in the workplace have a 30% higher risk of developing lung cancer.
• Smoking is the leading cause of oral cancer. Smokers are 5-10 times more likely to develop oral

Orthotropics, is the field of dentistry that deals with the growth modification. An age-old phenomenon introduced by Prof. John Mew explains the importance of Tropic Premise: tongue in upper jaw, lips sealed; teeth in contact; set posture which means back straight; chin up.

Orthotropics banks on tropic premise and it explains that the facial development is in alignment with the same. When children develop the habit of mouth breathing and poor posture, it affects the development of face; chin growth reduces significantly, there then comes a tendency to develop long faces with deficient mid face growth and of course it affects the occlusion as well leading to either Class II, upper and lower crowding and class III facial developments.

SEE ALSO: Mouth Breathing in Children

Orthotropics focuses on the importance of posture and the use of parallel appliances that benefit postural corrections. In general, and totality these appliances are given over the period of twelve to twenty-four months, starting from Stage I active appliance to stage II training appliance and finally ending with Stage III retention appliance. The forces applied are slow and steady which allow teeth to develop around the modified and corrected surrounding facial structures, thereby ruling out the need for lifelong retention. The treatment does not focus on straightening the teeth but, certainly emphasizes on development and maintenance of correct postural habits and facial development lasting life time.

As a paediatric dentist, orthotropics can be applied from the age between five to nine years.

Treatment can certainly be well extended to older kids if and when the need arises. In conclusion, tropic premise and the tools to maintain the same for life is the philosophy of orthotropics that compliments the organic facial and dental growth.