What is in my water?

            There is some debate over drinking tap water versus drinking filtered or bottled water. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But as dentists, we encourage children to drink fluoridated tap water to help them develop strong teeth. Since the introduction of fluoride into tap water, communities have seen a dramatic decrease in childhood cavities.

            In Butler County, the fluoride content is 0.97mg/l. The regulatory limit is 2 mg/l. So we are well below the amount that could potentially cause any harm. And while there is a small amount of chlorine in our water, we are even further away from the regulatory limit. Bottom line, our water is well controlled and within a healthy limit.

            But the question can still be asked: Is bottled water safer than tap water? This is not necessarily true. Both the tap water and the bottled water are regulated to ensure their quality. The Environmental Protection Agency is in charge of all public water systems, and bottled water is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration. So depending on the source of the water and its treatment process, some bottled waters may contain more or less substances than your tap water. You can go online to check on the water quality information in your area.

            What should you do if you don’t have fluoride in your water? We typically recommend some type of fluoride supplement if you are not getting any fluoride in your tap water. Fluoride is very important during the developmental years to help form strong and healthy teeth. Depending on the age of you or your child, and depending on their dental history, we will make specific recommendations to help keep their teeth strong. Sometimes it is a prescription toothpaste and sometimes there are ‘fluoride trays’ that can be used as supplements.

For more information, visit us at www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

‘Smart Toothbrush’ Wins Reality Show

            In the past ten years there have been some incredible advancements in technology. These changes have completely revolutionized the way we live our day to day lives. Fitness trackers help us work out more efficiently and nutrition apps help us eat better. So why not use a toothbrush that will help us take better care of our teeth? Someone with that idea just won a contest on a reality show for creating their ‘smart toothbrush,’ called Grush Brush.

            So what does Grush Brush do? The brush aims to better address the problem of tooth decay by encouraging kids to more effectively brush their teeth. It also provides data to the parents and the dentist on the brushing habits of each kid. This allows us to identify where the deficiencies are and develop a plan to improve their oral health. As you can imagine, most kids and teenagers give a version of the truth when it comes to their brushing habits. Having actual data can really help in their long term dental health.

            The developer of the Grush Brush is a pediatric dentist. This gives them an intimate knowledge of the normal habits of children and teenagers. So it has been developed specifically to help in that area. But as we all know, even adults can be less than perfect when it comes to their dental homecare. I hope that this can be used as a starting point to develop similar technology to address the issues that adults face. Different medications and medical treatments can dramatically affect your oral health. And having the technology to better address your individual needs can bring long term physical and financial benefits.

            We are really excited that these dental advancements are being covered in the media. And hopefully more and more people will use this technology and benefit from it.

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

Does grinding your teeth contribute to fatigue?

            There are many people that wake up feeling tired no matter when they went to bed. Many people clench and grind their teeth at night (whether they know it or not). We used to think that these were two separate issues that should be treated differently. But recent research has shown that these two may be connected.

            During our exams, we routinely check for different signs of wear on the teeth. Sometimes it is easy to detect on visual examination and other times we check the progression using photographs. If we find you are grinding your teeth (bruxism), we would traditionally recommend a night guard to protect your teeth and jaw joint. But what is causing you to grind the teeth? Does it stem from brain function or does it result from you trying to open your airway to breathe better?

            When someone is constantly plagued by fatigue, we discuss the possibility of sleep apnea. You are referred to your doctor or sleep specialist and they perform a sleep study to determine if you suffer from sleep apnea. If a sleep apnea diagnosis is confirmed, recommendations are made that range from using a CPAP to weight management.

            Newer studies are showing that treating sleep apnea has helped treat teeth grinding. This gives us a new outlook on treating bruxism. We need to look at the possibility that these two conditions are related. And by treating your sleep apnea you can actually treat bruxism. This doesn’t work in every case, but it is an exciting development because dentists can potentially help identify cases or sleep apnea. I am not suggesting we are the ones to treat the apnea first, but since you typically see the dentist every 6 months we may be able to identify some issues in their earlier stages.

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc. 

New E-Cigarette rules and how do they affect oral health?

            The FDA recently announced that it will regulate electronic cigarettes and their sales in a way that is similar to other tobacco products. USA Today reported this past week that the “FDA would have to approve all tobacco products not currently regulated that hit stores after February 2007.” Even though it has taken the FDA a little longer to get involved, it is important that everyone be aware of the potential risks (known and unknown) of electronic cigarettes.

            Many people assume that because e-cigarettes do not smell as strongly as traditional cigarettes, they are much healthier. The FDA is now requiring that all of the ingredients are reported and listed as harmful or potentially harmful if their long term affects are unknown. There is definitely some debate among experts on the harmful affects of e-cigarettes. But until we know more about the long term ramifications, many physicians will likely warn about their harmful potential.

            We know from years of clinical research that smoking or smokeless tobacco can negatively affect the health of your gums and contribute to irreversible gum disease. We also know that they increase your risk of oral cancer. However, we don’t know as much about how electronic cigarettes can or will affect your teeth or oral cavity. But I would definitely recommend reducing or eliminating your use of electronic cigarettes until more research is finalized. This is the same advice we would give to anyone using more traditional tobacco products.

            Finally, there is a debate to whether the e-cigarette can be an effective tool to help with smoking cessation. This may be true, but there is also an argument that these devices can be a gateway to the traditional tar-laden and chemical filled cigarettes. Is it possible both sides are correct? I’m sure we will learn more as time goes on.

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

Tobacco Use Among Teenagers:

            Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in America and usually begins during the adolescent years. During this time it is important to discuss some of the dangers of tobacco to make sure they don’t begin smoking cigarettes or other tobacco related products.

What is the prevalence of use?

            It is estimated that almost 25% of high school students and 8% of middle school students have tried some type of tobacco. The products they have used include cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco. Even though the use of traditional cigarettes has declined among U.S. adolescents, the use of e-cigarettes and hookah has increase according to the CDC.

What factors increase the risk of tobacco use?

·        Studies have shown that teens are more likely to use tobacco products if they have parents, siblings or friends using tobacco.

·        Easy access to tobacco products.

·        They watch movies or shows that feature prominent characters smoking.

·        They are exposed to tobacco advertisements.

·        Advent of e-cigarettes and flavored products appeal to a younger demographic.

How is tobacco use harmful?

·        Increases the risk of asthma, cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease.

·        Higher risk of oral conditions:

o       Gum disease, bad breath (halitosis), stained or darkened teeth, or even tooth loss.

·        It increases the risk of oral cancer, which is the 6^th most common form of cancer. Over a half million people are estimated to have oral and oropharyngeal cancer each year. Approximately 150,000 are expected to die each year from this type of cancer.

Tip for talking to teens about the harms for tobacco use:

·        Try to create an environment in which you can talk openly.

·        Explain how tobacco products can be harmful to overall and oral health.

·        Talk about a plan that could help them say no to peer pressure.

·        It is also important to establish rules so your teens understand tobacco use will not be tolerated, and follow those rules.

·        Important for adults to avoid using tobacco to help set a positive example.

·        The only bad way to talk to your kids about tobacco is to not talk about it at all.

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com

Can your teeth reveal signs of disease?

            Believe it or not, we are looking for more than just cavities whenever we examine your teeth. We evaluate your bite, your jaw joint (TMJ), and the surrounding tissue. During a thorough exam we look for signs or symptoms that may tell us other things about your overall health. After all, your mouth is the gateway to your body.

You may have type 2 diabetes:

            Red and swollen gums are a sign of periodontal (gum) disease. According to the CDC; 47% of people over 30 and 70% of people over 65 have periodontal disease. And research has shown that diabetes makes periodontal disease worse. So if you constantly have bleeding or swollen gums, we may question whether or not you have a family history of diabetes.

You have acid reflux:

            If you have solid brushing and flossing habits but you still notice some lingering bad breath, it may be a sign of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Your teeth may also show signs of erosion or wear caused from your stomach acid. Many times you are unaware there is even an issue because it can happen while you sleep.

You are really stressed:

            Stress can cause us to clench and grind our teeth. Your teeth may show signs of wear or they may develop cracks. The wearing of your teeth can affect the cosmetics of your smile or even develop into joint problems. We are also on the lookout for canker sores. They are more likely to develop while you (or your body) are under stress.

You have an autoimmune disease:

            If your mouth feels very dry and you have difficulties producing saliva, it is possible you have Sjogren’s disease. This condition attacks the glands that make saliva and tears. There is no cure for Sjogren’s but symptoms can be managed to help return some moisture.

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.

Are you brushing your teeth correctly?

            Reader’s Digest recently came out with a list of ways you may be brushing your teeth the wrong way. This is relevant because many people can cause serious harm to their teeth by using improper techniques. Let’s take a look at each tip they listed.

You’re brushing too hard:

            When you clean you kitchen or scrub your bathroom, you want to put some firm pressure on the surface. The harder and longer you clean, the better the result. But with your teeth that logic can become a problem. If you brush too hard you can wear away the gums and even the underlying tooth.

Your angle is off:

            Brushing straight across isn’t the best way to clean your teeth and gums. You should angle the brush at 45 degrees towards the gums. You should also make small circles with your brush to properly clean any debris.

            The exception to that rule is an electric toothbrush. They are designed to go straight onto the tooth and you just need to hold it there for a few seconds.

Your toothbrush bristles are too firm:

            You should always use a soft bristled brush. If you use a hard bristle brush you are much more likely to abrade the gums and the tooth. Soft brushes also do a better job cleaning under the gums.

Your toothbrush head is too big:

            Bigger is not always better. Unless you have an unusually large mouth, smaller heads give you more control and easier access to difficult areas.

You’ve had the same tooth brush since last year:

            If the bristles are splayed out and look worn, they are no longer as effective at cleaning the teeth and gums.

You don’t consider flossing mandatory:

            Brushing alone is not enough to maintain good oral health. There are certain areas that will remain untreated even to the best brushers. Flossing helps reduce the chances of gum disease and from decay developing in between the teeth.

It’s no big deal to skip brushing your teeth before bed:

            This is a bad idea. You have ingested all kinds of food and drink during the day and the remnants can remain on your teeth. If not cleaned off before bed, it allows another 6-8 hours of unimpeded progression of any harmful bacteria.        

For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.

Lee T. Brown, DDS

Brown and Kupper, DDS Inc.