Monday May 14, 2012
Who's most afraid of the dentist?
According to new research, it's not the who you'd most expect. It's women in their 40s.
Ongoing research from the University of Sydney suggests that this demographic is more likely than other age groups to have felt trauma, abuse or oro-facial trauma. These people are also more likely to be depressed, anxious or stressed, researchers found.
"Dental anxiety is very real and complex and it should never be downplayed," study researcher Dr. Avanti Karve, of the University of Sydney Faculty of Dentistry, said in a statement.
Karve explained that people who have a great fear of the dentist wait 17 days, on average, to make an appointment to see the dentist when they are feeling severe pain. Comparatively, the rest of the population who is not as dentalphobic waits just three days.
According to a recent study out of the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, about 5 percent of people have a severe dental fear. Those researchers found five strategies that people use to get over their fear of the dentist; their findings are published in the journal Acta Odontologica Scandinavica.
Their study showed that common coping practices include distracting yourself (counting to yourself or playing mental games so that you think about something else), distancing (telling yourself the pain feels like something else), prayer (praying that the dental treatment will end soon), self-efficacy (telling yourself to be strong), and optimism (telling yourself that everything will be OK after the dental treatment).
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Tuesday May 8, 2012
According to spokesman on pediatric dentistry for the ADA (American Dental Association), Jonathan D. Shenkin, fluoride is an extremely important ingredient that promotes a healthy smile. It is important to brush the teeth at last twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, visit the dentist every six months for a fluoride treatment and drink water that is fluoridated.
Government health officials and dentists raise the awareness that bottled water is the one that might be causing the tooth decay complications of your child.
Therefore, they suggest that parents should give their child tap water, because this contains fluoride, which protects against the cavities. Bottled water does not contain a sufficient amount of fluoride, so it is actually not protecting the oral health of your child; in fact, it seems it is doing more harm than good.
According to spokesman on pediatric dentistry for the ADA (American Dental Association), Jonathan D. Shenkin, fluoride is an extremely important ingredient that promotes a healthy smile.
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Thursday May 3, 2012
With May being National Smile Month there is even more of a reason to
show-off bright smiles for making great first impressions! Gleaming white
teeth and a wide smile convey an air of confidence that is important in any
situation, from first dates to job interviews. Teeth whitening procedures
are certainly effective, but small daily steps can also be helpful and less
expensive. Dr. Margaret Mitchell, DDS of the Mitchell Dental Spa
in Chicago offers the following tips:
- WEAR LIPSTICKS THAT CONTAIN A HINT OF BLUE-Blue tones around the
mouth can make teeth appear whiter, so when shopping for new makeup,
consider red lipstick with blue undertones. These will make your smile
appear brighter by offsetting any yellow coloration in the teeth. Coral and
orange based lipsticks can make the teeth appear more yellow, so avoid these
if you are self-conscious about your pearly whites.
. - SNACK ON CRUNCHY FRUITS AND VEGGIES -Mildly abrasive fruits and
vegetables such as apples, carrots or celery not only provide the body with
essential nutrients, but also act as a natural toothbrush by gently
scrubbing off small bits of plaque that have gathered on the teeth and gums.
. - SWISH WITH WATER AFTER DRINKING TEA OR COFFEE-Coffee, tea and
other dark liquids can stain the teeth and leave them looking dingy. To
prevent discoloration, simply swish water around in your mouth immediately
after consuming a staining liquid.
. - CHEW SUGARLESS GUM CONTAINING XYLITOL-Xylitol, a naturally
occurring sugar substitute, has been added to many sugar-free gums as a
sweetening agent, but it also has healthful properties. Chewing a gum
containing xylitol, such as Trident, has been shown to reduce the levels of
harmful oral bacteria, reducing the likelihood of developing cavities.
. - BRUSH TEETH BEFORE GOING FOR A RUN-Running dries out the mouth and
any plaque that already exists on the gumline will tend to dry out and
calcify, resulting in discoloration and even gum disease. A quick brush
before leaving for a run can help solve this problem.
Tuesday May 1, 2012
Many people are finding themselves putting off dental treatment due to lack of insurance and funds. Fortunately, there is an option that more people are turning to for help with their dental care. More and more people are turning to dental schools to have their dental work done and often for free.
But is it a good idea? Are you getting the best treatment? You may be surprised to learn that yes, in fact, you are getting excellent treatment! Dental students are always working in the presence of professors who are scrutinizing their work constantly. Remember, they are trying to learn and do well, and many eyes are watching. You are probably at your safest when getting treated at a dental school whereas you have to trust that your private dentist knows what he/she is doing and that they are doing a good job.
Any downsides? Yes. One of the biggest issues you will have to deal with is the amount of time the procedures will take. For instance, under a specialist's care or a private dentist, a root canal may take 1-2 hours. At the dental school however; the same procedure will likely take up to 5 hours because every single step is monitored and approved by the professor before moving forward.
For many busy people, this is a big inconvenience and they would rather pay for dental work or even go without than spend that amount of time in a dental chair. But, if time is not a big deal to you, and/or you are willing to take a day off to have expensive dental work done for free or at least greatly reduced, then this could be a great option for you!
