Can Tooth Loss Cause Dementia?

It was always understood that people suffering from dementia had a higher risk of losing their teeth by poor oral hygiene. But new research has shown that people who lose their teeth prematurely are more likely to later develop dementia.

The study was conducted with 144 Catholic nuns who all had the ages between 75 and 98 years. The study lasted 12 years and has demonstrated that the nuns that had between 0 and 9 teeth in their mouths were more likely to develop dementia than the ones who had more than 10 teeth.

Although the exact relationship between tooth loss and dementia remains to be shown, the results of this research are another good reason to maintain good dental hygiene and to visit the dentist regularly.

See also in French.

5 Reasons to Floss Your Teeth Every Day

Did your dentist remind you to floss your teeth at your last dental checkup? And yet it is easy to forget to do. Maybe by knowing why flossing is so necessary for oral hygiene, it would be easier to follow the dentist’s advice. Here are 5 important reasons why flossing is so important:

1. To reduce the risk of having cavities
   Brushing alone cannot clean all around a tooth when there is another tooth right next to it. Flossing completes tooth brushing by removing plaque and foods remaining in between two teeth where tooth decay often starts.
2. To reduce the risk of having gum disease
   Plaque is full of harmful bacteria, and if left around teeth it can accumulate on gums and start an inflammation. This is the first step of gum disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis.
3. To prevent halitosis
   Plaque that is located in between teeth, if not removed, can emanate a bad smell, which is one of the number one reasons of having bad breath.
4. To prevent tartar buildup
   If plaque is left around teeth, it becomes tartar with the saliva calcification action. Tartar can also cause gum disease and to reduce its amount around teeth is good for oral health.
5. To reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
   People with heart disease must be very vigilant with their oral hygiene because the mouth is an entry point for harmful bacteria that, if not eliminated, can eventually reach the heart.

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Good Fats Versus Vad Fats

Are all fats bad for your heart? Not really. Some fats should be removed from our diet, but other ones can actually be good for the heart!

There are two kinds of bad fats that people should avoid:

1. Saturated fats
   These fats are triglicerids that contain only saturated fatty acids. They increase LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the blood. They are found in meat, eggs, seafood, dairy products (especialy ice cream and whole milk), coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate and butter.
2. Trans fats
   This is a type of unsaturated fats that can be naturally found, but most of them are industrially created to increase the shelf life of processed foods. Trans fats can be found in some cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, margarine, onion rings and donuts.

But there are also good fats that can actually reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease:

1. Monounsaturated fats
   These fats lower total cholesterol, including LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol, while increasing HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats can be found in nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios), avocado, canola and olive oil. These fats have also been found to help in weight loss, particularly body fat. The phenol found in olive oil keeps the arteries elastic and healthy.
2. Polyunsaturated fats
   These fats (which include Omega 3 fatty acids) also lower bad cholesterol. They are included in seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, and sunflower oils.

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What is the Worst that Can Happen if Wisdom Teeth are not Removed?

If a dentist recommends removing wisdom teeth, it would be unwise to delay the surgery indefinitely. To do so may invite a variety of problems including damage to adjacent structures, such as sensory nerves, the maxillary sinus, and alveolar bone. Postponed wisdom teeth removal may be more complicated and require a longer recovery period. Additionally, damage caused by wisdom teeth to adjacent teeth and structures may not be easily repaired.

Tooth Decay

Keeping the back of the mouth clean with daily brushing and flossing is difficult in the best of circumstances. When wisdom teeth are present, good oral hygiene in this area is very difficult; a situation that often leads to cavities. Research has shown that more young adults have decay in the wisdom tooth area than previously thought.

Gum Disease

Wisdom teeth are not like other teeth in that they generally do not have adequate space to erupt. This is due not only to limited space, but also to the fact that gum tissues in the area are not designed to attach to the tooth in a normal way like other teeth. No matter how well someone maintains oral hygiene, it is very tough to keep the wisdom tooth area clean and bacteria free. Bacterial infection and inflammation often results in gum disease that can affect neighbouring teeth.

Involvement of adjacent structures

A young adult’s wisdom teeth generally have incomplete root systems, making surgery relatively uncomplicated. As wisdom teeth mature, their roots lengthen and may become involved with the surrounding structures such as sensory nerves or the maxillary sinus. In such cases, surgery may trigger a greater chance of complications.

Cyst and tumour formation

A fully impacted wisdom tooth sits in the jawbone surrounded by the sac in which teeth develop. Over time, however, this sac may enlarge and even develop unhealthy changes in the cells from which it is made. Problems occur when the sac surrounding the impacted tooth becomes filled with fluid and enlarges to form a cyst. As the cyst grows it may damage the jaw, neighbouring teeth and other surrounding structures. Very rarely, tumours develop from the same tissues that surround an impacted tooth, requiring extensive surgery and reconstruction.

What if wisdom teeth are kept?

If wisdom teeth are kept despite the fact that the dentist or the maxillofacial surgeon advised to remove them, it is important to monitor their health and condition regularly. X-rays and clinical examination should be done in the area every two years. Particular care of brushing and flossing of the area should also be taken into account.

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Why is Oral Hygiene Important?

A smile is the shortest distance between two people. To make sure that your smile reflects the best about you is to practice good oral hygiene.

Teeth are important, not only for the smile and the speech, but also for their contribution to the structure of the face and the jaw. Bacterial infections that affect teeth and gums are probably the greatest threat to a healthy mouth. Bacteria can be left on teeth, or in between them, later causing tooth decay and cavities. Bacteria can also accumulate around the gums leading to gingivitis or more severe gum disease.

Regular oral hygiene is very important to eliminate bad bacteria that can cause these infections. Brushing after each meal, flossing daily and regular checkups at the dentist complete oral care to always have healthy teeth and gums.

See also in French.

Top Ten Reasons to Remove your Wisdom Teeth

Top 10 reasons to remove wisdom teeth:

10. Because there is limited space for wisdom teeth to erupt and because the surrounding gums are difficult to keep clean. Infection and inflammation are therefore common even when there are no apparent symptoms.

9. Even when wisdom teeth erupt through the gum tissues, they rarely provide any meaningful function and are always difficult to keep clean.

8. Wisdom teeth have high risk of getting cavities on them because they are very hard to clean while brushing and flossing.

7. In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth develop cysts, and rarely tumours. Removal of such lesions may require extensive procedures to repair and restore jaw function and appearance.

6. With age, the chance for complications related to the removal of wisdom teeth increases.

5. Gum disease and inflammation associated with wisdom teeth may lead to receding gum tissues, deterioration of the jawbone and tooth loss.

4. Wisdom teeth may contribute to crowding of nearby teeth.

3. Even wisdom teeth that seem to be problem-free remain a breeding ground for oral infection and inflammation. Research supports the concept that such inflammation may enter the bloodstream and contribute to the development and/or progression of a variety of diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

2. Once it has been determined that a wisdom tooth will not successfully erupt into your mouth and be maintained in a healthy state, early extraction of wisdom teeth is associated with faster and easier recovery.

1. The number one reason for removing wisdom teeth: Peace of mind!

Source: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

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Why would Somone Need a Root Canal?

No one wants to be announced by the dentist that a tooth needs a root canal. Here are some of the main reasons why a tooth should get root canal therapy. Knowing those circumstances might also help to prevent them:

• An infection that is at the apex of a tooth (periapical lesion) means that the whole pulp tissue is irritated or infected. A periapical lesion can only be seen on an x-ray. In this case the tooth needs a root canal, following antibiotic therapy.
• A cavity can grow and reach the dental pulp chamber, where the pulp tissue is located, including the nerve. The bacteria contained in the decay infect the pulp directly and the tooth would need root canal therapy to stop the infection.
• If a tooth has had an advanced fracture, and there is not enough tooth material left to repair it with a conventional filling, root canal therapy must be done on that tooth to be able to put a post that will hold a filling or a crown.
• If a tooth has suffered from trauma, the pulp can be irritated permanently and needs to be removed from the tooth by root canal therapy.
• The dental pulp can also be irritated by a filling that is too deep, which was done by a dentist following tooth decay that was very at a very advanced stage.

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What is the Life Span of a Dental Crown?

A dental crown, which restores a damaged tooth, can be made from three main materials: porcelain, gold or gold fused with porcelain.

Gold
Gold is the least aesthetic material because of its yellowish colour, but it is also very durable. A gold crown may last for up to 25-30 years, considering that good oral hygiene is maintained.

Porcelain
A porcelain crown is very beautiful; of all materials, it gives the most natural appearance to a tooth. Its life span is however the shortest, lasting almost 10 years.

Gold fused to porcelain
A crown made of gold fused to porcelain offers the aesthetics of porcelain and the strength of gold. Its longevity is around 15 years.

When a tooth is less destroyed by tooth decay, it can be restored using an onlay or inlay, which can also be made up on gold or porcelain.

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What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

It is such a burden to suffer from a sensitive tooth. It bothers during meals, while drinking something hot or cold, even sometimes while breathing air through the mouth.

There are many factors that can cause sensitive teeth:

• Brushing the teeth in a hard or strong way can wear out the enamel and cause tooth sensitivity.
• If the gum level recedes, due to gum disease or vigorous brushing, the root becomes exposed, making the tooth sensitive.
• A fracture of a tooth can expose the dentin.
• Cavities and tooth decay can of course cause the teeth to be sensitive.
• Grinding the teeth wears down the enamel.
• Tooth whitening products can cause a temporary sensitivity to the teeth.
• Certain mouthwashes are acidic and long term use can wear away the enamel of the tooth.
• Foods high in acid content, such as soft drinks, citric fruits, or ice-tea, wear out the enamel if consumed excessively.
• Recent dental treatments (fillings, cleanings, root canals or crowns) can cause sensitivity to the repaired tooth for a few weeks.

A severe tooth ache, that is constant and prevents sleep, can be the cause of more serious problems and should be checked by a dentist as soon as possible.

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How to Stop Teeth Grinding

If someone suspects teeth grinding, either because the dentist noted it or the spouse complained about it, there are many ways to control it, depending on how severe the grinding is.

If the teeth grinding occurs during the daytime, it is possible to be conscious about it and try not to put the upper and lower teeth tightly against each other.

If it happens during the nighttime, these simple procedures can help for mild cases:

• Reduce stress.
• Reduce foods containing caffeine.
• Relax the chewing muscles in the evening by applying a wet and warm cloth to the face.

If all these don’t work, the dentist can fabricate a bite splint that should be worn at night. A bite splint is an acrylic appliance that is custom made for each person. It can be worn either on the upper teeth, or the lower teeth, which helps to prevent teeth grinding when it is well adjusted by the dentist.

See also in french.