Sports and Energy Drinks Responsible for Irreversible Damage to Teeth

With the season of outdoor sports activities now in full swing, we want you to be aware of the following news. Sharing it with your friends and loved ones may save their pearly whites….or the teeth you save may be your own!

A study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth—specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

“Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ for them than soda,” says Poonam Jain, BDS, MS, MPH, lead author of the study. “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

Researchers examined the acidity levels in 13 sports drinks and nine energy drinks. They found that the acidity levels can vary between brands of beverages and flavors of the same brand. To test the effect of the acidity levels, the researchers immersed samples of human tooth enamel in each beverage for 15 minutes, followed by immersion in artificial saliva for two hours. This cycle was repeated four times a day for five days, and the samples were stored in fresh artificial saliva at all other times.

“This type of testing simulates the same exposure that a large proportion of American teens and young adults are subjecting their teeth to on a regular basis when they drink one of these beverages every few hours,” says Dr. Jain.

The researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure to sports or energy drinks, although energy drinks showed a significantly greater potential to damage teeth than sports drinks. In fact, the authors found that energy drinks caused twice as much damage to teeth as sports drinks did.

With a reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens consuming energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent consuming at least one sports drink per day, it is important to educate parents and young adults about the downside of these drinks. Damage caused to tooth enamel is irreversible, and without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive, prone to cavities, and more likely to decay. We’ve seen this already at Winter Park Dentistry, P.A.. with dull decalcified front teeth, new cavities and disappointed patients/parents. Some have teeth so sensitive to cold that they can’t easily eat and drink.

“Teens regularly come into my office with these types of symptoms, but they don’t know why,” says AGD spokesperson Jennifer Bone, DDS, MAGD. “We review their diet and snacking habits and then we discuss their consumption of these beverages. They don’t realize that something as seemingly harmless as a sports or energy drink can do a lot of damage to their teeth.”

Dr. Bone recommends that her patients minimize their intake of sports and energy drinks. She also advises them to chew sugar-free gum or rinse the mouth with water following consumption of the drinks. “Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal,” she says.

Also, patients should wait at least an hour to brush their teeth after consuming sports and energy drinks. Otherwise, says Dr. Bone, they will be spreading acid onto the tooth surfaces, increasing the erosive action.

Dr Linda

How do you sleep?

Unlike my husband I tend to sleep all over the place. My husband tends to have only two sleeping positions: laying on his right side or his left side. I on the other hand tend to sleep on my right side, my left side, my back, my stomach, occasionally with my head at the foot of the bed, curled up in a ball, on my stomach with one leg bent, my back with both arms at my side, my stomach while hugging my pillow, my back with both arms above my head and all while bundled up in the covers similar to that of a cocoon.  You name it and I’ve probably slept that way.

So this had me wondering….what does our sleeping positions say about us?

I researched this thought and came across this.

What is your sleep type?

According to expert Chris Idzikowski, director of Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, there is a correlation between six different sleeping positions and personality traits of the sleepers themselves.  Idzikowski suggests that these sleeping positions are a subconscious body language that reflects our inner traits.

• The Foetus: You sleep curled up into the fetal position which suggests that you are tough on the outside but sensitive at heart.  You are likely shy when first meeting someone but relax once you get to know them.  This position is most common among woman than men.
• The Log: You sleep lying on your side with both arms down by your side.  You are likely easy going and social, like being part of the in-crowd, trusting of strangers and may be gullible.
• The Yearner: You sleep on your side while both arms lay out in front of you.  You likely have an open nature, tend to be suspicious or cynical, slow to make up your mind but once you’ve made up your mind you are not likely to change it.
• The Soldier: You sleep lying on your back while both arms are pinned to your side.  You are quiet and reserved, don’t like to make a fuss and set high standards for yourself as well as others.
• The Freefall: You sleep lying on your stomach with hands holding the pillow and head turned to the side.  You tend to be brash, nervy, thin-skinned and don’t like criticism.
• The Starfish: You sleep lying on your back, both arms up and around the pillow.  You tend to make good friends because you are a good listener and don’t like to be the center of attention.

Interesting!

How do you sleep?

Ash

Appreciating a Sandwich Maker

I really appreciate good service when it comes to eating out, and that is exactly what I received the other day at lunch!

I entered a very busy Subway shop during lunch hour, the line was extending out the door. I thought perhaps a drive through would be faster, but I really wanted that sandwich. After waiting in line for a couple of minutes I realized how fast things were progressing. Before I knew it a highly trained sandwich maker was preparing my favorite sub! All three members of the assembly line really worked well together and had a synergy about them. I was listing off a bunch of toppings and she remembered all of them and had them on in a jiff. When he took my money he was ready to go, not running around in the back, he apologized for the wait of the long line today. I thanked them for their speedy service and he seemed surprised saying, “I thought we were going slow today!” I’m thinking if this is slow what is a fast day like!

It was so refreshing to see people working hard, taking pride in their work, and doing it all with smiles on their faces. If your job is  a sandwich maker, janitor, surgeon, realtor,  dental hygienist or whatever it may be, take pride in your work because it won’t go unnoticed!

Shaina

Learning Different Children, part 2

Here is the accepted research definition for dyslexia:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin.  It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.  These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.  Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

(Adopted by the National Institutes of Health, 2002)

Please understand, dyslexia is not caused by poor schools, bad teaching practices, neglectful parenting, or a difficult home life.  It is not a disease but simply an unusual way of thinking, learning, communicating and solving problems.  It is a neurological processing disorder that can affect ones ability to read and develop a strong understanding of language.  Many times there are difficulties with oral communication, organizational skills, following instructions and telling time.

“Educators and researchers have isolated some factors that seem to play an important role in dyslexia.  Most of these are associated with language processing difficulties or the ability to think sequentially.  Mental processing speed also seems to play a part.

The most significant areas of difficulty are:

• Difficulties with phonemic awareness, which is the ability to break down and manipulate the small units of sound in words, such as the three separate sounds for the “c,” “a,” and “t” in the word “cat.

• Problems with word retrieval or rapid automatic naming, which is the time it takes for verbal response to a visual stimulus or cue, such as quickly saying the names of letters printed on a chart, or names of objects when a picture is shown.

• Poor digit span, which is the ability to store a short sequence of letters or numbers in short-term memory.

• Difficulties with sequencing or concepts of order.

• Visual perceptual confusion, such as the inability to distinguish letters such as “b’ and “d,” or perceiving letters out of order, such as confusing “was” and saw,” or “from” and “form”(Marshall, 4).”

The Fundamental Learning Center in Wichita Kansas has a list of “red-flags” to look for if your child is experiencing difficulty in school.  Of course, if your child has one of these, it does not mean he/she is dyslexic. But if several signs exist and reading problems persist, or if you have a family history of dyslexia, then you may want to have your child assessed.  The full list can be found at http://www.funlearn.org/assessments/checklist/.  Here are some of them:

Preschool-Kindergarten

• Delay in speech
• Mixing up the sounds & syllables in long words
• Difficulty recognizing & producing rhymes
• Constant confusion of left versus right
• Chronic ear infections
• Difficulty learning to tie shoes
• Trouble memorizing their address, phone number, or the alphabet
• Difficulty remembering rote information such as letter names, addresses, children’s names
• Difficulty remembering and following directions

I welcome any questions about this subject or if you would like more information on Fundamental Learning Center, please visit their website (www.funlearn.org).

Marshall, Abigail. The Everything Parent’s Guide To Children With Dyslexia. (2004). Adams Media, MA.

Tina

The List is Endless…

Laundry, dishes, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, cleaning out the car, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, grocery shopping, paying the bills, cleaning the house, cleaning out the garage, shuttling the kids to and from school, finding the time and money to continue school for ourselves, shuttling the kids to and from their extracurricular activities, going to work, meeting work deadlines, cooking dinner, making time for our own hobbies, making time for our spouses, making time for our kids, making time for our friends and lets not forgetting making time for ourselves…when it comes to everyday life the list could go on and on.

PHEW!

With all of the hustle and bustle trying to find balance between personal life and work life can be tough these days.

Here are a few of my own personal tips on how to achieve this balance:

Separate your professional life from your personal life.

When you walk through your front door leave work at the door.  I’m not saying that you can’t talk to your spouse or loved one about your day but when you do be sure to devote only a small amount of time to doing so and then let the rest of the evening be just about you and your family.

Prioritize.

I love to make lists.  It’s the only way I can get anything done.  So write a list of what you wish to accomplish in your professional and personal life and eliminate those tasks that are less important.  Only focus on those tasks that are most important to today. The rest can wait.  One day, one task at a time.  Once you have one task accomplished cross it off.  I feel that it is important to visually see each task crossed off.  Too often we try to multi-task thinking that we can save time but in the end all we’ve really managed to do is waste time and drive ourselves crazy.  Devote yourself to only one task at a time and once that particular task is completed only then can you truly move on to the next.

Have a support system.

We can’t go through life without a good support system so be sure to surround yourself with only those that praise you and stand beside you.

Communicate.

Don’t be afraid to ask those in your professional life and personal life for help when you need it.  You’re not a super hero.  You can’t do it all no matter how hard you try.  This one is a struggle for me but I am working on it.

Set goals.

(This one goes hand-in-hand with prioritizing.)

Setting goals for yourself no matter how big or small can help you feel a sense of accomplishment.  Being able to feel that sense of accomplishment and being able to see results will give you that much more drive to keep going each day.

Do you have any helpful tips to share?  We’d love to hear them!

Ash

Elephant Ears Time!

Dr Linda's smaller than a full grown ear!

Dental Xrays and Brain Tumors

There have been a lot of questions lately about the possible risks of dental x-rays related to benign brain tumors.  The center of all these questions correspond to a recent study done by Dr. Elizabeth Claus, a neurosurgeon, who says that dental x-rays are important for maintaining good oral health but we should take efforts to moderate exposure of some patients. The study included 1,433 patients with brain tumors who self-reported having bitewing, full-mouth, and/or panorex dental x-rays. According to the study, patients were twice as likely as the control group to have some sort of benign brain tumor. However, the findings are based on the patients’ memories of when they had x-rays taken throughout their entire life and did not include any information about the dose-amount each patient received from the x-rays.  The study was also observational and cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship between dental x-rays and brain tumors. 

Here are some reasons why you should still consider having your dental x-rays taken:

*We use faster film speed, or digital sensors, which allow a much smaller dose of radiation than in the past.

*Dental professionals also use lead aprons with thyroid collars to protect the body and limit the amount of exposure.

*The benefits of x-rays often out-weigh the risks when it comes to diagnosing decay between the teeth or under fillings, gum infections, bone infections, and dental tumors/growths.

*As an example to the amount of radiation received: 1 dental x-ray is .5 millirems which is the same as flying for 1 hour in an airplane.  1 chest x-ray is 10 millirems (20 times as much radiation).

Although the study design had weaknesses, we should take all this information into consideration when we decide to use dental x-rays for their diagnostic purposes.

Shaina

What’s the deal with Flossing?

Why should I floss?

This is a question that I seem to get a lot. Flossing is one of the best things we can do for our health. Did you know that those who floss daily live on average 7 years longer than those who don’t? Brushing alone only cleans 65% of tooth surfaces leaving 35% of your mouth open to continued bacterial infection if you do not floss! This bacteria can enter your bloodstream and cause infections in other locations in our bodies. There is also a greater risk for stroke or heart attack since the bacteria can increase liver enzymes that promote blood clot formation.

What kind of floss is right for me?

There are a lot of options when it comes to flossing: Waxed, unwaxed, flavored, unflavored, ribbon/tape floss, regular, superfloss, floss holders, and floss picks to name a few. If you have tight spaces I recommend the waxed or glide floss. For those with braces, bonded retainers or bridges the superfloss or floss threaders would be best. If you have larger spaces between your teeth that catch food, a ribbon floss can help flick out unwanted food and bacteria.  If you have arthritis or dexterity issues, using a floss holder or floss pick can help you to maintain your gums without the worry of wrapping the floss around your fingers. 

And finally for those who “just don’t have time to floss”, it takes an average of 60-90 seconds to adequately floss between all your teeth!

What kind of floss works best for you?

Shaina

PRESENTATION

Easter Egg Gift Bag / Spring Birthday Bag

Ever notice the difference it makes on how something appears when you 1st see it? 

I was struck by this this weekend when I wrapped my mother’s birthday present.  I had the option of taking her gift 1) in a modest gift bag plus another sack of stuff I was returning to her or 2) packaging it all together in an over-sized colorful egg-shaped bag.  [I "hid" the return stuff in the bottom of the bag with a dividing layer of tissue paper -- this made a great support for her gifts above].  The bag was truly eye-catching as we walked thru the restaurant…and made the recipient feel very special.

Often on FB I see images of gorgeous meals our pastor makes, much like the photos in many high-end food magazines.  I’ve enjoyed her meals and know she’s a good chef – yet some of the most delectable looking meals are foods I don’t prefer to eat.  So just the photos alone are enough to make me reconsider what I may try in the future.

For my dental friends I’ve been told that presenting the patient’s new crown to them on black velvet on a silver tray or a velvet lined jewelry box (before cementing it) enhances the value of it for the recipient.  Have any of my dentist friends tried this?  I have not, assuming that my patients already know that I do my best to provide them exceptional fit and esthetics.

However, one time I had 3 sons of a neighbor approach me about paying for their mother’s crown as a  Christmas present to her.  I agreed and found a jewelry box and lined it with velvet for them.  Wow was she surprised Christmas day!!

For Easter I put a little extra effort into my own appearance and was rewarded with someone telling me I looked 15 years younger –  Believe me, that paid off in making my day!!

We’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts about putting a little extra effort into presentations.  Do you have any?

Dr Linda

April is Oral Cancer Month

April is oral cancer month and in bringing awareness to Oral Cancer, I heard this very interesting story on NPR a few months ago. 

The story is set in 1893 and Grover Cleveland is President. It is discovered that he has a large lump that only continues to grow over the months, on the roof of this mouth. After a physician evaluation, it is decided that it must be cancer, and it must be removed quickly.  He takes a four day yacht trip in which the cancer is removed by six surgeons using ether gas as anesthesia. They removed the mass, a large portion of his upper left jaw bone and five teeth. They were sure to leave his mustache untouched since it was such a big part of his image. Apparently, there was a negative stigma attached to cancer and it was not to be reported about in the papers. Even though the public talked suspiciously about his four day trip, they denied any rumors of surgery. It was not until 24 years later people came forward to confirm that the surgery did indeed take place.

Here is the link to the entire story, including the smear campaign that took place against a reporter who tried to break the story after the surgery took place:

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/06/137621988/a-yacht-a-mustache-how-a-president-hid-his-tumor

Shaina