Posted by: John
on Mar 27, 2012
Fluoridated drinking water and fluoride in over-the-counter and prescription toothpastes are widely credited with the large reduction in dental cavities seen since these products were made available beginning in the early 1950s.
Fluoride is the 13th most common element in Earth's crust, and it is naturally present in high concentrations throughout the United States and elsewhere. Fluoride bonds with the enamel of our teeth which hardens them against the acids produced by bacteria in our mouths that can cause tooth decay.
Studies have confirmed the most effective source of fluoride to be water fluoridation.
Its use in toothpaste and its addition to city water supplies across the United States sparked a controversy 60 years ago, and the dispute continues to this day. In the United Kingdom, and in other European Union countries, fluoride is used to a much lesser extent due to fierce public opposition.
Posted by: John
on Mar 15, 2012
This is a common scenario in Kansas for those who don’t have dental insurance. Let’s say one of your teeth starts to crumble and you have to go to a dentist. The cost to have a root canal and a crown can run as high $2000. The dentist is going to want his money at the time of service. What will you do if you don’t have the money?
The simplest solution is to perform an extraction to solve the problem. It costs around $200 and the patient while losing the tooth does begin to feel much better because the infection is out of the body. Another alternative would be to visit a local university that has a school of dentistry.
Many dental schools offer reduced-cost services to patients in need. Don’t expect them to foot all the costs for restorative dental work but they can help reduce costs significantly. Even before you start to experience the pain of a toothache the health of your teeth could be giving you problems that impact your overall health.
Posted by: John
on Mar 27, 2011
A chemical mix imitating the minerals found in saliva, but at higher concentrations, can be added to toothpaste to plug tiny pores that lead to nerves. The exposed pores lead to nerves, causing pain and sensitive teeth.
Now, a new ingredient in toothpaste, developed by dentists, called Novamin, can dramatically reduce teeth sensitivity. Teeth become sensitive when gum tissue recedes, exposing a tooth's roots. Roots contain small holes or tubules that lead to nerves. Novamin plugs up the holes cutting off contact with nerves and eliminating pain.
It is made from a compound from elements naturally critical for bone and tooth mineralization: calcium, phosphorus, silica and sodium. In their common forms, these elements have very limited value in tooth healthy. But in their rare ionic form, they can make teeth stronger and help eliminate tooth senstivity.
Posted by: John
on Feb 19, 2011
In young children, certain social and psychological factors seem to increase the risk of tooth decay, a new study finds.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada did the study. They kept track of 132 kindergarten children for 2 years. Nearly half of the children had tooth decay.
Decay was linked with three factors:
