Eating with Retainers on

If you have just finished your orthodontics treatment, you must be very happy that you don’t have you braces on anymore! Usually after the braces come the retainers, for a period of a year or even more.

People who had braces got used to eating with them. The types of foods were limited, but after at least a year of having braces on, eating became a common thing to do. When it comes to retainers, it is important to remove them when having a meal. Retainers are not made to chew foods; they are just needed to keep teeth at their aligned position.

After each meal, it is important to brush and floss correctly before putting retainers back in your mouth. If you have dental plaque on your teeth or on your gums, retainers might leave them stuck even harder and risk of developing cavities or gum disease.

Complete Article : Do You Have to Remove Your Retainers when You Eat?
Source of Picture : Braces 101
In French : Manger avec des appareils orthodontiques dans la bouche

Alcohol and Tooth Extraction

What if you have just had a tooth extracted and wondering if you can have a glass of wine, or even a beer? Or you might have had your tooth extraction a week ago, and although it feels pretty comfortable in your mouth, you still wonder if you can go out with friends and have shooters!

The first few days after an extraction, it feels uncomfortable to eat or drink anything. Therefore alcohol might not be a good choice of beverage. Some people might argue that alcohol disinfects the extraction site, but rinsing with water and salt is a better idea. It is not officially forbidden to have alcohol after any tooth surgery… unless you are taking medication such as pain killers or antibiotics.

Some of these drugs can become toxic if alcohol is taken during the same period. It is therefore important not to have alcohol if any medication is taken after tooth extraction, depending on the prescribed period, which is usually from seven to ten days.

Complete Article: Can you Drink Alcohol after a Tooth Extraction?
In French: Alcool et extraction dentaire

Diabetes Statistics

Today is World Diabetes Day, and here are some updated facts about this desease:

• There are currently 246 million people worldwide affected with diabetes, and this number is expected to rise to 380 million by the year 2025.
• Every 5 seconds one person develop diabetes. Each year 7 million people develop diabetes.
• Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes, mostly from cardio-vascular diseases. Each year 3.8 million people die from diabetes.
• The five countries with the highest number of people with diabetes in 2007 are India (40.9 million), China (39.8 million), the United States (19.2 million), Russia (9.6 million) and Germany (7.4 million).
• The five countries with the largest diabetes prevalence in the adult population in 2007 are Nauru (30.7%), United Arab Emirates (19.5%), Saudi Arabia (16.7%), Bahrain(15.2%), and Kuwait (14.4%). By 2025, the highest diabetes prevalence is expected to be in developping countries.
• Up to 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable by increasing physical activity and adopting a healthy diet.
• Periodontal disease (gum disease) is more common in people with diabetes. Young adults with diabetes have about twice the risk of those without diabetes.

Full Article: Diabetes and Dental Care
Source: Did you Know? – International Diabetes Federation (IDF)
In French: Statistiques du diabète