Fluoride Benefits and Information

Fluoride is a mineral which is naturally found in Canada’s water, food, soil, and air.

We have used fluoride to prevent tooth decay since the 1940’s. In fact, it has been scientifically proven to:

  • strengthen tooth enamel
  • lower the amount of acid in your mouth
  • rebuild minerals that make teeth stronger

Sources of fluoride to prevent tooth decay

Toothpaste

Brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste helps prevent tooth decay.

Water

Drinking water that contains an optimal level of fluoride helps prevent tooth decay.

Varnishes

Varnish prevents tooth decay in people who are at risk for the disease. Varnish should be painted on your teeth by someone who has been trained to do so.

Mouth rinses

Mouth rinses or mouthwashes prevent tooth decay in people who are at risk for the disease. Talk to your oral health professional before using them. Never give fluoridated mouth rinses or mouthwashes to children under 6 years of age. These rinses contain very high levels of fluoride, and young children are more likely to swallow them.

Gels and foams

Gels and foams are applied to the teeth to prevent tooth decay in people who are at risk for the disease. However, research shows that they do not work as well as varnish.

Supplements

Fluoride supplements are drops or tablets. Only take them if an oral health professional advises you to.

Effects on health

Fluoride is good for your teeth, but having too much can cause two potential effects on health:

  • dental fluorosis
  • skeletal fluorosis

Is your Vape Causing Cavities?

New research from Tufts University finds people who use vape products are more likely to develop dental decay. The CDC finds 9.1 million adults, and 2 million use tobacco-based vaping products, that puts a lot of teeth at risk!

Over the last few years, public awareness has increased about the dangers of vaping to systemic health — particularly after the use of vaping devices was tied to lung disease. Some dental research has shown ties between e-cigarette use and increased markers for gum disease, and damage to the tooth’s enamel. But relatively little emphasis has been placed on the intersection between e-cigarette use and oral health, even by dentists.

In the study, though the vast majority of patients said they did not use vape products, there was a statistically significant difference in dental caries risk levels between the e-cigarette/vaping group and the control group. Some 79% of the vaping patients were categorized as having high-caries risk, compared to just about 60% of the control group. The vaping patients were not asked whether they used devices that contained nicotine or THC, although nicotine is more common.

One reason why e-cigarette use could contribute to a high risk of cavities is the sugary content and viscosity of vaping liquid, which, when aerosolized and then inhaled through the mouth, sticks to the teeth – similar to sugary drinks and candy.

Vaping aerosols have been shown to change the oral microbiome making it more hospitable to decay-causing bacteria. It’s also been observed that vaping seems to encourage decay in areas where it usually doesn’t occur — such as the bottom edges of front teeth. It takes an aesthetic toll.

Aligner Tray Cleaning – How to

How To Clean Aligner Trays: What TO DO

There are plenty of varying tips for cleaning your aligner trays, and advice will probably differ slightly even from dentist to dentist. That being said, the general guidelines are as follows:

When and How Many Times Do I Have to Clean Aligner Trays?

It would be best to clean your aligners at least twice daily, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and lukewarm water to gently remove stains, bacteria, and food particles. You can gently brush your aligners after every meal before putting them back in your mouth, but you should at least rinse them if you don’t brush them.

Once every few days or once per week, you should soak your aligners in a special cleansing solution.

How To Clean Aligner Trays: What NOT to DO

There are a surprising amount of rules and guidelines when it comes to cleaning your  aligners, but it’s imperative that you follow them lest you ruin your trays and have to order more, delaying your treatment time and potentially costing you more as well. So, before you go about cleaning your aligners, take a look at the list of don’ts when it comes to aligner cleaning:

Bad Breath and Bacteria

Bad breath happens. If you’ve ever gotten that not-so-fresh feeling on a date, at a job interview or just talking with friends, you’re not alone. Studies show that 50 percent of adults have had bad breath, or halitosis, at some point in their lives. There are a number of reasons you might have breath odour. While many causes are harmless, it can sometimes be a sign of something more serious.

Bacteria

Bad breath can happen anytime thanks to the hundreds of types of bacteria that naturally lives in your mouth. Your mouth also acts like a natural hothouse that allows these bacteria to grow. When you eat, bacteria feed on the food left in your mouth and leaves a foul-smelling waste product behind.

Dry Mouth

Feeling parched? Your mouth might not be making enough saliva. Saliva is important because it works around the clock to wash out your mouth. If you don’t have enough, your mouth isn’t being cleaned as much as it should be. Dry mouth can be caused by certain medications, salivary gland problems or by simply breathing through your mouth.

Gum Disease

Bad breath that just won’t go away or a constant bad taste in your mouth can be a warning sign of advanced gum disease, which is caused by a sticky, cavity-causing bacteria called plaque.

Food

Garlic, onions, coffee… The list of breath-offending foods is long, and what you eat affects the air you exhale.

Smoking and Tobacco

Smoking stains your teeth, puts you at risk for a host of health problems and contributes to mouth odour. Tobacco reduces your ability to taste foods and irritates gum tissues, tobacco users are also more likely to suffer from gum disease.

Medical Conditions

If your dentist has ruled out other causes and you brush and floss every day, your bad breath could be the result of another problem, such as a sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. In this case, see your healthcare provider.

How Can I Keep Bad Breath Away?

Brush and Floss

Brush twice daily and floss to get rid of odour causing bacteria.

Mouthwash

Over-the-counter mouthwashes can help kill bacteria or neutralize and temporarily mask bad breath. The longer you wait to brush and floss away food in your mouth the more likely the odour will return.

Clean Your Dentures

If you wear dentures be sure to take them out at night and clean them thoroughly before using them again the next morning.

Keep That Saliva Flowing

To get more saliva moving in your mouth, try eating healthy foods that require a lot of chewing like carrots or apples. You can also try chewing sugar free gum or sucking on sugar-free candies.

Quit Smoking

Giving up smoking is good for your body in many ways. Not only will you have better breath, you’ll have a better quality of life.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

If you’re concerned about what’s causing your bad breath, make an appointment to see your dentist. Regular checkups allow your dentist to detect any problems such as gum disease or dry mouth and stop them before they become more serious. By determining your mouth is healthy your dentist can refer you to your primary care doctor for tests.

Piercing and Oral Health

What is an oral piercing?

Oral piercings usually consist of a barbell through the tongue or labret (the space between the lower lip and chin). Other common oral piercing locations include the lips, uvula and cheeks. The jewellery comes in different styles, including studs, barbells and rings. They can be made of stainless steel, gold, titanium, plastic or nickel.

What problems can an oral piercing cause?

It depends on the location of the piercing. If it’s through the tongue or lip, or below the tongue, there’s a risk of teeth chipping from the stud at the end of the barbell. This can happen if you don’t shorten the bar after the initial swelling goes down.

Piercings through the floor of the mouth below the tongue or through the tongue have the highest risk of developing into a serious infection. There is also a risk of nerve or muscle damage from the piercing. It is important to always go to a certified and experienced peircer. Certain labret piercings can damage gum tissue.

The jewellery can cause gums to recede and leave the tooth root more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease.

How can I lower the risks?

If you’re thinking about getting a piercing either close to or within the mouth, talk to your dentist first – and keep these safety measures in mind:

  • Check out the cleanliness of the place doing the piercing. Do they have an infection-control policy posted? How do they sterilize their equipment?
  • Ensure that the person performing the piercing is experienced and uses strict infection-control practices to avoid serious infections such as hepatitis B and C, and HIV. For example, do they use new needles and gloves for each customer?
  • Plastic jewellery is less damaging than metal, and nickel may cause allergic reactions and cause piercings to migrate.
  • Ask for detailed after-care instructions.
  • Disinfect your jewellery regularly and brush the jewellery the same as you would your teeth.
  • If piercings are close to the teeth, make sure the ends, or even the entire stud, are made of plastic.
  • Get immediate medical or dental attention if you experience too much bleeding, swelling or pain after a piercing, or if there is any evidence of infection (a bad odour or fluid coming from the piercing, for example).
  • Visit your dentist regularly so they can closely monitor the piercing and any potential damage to teeth and gums.
  • With clean hands, check on the tightness of your jewellery. This can prevent swallowing or choking if the jewellery comes out.
  • Don’t play with the jewellery once it’s been placed in your mouth. This increases your chances of getting an infection and can prevent healing.

Source

Vaping and Cavities – What you need to know

A vaping habit could end up leading to a tarnished smile, and more frequent visits to the dentist.

Research from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine found patients who used vaping devices have a higher risk of developing cavities. With CDC surveys reporting that 9.1 million American adults — and 2 million teenagers — use tobacco-based vaping products, that means a lot of vulnerable teeth.

The association between vaping and risk of cavities serve as an alert that this once seemingly harmless habit may be very detrimental.

Over the last few years, public awareness has increased about the dangers of vaping to health, particularly after the use of vaping devices was tied to lung disease. Some dental research has shown ties between e-cigarette use and increased markers for gum disease, and, separately, damage to the tooth’s enamel. But relatively little emphasis has been placed on the intersection between e-cigarette use and oral health, even by dentists.

The recent findings of the research may be just a hint of the damage vaping causes to the mouth. “The extent of the effects on dental health, specifically on dental decay, are still relatively unknown,” lead researcher, Karina Irusa says.

This study, Irusa says, is the first known specifically to investigate the association of vaping and e-cigarettes with the increased risk for getting cavities. She and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 13,000 patients older than 16 who were treated at Tufts dental clinics from 2019-2022.

While the vast majority of the patients said they did not use vapes, there was a statistically significant difference in dental caries risk levels between the e-cigarette/vaping group and the control group. Some 79% of the vaping patients were categorized as having high-caries risk, compared to just about 60% of the control group.

One reason why e-cigarette use could contribute to a high risk of cavities is the sugary content and viscosity of vape liquid, which, when aerosolized and then inhaled through the mouth, sticks to the teeth. Vaping aerosols have been shown to change the oral microbiome making it an ideal host to decay-causing bacteria. It’s also been observed that vaping seems to encourage decay in areas where it usually doesn’t occur, such as the bottom edges of front teeth.

“It takes a lot of investment of time and money to manage dental caries, depending on how bad it gets,” Irusa says. “Once you’ve started the habit, even if you get fillings, as long as you continue, you’re still at risk of secondary caries. It’s a vicious cycle that will not stop.”

Restoration Care – Care for your restorations

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW RESTORATION.

Congratulations on your new veneer, crown, or bridge!

By following some simple guidelines you can extend the life of your crown, bridge, or veneer:

PREVENT FRACTURES
While our lab uses the highest quality materials, it doesn’t mean your veneers, crowns, or bridges are unbreakable. Stress can trigger clenching and teeth grinding which puts extreme pressure on your teeth and restorations. This can cause cracks and fractures to your teeth and veneers.
If you grind your teeth at night it is important to discuss this with Dr. Shahriary and have a night guard fabricated. Similarly, it is important to wear a sports guard when participating in contact sports.
Many people use their teeth to break tags from clothing, open packages, bite their nails, etc.

Teeth are not pliers or tools; and using them as such puts you at high risk of breaking your restorations AND your natural teeth.

HYGIENE
You can still develop tooth decay even when you have veneers, crowns, or bridges. The margin where the restoration meets your natural teeth is a particularly susceptible area. Protect your investment by flossing everyday, brushing twice a day, cleaning under your bridge, and having regular cleaning and check ups. Healthy, pink gums are the clearest indicator of a healthy smile.
Always tell your new dentist or hygienist if you have veneers, crowns, or bridges. Lab work has become so detailed that it can be difficult to tell which teeth are restored and which are natural!

Call us today to book an appointment to discuss your dental needs. We want to help you achieve the smile you have always dreamed of!

Caregiver: A Guide to Oral Health

As a caregiver, you’ve got a lot on your mind. Keeping your loved one’s mouth healthy is important for their dental health, overall health and so much more.

No matter your situation, daily care plus professional care equal the best chances for a healthy mouth.

Many older adults can care for their own mouths on a daily basis but may still benefit from your support. In these cases, here are some ways you can support their mouth care routine:

  • Ask them to tell you about their daily mouth care routine.
  • Help them set up and maintain a schedule for brushing twice and flossing once a day, and get them a two-minute timer to help them brush for the right amount of time
  • Check that they have an easy-to-handle toothbrush with no frayed bristles, as well as floss or picks they can manage.
  • A powered toothbrush may be easier for some people to use because they can be easier to hold and do some of the work for you.
  • Make sure they are using a fluoride toothpaste and suggest using fluoride or antiplaque mouth rinse daily
  • Offer to make dental appointments for the person and to drive him or her to the dentist. If the person goes alone, ask about any advice the dentist gave and help him or her act on it.

Still, keep an eye on your loved one and his ability to care for his mouth. If your loved one is no longer capable of taking care of his teeth then develop a routine where you can help do it for them.

Adults who are unable or unwilling to care for their mouths may need your help. Always treat the person compassionately, as you would want to be treated. Learning to brush someone else’s teeth takes a great deal of patience and trust.

Here are a few tips to get started:

  • Make sure the lighting is good and have a flashlight in case you need it to see into the mouth.
  • Have the person sit up in a straight-backed chair and drape a towel over their chest to protect their clothing.
  • Make sure you and your loved one are in comfortable positions. For some, it’s easiest to have the person seated in front of a mirror with you working from behind or on the side.
  • Hold their chin gently with one hand, and show them the brush, floss or toothpaste you are using with your other hand.
  • Explain what you’re going to do. This builds trust and improves acceptance of help

 

You may also need to be flexible if your loved one resists. Try a different time of day; sometimes the traditional times are not the best times to get it done. Try again after lunch but before their afternoon nap.

If your loved one continues to resist brushing, it may be because they are experiencing pain or have a dental need. See if they can communicate the issue to you. If not, call the dentist to explain the situation and see if an appointment is needed.

Dentures, whether partial or full, need to come out every day and be cleaned morning and night. Make sure dentures come out before your loved one falls asleep. Dentures may dislodge and become a choking hazard

When you’re a caregiver for someone who is confined to bed, they may have so many health problems that it’s easy to forget about oral health. However, it’s still very important because bacteria from the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs and cause pneumonia

When your loved one has a memory or neurological disorder like Alzheimer’s or dementia, take care of any potential dental needs in the early stages of the disease when the person can cooperate with dental care. It is a good time for the caregiver to form a rapport with the dentist and discuss long term treatment plans. It is also the right time to discuss the patient’s needs while they are still able to express their desires.

If your loved one has any special dental needs, let the staff know – and don’t be afraid to state the obvious. If they have dentures, point it out to make sure those are also being cleaned and cared for. It may also help to make sure his case is labelled with their name.

If you’re told your loved one is having difficulty with dental care, work with the care staff to find a way to make it happen. If your loved one is resisting or is having difficulty during tooth brushing in the advanced stages of dementia, try different flavours of toothpaste to encourage cooperation, or use warm water to see if it makes a difference. Patients  with dentures may find the gum and soft tissue may be sore and fragile, so wipe the mouth with a soft cloth dipped in water.

For more tips and advice for you, the caregiver see MouthHealthy for a more in depth article.

Microrobots to brush your teeth?

A shapeshifting robotic microswarm may one day act as a toothbrush, rinse, and dental floss in one. The technology, developed by a multidisciplinary team at the University of Pennsylvania, is poised to offer a new and automated way to perform the mundane but critical daily tasks of brushing and flossing. It’s a system that could be particularly valuable for those who lack the manual dexterity to clean their teeth effectively themselves.

The building blocks of these microrobots are iron oxide nanoparticles that have both catalytic and magnetic activity. Using a magnetic field, researchers could direct their motion and configuration to form either bristle-like structures that sweep away dental plaque from the broad surfaces of teeth, or elongated strings that can slip between teeth like a length of floss. In both instances, a catalytic reaction drives the nanoparticles to produce antimicrobials that kill harmful oral bacteria on site.

Experiments using this system on mock and real human teeth showed that the robotic assemblies can conform to a variety of shapes to nearly eliminate the sticky biofilms that lead to cavities and gum disease. The Penn team shared their findings establishing a proof-of-concept for the robotic system in the journal ACS Nano.

“Routine oral care is cumbersome and can pose challenges for many people, especially those who have hard time cleaning their teeth” says Hyun (Michel) Koo, a professor in the Department of Orthodontics and divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry in Penn’s School of Dental Medicine and co-corresponding author on the study. “You have to brush your teeth, then floss your teeth, then rinse your mouth; it’s a manual, multi-step process. The big innovation here is that the robotics system can do all three in a single, hands-free, automated way.”

“Nanoparticles can be shaped and controlled with magnetic fields in surprising ways,” says Edward Steager, a senior research investigator in Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author. “We form bristles that can extend, sweep, and even transfer back and forth across a space, much like flossing. The way it works is similar to how a robotic arm might reach out and clean a surface. The system can be programmed to do the nanoparticle assembly and motion control automatically.”

Disrupting oral care technology

“The design of the toothbrush has remained relatively unchanged for millennia,” says Koo.

While adding electric motors elevated the basic ‘bristle-on-a-stick format’, the fundamental concept has remained the same. “It’s a technology that has not been disrupted in decades.”

Several years ago, Penn researchers within the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry (CiPD), of which Koo is a co-director, took steps toward a major disruption, using this microrobotics system.

Their innovation arose from a bit of serendipity. Research groups in both Penn Dental Medicine and Penn Engineering were interested in iron oxide nanoparticles but for very different reasons. Koo’s group was intrigued by the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles. They can activate hydrogen peroxide to release free radicals that can kill tooth-decay-causing bacteria and degrade dental plaque biofilms. Meanwhile Steager and engineering colleagues, including Dean Vijay Kumar and Professor Kathleen Stebe, co-director of CiPD, were exploring these nanoparticles as building blocks of magnetically controlled microrobots.

With support from Penn Health Tech and the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the Penn collaborators married the two applications in the current work, constructing a platform to electromagnetically control the microrobots, enabling them to adopt different configurations and release antimicrobials on site to effectively treat and clean teeth.

“It doesn’t matter if you have straight teeth or misaligned teeth, it will adapt to different surfaces,” says Koo. “The system can adjust to all the nooks and crannies in the oral cavity.”

The researchers optimized the motions of the microrobots on a small slab of tooth-like material. Next, they tested the microrobots’ performance adjusting to the complex topography of the tooth surface, interdental surfaces, and the gumline, using 3D-printed tooth models based on scans of human teeth from the dental clinic. Finally, they trialed the microrobots on real human teeth that were mounted in such a way as to mimic the position of teeth in the oral cavity.

On these various surfaces, the researchers found that the microrobotics system could effectively eliminate biofilms, clearing them of all detectable pathogens. The iron oxide nanoparticles have been FDA approved for other uses, and tests of the bristle formations on an animal model showed that they did not harm the gum tissue.

Indeed, the system is fully programmable; the team’s roboticists and engineers used variations in the magnetic field to precisely tune the motions of the microrobots as well as control bristle stiffness and length. The researchers found that the tips of the bristles could be made firm enough to remove biofilms but soft enough to avoid damage to the gums.

The customizable nature of the system, the researchers say, could make it gentle enough for clinical use, but also personalized, able to adapt to the unique topographies of a patient’s oral cavity.

To advance this technology to the clinic, the Penn team is continuing to optimize the robots’ motions and considering different means of delivering the microrobots through mouth-fitting devices.

They’re eager to see their device help patients.

“We have this technology that’s as or more effective as brushing and flossing your teeth but doesn’t require manual dexterity,” says Koo. “We’d love to see this helping the geriatric population and people with disabilities. We believe it will disrupt current modalities and majorly advance oral health care.”

Hyun (Michel) Koo is a professor in the Department of Orthodontics and divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry in the School of Dental Medicine and co-director of the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania.

Edward Steager is a senior research investigator in Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Koo and Steager’s coauthors on the paper are Penn Dental Medicine’s Min Jun Oh, Alaa Babeer, Yuan Liu, and Zhi Ren and Penn Engineering’s Jingyu Wu, David A. Issadore, Kathleen J. Stebe, and Daeyeon Lee.

This work was supported in part by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (grants DE025848 and DE029985), Procter & Gamble, and the Postdoctoral Research Program of Sungkyunkwan University.

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Pennsylvania. Original written by Katherine Unger Baillie. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Min Jun Oh, Alaa Babeer, Yuan Liu, Zhi Ren, Jingyu Wu, David A. Issadore, Kathleen J. Stebe, Daeyeon Lee, Edward Steager, Hyun Koo. Surface Topography-Adaptive Robotic Superstructures for Biofilm Removal and Pathogen Detection on Human TeethACS Nano, 2022; DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c01950

https://austindentalgroups.com

Saba Sets Sail with Dr. Shahriary’s Office

Chances are, if you have had a crown or bridge done in our office in the last few years it was made by Nassar at Saba Dental Lab. This August, our office was fortunate enough to be invited out on Nassar’s sail boat for an evening of delicious food and gorgeous sights in Deep Cove.

Dr. Ross helped Nassar dock the boat and fuel while Morgan and Nada earned their “sea legs”. Beth and Dani soaked up the child-free sunshine. A great time was had by all.

While on a quick stop over at Arm’s Reach Bistro for appetizers and drinks, Dr. Ross and Nassar realized they had a connection back home in Iran. Nassar’s lab used to make crown and bridge work for the hospital that Ross’s father helped build!

We feel so fortunate to have beautiful  Saba work in our patient’s mouths. His crowns and bridges look natural, they’re durable, and are of exceptional quality.