Rapid weight gain linked with perio disease risk in men

With Easter approaching and a bountiful supply of chocolate on offer - please heed this cautionary advice from the Absolute Dental team.

A new study has found that males who rapidly gain weight had more periodontitis and periodontitis progression compared with those who had smaller gains.


The study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, found that:

Men who were overweight at baseline and gained weight most rapidly (> 0.19 kg/year or approximately 15 lb during follow-up) had significantly more PPD events than men in the lowest tertile of weight gain (≤ -0.05 kg/year).

Overweight men whose waist circumference increased more than 0.14-0.39 or more than 0.39 cm/year experienced more PPD events than men in the lowest tertile (≤ 0.14 cm/year).

Increase in arm fat area was associated with disease progression in normal-weight men.

"These results suggest that tracking adiposity changes with easily obtained anthropometric measures may help predict risk of periodontitis progression," the authors noted.

Waist circumference, as a surrogate measure of visceral fat, has been closely correlated with body mass index in estimating health risk including periodontal disease, study author Andrea Gorman explained.

"Now we can see that rates of gain in weight and adiposity, both visceral and subcutaneous, can impact progression of disease," she said. "Faster rates of weight gain and fat gain have worse outcomes."

Additional research in the area of obesity and periodontal disease should include analysis of blood samples for markers of inflammation, she added.

While some dentists may feel that nutrition falls outside of their scope of practice, educating both dental and dietetic students on the link between poor oral health and poor diet quality is essential to providing comprehensive and improved patient care, Gorman emphasized.

By expanding the professional relationships between dentists and dieticians, patients will benefit from a healthcare environment that is working together to improve overall health and well-being, she explained.

"As the practice of dentistry evolves, practitioners should be comfortable to screen and refer patients for nutrition education and counselling, especially if there are associated chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, or obesity," Gorman concluded.

Emma

Straight Teeth. Less Time. Clear Braces.

Are you one of the millions of adults in need of adult braces who are unhappy, self-conscious or even embarrassed of your smile?

Many adults spend their entire lives covering their mouths when they laugh, smile or talk. They feel stuck because they do not want to wear adult metal braces for years or they are concerned that other corrective teeth straightening procedures could be too invasive or too expensive. Now, there is an effective, safe and affordable cosmetic braces solution that fits your lifestyle and we are delighted to be providing this at Absolute Dental

A revolutionary combination of proven orthodontic techniques, modern materials, and innovative thought - Six Month Smiles® utilises specialized clear braces to gently straighten and align teeth in an average time of just six months.

Is Six Month Smiles right for me? The best way to find the answer to that question is to contact us for a complimentary consultation on 01548 852165 or email info@absolute-dental.co.uk . However by answering a few question relating to your lifestyle and your expectations we can help determine if you should consider taking that next step.

Follow the link below and take the on line test, you can then bring the results along to your first appointment with you.

http://www.6monthsmiles.com/pages/patient_home/is_it_right_for_me.aspx

Don't let your dental health go up in smoke!!

The good news is that quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for the health of your heart and has a huge beneficial impact on the health of your mouth!

Stopping smoking is one of the most challenging experiences that many of our patients go through. We understand how hard it can be but there has never been a better time to give up and you are not alone in your quest!

There are many ways that smoking affects our dental health including the following and patients may experience obvious signs and symptoms. Signs and concerns patients may inform us about include:

Bad breath

Staining

Increase of plaque and calculus

Dry mouth or xerostomia. This is a reduction in saliva, leaving patients more at risk from caries and periodontal disease.

White patches inside the mouth

Loose teeth

Signs and symptoms we see also include:

Increase of bone loss

Increased risk of gingivitis(gum disease) and periodontal disease

Delayed healing after extractions

Lower success of implant proceedures

Increase in signs of oral cancer, white patches, red patches.

Smoking and other tobacco products lead to gum disease by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissues to your teeth and it interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. It affects the blood flow to the tissues which then impairs wound healing.

If you decide to quit or want to cut down, there are a huge range of options!

Face to face at Absolute

Firstly talk to your dentist and hygienist at Absolute Dental and we will work with you to find practical ways to help you stop. The good news is that every time we see you for a visit we are checking to see if smoking or the use of tobacco is having an impact on your oral health. We do this by firstly asking you if you have noticed any changes around your mouth. This could mean to you any sore patches, redness, dryness, bleeding on cleaning your teeth. We screen for oral cancer, inflammation of the lining of your mouth, and the dryness of your mouth. We also record where we find deposits of plaque, calculus, inflammation of gums and periodontal disease and stain and if your smoking habits have changed. We know that even cutting down can bring significant benefits to your dental health and the health of your heart.

www.

In these days of internet availability, there are many helpful websites including WeQuit which has an online forum full of helpful tips from around 44,000 other quitters who you can swap tips with and find out how other people cope. The British Heart Foundation have a stop smoking booklet and have a free Heart Matters service who can help with support and advice.

Getting started in stopping!!!

Make a date to give up! and stick to it - throw away all your tobacco lighters and ashtrays.

Make a plan and think what could help you stop- nicotine replacement therapy, and have whatever you need ready for the date you plan to stop.

Think smart and download information about the different methods of stopping smoking

Get support - tell your family and friends. Talk to your GP or practice nurse.

Keep busy to help take your mind off cigarettes and changing your routine can really help with this!

Treat yourself!!!! If you can, use the money you're saving to buy yourself something special!

Maureen

Wednesday March 13th - National No Smoking Day.

If like the millions of smokers out there you have thought about giving up, why not make this this year to really go for it!

This year the theme to the national campaign is Swap Fags for Swag is all about what smokers will gain when they quit - as well as improved health, they'll have extra cash to spend on whatever they like!

Have a look an the information below, it might just help give you the incentive you need. Giving up smoking will not only improve your overall health, but also your dental health.

Why do smokers smoke?

Most smokers have ‘triggers’ for lighting up. These could be meeting up with friends, after a meal, a pint in the pub, coffee break at work, making a phone call…

Keeping a ‘smoking diary’ for a couple of weeks before your quit date, to record when and why you smoke, can help you understand your smoking behaviour and plan for how you’ll get over those triggers while you are quitting. Once you have stopped you might use the diary to help you stay stopped, cope with cravings, and make notes about how you’re feeling and the benefits you’re enjoying.Continue using your diary when you begin your quit journey. As you approach your quit date try creating a diary to plan for the weeks ahead. You might want to include some of the following:

What you’ll be doing (work outside home, work at home, social activities, study)

Who you’ll spend time with (have I told them I’m quitting? Will they be supportive?)

Possible smoking triggers (look back at your pre-quitting diary to notice patterns)

How you’ll cope with them

Rewards (set yourself goals and reward yourself if you achieve them)

Make notes on how each day went and how you felt

Use the diary to make notes about your quit plan – think in advance of how you might cope with smoking trigger points and cravings. Perhaps you’ll want to plan some treats to reward yourself for your first smoke-free day, weekend or week, and you may need to rearrange your social life at first to avoid being with people who smoke. You might also want to arrange a fun way to spend your free time on the first few days with someone who will really support you with your quit attempt!

What if you do have a cigarette?

OK, you’ve slipped up – it’s not the end of the world and no reason to abandon your quit attempt. If you got a cigarette from someone else, tell them you wish you hadn’t had it and ask them to help you stay stopped in the future. If you’ve bought cigarettes, throw them away.

Think about why you had that cigarette and how you could have avoided smoking, note it in your diary, then keep on with your quit plan. Perhaps you need more help that you haven’t yet taken up – nicotine replacement, your local stop smoking service, a helpline…

Even several months or years after quitting, you may still have times when you think about smoking. Don’t get complacent and think you’re no longer addicted so it’s safe to have one or two cigarettes – after all the effort you’ve put into quitting, don’t risk starting again!

Finally...

Get as much help and support as you can to help you stay stopped – friends, family, work mates, your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist, local stop smoking service, dentist/hygieinist, quitting buddy. If we can be of any help here at Absolute Dental, or you would like more advice or futher quit tips, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01548 852165 or email info@absolute-dental.co.uk

Creating the Imperfect Smile

The following is an extract from a dental article in the New York Times which gives an interesting perspective on dentistry across 'The Pond ' . It implies that there has been a rejection of "perfection" in favour of a more natural and subtle look .

In this age of advanced aesthetic enhancement, subtlety is prized. The discerning get just enough Botox to unfurrow their brows, lest they become expressionless clones. And now dental patients are pursuing perfectly imperfect teeth.

It used to be the only veneers were big, gleaming, flawlessly lined-up white squares. Nicknamed Chiclets, they have become near-ubiquitous in Hollywood.

But these days, there’s a growing demand for painstakingly customized, natural-looking veneers created by professional dental ceramists, offering a balance of lifelike translucency and opaque whiteness. The lifelike “flaws” requested by patients include rotating the teeth next to the center pair so they overlap a little; subtly discoloring veneers toward the gumline so it looks between-cleaning realistic; and adding grooves so the porcelain isn’t oddly smooth.

Mr. Devaud, a guest instructor for the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry, said he has many celebrity clients, all of whom get a personalized look. “It’s not in my fiber to do a white and perfect-looking smile,” he said.

“What makes a person desirable and attractive?” Mr. Devaud added. “It’s not the symmetry; it’s perfect imperfections.”

“The white standard got too white,” he added. “The perfection standard got too perfect.”

To be sure, plenty of people still want polished piano-key teeth that scream, “I paid for these!” Others settle for such a look because they can’t afford to pay more for customization, or don’t know that it’s an option.

But for those with the means and awareness, the discreet look is in. Lawyers, doctors and other professionals “are not interested in people noticing their smile,” said Dr. Thomas Connelly, another cosmetic dentist in Manhattan. “They just want to have a nice smile. They don’t want to be known for their smile.”

Especially men. “Guys all say, ‘They have to look real, bud, or I’m not doing it,’ ” said Dr. Connelly, who works with ceramists like Mr. Devaud to “rough up” the porcelain on certain veneers. “Human enamel is not perfectly smooth,” he said. “We put texture – actual little grooves – in the porcelain"

The trend may have started with European dentists and ceramists, who long eschewed too-perfect teeth. “If you were 50 years old, they put a veneer on the tooth” with a “brown stain on it,” said Dr. Brian LeSage, a cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills, Calif., and part of the faculty at the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry. “Really ugly,” he called the look.

But Dr. LeSage, who recently spoke at the international meeting for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in London, reported that his European colleagues are now showing more interest in noticeably gorgeous, white teeth, just as some Americans are disdaining them. There’s been, he said, “a meeting in the middle".

Ruth

Extracted ( with thanks ) from an article in the New York Times ....When that Smile is too Perfect . By Neil Gershman

Dental Care in far away places!

After spending 5 weeks in beautiful Thailand, I came home wondering how aware Thai people are of oral health. Thailand presented me with lots of fresh, healthy food & a healthy lifestyle, man-made sugary snacks such as sweets & biscuits didn’t seem as easily accessible to children as they appear to be in our country. There was plenty of wholesome fresh foods to snack on instead. However when I investigated, I was very surprised by what I discovered.

A study showed that 70% of children 12 years of age had caries in permanent teeth, with 53% of these suffering with pain or discomfort. 88% of them claimed to be tooth brushing at least once a day.

In adults, aged 35-44 years of age, 74% of a persons daily performance was affected by poor oral health, making chewing food very difficult which had added effect on their health. 46% also showed signs it was effecting their emotional stability.

The studies concluded that systematic health education may further improve the oral health of Thai children and the primary school provide a unique setting for such programmes. I really hope this makes progress & people are educated more about how to prevent poor oral health and the problems this can cause.

I spotted a few dental practices whilst I was there & they looked lovely, I just hope the importance of good oral health can be promoted in more rural cultures and so help & prevent unnecessary suffering.

Amber

Dental Care for your Pets

We are a practice of animal lovers here at Absolute, with approximately 30 pets between the team (sorry if I've missed any!!!) and we all try to take the very best care of them - including their dental needs. I know we have alot of pet owners amongst our patients too, so I thought I would pass on some useful advice.

The dynamics of tooth and gum health for dogs and cats are similar to those of human beings. Pets also get plaque build up thanks to the modern foods we feed them, and their plaque also leads to gum and tooth problems, unless we help our four-legged friends do something about this.

Mother Nature’s Method:
Wild animals are naturally predisposed to eating healthy foods that feed their teeth and gums with essential nutrients and crunchiness which help to keep their plaque levels low. Their saliva does the rest, by buffering and cleansing, and so their teeth outlive them - as long as their gums stay healthy!

The Modern Threats that Pets Face:
Unfortunately, many of us have broken all these rules with love. We feed our cats and dogs soft food that does not clean their teeth. The result is inevitable – plaque builds, teeth begin to decay and gum disease becomes an all too frequent possibility.

How to Lend Mother Nature a Helping Hand:
The solution is to introduce a disciplined approach that keeps the plaque away from your pet’s teeth. There are three ways in which to do this – give them chewy food and toys, brush their teeth and seek professional assistance from a vet. The optimum solution is a combination of the first two of these.

Self-cleaning programs are the easiest way to keep your pets mouth clean. Feed your animal foods that are crunchy and restrict snacking, this could be kibble or even better,  raw food including bones. But definitely no chocolates, and definitely no sweets for your pets!

Di (with a little help from Bones & Badger!)