7 Troublesome Ways Teens Destroy Their Teeth

February 21st, 2012

CBS News

There are plenty of seemingly harmless or discreet activities teens do that affect their oral health and may lead to infections, painful toothaches or even life-threatening complications.

Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, keep clicking as Dr. Doyle Williams, associate professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and chief dental officer at DentaQuest, explains 7 ways teens are destroying their teeth…

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Swallowing Chemicals From Teeth Whiteners Is Common And Very Dangerous

October 24, 2011

Natural News

By S. D. Wells

The increasing popularity of coffee and tobacco products has lead to a teeth whitening craze, which includes regular use of whitening trays, toothpastes, mouth rinses, and strips applied to the teeth for extended periods of time. The use of teeth whitening products, including over the counter kits and dentist applied ones, has tripled since the year 2000, and oral cancer statistics have increased at an alarming rate for young people, including those who do not use tobacco products.

Many patients who sit in a dentist’s chair for 3 to 4 hours soaking their teeth and gums in tooth whiteners end up ingesting a boatload of toxins. Coal tars, fluorides, aspartame, aluminum and benzene top the list of popular toxins that are being ingested by consumers using teeth whitening products.

Teeth whitening product warnings are nearly impossible to heed. Some read, “This product may irritate your gums,” and “risk increases if the bleaching agent is incorrectly applied, as it should not come into contact with the gums.” Many of the toxic chemicals leak from the trays containing the whitening gel onto surrounding areas inside the mouth. Some products and dentists often warn that bleaching may “heighten sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages,” but what they’re really saying is that bleaching agents affect the nerves within the teeth.

Some dentists even offer to repair pulp damaged teeth because when pulp is dead or injured, the tooth will darken. To correct this problem, after a root canal is completed, the dentist actually fills the pulp chamber with bleach solution and covers it with a temporary filling. The costs of sealing carcinogens inside your teeth can vary, and most dentists charge between $300 and $400 per tooth.

Many of the trays and mouth pieces that soak the teeth for hours on end are now in question, especially the trays kept in the mouth over night. How can any human being reasonably avoid swallowing these teeth whitening chemicals while sleeping?

Currently, there is no research on the long-term effects of tooth whiteners, and since they are considered “cosmetic” products, tooth whiteners don’t fall under FDA regulation. What is also not being considered is the amount of bleach being ingested from so many other popular products. White bread, white pasta, white rice, white sugar, and white coffee filters all contribute to the cumulative effect of consuming carcinogens. Plus, consider into the toxic equation how often you drink fluoridated water and swim in chlorinated pools.

Also, although hydrogen peroxide is rapidly broken down in the mouth by saliva, studies show that in regards to teeth whitening procedures, at least 25 percent is swallowed, releasing free radicals into the body and stimulating the growth of cancer cells.

However, there are many safe uses for hydrogen peroxide. There are theories that hydrogen peroxide, when used properly, can kill cancer cells because they do not have the mechanism to break down the hydrogen peroxide inside of healthy cells. Do your own research and make informed decisions. Baking soda is all natural and does a great job for whitening teeth.

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Ten Natural Remedies Relieve Teething Pain

December 27th, 2010

Natural News

By: Penny Forham

Baby`s first tooth usually appears around five or six months and the last appears around two and a half years. Teething doesn’t bother some babies; whereas, others become very unsettled, clingy and unable to sleep. If teething is uncomfortable for your baby, here are ten natural ways to relieve teething pain.

1. Teething Necklaces
When worn around baby`s neck the gentle warming of an amber necklace releases succinic acid into the skin. Succinic acid is known to accelerate the healing of wounds, ease muscle pains, reduce inflammation of the throat, ear and stomach, reduce/prevent respiratory disease, decrease colic symptoms, reduce acid reflux, reduce eczema and improve heart, liver, kidney, and intestinal function.

Hazelwood has the medicinal property of neutralizing the body’s acidity, relieving ulcers, acid reflux, heartburn, teething, skin problems (psoriasis, eczema, acne), arthritis, constipation, migraines, and dental cavities. Like amber, it is worn around the neck of the baby and the active ingredient is absorbed into the skin.

2. Vanilla Essence
Vanilla has natural calming properties which can soothe anxiety associated with teething and relieve an upset tummy. The pressure from rubbing the liquid on the gums provides relieving counter pressure.

3. Something to chew on
This one is as wide ranging as your imagination, from natural rubber or wooden teething toys to mum or dad’s finger. Large pieces of refrigerated or frozen vegetables, e.g. carrots, or a cold teaspoon or wooden spoon can also be used.

4. Ice
Another varied solution is to cool and gently anaesthetise the inflamed gums. Choose from rubbing a melting ice cube on the gums, a popsicle made from fruit, mum`s milk or chamomile tea.

5. Pressure
Using a clean finger to press the swollen gums creates counter pressure to the emerging tooth which temporarily relieves discomfort.

6. Homeopathy
Teething times are many mothers` first introduction to homeopathy, which works by stimulating the immune system. Chamomilla is the most commonly prescribed remedy for symptoms such as restlessness and a red cheek. Belladonna may be more appropriate when there is a very flushed face and fever. Pulsatilla is useful when the child is very clingy and weepy. These are the most common treatments but consult a homeopath for the most appropriate remedy.

7. Breastfeed
Breastfeeding and skin to skin contact has been shown to be pain relieving during medical interventions of babies. Many babies instinctively want to nurse more during teething. Nursing also has the added benefit of helping to align baby’s teeth correctly and prevent malocclusion later.

8. Cloves
Cloves are known for their ability to relieve a toothache. Clove oil is very potent and should be diluted before using it on your baby. It can be diluted in a carrier oil such as olive oil and then rubbed on the gum.

9. Flower Remedies
Flower based remedies help manage the emotional states. They can be applied on the tongue, the forehead, or behind the ears. They can also pass in breastmilk so can be taken by a nursing mother.

10. Apply a barrier
The excessive drool caused by teething can cause a red irritating rash around the lips and chin. Lubricate the skin with a mild emollient such as cold-pressed coconut, almond or safflower oil to prevent the skin from getting wet from saliva. Pat any saliva to dry the skin without irritation.

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Blind Woman Sees With ‘Tooth-in-Eye’ Surgery

September 17, 2009

ABC News

By Lauren Cox

Forget about an eye for an eye — doctors in Florida have taken a blind woman’s tooth, and used it to help restore her vision.

A team of specialists at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine announced Wednesday that they are the first surgeons in the United States to restore a person’s sight by using a tooth. The procedure is formally called modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (or MOOKP).

Sharron “Kay” Thornton, 60, went blind nine years ago from a rare disorder called Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The disorder left the surface of her eyes so severely scarred she was legally blind. But doctors determined the inside of her eyes were still functional enough that she might one day see with the help of MOOKP.

“This is a patient where the surface of the eye is totally damaged — no wetness, no tears,” said Dr. Victor L. Perez, the ophthalmologist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami who operated on Thornton. “So we kind of recreate the environment of the mouth in the eye.”

The three-phase operation started with University of Miami dentist, Dr. Yoh Sawatari, who removed a tooth from Thornton’s mouth and prepared an implant of her own dental tissue for her most severely damaged eye. The tissue would be used to make a new cornea to replace the damaged one.

Doctors then removed a section of Thornton’s cheek that would become the soft, mucus tissue around her pupil. Finally, Perez and his team implanted the modified tooth — which had a hole drilled through the center — to support a prosthetic lens.

“We use that tooth as a platform to put the optical cylinder into the eye,” explained Perez.

Perez said doctors often use less risky and less invasive techniques to replace corneas, but the damage from Thornton’s Stevens-Johnson syndrome ruled those out.

Using a tooth might sound strange, but it also offers an advantage. Because doctors used Thornton’s own cheek and tooth tissue she faces less risk that her immune system will attack the tooth and reject the transplant. Patients getting a cornea transplant from a deceased donor, on the other hand, face chances that their immune system will reject the new tissue.

This Labor Day, Thornton was able to take off the bandages and she immediately saw the light.

Regaining Her Vision With Tooth in Eye Surgery
“From the first day, she’s been able to see 20/70,” said Perez. “She cannot drive legally (yet), but she can see her hands, see TV, see the sky, see the clouds.”

At the moment, Thornton has nothing covering the cheek tissue on her eye, an aesthetic drawback MOOKP patients must face.

“Her eye looks different but, the goal is once she heals more we can put on a cosmetic eye shield,” said Perez.

The technique was developed in Italy in the early 1960s, but the original procedure has been modified over the years by doctors in Europe. Hundreds of people in Japan, England and Italy have regained vision through the technique, but most eye specialists in the U.S. don’t foresee MOOKP catching on in America.

“It’s a complicated and rare procedure that a few people use in desperate situations [and] some patients benefit when the alternative is blindness,” said Dr. Stanley Chang, an ophthalmologist at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

Why the Tooth and Eye Procedure Is Rare

While OOKP is used more often in Europe, doctors U.S. typically choose a less tedious technique called the Boston Keratoprosthesis, which is similar to MOOKP but uses a prosthetic cornea instead of one grown from dental tissue and does not require cheek tissue to surround the implant.

The Boston technique, experts say, can save patients time and give them a more natural looking eye.

“The [MOOKP] procedure is unlikely to be very commonly used because of the difficulty, length, and invasiveness of the surgery and the cosmetic appearance after surgery,” said Dr. James Chodosh, a cornea specialist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

But some patients are better candidates for the MOOKP procedure than the Boston Keratoprosthesis  including people with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, or who were chemical burn victims.

“These conditions, although rare or uncommon, are still important because the patients may have little or no vision, and because there have not been very effective treatments to restore their vision,” said Chodosh.

Rare Procedures to Reverse Blindness Still Have Benefits
Dr. Uyen Tran, associate professor of ophthalmology at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, agrees that “these types of patients are not common” and says that “we probably see about 20 cases a year at our center.”

Yet, while the number of patients for MOOKP may never reach the number of patients getting the Boston Keratoprosthesis, Perez said he hopes to perform more of these procedures for those in need.

“Absolutely there are a lot of patients like her (Thornton), and also patients with chemical burns& we also want to work with the Department of Defense to help with soldiers who are scarred,” said Perez.

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