Mercury in Dental Fillings

Amalgam is an alloy that has been used to fill decayed teeth for a very long time. People mostly say grey fillings when referring to this kind of filling. This alloy contains silver, copper, tin and mercury.

It’s the mercury that worries people who have grey fillings in their teeth. There are dentists who totally discourage amalgam fillings, and instead recommend composite fillings, or porcelain or gold inlays.

Is it absolutely necessary to remove all your grey fillings if you have some in your mouth?

There are countries that have banned amalgam, but several professional dental associations, including the ones of Canada and the United States, that do not totally discourage amalgam use for fillings. So there is no need to be alarmed if you have grey fillings, and you can keep them in your mouth as long as they are in good shape and do not need to be changed. But when it comes time replace them, it would be preferable to chose another filling material, mainly white composite fillings, which are more aesthetic and do not contain mercury.

Full Article: Is amalgam in teeth (grey fillings) bad for your health?
In French: Mercure dans les plombages dentaires

Dental care for people with diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that is still incurable but that can be controlled by taking many precautions. If you have diabetes, you must look out for what you eat, exercise regularly, take your medication diligently, and also pay special attention to your oral health.

Among the oral problems that diabetes can trigger, dry mouth (xerostomia) and infections are the main ones. Xerostomia, or lack of saliva in the mouth, can have serious consequences, including tooth decay (cavities), the appearance of ulcers and fungal infections, and the difficulty of wearing dentures and partials.

Oral infections that diabetics encounter are the cause of periodontal disease. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, affects the gums and the bone that support teeth. Gum disease is more difficult to cure when you have diabetes. It is therefore important to maintain your gums healthy and have them checked regularly.

Furthermore, if you are diabetic and undergo oral surgery, healing will be more slow than usual. So whether you have a tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, or gum surgery, you must expect longer healing time.

Dentists recommend people with diabetes to have meticulous oral hygiene, by brushing and flossing preferably after every meal. It is also cautious to see your dentist for regular checkups, every three months if possible, for a tooth and gum exam, and a tartar scaling. At each visit, your medical history must be updated by informing any change of your diabetes state and the medication that you are taking.

If you feel that your gums are bleeding more than usual, it would be important to consult your dentist immediately. Gum disease is the worst oral complication that you can get when you have diabetes and it must be controlled. You must also notify your physician of the state of your oral health.

A lot of attention is needed to keep your mouth healthy. But if you act with the recommendations of your physician and your dentist, you can lead a healthy life for a very long time.

Full Article: Diabetes and Dental Care
In French: Soins dentaires pour les gens atteints du diabète

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.

Full Article: The Loss of Teeth May Be Linked to Dementia
In French: Est-ce que la perte des dents peut causer la démence?

Good Fats Versus Bad 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.

See also in French.

5 Steps to Good Oral Health

Having healthy teeth and healthy gums is simple once you know what to do. Avoid oral problems and unwanted disease by following these 5 steps:

Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Brush your teeth and tongue at least twice a day using a soft-bristle toothbrush. Use preferably fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque and bacteria. Also floss every day to remove the remaining plaque around the gums and in between the teeth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Eat a balanced diet
Avoid excess sugar because tooth decay causing bacteria use sugar to start cavities. Avoid sweet drinks, especially soft drinks and energy drinks. Eat fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. A healthy diet promotes wellness and good oral health.

See your dentist regularly
Regular checkups with your dentist, preferably every six months, help to stop small problems from worsening. Regular cleanings also prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Don’t smoke or chew tobacco
Tobacco causes gum disease and eventually tooth loss. Smoking can also lead to deadly diseases such as oral cancer.

Check regularly for warning signs
Gum disease is a serious illness that leads to tooth loss. The warning signs are bad breath and red, puffy and sore bleeding gums. Oral cancer’s warning signs include inexplicable bleeding, open sores, white or red patches, numbness or tingling, and small lumps and thickening on the sides or bottom of your tongue, the floor or roof of your mouth, the inside of your cheeks or on your gums. If these signs become visible in your mouth and don’t disappear after two weeks, you should report them quickly to your dentist.

In French: 5 étapes pour une bonne santé bucco-dentaire
Source: Globe and Mail