 | Dental Health Prevention Traditionally, dental education has taught a multi-disciplinary approach to the total well-being of patients, by contributing through treatment of dental disease to the improved systemic health of patients. Dentists have been encouraged to adopt a humanistic philosophy in treating their patients, and to consider the whole person in developing treatment plans. Dentists are trained to recognize the oral manifestations of many systemic diseases, and to recognize the systemic manifestations of oral diseases.
"Dentistry is the diagnosis or treatment, by surgery or other methods,
of diseases and lesions and the correction of malpositions of the human
teeth, alveolar process, gums, jaws or associated structures; and such
diagnosis or treatment may include all necessary related procedures, as
well as the use of drugs, anesthetic agents, and physical evaluation."
The three generally accepted methods to determine a deficient diet,
include diet history, laboratory (biochemical tests), and physical examination. You may want to consult your physician for a physical exam and lab tests.
Organized dentistry supports the interest of dentists in contributing to the overall systemic health of patients through the attainment of optimal oral health, the treatment and prevention of dental disease. The link between oral and overall health: Diabetes - People with diabetes are more likely to have gum disease, and it may make it more difficult for diabetics to control their blood sugar. Pregnancy - Pregnant women with periodontal disease may be seven times more likely to have a baby born prematurely 1. Gum disease may also trigger increased levels of the biological fluids that include labor. Periodontal treatment during pregnancy reduces premature births by 84%.2 1 "Baby Syeps to a Healthy Pregnancy and On Time Delivery," March 2005 2 "Periodontal Infection as a Possible Risk Factor for Preterm Low Birth Weight," Journal of Periodontology, October 1996, Offenbacher S., Katz V., Fertik G., Collins J., Maynor R., BeckJ. Heart Disease - When the bacteria from infected gums dislodge, they can enter the bloodstream, attach to blood vessels and increase clot formation. Respiratory Ailments - The bacteria that grow in the oral cavity can travel to the lungs, causing respiratory disease such as pneumonia, especially in people with gum disease.
Diet and Dental Health
You know that what you eat can make a difference in the way you feel and perform. That is why you should try to choose foods that will help your body stay strong and healthy. But did you know that your choice of foods and your eating patterns also may affect your dental health?
How Does Diet Effect Dental Health?
If your diet is low in certain nutrients, it may be harder for the tissues of your mouth to resist infection. This may be a contributing factor to periodontal (gum) disease, the main cause of tooth loss in adults. Although poor nutrition does not actually cause periodontal disease, many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is more severe in patients whose diet does not supply the necessary nutrients.
To make sure that you are getting enough nutrients for good general and oral health, you should choose foods from the four basic food groups: fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish and eggs. When you do snack, avoid soft, sweet, sticky foods, such as cakes, candy and dried fruits, that cling to your teeth and promote tooth decay. Instead, choose dentally healthy foods such as nuts, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese, popcorn and sugarless gum or candy. To have a diet that promotes dental health, you must develop sensible eating habits.
Together, a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, brushing and flossing,
other dental devices, and sensible eating habits, can reduce the risk of or even prevent dental disease.
Prevention of Dental Disease
Since 90 percent of all dental disease can be prevented, the single most important effort is prevention of dental disease which affects 98
percent of all people sometime in their lives. Successful prevention
involves:
Oral Hygiene: The patient must clean his/her mouth thoroughly, at least twice each day, by:
A. Brushing properly with a soft toothbrush, and
B. Using dental floss and other devices to break up the naturally
forming bacterial plaque which, left alone, leads to tooth decay,
periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss.
Nutrition: Proper nutrition is critically important to dental health as
well as general health. Cavities can be prevented by:
A. Controlling the amount and length of time carbohydrate debris
collects around the teeth, and
B. Reducing the amount and frequency of sugar consumption, especially between meals.
Regular Dental Visits: Dental office visits are recommended at least
twice a year. Optimal dental visits are recommended four times a year.
Frequency of dental visits may be determined by individual needs.
clinical examination and the use of necessary diagnostic aids can help in:
A. The diagnosis and early treatment of dental disease.
B. The identification of missing, extra, or malpositioned teeth which
can adversely affect the function of teeth and jaws, and
C. The recognition of the effect of some systemic diseases in the
mouth and conversely the effect of oral diseases systemically.
Prevention of Decay: Along with proper nutrition and oral hygiene,
lifetime protection is obtained by inhibiting decay through the use of
fluorides:
A. Systemically, through public water supplies, bottled water or oral
supplements, and
B. Applied topically, through toothpaste, brush-on gels or mouth-rinse
programs.
These measures alone can cut dental costs in half and reduce decay by up to 65 percent.
Additional Protection from Decay Can be Obtained By:
A. The use of pit and fissure sealants . The National Dental Caries
Prevalence Survey (1980) revealed that 84 percent of decay in children 5 to 17 involved pit and fissures. Sealants are very effective in
reducing the incidence of pit and fissure decay by placing a plastic
coating on the chewing surfaces of teeth, and
B. Preventing nursing bottle tooth decay . Never allow the child to fall
asleep with a bottle containing any liquid except water.
Prevention of Gum Disease: Three out of four adults are affected by gum disease. More than one-half of all adults over the age of 18 have at
least the early stages of this disease. By the age 60, one-third of all
Americans have lost all their teeth primarily due to gum disease. This
condition can be prevented by seeking professional care, understanding
its causes and practicing good oral hygiene.
Traditionally, dental education has taught a multi-disciplinary approach to the total well-being of patients, by contributing through treatment of dental disease to the improved systemic health of patients. Dentists have been encouraged to adopt a humanistic philosophy in treating their patients, and to consider the whole person in developing treatment plans. Dentists are trained to recognize the oral manifestations of many systemic diseases, and to recognize the systemic manifestations of oral diseases.
"Dentistry is the diagnosis or treatment, by surgery or other methods,
of diseases and lesions and the correction of malpositions of the human
teeth, alveolar process, gums, jaws or associated structures; and such
diagnosis or treatment may include all necessary related procedures, as
well as the use of drugs, anesthetic agents, and physical evaluation."
The three generally accepted methods to determine a deficient diet,
include diet history, laboratory (biochemical tests), and physical examination. You may want to consult your physician for a physical exam and lab tests.
Organized dentistry supports the interest of dentists in contributing to the overall systemic health of patients through the attainment of optimal oral health, the treatment and prevention of dental disease.
Diet and Dental Health
You know that what you eat can make a difference in the way you feel and perform. That is why you should try to choose foods that will help your body stay strong and healthy. But did you know that your choice of foods and your eating patterns also may affect your dental health?
How Does Diet Effect Dental Health?
If your diet is low in certain nutrients, it may be harder for the tissues of your mouth to resist infection. This may be a contributing factor to periodontal (gum) disease, the main cause of tooth loss in adults. Although poor nutrition does not actually cause periodontal disease, many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is more severe in patients whose diet does not supply the necessary nutrients.
To make sure that you are getting enough nutrients for good general and oral health, you should choose foods from the four basic food groups: fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish and eggs. When you do snack, avoid soft, sweet, sticky foods, such as cakes, candy and dried fruits, that cling to your teeth and promote tooth decay. Instead, choose dentally healthy foods such as nuts, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese, popcorn and sugarless gum or candy. To have a diet that promotes dental health, you must develop sensible eating habits.
Together, a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, brushing and flossing,
other dental devices, and sensible eating habits, can reduce the risk of or even prevent dental disease.
Prevention of Dental Disease
Since 90 percent of all dental disease can be prevented, the single most important effort is prevention of dental disease which affects 98
percent of all people sometime in their lives. Successful prevention
involves:
Oral Hygiene: The patient must clean his/her mouth thoroughly, at least twice each day, by:
A. Brushing properly with a soft toothbrush, and
B. Using dental floss and other devices to break up the naturally
forming bacterial plaque which, left alone, leads to tooth decay,
periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss.
Nutrition: Proper nutrition is critically important to dental health as
well as general health. Cavities can be prevented by:
A. Controlling the amount and length of time carbohydrate debris
collects around the teeth, and
B. Reducing the amount and frequency of sugar consumption, especially between meals.
Regular Dental Visits: Dental office visits are recommended at least
twice a year. Optimal dental visits are recommended four times a year.
Frequency of dental visits may be determined by individual needs.
clinical examination and the use of necessary diagnostic aids can help in:
A. The diagnosis and early treatment of dental disease.
B. The identification of missing, extra, or malpositioned teeth which
can adversely affect the function of teeth and jaws, and
C. The recognition of the effect of some systemic diseases in the
mouth and conversely the effect of oral diseases systemically.
Prevention of Decay: Along with proper nutrition and oral hygiene,
lifetime protection is obtained by inhibiting decay through the use of
fluorides:
A. Systemically, through public water supplies, bottled water or oral
supplements, and
B. Applied topically, through toothpaste, brush-on gels or mouth-rinse
programs.
These measures alone can cut dental costs in half and reduce decay by up to 65 percent.
Additional Protection from Decay Can be Obtained By:
A. The use of pit and fissure sealants . The National Dental Caries
Prevalence Survey (1980) revealed that 84 percent of decay in children 5 to 17 involved pit and fissures. Sealants are very effective in
reducing the incidence of pit and fissure decay by placing a plastic
coating on the chewing surfaces of teeth, and
B. Preventing nursing bottle tooth decay . Never allow the child to fall
asleep with a bottle containing any liquid except water.
Prevention of Gum Disease: Three out of four adults are affected by gum disease. More than one-half of all adults over the age of 18 have at
least the early stages of this disease. By the age 60, one-third of all
Americans have lost all their teeth primarily due to gum disease. This
condition can be prevented by seeking professional care, understanding
its causes and practicing good oral hygiene.
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