It started out as an unconventional theory. But now, more and more scientists, physicians and dentists are seeing the connection between gum disease and potentially fatal heart attacks. What would a problem with your gums have in common with an ailing heart? Researchers began by looking at heart attack patients and deciding what physical symptoms [...]
MI Paste, a calcium-phosphate remineralizing paste, is a safe and effective way to treat a variety of oral health conditions. It may also be the most effective way to reduce cavities in mature adults, especially when combined with the use of high-fluoride toothpastes. MI Paste can be used to: Reduce high oral acid levels, either [...]
Train that Tongue Without therapy, the wrong oral habits, sooner or later, will cause tooth movement, breathing and speech problems You'd think swallowing is easy as falling off a log. But some of us need help retraining muscles that we've been using wrong all along. A "bad" swallow is just the luck of the draw, [...]
Everyone is concerned about money these days. But the only way to save wisely is to calculate your net gain (or loss). We agree that it's silly to drive 20 miles to save 3 cents a gallon on gas, but it's just as foolish to skip your dental appointments. With the cost of everything increasing, [...]
We are Growing Older... As the population ages—more gracefully than ever, of course— we're keeping more teeth. Along with wisdom and experience, however, come different health problems. Among them, cavities on the surface of the tooth root, what we call root caries. Growing up, most decay is found on the surface of teeth, usually the [...]
A healthy flow of saliva is critical for chewing and digestion, bathing gums, and bacterial control. And we owe it all to salivary glands, three pairs of organs in the cheek and floor of the mouth. Each gland secretes saliva into the mouth via a tube, and this is where trouble can begin. Sialolithiasis—whew—names the [...]
Just the Facts There's so much conflicting information regarding drinking alcohol blasting at us these days. A glass of red wine is good? Is even drinking at all a good idea? It's a matter of proportion. The facts are these. First, alcohol affects women more than men. Because men tend to be heavier in muscle [...]
Where Bad Breath Comes From Most, but not all, bad breath comes from bacterial plaque and food accumulated mainly towards the back of the tongue. The problem is, there are all sorts of not-likely-but-possible other reasons for halitosis: upset stomach, anxiety, inflamed gums, saliva deficiency, infections and removable dentures are among them. What Not To Do [...]
Once teeth are missing from the jawbone—whether one or many; whether from accident or disease—something very important is missing as well. That's tooth stability. Any denture wearer will tell you there's nothing more upsetting than a slipping lower denture and the anxious uncertainty it brings. That's because once one or more teeth are removed, the [...]
What does a student facing exam pressure have in common with a World War I soldier—or an 18th-Century British sailor? More than you might think. Kids surviving on junk food and stress are at risk of two retro tooth-and-gum woes: trench mouth and scurvy. Trench Mouth (named for the soldiers) is better known today as [...]
