Mitral Valve Prolapse, New Ultrasound Toothbrush, Mouthwashes Include Alcohol, Ionic Toothbrush, Dental Sealants

Mitral Valve Prolapse Ain’t What It Used To Be

The prevalence of Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) has been estimated to range from 5-35 percent of the population, with the predominance occurring in women. Furthermore, people with MVP have been told that they are at greater risk for a myriad of problems including stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, mitral valve regurgitation requiring surgery, and infections from dental procedures, in particular. Now a study coming out of the well-known, long-term Framingham Heart Study challenges many of these notions.* Researchers in this study examined 1845 women and 1646 men for MVP using more precise methods – three dimensional imaging rather than two dimensional imaging – used in previous studies. Their results were striking. Only 47 subjects had classic MVP and 37 subjects had non-classic MVP (this adds up to 84 subjects, or 2.4 percent of those in the study). Fifty out of the 84 subjects diagnosed with MVP were women and thirty-four were men. Distribution by age was equal in all decades of life from the twenties to the eighties. When it came to being vulnerable to the various risks such as stroke, etc., the MVP group had no greater frequency of problems than the other 3407 subjects (without MVP) in the study. The study concluded that the numbers of persons with MVP was lower than previously reported and that the sequelae commonly associated with this diagnosis was also low. Knowing this does not change the need for patients with MVP to premedicate with antibiotics when receiving dental treatment, and the current American Heart Association standards still apply. What this study does imply is that further testing may reverse a previous diagnosis of MVP that will eliminate exposure to antibiotics and undue concerns.

New Ultrasound Toothbrush Powers Brushing To A New Feeling Of Clean

People concerned about oral health now have a new weapon against plaque. Ultreo, Inc. launched a revolutionary power toothbrush that combines ultrasound waveguide technology with precisely tuned sonic bristle action for a deep, gentle, long-lasting feeling of clean.

Ultreo’s proprietary technology uses ultrasound energy to transform normally inactive bubbles into pulsating bubbles for an incredible, long-lasting feeling of clean. Clinical studies prove that Ultreo can remove up to 95 percent of plaque from hard-to-reach areas in the first minute of brushing. We still recommend that you still brush for a full two minutes; these results should be excellent news for people who are in a hurry to get out of the house in the morning.

“The combined effect of ultrasound waveguide technology and precisely tuned sonic bristle action takes power brushing to new heights,” said Dr. Christopher McInnes, principal scientist for Ultreo. “During a recent survey of users, nine out of ten people who used Ultreo thought their teeth felt smooth and clean after brushing and seven out of ten said they preferred Ultreo to the power toothbrush they were currently using.”

First major category innovation in 15 years can remove up to 95% of plaque from hard-to-reach places in one minute

Ultreo is clinically proven to remove stains for naturally whiter teeth in just 14 days, as well as reduce gingivitis in just 30 days. It is also proven to be safe and gentle for everyday use on gums, natural tooth surfaces and dental work. And in a recent case study conducted at two separate dental offices, Ultreo was shown to reduce periodontal pocket depths by an average of 21 percent.

Ultreo offers a user-friendly design and a sleek look. Product features include: sonic bristles with power tip, ultrasound waveguide, ultra-slim neck, snap-on brush head, auto shut-off timer, brushing interval signal, brush head replacement indicator, battery charge status indicator and ultra-compact charger base.

Ultreo is the most innovative power toothbrush on the market providing consumers with the most advanced technology available for improving and maintaining their oral health on a daily basis at home. Ultreo is a scientifically based product developed at the University of Washington in association with former executives, scientists and engineers of Optiva Corporation, the developers of the Sonicare® toothbrush.

Ask us about how to get this oral hygiene device.

Ingredients In Some Mouthwashes Include Alcohol

Besides water and sweeteners such as sorbitol and sodium saccharine, many commercial brands of mouthwash include other active ingredients such as eucalyptol, hexetidine, thymol, hydrogen peroxide, methyl salicylate, enzymes, fluoride and calcium. Many brands of mouthwash such as Scope or Listerine contain from 6.6% to 26.9% of alcohol, more than beer or wine [Pediatrics for Parents, March 1993]. These formulations rely on a high alcohol content to temporarily kill bacteria that causes bad breath. This is almost counterproductive since antiseptic mouthwashes with high alcohol content may lead to dry mouth, which makes you more prone to bad breath than a moist mouth; and if swallowed may be dangerous, especially for children. Drinking plenty of water can be important in treating unpleasant mouth odors.

No matter what type of mouthwash you choose, you should rinse for the amount of time stated on the product. Avoid using mouthwash in excess of the recommended amount or frequency. Mouthwashes or rinses should not take the place of daily tooth brushing and flossing, which are essential to remove particles of food on and between teeth. Mouthwash, when used appropriately, is used to kill bacteria that cause bad breath and gingivitis. No mouthwash is capable of killing the bacteria that causes gum disease.

Second-generation products such as TheraBreath and Closys II use odor-eliminators, typically oxidizers, such as zinc ion technology to eliminate bad breath immediately, but don’t prevent new bad breath from developing.

A third-generation mouthwash, SmartMouth uses a patented odor-eliminating zinc ion technology to neturalize the bacteria that causes bad breath and prevent it from recurring. SmartMouth’s zinc ion technology was invented and patented at the Dental Medicine program at the State University of New York, Stonybrook.

This two-bottle mouthwash system, when used twice daily as directed, has been clinically proven to reduce chronic bad-breath, keeping breath fresh twenty-four hours a day and even eliminating morning breath.

Call the office and ask us about alcohol-free alternative mouthwashes. The good news is that there are plenty of alcohol-free mouthwashes available in your local drugstores today!

Ionic Toothbrush Brings New Technology To Oral Health Prevention

Bacteria in dental plaque attack food, producing acid. This acid causes bad breath, tooth decay [caries], and gum disease [periodontal]. Normally, saliva neutralizes this action. But when plaque builds up, it acts as a barrier, preventing the neutralizing action of the saliva. According to clinical studies, the Soladey-2 ™ toothbrush can help stop this plaque build-up. Working with saliva, the brush controls and reduces the bacteria responsible for plaque.

Plaque build-up is reduced by the natural cleansing action of safe, free electrons emitted from the revolutionary semiconductor rod. Teeth feel and look cleaner. Through superior cleaning ability, plaque adhesion to your teeth is reduced photo-electronically. Toothpaste is unnecessary. Effective plaque removal is possible with or without toothpaste; ordinary light activates the patented semiconductor rod and cleans your teeth without abrasives. With sensible care, the handle and rod will last for years, requiring only inexpensive replaceable heads. The replacement heads provide all the benefits of the Soladey-2 at a comparable cost of a regular toothbrush.

When exposed to any light source (a fluorescent bathroom light, a plain light bulb, or sunlight), the photosensitive titanium rod inside Soladey-2 converts light into negatively charged electrons (ions). The rod releases these ions, which blend with saliva to attract positive (hydrogen) ions from the acid in the dental plaque.

The acid is then neutralized and plaque is disintegrated – a scientific approach to a cleaner and healthier mouth! Toothpaste is not required as water (saliva) is the active ingredient – oral hygiene now becomes not only natural, but also economical! For those who find it hard to give up toothpaste, use only a very small amount!

• How to use it:
After wetting the bristles with water, brush your teeth lightly and thoroughly in the same way as with an ordinary toothbrush.

Make certain there is an adequate light source (natural or artificial) necessary to activate the semiconductor. It may be necessary to keep the mouth partially open during brushing so that light always reaches the titanium bar. You may, if you wish, use a very small amount of your preferred toothpaste on the bristles, although this is not necessary with Soladey-2. Care must be taken to avoid toothpaste covering the semiconductor as this would prevent light reaching it.

Setting Priorities For Good Dental Health

Many people have bleeding gums, and they don’t think twice about it. They view it as a minor inconvenience. If you were bleeding from any other part of your body, you wouldn’t hesitate to see a physician. If you lost a body part you wouldn’t hesitate to have it replaced. We have 32 teeth – they are all body parts.

While we may not need our teeth to live like one needs a heart, we need our mouth to be pain-free and functional to enjoy a good quality of life.

But like exercising, dieting or anything that requires a routine, many of us fall short of a sustained effort to accomplishing long-term results. Why do we run out of toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes vitamins, etc. when we know their importance? Why do we have problems maintaining an oral hygiene regimen? Perhaps, we don’t make the answers priorities.

We in this dental office believe in the philosophy espoused by Dr. F. Harold Wirth who said, “The mouth in its entirety is an important and even wondrous part of our anatomy, our emotion, our life; it is the site of our very being. When an animal loses teeth, it cannot survive unless it is domesticated; its very existence is terminated; it dies. In the human, the mouth is the means of speaking, of expressing love, happiness and joy, anger, ill temper, or sorrow. It is the primary sex contact; hence it is of initial import to our regeneration and survival by food and propagation. It deserves the greatest care it can receive at any sacrifice.”

This is our passion. Make it yours and the rest will fall into place. Call and ask us how we may help you achieve your oral hygiene and health goals and ensure a greater quality of life.

Dental Sealants Prevent Decay

The application of systemic or topical fluoride since the early 1970’s has lowered the incidence of tooth decay on the smooth surfaces of the teeth. However, about 90% of the decay found in children’s teeth occurs in tooth surfaces with pits and fissures. To solve this problem, dental sealants were developed to act as a physical barrier so that cavity-causing bacteria cannot invade the pits and fissures on the chewing surfaces of back [posterior] teeth.

A sealant is a plastic resin material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth—premolars and molars. This material is bonded into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces and acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from attack by plaque and/or acids.

Dental sealants are usually professionally applied. The dentist, hygieniest or assistant cleans and dries the teeth to be treated; then paints a thin layer of liquid plastic material on the pits and fissures of the tooth. A blue spectrum natural light is shined on the applied material for a few seconds to cure the plastic. Some brands of sealants cure chemically.

After curing, the plastic becomes a hard, thin layer covering the treated portions of the tooth. Despite the incredible pressures placed on teeth during chewing each day, dental sealants often remain effective for five years or longer, although sealants do wear naturally and should be checked at regular intervals. If sealants wear or become damaged, they can be repaired or replaced simply by applying new sealant material to the worn or damaged portions.

Children should receive sealants shortly after the eruption of their first permanent molars, around age 6 and again at age 12 when their second molars appear.

During the child’s regular dental visits, we will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.