Lake Orion Family Dentistry Blog

Many different types of food can cause tooth decay, not just candy. Foods that are high in carbohydrates, as well as some fruits, liquids, peanut butter, crackers and potato chips are culprits. Factors that cause tooth decay include the frequency in which the foods are eaten and the time they remain as particles in the mouth. More>>

Horrifying Tongue-Piercing Complication from CompuServe 10-18-06

They felt like electrical shocks, those stabbing, needle-sharp pains in her face that lasted as long as 30 seconds and struck 20 to 30 times a day. Stefania Fraccalvieri of Rome, Italy was only a teenager, but doctors diagnosed her with trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the nervous system in which the pain is so excruciating the ailment has been nicknamed the "suicide disease." The Associated Press reports that Fraccalvieri's physician pumped her full of painkillers, upping the medication when lower doses didn't work. Then one day, she removed the metal stud from her pierced tongue. Within two days, the pain was gone. Totally vanished.

This startling account of a tongue piercing gone terribly wrong has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Such piercings are rife with complications, some of which are life-threatening and include tetanus, heart infection, brain abscess, chipped teeth and receding gums. AP notes that one woman who had her tongue pierced developed so much scar tissue that it resembled what she called a "second tongue."

In this newly reported case, the metal stud Fraccalvieri wore in her mouth irritated a nerve that runs along the jaw under her tongue. Since that nerve is connected to the trigeminal nerve, one of the largest in the head, it produced the agonizing attacks. "There are people who have been dropped to their knees" by trigeminal neuralgia, Alana Greca, a registered nurse and director of patient support for the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association, told AP. "That's how intense and how horrendous the pain can be."

Dr. Marcelo Galarza, a neurosurgeon at Villa Maria Cecilia Hospital in Ravenna, Italy who treated Fraccalvieri and reported on the condition in JAMA, said, "Certainly, this was an isolated case, an extremely rare complication of this kind of piercing." Still he warned that the tongue is a dangerous place for a piercing since it is rich in blood vessels and can spread infection to major organs. Still, Fraccalvieri warned others about tongue piercing. "Don't do that," she said. My experience was so bad. I was so sick and now I feel much better."

One American dies every hour from oral cancer! The American Cancer Society has reported a 5.5% increase in new oral cancer cases and a 1.5% increase in deaths associated with oral cancer. More than 25% of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and have no other lifestyle risk factors.

Who is at risk for oral cancer?
Increased Risk:
*Patients age 18-39 without lifestyle risk factors
High Risk:
*Patients age 40 and older without lifestyle risk factors
Highest Risk:
*Patients age 40 and older with lifestyle risk factors, Any history or current use of tobacco
and/or consumption of alcohol.
*Patient with a history of oral cancer

Early detection saves lives! Oral cancer is one of the most cureable diseases when its caught early. Vizilite Plus is the only FDA cleared screening device for the identification and monitoring of oral abnormalities. The Vizilite Plus screening examination is quick (2-4 minutes), painless, and could save your life! Please call our office to find out more information about the new oral cancer screening examination, Vizilite Plus, or visit their web site.

Listerine will do way more than just kill your bad breath. Now Pfizer Inc., the maker of Listerine, is touting another, even bigger advantage: Listerine will help give you a healthy mouth and that may lead to a healthy body. The implication is that by preventing gingivitis, you may also prevent the onset of heart disease or diabetes.

Three odd cures for bad breath: When toothpaste and mouthwash don't work, what can you do? Here are some odd--but medically sound--cures for halitosis.

Reuters reports that Pfizer ran full-page advertisements in USA Today and The Washington Post this past week touting the link, citing emerging science to back up the claim. Mind you, there are no scientific studies that actually prove the connection between oral health and overall health, but the new ad campaign attempts to explain the relationship.

Here's a new way to zap bad breath! Find out the odd side effect of dental bleaching.

The newspaper advertisement shows a giant bottle of Listerine draped with a stethoscope. It reads, "If you think it's just for your mouth, think bigger." In January 2005, Pfizer launched an ad campaign saying that using Listerine was just as effective as flossing. A competitor took the company to court, and a judge ruled the ad was misleading. But this time, the marketing team says they did their homework and have the facts correct. "There's an association between the health of the mouth and the health of the body," said Dr. Madeline Monaco, director of oral care professional relations, and a member of Listerine's research and development team. While there have been no cause-and-effect studies to prove it, there is an association between advanced gum disease and the onset of heart disease and diabetes. Even the American Dental Association has given the Listerine campaign its seal of acceptance.

What causes morning breath? Find out the answers to five questions you would only ask a doctor after a good, stiff drink.

Copyright © 2006 Netscape Communications Corporation. All rights reserved.

A New Way to Zap Bad Breath

There's an odd side effect to dental bleaching: One of the chemicals used to make your teeth white also zaps bad breath.

While over-the-counter bleaching products for teeth are relatively new, dentists have been bleaching their patients' teeth for years. And they noticed something strange. For those patients who also suffer from chronic bad breath, the tooth bleaching process not only whitened their teeth, but also made their halitosis disappear.

It turns out the magic ingredient is carbamide peroxide, an odorless chemical used to bleach and disinfect teeth. After 10 years and 40,000 patients, Cleveland dentist Louis J. Malcmacher has now figured out the perfect dose of carbamide peroxide to destroy the sulfur compounds and Gram-negative bacteria that cause bad breath. The procedure works like tooth whitening using a customized mouth tray or mouth guard that fits snugly around the patient's teeth. Instead of the 10 percent solution of carbamide peroxide used for whitening, a 3 percent solution is used. The trays stay in the patient's mouth for an hour; the process is repeated two more times before a patient typically notices a difference in his or her breath, according to Malcmacher.

How much does it cost? More than 25 percent of the U.S. population has chronic halitosis--breath that is so sour that tooth-brushing and mouthwash only mask the problem. It can also be an indication of more serious health concerns. This new treatment, which goes to the heart of the problem, costs about $500 for one in-office treatment and a four to six-week supply for home use. Malcmacher says there are no side effects.

How long do you have to keep using it? That depends on the severity of the halitosis. Patients with the most acute problem must use it daily for a while and then eventually move to once every few months. Others just have to use it for the initial three-step treatment for long-term (but not indefinite) results.

Bad breath primarily originates from the gums and tongue. However, odor coming from the back of the tongue may indicate post-nasal drip. Bad breath also may occur in people who have an infection, gum disease, diabetes, kidney failure or a liver malfunction. Xerostomia (dry mouth) and tobacco also contribute to this problem. Cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy may experience dry mouth. Even stress, dieting, snoring, aging and hormonal changes can have an effect on breath.

As of right now, this new cure for bad breath has not been widely marketed and there is no patent on the procedure. The study findings were presented to a meeting of the Academy of General Dentistry in Washington, D.C.

3 Odd Cures For Bad Breath

When toothpaste and mouthwash don't work, what can you do to quell your bad breath? Here are three odd--but medically sound--cures for halitosis.

Cure No. 1: Take zinc
HealthDayNews reports that research published in the French journal Revue De Stomatologie Et De Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale concludes that the main cause of chronic bad breath is a group of compounds that contain sulfur. The sulfur-producing bacteria gather on the back of the tongue and on the teeth. (Mind you, chronic bad breath is caused by more than just eating onions for lunch.) Zinc apparently makes your breath smell better because it binds to the sulfur. So look for mouthwashes, gum, toothpaste, and even cold lozenges that contain zinc to zap that bad breath.

Cure No. 2: Get the right toothpaste
The best toothpaste for sweet breath is one with stannous fluoride, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry. Every toothpaste promotes itself as a cavity-fighter and breath-freshener. But when it comes to that sweet extra something for your breath, which one does the best job?

When researchers compared three types of toothpaste--one with stannous fluoride, an anti-tartar, and an anti-microbial--among three groups of people and gave a fourth group bottled water to act as a control, they found that the toothpaste that contained 0.45 percent stannous fluoride actually produced better breath, reports HealthDayNews.

Cure No. 3: Zap it with a laser
An Israeli scientist has developed a 15-minute laser treatment that has worked successfully in 53 patients whose bad breath emanates from their tonsils. According to New Scientist magazine, the laser treatment developed by Yehuda Finkelstein of Meir Hospital at the Sapir Medical Centre in Kfar Saba, Israel is used for a rare type of halitosis that wafts relentlessly from the tonsils.

For most of us, bad breath is caused by the build-up of bacteria around the gums and teeth; those bacteria then release foul-smelling gases. But for about 6 percent of people who suffer from bad breath, the bacteria breed in grooves in their tonsils. The laser treatment zaps the infected tonsil tissue and creates a scar that seals the grooves so bacteria cannot grow back. Of the 53 patients who have received this treatment, more than half were cured after just one treatment. The others required two or three more sessions--but all were cured.

Lake Orion Family Dentistry has been featured in two newspaper articles. We are very excited to share these articles with you!

The Oakland Press - "Troubled student now has a reason to smile" - June 12, 2006

The Lake Orion Review -"Putting a smile on her face" - June 21, 2006

Do you have bad breath? Most of the time we are unaware of our own breath odors, while others around us are! The tongue's surface harbors many bacteria and food particals. This causes a bad odor known as malodor as a result of the breakdown of bacteria and release of sulphur gas.

Tongue cleansing should be added to your daily oral hygiene routine. Tongue scraping is 50% more effective than brushing alone, and reduces mouth odors by 75%. The same bacteria that causes bad breath can also cause tooth decay and periodontal disease. Call us with any questions regarding tongue cleaning and breath odor.

The next time you speak - Do it with confidence!

Did you know that we offer Nitrous Oxide in all eight of our treatment rooms? It can be a very beneficial aid to relax you in the dental chair. Although it is unknown how Nitrous Oxide works, it has been used safely in dental offices since the 1800's. Nitrous Oxide produces a type of euphhoria when used in proper dosages during dental treatment. New licensing guidelines reinforce what our office has been doing as "the standard of care". All three of our hygienist have taken the required class and have been licensed in Nitrous Oxide. Because each patient requires a different level to be comfortable, we start with a low level of Nitrous Oxide and increase potentcy at small increasing intervals. This allows each patient the control of how relaxed they become, making each dental visit more desirable.