Strange dental facts

     Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body.

     The plaque found on your teeth is home to more than 300 different species of bacteria.

     The average person spends about 48 seconds per day brushing their teeth, but dentists recommend at least 2 or 3 minutes. 

     In 1994, a West Virginia prison inmate braided dental floss into a rope, scaled the wall, and escaped! We suggest that you use it to clean the 35% of your teeth’s surfaces that you are missing when only brushing, rather than to escape from any prisons

     According to a recent survey by Time magazine, 59% of people would rather have a dental appointment than sit next to someone who is talking on a cell phone.

     At least 3 out of 4 Americans suffer from some form of periodontal gum disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss for people over the age of 35. The good news: Gum disease can be prevented and controlled!

     In China, in 1498, the first toothbrush with bristles was made, using hair from hogs, horses, and badgers. The first official commercial toothbrush was manufactured in 1938.

     A snail’s mouth is no larger than the head of a pin, but can contain over 25,000 teeth!

     In early America, blacksmiths often also served as dentists. 

     In Egypt, mummies have been found with fillings comprised of resin and malachite, and gold wire was used to bind together loose teeth. 

     The Romans, in 200 AD, used pretty impressive dental technology! They restored cavity-ridden teeth with gold crowns, and utilized fixed bridgework to fix gaps from missing teeth. They also used a form of toothpaste concocted from honey and crushed eggshells.

     In Medieval Germany, the only cure for a toothache was to kiss a donkey.

   The average woman smiles about 62 times per day! A man? Only 8.

     50% of people surveyed say that a person’s smile is the first physical trait they notice.

     Like your fingerprints, everyone has a unique set of teeth. Even identical twins have different “dental fingerprints”!

     The stone-faced farmer in artist Grant Wood’s famous “American Gothic” painting was actually the artist’s dentist!

      Sports-related injuries account for approximately 5 million missing teeth per year, so make sure you wear a mouth guard, if you or your little ones are athletes.

     Americans spend $100 billion per year on hair care products – and only $2 billion a year on dental care products. What good is great hair without a great smile?    

Contrary to popular belief, George Washington’s famous dentures were not made from wood. His four pairs of custom dentures were crafted from gold, ivory, lead and a mixture of human, donkey, and hippopotamus teeth.

Look at all the photos you can find of George Washington. Do you ever see him smile? 

Check out photos of yourself. Do you smile in your photos? A smile makes the best first impression. It also brightens your outlook and certainly brightens the outlook of those surrounding you. If you are not smiling in your photos why not? If you do not like your smile we can help. Here are links to information about creating your picture perfect smile. 

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Study Exposes The Effect of Energy Drinks On The Heart

Energy Drinks have been found to cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and detrimentally affect the contraction of the heart. According to an ongoing study reported at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the popular drinks consumed by millions not only increase contractility of the heart, but they may cause long-term health risks.
At the annual Chicago meeting Jonas Dorner MD from the University of Bonn’s cardiovascular imaging section, who is working on the study, said that until now, no-one had worked out the exact effects of energy drinks on heart functioning.
Citing concerns over possible adverse side effects of energy drinks on heart function, especially in adolescents and young adults, Dorner said there was “little or no regulation” of the US market.
A recent 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.

3 Times Higher Caffeine 

Noting that caffeine levels in energy drinks are up to three times higher than in other caffeinated drinks including coffee or cola, Dorner said known side-effects included a rapid heart rate, palpitations, a rise in blood pressure “and in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death”.
Manufactured by the chemical industry, synthetic caffeine is big business in many drinks that contain the drug.
NATURAL CAFFEINE: Natural, real caffeine comes from various plant species. Caffeine content within these plants will vary throughout the year depending on weather, soil conditions, time of year harvested, etc. So caffeine content is impossible and impractical to determine for labeling on products like coffee or tea. They have constantly changing amounts. Naturally caffeinated products will not have caffeine as an ingredient or measurement on the label.
SYNTHETIC CAFFEINE: The first sign the caffeine in your drink is synthetic is it is listed on the label & has an exact measurement. This is the cheapest & most common added caffeine source. The processes & compounds may vary between chemical companies, but they are all disturbing.
FORTIFIED CAFFEINE: Still usually synthetic, caffeine can be obtained from the coffee decaffeination industry, although it is substantially pricier & rarely used. This will also note caffeine on the label with a measurement. Caffeine supplies from this industry use methylene chloride, formaldehyde or ethyl acetone for it’s removal. There is no such thing as removing the caffeine with just water.

Significantly Higher Peak Strain

Dorner and colleagues used cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the effect of energy drink consumption on heart function in 18 healthy volunteers — 15 men and three women with an average age of 27.5 years.
Each subject was given one cardiac MRI before consuming an energy drink containing taurine (400mg/100ml) and caffeine (32mg/100ml), and another one hour after consumption.
The second MRI scan showed significantly higher peak strain and peak systolic strain rates (measures of ‘contractility’ or level of heart contraction) in the heart’s left ventricle.
This receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the aorta, which then distributes it throughout the rest of the body.

Toxic Preservatives and Sweeteners 

All energy drinks including Nos, Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, Full Throttle and several others all contain many of the following toxic ingredients.
SUCRALOSE
Splenda/sucralose is simply chlorinated sugar; a chlorocarbon. Common chlorocarbons include carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethelene and methylene chloride, all deadly. Chlorine is nature’s Doberman attack dog, a highly excitable, ferocious atomic element employed as a biocide in bleach, disinfectants, insecticide, WWI poison gas and hydrochloric acid. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 11 to 27 percent of ingested sucralose is absorbed by the human body (FDA 1998). Research published by the manufacturer of sucralose (Roberts 2000) shows that when 8 healthy male adults where given sucralose (in 1 mg/kg amounts), between 10.4% and 30.6% of the sucralose was absorbed. In addition, 1.6% to 12.2% of the sucralose accumulates in the body.
ASPARTAME
Aspartame is a multi-potential carcinogen, even consumed daily at 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. That is a lower quantity than the maximum recommended by the FDA (50 mg/kg of body weight) and the European Union (40 mg/kg).
It increases the incidence of malignant tumours in rats. In the females it increases leukaemia and lymphomas, as well as cancerous cells in the pelvis and urethra. In the males, it especially increases the incidence of malignant tumours in peripheral nerves.
ACE-K
Acesulfame-K(Potassium) represents one of the food additives used for sweetening aliments and drinks. It is approved by the FDA, but there are several potential problems correlated with consumption of this food additive. Even though there are many studies that attest its safety, acesulfame potassium is still suspected of causing benign thyroid tumors. In rats, the development of such tumors took only 3 months, a period in which the concentration of this additive in the consumed food was between 1 and 5 percent. This is a very short period of time, so the substance is believed to have significant carcinogenic properties. Methylene chloride, a solvent used in the manufacture of acesulfame potassium, is the substance that may give the food additive its potential carcinogenic characteristics.
POTASSIUM BENZOATE
Benzoate damages an important area of DNA in the “power station” of cells known as the mitochondria. This chemical has the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether. It is an artificial color and considered a carcinogenic poison used to make foods and other products more visually appealing or appetizing.
POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE
There are dozens of different phosphate-containing food additives used in hundreds of processed foods.Studies show that even among healthy adults, people with higher phosphate levels have higher mortality rates. Phosphates cause a more rapid progression of the specific ailments such as chronic kidney disease. Phosphate additives have also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and they’re linked to accelerated aging and interfering with the way your body activates vitamin D.
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
High fructose corn syrup causes insulin resistance, diabetes,hypertension, increased weight gain, and not to mention is manufactured from genetically modified corn.
Results recently presented at the 2013 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting showed that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) also cause behavioural reactions similar to those produced by drugs of abuse such as cocaine.
Increased consumption of HFCS also results in depletion of chromium in the body, which is important is helping glucose pass from the bloodstream into the cells.
According to two recent U.S. studies, almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient.
POTASSIUM SORBATE
Food and chemical toxicology reports have labeled potassium sorbate as a carcinogen, showing postive mutation results in the cells of mammals. Other studies have shown broad systemic and toxic effects on non-reproductive organs in animals. No long term studies have ever been initiated on either animals or humans, so there is simply not enough evidence to theorize what could happen after years of ingesting this preservative. However, based on short-term carcinogenic and toxic effects, is it worth the risk to find out?

Long-Term Health Risks ‘Unknown’

Dorner said further studies are needed to understand how higher heart contractility affects daily activities or athletic performance, and to discover how long the effect of the drink lasts.
Dorner said that the long-term heart health risks linked to energy drinks are unknown, but advises that children and people with known cardiac arrhythmias, and says new studies are needed to assess the risk posed by energy drinks in tandem with alcohol.
Heart Foundations are refusing to comment on the unpublished research or whether greater heart contractility is necessarily a bad thing.
The RSNA represents 53,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists and publishes two peer-reviewed journals, Radiology and RadioGraphics.

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References:
prnewswire.com
preventdisease.com
wnho.net
sciencedaily.com

5 Tips for a Healthier Family

Keep your family—and yourself—happy and healthy. These tips make it (almost) as fun as vacation.

1. Pre-make the meal choices.
Food decisions need to be made by you, the parent, at the supermarket. Fill your cupboards with junky foods and you end up saying no all night. Fill them with healthy stuff, and kids have plenty to choose from. “They’ll eat healthy snacks when they get hungry enough,” says Dr. Oz. But make healthy foods easy for everyone to grab: Keep fruit and vegetables washed and cut. If it’s too hard to plan ahead for cutting, select fruits like grapes and berries that just need to be washed.

2. Have your kids play cop.
“Kids love feeling empowered,” says Dr. Oz. So tell them about healthy eating and have them call you out if you grab junk food at the mall or want to stop at the drive-thru. It makes them feel like part of the solution, not like they’re only ones who have to follow healthy food rules.

3. Create a family hub.
Know what your kids are doing and thinking by hanging out together. Create a spot in your home where the family gathers, whether that’s in the driveway in the summer, in the basement, or around the kitchen table.

4. Have a dance party.
Or any other excuse to get everyone up and moving. Put on music and dance after dinner. Hike on weekends. Take the dog for a walk together. See what you can get started in your own backyard. You can even go retro and organize a neighborhood kick-the-can or carry-the-flag competition. Make it fun and everyone wins.

5. Dine together.
Eat your meals as a family (even better, shop for the ingredients at the farmer’s market together). Research has shown that kids who dine with their families eat better: That means fewer sugary sodas, less fried food, and more produce. But the best reason to eat dinner with your family is that it’s fun. Have everyone help prep the foods so they’re invested in the meal. Then sit down and have real conversations with your kids.

reference: Dr Oz The Good Life Magazine

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Nutrition for good dental health

 

As you know, a balanced, nutritious diet is essential to healthy living. Poor nutrition can lead to all kinds of health issues, including oral health problems such as gum disease and cavities. In fact, studies show that people who have lost teeth or wear dentures don't eat as many fruits or vegetables and tend to have less nutritious diets overall. 

Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. So naturally, what you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also the health of your teeth and gums. In fact, if your nutrition is poor, the first signs often show up in your oral health. Did you know that certain foods can put you at risk for cavities and other oral health problems?

According to MyPlate, a website from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of U.S. Department of Agriculture, a balanced diet should include:

·                                 Fruits and vegetables. Combined these should be half of what you eat every day.

·                                 Grains. Make sure at least half of the grains you eat are whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread and brown rice.

·                                 Dairy. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.

·                                 Lean proteins. Make lean protein choices, such as lean beef, skinless poultry and fish. Try and vary your protein choices to include eggs, beans, peas and legumes, too. Eat at least 8 oz. of seafood a week.

Reference: Healthy Mouth, American Dental Association